Careers in Chemistry

Believe it or not, degrees in the liberal arts and sciences can actually make it easier to land a job. Each major within the School of Arts & Sciences carries with it a unique list of skill sets that more and more employers are saying they want. Across industries, employers look for a combination of skills, interests and values that match their own. Career Services offers more information about the competencies you can develop through coursework in the liberal arts.

A list of careers chemistry majors pursue would be long and varied. If you choose a major you’re passionate about, you are much more likely to discover and develop your own personal skills, interests and values that ultimately, will help you find a rewarding profession.

Skills You Will Gain as a Chemistry Major

  • Attending to details
  • Developing objectivity
  • Identifying relationships between problems/solutions
  • Applying knowledge creatively
  • Reasoning by analogy
  • Designing charts/graphs
  • Applying logic to problems
  • Reporting results and conclusions orally and in writing
  • Solving qualitative and quantitative problems
  • Tabulating data
  • Determining and expressing precision and accuracy

Ready for Graduate School

Successful involvement in undergraduate research is one of the best predictors that a student will flourish in a graduate school setting. As a chemistry major at Richmond, the opportunity to conduct research side-by-side with faculty gives you a head start on the graduate school experience. If you think graduate school is for you, be sure to contact a faculty mentor to get started.

Get Out There

Remember, it’s never too early to visit Career Services. Exploring how your skills, experiences, interests and values can influence your career choices is something you can do from your first year at Richmond through your fourth and beyond. Whether you are searching for that first job, exploring graduate school options, or considering something unique like a bridge experience or fellowship, Career Services can help you get there.