BS Chemistry & Biochemistry: Chemistry

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Denver

Program Overview

The University of Denver’s Bachelor of Science in Chemistry provides broad and in-depth preparation across general, organic, quantitative, instrumental, physical and biochemical chemistry, supported by mathematics and physics. It suits students interested in scientific careers as well as those planning graduate study or health-related professional programs such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy or veterinary medicine.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students establish their chemistry and quantitative foundations through CHEM 1010 – General Chemistry I, CHEM 1240 – General Chemistry I Laboratory, and CHEM 1020 – General Chemistry II, alongside mathematics and physics requirements. The laboratory courses introduce students to experimental chemistry while the mathematics and physics components build the quantitative foundation needed for more advanced scientific study.

Second Year: Students progress into more specialized chemistry through CHEM 2131 – Chemistry of the Elements, CHEM 2270 – Quantitative Chemical Analysis, and CHEM 2451 – Organic Chemistry I, with associated laboratory work. These courses develop understanding of main-group and transition-element chemistry, quantitative measurement and the structure and reactions of carbon compounds.

Third Year: The curriculum becomes increasingly analytical and theoretical through CHEM 3210 – Instrumental Analysis, CHEM 3610 – Physical Chemistry I, and CHEM 3620 – Physical Chemistry II. Students learn to work with instrumental analytical techniques while exploring the physical principles that explain chemical systems, supported by continued mathematics, physics and upper-level chemistry study.

Fourth Year: Students bring the major areas of chemistry together through CHEM 3811 – Biochemistry-Proteins, CHEM 3820 – Biochemistry Lab, and CHEM 3500 – Chemistry Frontiers. The curriculum also includes upper-level chemistry and independent research opportunities, allowing students to develop scientific communication, presentation and research skills while working with faculty mentors.

Focus Areas

General chemistry, organic chemistry, quantitative chemical analysis, instrumental analysis, physical chemistry, biochemistry, chemistry of the elements, laboratory science, mathematics, physics, scientific research and scientific communication.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop broad and advanced knowledge across chemistry, gain hands-on laboratory experience, learn quantitative and instrumental analytical techniques, develop scientific communication and presentation skills, and build the research capabilities needed for scientific careers or further study. The Chemistry Frontiers course specifically emphasizes oral, written, computer and presentation skills for scientific work.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The standard B.S. in Chemistry is not identified by the University of Denver as the ACS-accredited chemistry degree. DU separately identifies its Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (BSCh) as the American Chemical Society-accredited degree; therefore, the ACS accreditation should not be attributed to this standard B.S. in Chemistry.

Reputation / Employability

The University of Denver is an R1 research institution, and its 2025 research activity included more than 1,100 undergraduate researchers and approximately $46 million in external research expenditures. This research environment provides a strong institutional setting for chemistry students interested in undergraduate research and scientific careers, although DU does not publish a separate QS or Guardian ranking for this B.S. in Chemistry.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The University of Denver places substantial emphasis on hands-on chemistry, with laboratory courses integrated throughout the degree and students working with state-of-the-art scientific equipment. The department also encourages undergraduate research under faculty mentorship, while its research facilities provide access to sophisticated instrumentation used across chemistry and biochemistry research.

Students can develop practical skills through:

Laboratory-based chemistry: Students undertake laboratory work alongside courses such as General Chemistry I Laboratory, General Chemistry II Laboratory, Organic Chemistry Laboratory I–III, Biochemistry Lab and advanced laboratory experiences.
Chemistry Frontiers: CHEM 3500 – Chemistry Frontiers is an advanced laboratory course required for chemistry and environmental chemistry majors. It exposes students to diverse areas of chemistry while developing oral, written, computer and presentation skills.
Independent research: Undergraduate research opportunities are available through faculty-led projects in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The department states that undergraduate research is a requirement for its ACS-approved BS degrees and for distinction in the major; students can also receive support through programs such as Partners in Scholarship (PinS) and Summer Research Scholarships.
NMR spectroscopy: Department facilities provide access to NMR instrumentation for chemical research and analysis.
Mass spectrometry: Students working in research environments can encounter advanced mass-spectrometry equipment, including Q-Exactive Orbitrap HRMS and other mass spectrometers.
Spectroscopy: Research facilities include absorption and fluorescence spectrophotometers, FT-IR and other spectroscopic technologies used for chemical analysis.
Advanced microscopy: Department research facilities include laser-scanning confocal microscopes and TIRF microscopy for specialized research applications.
Chromatography and analytical equipment: Research groups have access to HPLC, FPLC and ICP-MS, providing exposure to advanced separation and elemental-analysis techniques.
Specialized research instrumentation: Depending on the research group, students may encounter rheometers, gloveboxes, aerosol-characterization instrumentation and multiple custom-built EPR spectrometers.
Faculty-mentored research: The department emphasizes small classes and mentorship from faculty with international research reputations, giving students opportunities to work closely with active researchers.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Chemistry prepares graduates for scientific careers as well as postgraduate and professional education. The University of Denver specifically identifies chemistry graduates as progressing into graduate study, health-related programs such as medical, dental, pharmacy and veterinary school, and chemistry positions in industrial and governmental settings.

Typical career roles include: Chemist, Analytical Chemist, Laboratory Scientist, Research Chemist

Career development and progression opportunities include:

Career advising: Chemistry and Biochemistry students can receive career advising covering internship applications, résumé preparation and graduate-school scouting.
Pioneer Careers: DU's Pioneer Careers portal provides professional networking opportunities, career workshops, job and internship fairs and career-focused resources.
STEM employer connections: The university's Career & Professional Development team provides employer connections specifically for STEM students and graduates.
Research preparation: Students can participate in faculty-guided research and use advanced chemistry instrumentation, providing experience relevant to research and development environments.
University-wide employer network: DU reports that more than 3,000 unique organizations across sectors including technology, education, health and human services have employed recent graduates.
Graduation outcomes: DU reports that 89% of graduates were employed, continuing their education or engaged in military-related service in the university's published outcome measure. This is a university-wide figure, not a Chemistry B.S.-specific outcome.
Postgraduate preparation: The chemistry curriculum provides preparation for graduate study in chemistry and related scientific disciplines, while the university specifically identifies medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine as potential health-related pathways.
Research environment: DU's continued R1 classification and more than 1,100 undergraduate researchers in 2025 provide evidence of a research-intensive university environment in which chemistry students can participate in active research.
Salary information: DU's official university-level information states that, in 2024, income for students with a bachelor's degree from DU was $17,428 higher than students with undergraduate degrees from comparable four-year institutions. This is a university-wide comparison and is not a Chemistry B.S.-specific salary figure.

Further Academic Progression:

After completing the B.S. in Chemistry, students can pursue graduate study in chemistry, biochemistry and related scientific disciplines. The degree can also provide a foundation for professional programs in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine, while students who develop strong research experience can continue toward research-focused postgraduate study.