Applied Chemistry
Program Details
Applied chemistry focuses on solving real-world problems using chemistry. As a student in the applied chemistry major, you’ll learn the foundations of chemistry, physics, mathematics and computer science while preparing for graduate work in the field of chemical engineering. You'll also conduct experiments, produce original research under the guidance of expert faculty and have access to multiple labs with the latest equipment.
Xavier University, located in Cincinnati, Ohio, is nationally recognized as a top university by U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and Forbes. 98 percent of our students, including those in the applied chemistry major, are working, volunteering or in graduate school within six months of graduation (Class of 2021). Additionally, Xavier students have a 92% acceptance rate to medical schools (Class of 2019), compared to 40 percent nationally.
Curriculum
The sample course sequence below illustrates class offerings for the Applied Chemistry major. Consult the official Xavier University course catalog for detailed registration and advising information.
Fall
- Chemistry 160 General Chemistry I............ 3cr.
- Chemistry 161 General Chemistry I Lab............ 1cr.
- Math 170 Calculus I............ 4cr.
- Physics 170 University Phyics I............ 3cr.
- Physics 161 Introductory Physics Lab I............ 1cr.
- Core 100 First-Year Seminar............ 3cr.
- Core 101 GOA: First-Year Co-Curriculum Program I............ 0cr.
Spring
- Chemistry 162 General Chemistry II............ 3cr.
- Chemistry 163 General Chemistry II Lab............ 1cr.
- Chemistry 180 Intro to Chemical Enterprise............ 1cr.
- Math 171 Calculus II............ 4cr.
- Physics 172 University Physics II............ 3cr.
- Physics 163 Introductory Physics Lab II............ 1cr.
- Theology 111 Theological Foundations............ 3cr.
- Core 102 GOA: First-Year Co-Curriculum Program II............ 0cr.
Fall
- Chemistry 240 Organic Chemistry I............ 3cr.
- Chemistry 241 Organic Chemistry I Lab............ 1cr.
- Math 220 Calculus III............ 4cr.
- Second Language I............ 3cr.
- Philosophy 100 Ethics as Intro to Philosophy............ 3cr.
- English 101/115 English Composition/Rhetoric............ 3cr.
Spring
- Chemistry 242 Organic Chemistry II............ 3cr.
- Chemistry 243 Organic Chemistry II Lab............ 1cr.
- Math 230 Differential Equations............ 3cr.
- Second Language II............ 3cr.
- Chemistry 226 Quantitative Analysis............ 3cr.
- Chemistry 226 Quantitative Analysis Lab............ 1cr.
Fall
- Chemistry 320 Physical Chemistry I............ 3cr.
- Chemistry 340 Instrumental Analysis............ 3cr.
- Math 222 Applied Linear Algebra............ 3cr.
- Historical Perspectives............ 3cr.
- Humanities Elective............ 3cr.
Spring
- Chemistry 322 Physical Chemistry II............ 2cr.
- Chemistry 341 Instrumental Analysis Lab............ 1cr.
- English 205 Literature & Moral Imagination............ 3cr.
- Engineering 370 Fluid Mechanics............ 3cr.
- Philosophy 200 Philosophical Perspectives............ 3cr.
- Theological Perspectives............ 3cr.
Fall
- Chemistry 420 Inorganic Chemistry............ 3cr.
- Chemistry 400 Research............ 1cr.
- Computer Science 170 Computer Science I............ 3cr.
- Engineering 384 Heat Transfer............ 3cr.
- Creative Perspectives............ 3cr.
Spring
- Chemistry 330 Quantum Chemistry............ 2cr.
- Chemistry 400 Research............ 1cr.
- Computer Science 180 Computer Science II............ 3cr.
- Social Science Elective............ 3cr.
- E/RS Elective............ 3cr.
- Diversity Curriculum Elective............ 3cr.
Sample Courses
Xavier is known for providing an education that's both challenging and personal. Here are some courses that are part of the applied chemistry major at Xavier:
Quantitative Analysis (CHEM 226) - An introductory course in analytical chemistry covering gravimetric and titrimetric methods of analysis. Statistical analysis of data is performed.
Organic Chemistry I (CHEM 240) - This course is the first in a two semester sequence of organic chemistry. This is a pre-professional course approved by the American Chemical Society for chemistry majors and required of many other science majors. This course examines the basic structure, properties, preparation and reaction mechanisms of organic compounds.
Quantum Chemistry (CHEM 330) - An introduction to quantum chemistry and molecular structure.
Inorganic Chemistry (CHEM 420) - Modern theories of bonding and structure, spectroscopy, redox chemistry, and reaction mechanisms. Coordination compounds, organometallic clusters, and catalysis.
Student Clubs
Alchemyst Club
The Alchemyst Club was established to inform and educate the Xavier community about the merits of science, especially chemistry and to lend support to the Xavier chemistry community. The club's purpose is to facilitate the propagation of chemical knowledge and to assist in making the chemistry major a viable option.
Career Outcomes
98% of Xavier students, including those in the applied chemistry major, are working, volunteering or in graduate school within six months of graduation (Class of 2021).
Career Opportunities: Analytical Chemist, Chemist, Clinical Scientist, Forensic Scientist, Researcher, Science Writer, Toxicologist, Science Teacher
Explore more career options with the career portals at the American Chemical Society and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Take the Next Step
Chemistry Department Lab Equipment and Instruments
Students in the applied chemistry major have access to multiple campus laboratories that include a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer, a Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer, infra-red spectrometers, gas chromatographs, a multichannel analyzer, a high performance liquid chromatograph and more.
Cincinnati: A City of Opportunity for Chemistry Majors
Cincinnati, Ohio features some of the largest companies in the world, which means students in the applied chemistry major have countless opportunities for careers and internships at places like Kroger, Procter & Gamble and Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Trihealth. The city is ranked the #1 Best City for College Graduates (smartasset.com) and is home to some of the nation’s leading hospitals and healthcare networks.
What is Jesuit Education?
A Xavier education is more than your typical college experience. Drawing on a Jesuit Catholic educational model 400 years in the making, students in the applied chemistry major get the personal attention and support they need to succeed and make a difference in the world. The result is an education that’s as encouraging as it is challenging, and as enriching as it is demanding.
Graduate With Honors
Are you looking for an academic challenge? The University Scholars Honors Program offers incoming students a more challenging curriculum and close support from professors while completing their undergraduate degree. Acceptance into the program is highly selective and includes a $2000 travel grant.
Applied Chemistry Major at Xavier University
The Chemistry major at Xavier University is a minimum 120-hour degree program that is approved by the American Chemical Society (ACS) and leads to the Bachelor of Science degree. Students completing the program graduate as “ACS certified” majors. The curriculum covers the five major fields (analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry), the preparation and identification of compounds, and the literature on the subject.
Xavier University’s College of Arts and Sciences challenges students to develop an integrated understanding of humanity, the world, and God by pursuing the questions raised in Xavier's core and departmental curricula. The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest and largest college at Xavier University. The college provides an excellent liberal arts education in the Jesuit tradition that prepares students for careers, professional or graduate school, and life in a global society.
Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."