Chemistry degrees offered at Wake Forest
Our Department offers four degrees certified by the American Chemical Society:
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
B.S. with concentration in Biochemistry
B.S. with concentration in Materials Chemistry
B.S. with concentration in Medicinal Chemistry & Drug Discovery
We also offer a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree.
Undergraduate research
Detailed information information on undergraduate research (a vital and required part of our B.S. chemistry program) can be found on our undergraduate research page.
Graduating with honors
Students who earn a B.S. (of any type) in Chemistry and who have a 3.30 GPA in chemistry courses and a 3.0 GPA overall are eligible for an Honors degree. To earn Honors, the student must complete a research project in the department under the guidance of faculty, write a thesis describing the research and present it both in a public seminar and to a committee of three Chemistry faculty.
Students interested in pursuing an Honors degree should discuss it with their research advisers before their senior year. Details on the honors requirements can be found here, and the application form is available here.
Study Abroad
Chemistry majors have numerous options for studying abroad. Options include a semester program before declaring the major, a semester program after declaring the major (the ideal time is spring of the junior year), a summer program, or a credit-bearing internship. Non-credit internships and research opportunities also exist.
Students should discuss study abroad with their major advisor, or if undeclared, should contact the Department Associate Chair (Mrs. Angela King, Wake Downtown 2811) who can put them in touch with a major advisor.
The Department of Chemistry offers three courses in the United Kingdom on a rotation. Tentatively, the rotation is set as indicated below:
Short Term
– Summer 2026: CHM 370 – Paris
Rotation Plan
-CHM 223: Summer 2028, 2031
-CHM 370: Summer 2026, 2029, 2032
-CHM 280: Summer 2027, 2030, 2033
Additional department chemistry programs have been held on an ad hoc basis – keep an eye out on the walls of Salem Hall or on the webpage of the Global Programs Office. There is ample space in the curriculum to spend a semester abroad at one of WFU’s summer houses or with an independent program.
Scholarship Opportunities
Scholarship opportunities are announced to students periodically during the academic year. These include the Harton Scholarship for Chemical Industry, which is awarded each spring to a newly declared chemistry major (rising junior), made possible by generous alumni support.
Planning Your Schedule
You should work closely with your major advisor to plan a schedule that not only completes the required coursework but that provides you opportunities to study abroad, conduct research, and advance your career.
A general schedule of which semester courses are offered is below.
| Year | Fall | Spring | Summer (a) = abroad |
| 1st | 111, 123*(AP/IB) | 111*, 122 | 111, 122 |
| 2nd | 223, 122* | 280, 223* | 280, 280(a), 223(a) |
| 3rd | 341, 334, 370, 321 | 342, 370 | 370, 370(a) |
| 4th | 373, 324 | 361, 376 |
(a) One section of either 280, 223 or 370 is typically offered abroad each summer.
(AP/IB) Typically for students with AP / IB credit
ACS Student Affiliates
Information on the ACS Student Affiliates program, which coordinates chemistry outreach and networking, can be found here.
Wake Forest Career Resources
- Career and Professional Development at Wake Forest University