A.B. in Chemistry

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Princeton University

Program Overview

The A.B. in Chemistry offers a flexible, research-focused education for students interested in chemical science, graduate or medical school, or professional careers, with connections to biology, medicine, materials science, environmental science, and other fields. Students build foundations in chemistry, mathematics, and physics before progressing into advanced organic, physical, inorganic, and experimental chemistry, while completing substantial independent research and a senior thesis.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students establish their chemistry and quantitative foundations through courses such as CHM 201 General Chemistry I, CHM 202 General Chemistry II, and the required calculus and physics preparation. CHM 201 and CHM 202 introduce atomic and molecular structure, reactions, chemical bonding, kinetics, nuclear chemistry, and laboratory analysis.

Second Year: Students progress into the required organic chemistry sequence, completing CHM 301 Organic Chemistry I: Biological Emphasis followed by CHM 302 Organic Chemistry II with Biological Emphasis or CHM 304 Organic Chemistry II: Foundations of Chemical Reactivity and Synthesis. These courses develop understanding of organic structures, spectroscopy, reaction mechanisms, synthesis, and the relationship between organic chemistry and biological systems.

Third Year: Students move into advanced departmental study covering the major areas of chemistry, including CHM 305 Biochemistry, CHM 306 Physical Chemistry, or CHM 411 Inorganic Chemistry, while beginning their first two semesters of independent research through CHM 397 and CHM 398. The curriculum also allows four required cognate courses to be selected from chemistry or related scientific fields such as molecular biology, materials science, computer science, mathematics, neuroscience, or physics.

Fourth Year: Students deepen their specialization through advanced chemistry and cognate coursework while completing CHM 498 and CHM 499, the two semesters of senior independent work associated with the senior thesis. Students can also pursue the ACS-certified chemistry pathway, which adds requirements in areas including analytical chemistry, biochemistry, physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, experimental chemistry, and independent research.

Focus Areas

Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Materials Science, Chemical Physics, Environmental Science, Nanotechnology, Medicinal Chemistry, Interdisciplinary Scientific Research.

Learning Outcomes

Chemical principles, molecular structure and reactivity, organic synthesis, physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, experimental design, quantitative analysis, scientific literature, research methodology, scientific communication, independent research, thesis development.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

Students can pursue American Chemical Society (ACS) professional certification by completing the specified organic, physical, inorganic, analytical, biochemistry, experimental chemistry, mathematics, physics, and independent-research requirements.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

Princeton University — #25 globally (joint); this is a university-level ranking and is not a chemistry-specific ranking.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Princeton’s A.B. in Chemistry combines rigorous coursework with substantial laboratory training and opportunities to participate in faculty-led research. Students can work with modern chemical instrumentation, conduct experiments in teaching laboratories, and pursue independent research through the Department of Chemistry and Princeton’s interdisciplinary research institutes. These experiences help students connect chemical theory with experimental methods, data analysis, scientific communication, and original research:

Teaching laboratories: Chemistry students undertake practical laboratory courses as part of the undergraduate curriculum, developing skills in organic, inorganic, physical, and analytical chemistry through experimental work.
Independent research: Undergraduates can conduct research with Princeton Chemistry faculty and participate in research projects across areas including chemical biology, materials chemistry, catalysis, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry.
Junior and senior independent work: The A.B. program includes opportunities for substantial independent academic work, allowing students to investigate a chemistry topic in greater depth under faculty guidance.
Advanced instrumentation: Princeton Chemistry research facilities provide access to sophisticated tools including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, X-ray crystallography, electron microscopy, and optical spectroscopy, supporting advanced experimental research.
Princeton Materials Institute: Students interested in materials-related chemistry can benefit from interdisciplinary research environments connecting chemistry with materials science, nanoscience, engineering, and related fields.
Lewis Thomas Laboratory: The Lewis Thomas Laboratory houses chemistry research and teaching facilities and provides specialized laboratory environments for undergraduate and faculty research.
Frick Chemistry Laboratory: The Frick Chemistry Laboratory is Princeton Chemistry's principal academic and research building, containing teaching laboratories, research laboratories, instrumentation facilities, and spaces supporting collaborative scientific work.
Princeton University Library resources: Students have access to Princeton's extensive scientific literature, databases, journals, and research collections, supporting laboratory reports, independent projects, and senior research.
Summer research: Chemistry undergraduates can pursue summer research opportunities, including research conducted with Princeton faculty, giving students extended experience in an active research environment.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The A.B. in Chemistry combines a strong chemistry foundation with independent research, including a distinctive senior thesis, preparing graduates for professional careers and advanced study. Princeton Chemistry states that its undergraduate curriculum prepares students for specific careers and professional-level work, while the University’s broader undergraduate outcomes data shows substantial progression into employment and further education.

Typical career roles: Chemist, Pharmaceutical Researcher, Research Scientist, Materials Scientist.

Career development and progression are supported through:

Career services: Princeton’s Center for Career Development provides individual advising, workshops, employer information sessions, campus recruiting, and access to Handshake, where students can search and apply for internships and full-time positions.
Princeternship: Students can gain short-term, hands-on exposure through Princeternships, which combine job shadowing, skill development, and relationship-building with Princeton alumni through one- to five-day experiences or one- to four-week projects.
Research and internships: The Chemistry Department’s SURF-C provides a nine-week full-time research experience in faculty-led laboratories, where students work alongside postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and other undergraduates; the program also includes career seminars, scientific-literacy workshops, an industrial chemistry-site visit, and a research symposium.
Employment and salary data: Princeton’s 2024 Undergraduate Outcomes Report estimates a $135,749 overall median salary for employed alumni 3–12 years after the bachelor’s degree, including an estimated $137,758 median for natural-science majors. These are university-wide/field-level alumni estimates rather than Chemistry-specific starting salaries.
University–industry partnerships: Princeton Chemistry maintains an Industrial Associates Program designed to connect faculty with industrial research organizations through research interactions, seminars, courses, and access to advanced instrumentation.
Bristol Myers Squibb connection: Bristol Myers Squibb has a long-standing relationship with Princeton Chemistry, including research sponsorship, support for early-career chemists, student internships, career-development activities, and participation in the Princeton Catalysis Initiative.
Professional certification: Princeton Chemistry offers students the opportunity to complete an American Chemical Society (ACS)-certified chemistry degree by fulfilling specified coursework and independent-research requirements, providing a recognized professional chemistry credential alongside the A.B.
Graduation and long-term outcomes: Princeton’s institutional outcomes data follows graduates beyond the point of graduation; its 2024 report indicates that salary differences among fields become smaller as alumni gain education, training, and professional experience.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the A.B. in Chemistry, students can progress to Ph.D. programs in chemistry and related sciences, professional degrees such as medicine, or other graduate programs requiring a strong scientific foundation. Princeton Chemistry specifically structures its curriculum and ACS-certified pathway to provide preparation for graduate-level study, while the department’s independent research and senior-thesis experience can support applications to research-intensive postgraduate programs.