Florida Institute of Technology
BS in Chemistry
Melbourne, USA
BSc
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2027
TUITION FEES
USD 21,173 / per semester
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
About: Florida Tech's BS in Chemistry covers core and applied chemistry, lab techniques, and faculty-led research in Alzheimer’s, pharmaceutical development, polymer chemistry, hydrogen energy, and nanotechnology. You'll take hands-on internships with organizations like NASA, Oak Ridge National Lab, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, present at American Chemical Society meetings, and publish student research.
Career Outcomes: Graduates pursue work in industry, government, academia, or continue to graduate, doctoral, or medical study. Typical roles include chemist, materials scientist, biochemist, forensic scientist, chemical technician, pharmacist, environmental scientist, medical scientist, and postsecondary chemistry teacher today.
What is a Chemistry Degree?
If you want to explore the mysteries of Alzheimer’s disease, aid in the development of life-sustaining pharmaceuticals, or discover new applications of nanotechnology, a chemistry degree offers the knowledge and experience you need.
While there are chemistry degree choices that allow you to specialize your knowledge and career paths such as biochemistry or premedical chemistry, a chemistry degree also offers you a wide range of career options and earnings potential. Your career choices include jobs in materials science, research, and development, forensics, consumer products, government policy, or food chemistry. Because chemistry is such a versatile science, it is easy to find interesting career opportunities in any industrial, educational, scientific, or government field.
Because chemistry is so fundamental to our world, it is often referred to as the central science that joins together physics and mathematics, biology and medicine, earth sciences, and the environment. Students with a BS in chemistry are well prepared to be part of a career field that never seems to lack job opportunities.
How Will a Chemistry Degree Prepare Me for the Future?
Florida Tech’s range of chemistry internships and study in the field of chemistry make the university an attractive option for anyone interested in a chemistry career.
Peerless Study and Internship Opportunities
Chemistry internships are a valuable part of the Florida Tech experience. By working hands-on using the tools and techniques used by professional chemists, our students gather valuable knowledge that extends beyond the classroom. Some of the organizations that provide chemistry internships to our students include:
- NASA
- Oak Ridge National Lab
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
Through chemistry internships provided by these and many other companies, Florida Tech students forge connections that eventually lead to careers after college.
Participate in Cutting-Edge Faculty-Led Research
All undergraduates participate in research, often in both the classroom and chemistry internships. Many students join cutting-edge faculty research teams, working alongside experienced professors to conduct original research. Students build valuable skills and a highly competitive resume that equips them for future chemistry jobs. Some of the research topics studied by our faculty include:
- Alzheimer’s research
- Pharmaceutical development
- Polyurethane foams for fireproofing and energy absorption
- Hydrogen as an alternative energy source
- Chronic inflammatory diseases
- Nanotechnology
In addition to faculty-led research, all students present papers at American Chemical Society meetings. Many chemistry students publish their papers in scientific journals. These publications allow our students to build a portfolio to present to potential employers for chemistry internships and careers. Research programs that are unique to Florida Tech are medical chemistry, bioorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry, and space-related chemistry. Research is a great way for students to gain experience working with scientific instrumentation, learn valuable laboratory skills, and learn how chemical research is really done.
Gain Practical Experience
Science is hands-on at Florida Tech, with small classes and intensive faculty-student interaction. Your program provides for building practical skills in technical electives and specialized labs. Other opportunities include collaborative research with a peer or professor or working independently on a topic of your choosing. As a result, you will build practical experience, an enhanced job search portfolio, and a stronger sense of yourself as a scholar—the perfect preparation for graduate and professional school or employment.
Our program is dynamic and comprehensive. Accredited by the American Chemical Society, Florida Tech’s course of study includes organic, inorganic, physical, and analytical chemistry, as well as mathematics and physics. Courses like General Chemistry and Calculus-Based Physics are part of your first-year program. As you continue the program, your chemistry degree program involves hands-on experience including conducting nanotechnology experiments in the lab—all while working beside highly qualified faculty who care and will guide you to success.
Curriculum
The bachelor’s degree in Chemistry is accredited by the American Chemical Society. The chemistry major provides excellent preparation for professional or graduate schools, or for diverse career opportunities in government, private industry, and academia.
A premedical emphasis is designed for students interested in a solid background in chemistry in preparation for a career in medicine or a related professional field. The curriculum includes all required coursework to make the student competitive for admission to medical, dental or veterinary schools. The advisor to this program provides up-to-date information on admission requirements for most of those schools, as well as admission test information.
Career Outlook
The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), provides information about specific jobs including median annual pay, working conditions, and job outlook, among other things. The handbook reports a diversity of jobs in the chemistry field:
- Chemist and material scientist
- Chemistry teacher postsecondary
- Biochemist and biophysicist
- Forensic scientist
- Chemical engineer
- Food scientist or flavorist (flavor chemist)
- Chemical technician
- Pharmacist
- Environmental engineer
- Environmental scientists and specialist
- Medical scientist
According to the handbook, employment for chemists is expected to continue to grow through 2020, especially for individuals who obtain their Ph.D., as large pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms continue to look for experienced chemists to fill senior research positions.
Whether you enter the workforce immediately after graduation to begin your chemistry career, or upon successful completion of a graduate or doctoral degree program, a chemistry degree from Florida Tech is the first step (even if medical school is in your plans.)