Chemistry program

Explore the science that powers innovation.

Whether it's developing new medications, monitoring environmental pollutants, or advancing sustainable energy solutions, chemistry is at the heart of solving real-world challenges.

At UW-La Crosse, a chemistry education provides a strong foundation for a wide range of career paths. Our program combines hands-on research with modern equipment and a focus on practical skill development. Students gain experience designing experiments, analyzing data and communicating scientific results — all while building essential workplace skills like teamwork, problem solving, and effective communication.

The UWL Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is accredited by both the American Chemical Society-Committee on Professional Training (ACS-CPT) and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB).

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Chemistry

Chemistry is the study of substances, their properties, energies, the ways they interact and combine and change. Traditionally, chemistry has been broken into five main sub-disciplines: Organic, Analytical, Physical, Inorganic, and Biochemistry. The field also includes a variety of applied disciplines. Chemistry is often referred to as the central science because it joins together physics and mathematics, biology and medicine, and the earth and environmental sciences.

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ACS Certification

UWL's Chemistry program is approved by the American Chemical Society (ACS). This degree track includes the coursework and experiences necessary to satisfy the requirements for ACS certification, meaning students who meet the ACS guidelines will receive an ACS-Certified Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry.

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Business Concentration

The chemistry major with a business concentration is appealing to students interested in both the science and business sides of chemistry. Students learn core chemical theory and laboratory skills through a series of chemistry courses. They also gain a strong foundation in business through courses in management, accounting, finance, and marketing.

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Science Education

The Chemistry Education Program includes the coursework and classroom experiences necessary to satisfy the requirements for a science, grades 4-12 (2600) teaching license in the state of Wisconsin.

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Environmental Science Concentration

The chemistry major with an environmental science concentration provides a strong background in chemistry, along with multi-disciplinary, elective course options to explore areas such as climate change, contaminants, renewable energy, geospatial analysis, and ecosystem modeling.

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Chemistry & Engineering

Chemistry majors with interest in engineering may be able to receive both a UWL degree in chemistry and a degree in engineering from UW-Madison.

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A program within the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Chemistry definition

UWL offered an exceptional undergraduate experience. Both the college of science and business had great courses and professors who drove engaging classes.

Elyse Sorenson

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What can you do with a chemistry degree?

Career possibilities in chemistry are wide ranging. Explore careers in chemistry on the American Chemical Society (ACS) College to Career page. Positions are available in industry, research, education, engineering, health professions, public service and more. Even in times when unemployment rates are high, the chemist remains one of the most highly sought after and employed scientists. The median pay of chemists and materials scientists in 2024 was $86,620 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Careers examples

Research chemist, Centers for Disease Control
Government scientist, Department of Agriculture
Industrial chemist, managing pollution control
Science policy advocate, non-profit
Chemistry professor (with further education)
H.S. science teacher (with teacher certification)

Further education

Medical or other professional study in pharmacy, veterinary medicine, nuclear medicine, optometry, dentistry and more
Graduate study in analytical chemistry, biochemistry, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry, material science, polymer chemistry, chemical engineering and more
Law school (example: patent law)
Industrial management training
Graduate study in business

What distinguishes UWL's chemistry program?

Student scholarships available

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is able to award more than $30,000 in student scholarships annually to support returning undergraduate students in the major and graduates of the program who are entering a professional program in the basic sciences and/or health professions. Learn more about Chemistry scholarship opportunities.

Undergraduate research opportunities

Students have numerous opportunities to get involved in cutting-edge chemical, biochemical, and educational undergraduate research projects. In 2019-20, the Chemistry Department had the highest percentage of students participating in undergraduate research at UWL. Learn about the research interests of faculty.

Hands-on with high-end instruments

Students will gain experience using high-end scientific instrumentation. This instrumentation includes: Imaging and Surface Analysis, Spectroscopy, Electrochemical and Electrical, Separations, Thermal Methods, X-ray, NMR, Radiation, Sample Preparation.

Preparation with technical and soft skills

Students are given broad preparation with both technical and soft skills. This leads to graduates who are flexible and creative problem solvers who can adapt and thrive as their career advances.

Prestigious ACS-certified degree offered, plus other options

The chemistry program is approved by the American Chemical Society (ACS) and offers a prestigious ACS-Certified bachelor's degree in chemistry for students who meet the required guidelines. The chemistry program offers several other bachelor’s degree and minor options. See the catalog for more information.

Diverse areas of study

Faculty represent all of the major sub-fields of chemistry and have a diverse range of research interests. Areas of expertise within chemistry include: organic, inorganic, nuclear, physical, forensic, atmospheric, environmental, computational, analytical, medicinal, biochemistry and more.

Make connections with faculty and students

Faculty in the department generously give their time to assist students with coursework, and college and career advising. Students have opportunities to connect and enjoy fund and informative experiences through the Chemistry and Biochemistry Club.

Internships available

Students are encouraged to participate in internship experiences, which may be taken for academic credit. They offer practical experiences in the field, and, in some cases, are paid. Campus support is available to help find internships through UWL Career Services and Handshake.

High percentage of graduates successfully pursue doctoral degrees

The Chemistry & Biochemistry Department currently has over 250 student majors. Each year, over 30 students graduate with bachelor of science degrees in chemistry or biochemistry. Typically, 30-50% of graduating seniors apply to, and are accepted by graduate programs at major research universities where they pursue doctoral degrees in chemistry or related areas.

Excellent pre-health choice

The Chemistry Department had 223 total majors in fall of 2022 with 42% of those majors indicating they are on the pre-health track, looking to future careers in healthcare fields.

Co-author with faculty

Students routinely co-author professional presentations and publications with chemistry faculty members. Students often present their research at regional and national meetings. Examples of co-authored research include:

Roskam JL, Nowak KL, Taylor KT, Rendler SR, and Beyer KD. (2021) Phase diagrams of aqueous solutions of the potassium salts of malonic, succinic, and glutaric acids. The Journal of Chemical Thermodynamics. 158: 106466-106477.
Stuttgen GM, Grosskopf JD, Berger CR, May JF, Bhattacharyya B, and Weaver TM. (2020) Closed fumarase C active-site structures reveal SS Loop residue contribution in catalysis. FEBS Letters. 594(2); 337-357.
Thielen MK, Vaneerd CK, Goswami M, Carlson EE, and May JF. (2020) 2-aminobenzothiazoles inhibit virulence gene expression and block polymyxin resistance in Salmonella enterica. ChemBioChem. 21(24): 3500-3503.
Macedo LJA, Miller EN, and Opdahl A. (2017) Effect of probe-probe distance on the stability of DNA hybrids on surfaces. Analytical Chemistry. 89(3): 1757-1763.

Sample courses

CHM 103 General Chemistry I An introduction to chemistry including topics in atomic structure, chemical bonding, molecular structure, chemical stoichiometry, reactivity, states of matter, solutions, acid-base theory, and nuclear chemistry, and also including selected topics in descriptive and applied chemistry. Scientific inquiry, experimental design and data analysis are included. CGER NSWL-ES Natural Science & Wellness: Experiential Science. Lect. 3, Lab 3, Disc. 1. Prerequisite: grade of "C" or better in MTH 150 or placement into MTH 151 or higher. Students who are currently enrolled in CHM 103 may not register for this course again until after priority registration (unless they have instructor/department consent). Offered Fall, Spring, Summer.

CHM 303 Organic Chemistry Theory I A study of the structure, methods of structure determination, stereochemistry and chemical behavior of hydrocarbons, alcohols, and halogenated hydrocarbons. Theories and mechanisms are introduced to explain chemical behavior. Prerequisite: CHM 104. Students with credit in CHM 300 cannot earn credit in CHM 303. Offered Fall, Spring.

CHM 301 Analytical Chemistry This course offers a broad survey of common methods and scientific instruments used for chemical analysis. Instrumental methods include the topics of spectroscopy, chromatography, and electrochemistry. Quality assurance and calibration techniques are emphasized. Lect. 3, Lab 6. Prerequisite: CHM 104. Offered Fall, Spring.

CHM 309 Physical Chemistry Theory I This course is a study of real gases, equations of state, properties of gases, molecular energies, classical thermodynamics, chemical equilibria, changes of state, and reaction kinetics and mechanisms. Prerequisite: CHM 104; PHY 103 or PHY 203; PHY 104 or PHY 204; grade of "C" or better in MTH 208. Offered Fall.

CHM 325 Fundamental Biochemistry This course is the study of the fundamental chemical processes in biological systems emphasizing the structure and function of biological macromolecules, metabolism and the regulation of cellular processes, transport mechanisms, nature of biological energy, and applications to cellular and organismal function. Lect. 3, Lab 3. Prerequisite: CHM 300 or CHM 304. Students with credit in CHM 417 cannot earn credit in CHM 325. Offered Fall, Spring.

CHM 441 Instrumental Analysis This is an in-depth course covering the operational principles, design, and application of instrumentation used for chemical analysis. Topics include instrumental methods for separations, mass spectrometry, spectroscopic, and electrochemical analysis; and specific instrumentation for materials characterization. Lect. 3, Lab 3. Prerequisite: CHM 301. Offered Fall.

CHM 424 Spectroscopy A survey of important spectroscopic methods used in chemistry; infrared and ultraviolet, proton and carbon-13 NMR, and mass spectrometry. Theory and practice of techniques are covered. Emphasis is placed on structure determination of organic molecules. Analysis of dynamic systems and mixtures may also be covered. Lect. 2, Lab 3. Prerequisite: CHM 300 or CHM 304; junior standing. Offered Spring - Even Numbered Years.

CHM 330 Industrial Chemistry An overview of both the scientific and commercial aspects of the chemical industry. Industrially important chemical processes will be discussed. Topics will include production and end use of basic inorganic chemicals of commercial importance, industrial gases, and petroleum-based products. The economics of various chemical processes will be presented. Global and local topics such as regulatory compliance, product liability, and patent/trade secret documentation may also be discussed. Prerequisite: CHM 300 or CHM 303. Offered Spring - Even Numbered Years.

CHM 461 Nuclear Chemistry This course is a study of the decay of radioactive nuclides with emphasis on the theory of nuclear decay. The laboratory includes the study of the detection of radiation, methods of radio analysis, and the safe handling of unsealed radioactive sources. Lect. 3, Lab 3. Prerequisite: four semesters of chemistry courses; junior standing. Offered Spring.

CHM 413 Environmental Chemistry Laboratory This course is an exploration of chemical reactivity and measurement in atmospheric, terrestrial, and aquatic ecosystems. Students collect and analyze samples and perform experiments that validate major environmental topics. Lab experiments include measurement of the physical/chemical properties of air, water, and soil relative to environmental standards and toxic thresholds, as well as investigations of the chemistry of greenhouse gases, contaminants, indoor pollution, and acid rain. Lab 4. Prerequisite: CHM 300 or CHM 303 or CHM 301. Offered Fall.