Chemistry Program

The Chemistry Department provides courses to serve a variety of students. The chemistry major finds a curriculum designed to impart a broad competence in the traditional areas of chemistry. Sufficient flexibility remains to allow secondary concentrations in a wide variety of other areas, such as biology, mathematics, or foreign language. The university's general requirements in the General Education Curriculum guarantee a well-rounded, liberal arts education.

Interested in teaching grade 7-12 chemistry?

At St. Bonaventure you have two paths to initial certification:

Earn your Bachelor of Science in chemistry while completing requirements for initial certification as a chemistry teacher in grades 7-12. Learn more.
Earn your Bachelor of Science in adolescent education with a concentration in chemistry, which also completes the requirements for initial certification as a chemistry teacher in grades 7-12. Learn more.

Simpson presents work on hydrogen storage in New Orleans

Apr 11, 2024 | Dr. Scott Simpson, professor of chemistry and department chair, presented his work on hydrogen storage and chemical education at the Spring 2024 National American Chemical Society meeting, which took place in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Simpson & Santos attend 2024 LOBSTER School in Finland

Apr 11, 2024 | Dr. Scott Simpson, professor of chemistry and department chair, and Dr. Alyssa Santos, postdoctoral scholar, attended the Local-Orbital Basis Suite Towards Electronic-Structure Reconstruction (LOBSTER) 2024 School held at Aalto University in Finland.

SBU chemistry majors presented a third avenue for automatic acceptance into a PH.D. program

Apr 05, 2024 | Chemistry majors at St. Bonaventure University now have a third opportunity for automatic acceptance into a doctoral chemistry program upon graduation from SBU.

100% placement rate for SBU chemistry majors in STEM fields

Our chemistry graduates have been 100% successful in obtaining science-related jobs, entry into health professional schools, and chemistry graduate programs over the past five years. Our graduates have gone on to Johns Hopkins, SUNY Buffalo, and RIT chemistry graduate programs. Our majors have also gone on to medical school at SUNY Upstate Medical, University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Why choose chemistry?

Possible career goals include graduate school, medical school, dental school, law school, positions in the chemical industry, government, and teaching.

The chemistry major provides excellent preparation for secondary school teaching. As highlighted above, a student has two Bachelor of Science options for obtaining their initial certification to teach chemistry in grades 7-12 in New York State. Alternately, a student may earn a traditional B.S. in chemistry and remain at St. Bonaventure to complete a Master's in adolescence education.

Science students, who are not chemistry majors, but take chemistry courses as part of their departmental requirements, develop an understanding of the fundamentals of chemistry to aid in the understanding of their major field.

In all cases, the emphasis is on personal interaction between students and faculty.

Science and Art

Encouraged by SBU to "keep doing what you're passionate about," Griffin Kramer is majoring in chemistry and music.

Ph.D. early acceptance & combined medical degree programs

St, Bonaventure's affiliation with colleges and universities offering Ph.D., pharmacy and medical degrees allows qualifying chemistry majors at SBU an opportunity to reserve a seat in those programs upon completion of their undergraduate studies at St. Bonaventure.

Students who earn a B.S. in chemistry from St. Bonaventure with an overall grade-point average of 3.2 and a letter of support from the chemistry program chair are eligible for automatic acceptance and immediate entry to the Ph.D. program in chemistry at the University of Rhode Island. Learn more.
St. Bonaventure’s affiliation with the Lake Erie College of Medicine (LECOM) School of Pharmacy allows the possibility of a chemistry major entering SBU with a reserved seat in LECOM’s Doctor of Pharmacy (D. Pharm) program. For details, please see the SBU-LECOM Combined Degree Program in Pharmacy page.
Our affiliation with George Washington University School of Medicine allows for qualified chemistry students to reserve a seat within the prestigious GW Medical Program upon admittance to St. Bonaventure for their undergraduate degree. Please see the SBU-GW Combined Degree Program page for more information.
Even more affiliations with SBU allow for reserved seating for chemistry majors at medical schools through our Franciscan Health Care Program

Program information

The Department of Chemistry offers a B.S. in chemistry, a B.S. in chemistry with grades 7-12 teaching certification, and a minor in chemistry.

Bachelor of Science in chemistry

The major in chemistry imparts a broad competence in the traditional areas of chemistry.

Degree requirements and a four-year plan for the chemistry major

Bachelor of Science in chemistry with teaching certification

Earn a Bachelor of Science in chemistry while completing all requirements for initial New York state certification to teach chemistry in grades 7-12.

Program details and requirements

Upon successful completion of the Chemistry program at St. Bonaventure University, graduates:

will understand the principles of the traditional areas of chemistry (analytical, inorganic, organic, physical) and will be able to use those principles in a problem-solving context;
will know, understand, and be able to use modern/common chemistry laboratory techniques and instruments;
will possess adequate library, writing and speaking skills.

Chemistry minor

For non-majors, the chemistry minor provides an understanding of the fundamentals of chemistry to aid in the understanding of their major field.

Requirements for the chemistry minor