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UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES


The Schools of Nursing and Pharmacy operate on both the Oxford and Jackson campuses. The Schools of Dentistry, Health Related Professionals and Medicine, and the Health Sciences Graduate School, are based in Jackson only. (Additional healthcare programs are available through the School of Applied Sciences on the Oxford campus.) Other than these exceptions, the schools above are on the Oxford campus.

B.S. in Chemistry

Pursue new knowledge through a broad range of the chemical sciences.

There are two paths to study chemistry at the University of Mississippi. Choose between the Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with optional emphases in biochemistry, chemical physics, and environmental chemistry. The B.A. degree allows greater compatibility with other areas of study while the more specialized B.S. degree requires more mathematics and science.

Key Benefits

Chemistry majors receive training in state-of-the-art chemical instrumentation, data collection and analyses, and professional presentation of scientific results. In preparation for graduate school, many students engage in research with faculty, sometimes beginning as early as their first semester at the university. The department maintains a website that presents the requirements and opportunities for undergraduate researchers.

Graduate Outcomes

A liberal arts education prepares graduates to deal with complexity and change. They gain key skills in communication, problem-solving, and working with diverse groups. Related careers in chemistry include research, health care, pharmacology, toxicology, pharmacy, law, policy, and environmental areas.

Experiences Offered

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is ranked among the top 50 chemistry departments in the country for its production of undergraduate degrees because faculty members take a keen interest in the success of their students. Students may become involved in research with faculty members during the academic year as well as funded summer projects. It is not unusual for a chemistry major to co-author a scientific article with a professor before graduating from UM.

B.S. in Chemistry Faculty

The faculty in the University of Mississippi's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry have expertise in analytical, astrochemistry, biological, computational, electrochemical, environmental, forensic, inorganic, organic, physical, and theoretical chemistry.

Saumen Chakraborty
Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
James V Cizdziel
Acting Chair of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Coordinator of Forensic Chemistry
Walter E Cleland
Associate Chair Emeritus and Associate Professor Emeritus of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Amal Dass
Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Steven R Davis
Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Jared Heath Delcamp
Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Ryan Clifton Fortenberry
Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Murrell Godfrey
Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Associate Professor of Chemistry
Nathan I Hammer
Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Jonah Wesley Jurss
Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Daniell L Mattern
Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Susan Diane Pedigo
Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Jason E Ritchie
Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Eden Tanner
Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Gregory S Tschumper
Chair and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Randy Mack Wadkins
Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Safo Aboaku
Instructional Associate Professor and Associate Coordinator of Undergraduate Laboratories of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Emily Bretherick Rowland
Instructional Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Gerald Bobby Rowland
Instructional Associate Professor in Chemistry & Biochemistry
Kerri D Scott
Associate Chair, Instructional Professor, and Associate Coordinator of Forensic Chemistry
Liming Song-Cizdziel
Instructor in Chemistry & Biochemistry
John Franklin Wiginton
Instructional Professor and Coordinator of Undergraduate Laboratories
Yu-Dong Zhou
Principal Scientist

A major in chemistry for the B.S. degree consists of the following 50 hours of chemistry courses: Chem 105, 106, 115, 116; 221, 222, 225, 226; 314; 331, 332, 337; 401, 402; 423, 469, 471, two semesters of 463 (for a total of 4 hours), and two advanced courses chosen from 512, 514, 519, 527, 528, 529, 530, 531, 532, 534, 536, 544, 563, or 593.    Also required are Phys 211, 212, 221, 222; Math 261, 262, 263, 264 as well as one course chosen from Math 319, 353, or 375. Students seeking the B.S. degree in chemistry who have already completed Phys 213/214 instead of Phys 211/212 must complete one calculus-based physics course chosen from Phys 303, 315, 319, or 321.    The following courses may not be used for major credit: Chem 101, 103, 104, 113, 114, 121, 201, 202, 271, 293, 381, 382, 383, or 393.

To enroll in the program, students must have successfully completed Chem 105 or be eligible to immediately enroll in Chem 105. The pre-requisites for Chem 105 include a minimum ACT mathematics score of 24 (SAT 560 or SATR 580); or math placement test ALEKS PPL 76; or B minimum in Chem 101; or B minimum in college algebra (Math 121) and trigonometry (Math 123); or B minimum in pre-calculus (Math 125) or higher.

Jacob Graham

Jacob (2009) excelled in physical chemistry classes and was asked to join Dr. Hammer's lab. He was immediately given the challenge of designing and building a time-of-flight mass spectrometer with the eventual goal of using it to perform infrared spectroscopy on mass selected molecules and clusters. "Alongside all of the practical knowledge involving vacuum systems, lasers, and electronics that I picked up during the project, Dr. Hammer helped me improve my scientific communication ability, project management skills, and even my resilience through failures." After graduation, Jacob earned his Ph.D. in chemistry at Johns Hopkins University. After his postdoc at the University of Chicago, his goal is to remain in academia.

Why study chemistry at UM?
"The department was a very positive environment for me. I was prepared well academically and I was able to do rewarding experimental work as an undergraduate. I genuinely felt that all the faculty I interacted with cared about my future and they would always make time to talk to me about both academic and non-academic issues."

Student Organizations

Join the American Chemical Society and/or the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers.