Frequently Asked Questions

A degree in Chemistry prepares you for employment in a multitude of areas, including but not limited to: Agriculture & Food; Computational Chemistry; Forensic Chemistry; Forensic DNA Analysis and Biochemistry; Paint, Pigments & Coatings; Textiles; Water Management; Biotechnology; Research; Materials; Process and Quality Control; Medical Diagnostics; Chemical Production; Medical Diagnostics; etc. To see a full list of the applications of chemistry, visit the American Chemical Society’s “College to Career” website. It is a wonderful resource for students interested in learning more about the career opportunities a degree in Chemistry provides.

Yes. This Department is committed to providing laboratory opportunities and training in most aspects of chemistry. We have faculty members who specialize in Forensic DNA Analysis, Materials, Environmental Chemistry, Bio-technology, Chemiformatics, Polymers, Organic Synthesis, and more. Almost every lecture course is coupled with a laboratory course, so you will experience this department’s hands-on approach to teaching the fundamental concepts of chemistry. Students interested in pursuing a B.S. in the Chemistry or Biochemistry tracks will perform undergraduate research work under the guidance of a full time faculty member. Visit the “Our Research” page to explore the research opportunities within this department.

Each program, whether it be a B.A. or B.S. program, is designed to train and educate the undergraduate student in the core aspects of all major sub-disciplines of chemistry. The B.S. programs are geared towards students interested in developing a scientific career that requires the incumbent to engage in laboratory or research work, or for students interested in pursing gradate education in the sciences. The B.A. may be well-suited to individuals interested in careers that use chemistry but are not laboratory-focused, such as chemical education, consulting, dentistry and medicine.

Each track, whether it be a Chemistry or Biochemistry track, is designed to train and educate the undergraduate student in the core aspects of all major sub-disciplines of chemistry. Students on the Biochemistry track will take courses in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry in order to prepare them for future careers that require insight into the chemistry of life. Chemistry Track students can focus their studies on Analytical, Physical or Materials chemistry. B.A. and B.S. options are available for each track.

Our undergraduate programs of study are certified by the American Chemical Society (ACS), which means we are committed to providing the undergraduate chemistry student 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. An academic institution whose chemistry department meets the guidelines is placed on a nationally recognized list of approved chemistry programs. The object of the ACS approval and certification process is to encourage institutions to develop and maintain a high quality program of instruction in chemistry. Read about the certification here.

See “Our Courses” for a list of courses, which includes information on all pre-requisites, or visit the “Our Programs” page and click on your program of interest to see the requirements and recommended sequence of courses for your program of interest. Contact Mary R. Craig, our Undergraduate Program Coordinator, with specific questions.

Yes. In fact, one of the degree requirements is to complete a major research project under the auspices of a professor in the Department. We have faculty members who specialize in Forensic DNA Analysis, Materials, Environmental Chemistry, Bio-technology, Cheminformatics, Polymers, Organic Synthesis, and more. M.S. students should start exploring their sub-discipline of interest and contact prospective professors within the first few weeks of their tenure. See “Our Research” page for information on our faculty, their laboratories and their interests. It is best to arrange a meeting with the professor in order to see if their work fits with your career goals and aspirations.

Domestic M.S. students are eligible for financial aid, and students who are not residents of New Jersey are eligible for a scholarship to cover the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition. International students are eligible for the International Chancellor’s Graduate Scholarship. It is also common for M.S. students to be hired as a part-time assistant in a research laboratory or as a part-time assistant in a teaching laboratory. More on funding through the Graduate School is available here and here. External funding from scientific societies is also an option: The American Chemical Society Grants Fellowship and Scholarships and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Forensic Science Foundation Grants are two examples of professional societies interested in funding students.

See “Our Courses” for a list of graduate courses, which includes information on all pre-requisites, or visit the “Our Programs” page and click on your program of interest to see the requirements and recommended sequence of courses for your program of interest. Contact Dr. Hao Zhu, our Graduate Program Director, with specific questions.

A number of our faculty are members of the Center for Computational and Integrative Biology (CIB), which is the entity at Rutgers-Camden that confers Ph.D. degrees. If you are interested in a Ph.D. experience that emphasizes computational or biological aspects of chemistry, then we encourage you apply to the Ph.D. program in CIB, naming the faculty or research within our department that interests you. To learn more about the research go to ‘Our Research‘. To learn more about the CIB Ph.D. program go to the CCIB Graduate Program –  PhD page.

Drs. Fu, Zhu, Salas de la Cruz, Grgicak, Roche and Lamoureux are members of the Center for Computational and Integrative Biology. To learn more about their research go to ‘Our Research‘. To learn more about the CIB Ph.D. program go to the CCIB Graduate Program –  PhD page.

Some students commute from their long-time residence. For those wishing to live on or near campus, on-campus housing available for students. Students also live in nearby Camden apartment buildings like The Victor, just across the Delaware River in Philadelphia. You can visit Rutgers Division of Student Affairs for more information. 

The old reputation of Camden is just that – old.  In 2016, President Obama and officials from other cities (including Philadelphia) visited Camden to learn about the innovative policing methods that have transformed public safety in Camden. The Rutgers-Camden campus is bounded by the Delaware Waterfront and Ben Franklin Bridge, and has its own police force, which kept the campus safe and peaceful even prior to the revitalization of Camden.