Chemistry & Biochemistry (CH)

Professors: D. P. Mascotti, C. D. Bruce, Y. C. Chai (Chair), M. J. Waner; Associate Professors: M. A. Nichols; Scholar in Residence: Megan Macnaughtan

Chemistry connects many of the other fields of science. For this reason, studying chemistry at John Carroll University will prepare you for a career in a variety of areas. All chemistry majors earn a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry degree, and additional concentrations may be added. The biochemistry concentration includes additional biology and biochemistry courses to fulfill the requirements for medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, optometry, physician assistant, and other health professional programs or prepare you for a career in biomedical research. The chemical physics concentration includes additional physics and mathematics courses to prepare you for employment in a chemically-related field, engineering, graduate school, or a chemical or biochemical research career.

Hands-on laboratory experiences are a vital component of a modern chemistry curriculum, and the department is equipped with modern laboratory facilities and instrumentation that students routinely use in both lab courses and undergraduate research. The department maintains active undergraduate research and internship programs that most majors participate in during their career. Internships and research experiences occur with chemistry faculty on campus and off campus at the Lerner Research Institute at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, local and regional universities, such as Case Western University and the University of Akron, and local chemical companies like Lubrizol, Sherwin-Williams, and Energizer.

The department is approved by the Committee on Professional Training (CPT) of the American Chemical Society (ACS). The significance of ACS-CPT approval is that the department “is committed to providing [students] with a broadly based and intellectually challenging experience in chemistry. The ACS Committee on Professional Training (CPT) carefully evaluates a chemistry department’s program with respect to its breadth and depth, the qualifications of the chemistry faculty, the adequacy of the facilities, condition of instrumentation, access to current chemical literature, and opportunities for a meaningful research experience.” (https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/about/governance/committees/training/acsapproved/degreeprogram/why-obtain-a-bachelors-degree-certified-to-the-acs.pdf) As an approved department, majors can receive an ACS-certified degree with the appropriate coursework; those interested should consult with their academic advisor or department chair.

Chemistry and biochemistry can be easily combined with a second major or minor in another field depending upon your career interests. For example, adding a major or minor in business or entrepreneurship will prepare you for working in technical sales, marketing or management in a chemical firm or pursuing an M.B.A.; adding a major or minor in Sociology and Criminology would be excellent preparation for employment or graduate study in Forensic Chemistry; and an additional major or minor in a humanities field would be appropriate for admission to law school. (A Five-Year Bachelor’s/Master’s Program in Chemistry and Business Administration is available, and interested students should consult with their advisor early in the first or second year.) Students interested in participating in the interdisciplinary Neuroscience Concentration should choose the biochemistry concentration pathway and consult with their academic advisor in their first year.

Pre-Engineering Programs

Students interested in engineering have three options:

They may elect the 3/2 program, which consists of the first three years at John Carroll as a science major followed by two years at Case Western Reserve University. Successful completion of the 3/2 program leads to two bachelor’s degrees: a B.S. from John Carroll and a bachelor’s in engineering from Case Western Reserve. Further details are provided under “Engineering Programs” in “Preparation for Graduate and Professional Studies.”
They may complete the B.S. in chemistry (ordinarily with a concentration in Chemical Physics) and then enter an engineering school to obtain an advanced degree. It would typically require a total of six years to obtain a B.S. from John Carroll and an M.S. from another institution.
They may choose to complete two years of pre-engineering at John Carroll and then transfer to an engineering school to pursue a bachelor’s degree in engineering.