About the Program
With a long history dating back to 1772, the Department of Chemistry offers one of the nation's premier undergraduate programs, typically producing more majors every year than any other predominantly undergraduate institution in the country. You will use state-of-the-art instrumentation during labs, courses and in research. Research is a large part of this program. First-year students have the opportunity to join faculty research labs and students are routinely published as co-authors in scientific journals.
Paths of Study
What Makes Us Different
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Holistic Learning Environment
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Student Awards
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Summer Research Opportunities
Rankings
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70 %Bachelor of Science Degrees
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Top 30Best Colleges for Chemistry in AmericaNiche 2025
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# 14Best Science Lab FacilitiesThe Princeton Review 2025
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85 %Faculty Research
Applied Learning
Outcomes
Chemistry enjoys one of the lowest unemployment rates of any major job market. Chemistry alumni go directly into professional chemistry in private industry, governmental agencies or educational institutions. Others go to medical school, dental school or graduate school for chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, law or business.
Alumni Spotlight
Dr. Melissa J. Moore '84 studied chemistry at William & Mary. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Moore was a chief scientific officer of platform research at Moderna Therapeutics, where her team was instrumental in developing the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Talk to Us
Want to learn more? Our current students and faculty want to connect with you.
Department of Chemistry
Contact Us
- Get an inside look: Contact a current chemistry major
- Ask the faculty: Contact the Department of Chemistry
Courses Disclaimer
*Courses listed are examples. Course availability changes each semester.