BA/BS in Chemistry

Chemistry at Bates is offered through a department that regards classroom teaching, hands-on learning and academic research as parts of one shared mission. Students build a solid understanding of the core principles that explain how matter behaves and how molecules interact. They are also trained to think about where chemical knowledge fits within the larger social world it serves. Coursework develops the habit of evaluating published experiments and interpreting data with care. Graduates are able to explain technical findings to specialist colleagues as well as to people outside the field. Capstone work and laboratory research give students chances to ask their own questions and design investigations that move beyond textbook exercises. The department frames science as an activity carried out by people, and it values a community whose members bring different experiences and perspectives to the work. That outlook shapes both the classroom and the research environment, encouraging collaboration and open discussion among students and faculty alike.