Chemistry and Biochemistry at Providence College

Why Study Chemistry at Providence College?
Close mentoring from faculty experts. Hands-on research experiences. State-of-the-art instrumentation. Active-learning pedagogies. And in a supportive, inclusive environment that all students can call home.

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is committed to providing our students with a life-changing experience in their chosen degree program. Our curriculum emphasizes active-learning and technology-enhanced teaching pedagogies, foundational laboratory instruction in each subdiscipline, and independent and/or collaborative undergraduate research experiences as early as the first year. You will be supported at every turn by faculty mentors and your fellow majors, you will be able to think critically and reflectively about the natural and physical world, you will be able to communicate scientific work through peer-reviewed publication or presentation at national meetings, and you will graduate ready to tackle the world’s most pressing problems.

Our department is accredited by the American Chemical Society and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

What you'll study

Chemistry
The Bachelor of Science program in chemistry is designed to provide in-depth training in all areas of chemistry, including opportunities to conduct undergraduate research. This program is for students who are interested in advanced graduate degrees or employment as a chemist in the chemical/pharma industry immediately upon graduation. The Bachelor of Arts program in chemistry is more flexible, allowing students to tailor their degree with other interests.
The Bachelor of Arts program in chemistry/secondary education is designed to provide training in all areas of chemistry for those seeking careers as high school chemistry teachers. The combination of chemistry and education courses has been approved by the Interstate Certification Compact and allows the student to meet the certification requirements of the State of Rhode Island and most other states.

Biochemistry
The Bachelor of Science program in biochemistry provides in-depth training in the chemistry of biological macromolecules, including opportunities to conduct undergraduate research. The program is excellent preparation for students interested in research or advanced study, employment in industry, and for those interested in the health professions.

Selected Courses

Billion Dollar Molecules
You Are What You Eat
The New, New Thing
The Science of Food
Organic Chemistry
Analytical Chemistry
Physical Chemistry
Inorganic Chemistry
Biochemistry
Medicinal Chemistry
Chemistry of Materials

Features of our Curriculum

400 hours of laboratory training
Direct mentoring by Ph.D.-level scientists (no TAs)
Small, majors-only sections of chemistry courses
Vibrant seminar (“Cheminar”) program
Opportunities for undergraduate research

Faculty

Our faculty members are experts in their fields, but they have chosen to teach at PC because they enjoy mentoring the next generation of scientists. Our faculty don’t just impart knowledge; they mentor and partner with students in the pursuit of new discoveries. Research projects involving undergraduate students have been or are currently funded by the National Science Foundation, American Chemical Society, National Institutes of Health, the Dreyfus Foundation, Research Corporation for Science Advancement, and other prestigious organizations. In addition, our faculty:

come from diverse backgrounds and hold degrees from some of the finest institutions in the country, including Penn State, Wisconsin, Virginia, UPenn, Illinois, UCSD, Texas, Cornell, and Michigan;
are actively engaged in research across a wide variety of subject areas, including analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry/chemical biology, inorganic chemistry, and biochemistry; and
have their work published in leading scientific journals and nationally recognized publications, including: Journal of the American Chemical Society, Chemical Physics Letters, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, Organic Letters, Tetrahedron Letters, ACS Omega, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, Journal of Chemical Education, and The Journal of Physical Organic Chemistry.

ENGAGED LEARNING

Our program offers students a multitude of opportunities to put knowledge learned in the classroom into action. Our students:

take part in independent, group, and faculty-led research projects; students can also write proposals to the Undergraduate Research Committee to earn funding to support such projects;
present research with faculty members at local and national meetings and conferences, including the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Gordon Research Conferences, National Organic Symposium, and the National Meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; many students also co-publish their work with faculty members in scholarly journals;
are eligible for a paid summer research experience under the direction of a faculty mentor; these experiences include a lower rate for on-campus summer housing.
are eligible to participate in unique programs, such as the Walsh Student Research Fellowship program, Women in STEM speaker series, National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs, NASA Student Airborne Research Program, and the Clare Boothe Luce Undergraduate Scholarships in Chemistry, Applied Physics, Mathematics, or Computer Science for exceptional senior female students.

Outcomes

97%

of 2016-2020 chemistry and biochemistry graduates are employed and/or attending graduate school

63% are employed only
26% are attending school only
9% are employed and attending school

Selected Places of Employment/Service

Pfizer
Merck
Millipore Sigma
Takeda Oncology
Exemplify Biopharma
Pharmasol
Charm Sciences
Ocean Spray Cranberries
Electric Boat
Exemplify Biopharma
Spectrum Coatings
Wall Street Journal

Selected Graduate Schools

California Institute of Technology
Stanford University
Columbia University
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
University of Pennsylvania
University of Wisconsin-Madison
New York University
University of California-San Diego
Vanderbilt University
Purdue University
University of Arizona
University of Connecticut
Northwestern University

Selected Professional Schools (medical, dental, business MBA)

Drexel University
Boston University
University of Notre Dame