Department of Chemistry

This is an archived copy of the 2023-2024 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.shsu.edu.

The Department of Chemistry is approved by the American Chemical Society.

ChairDonovan C. Haines  (936) 294-1530

Website: Department of Chemistry

Mission

The Department of Chemistry is committed to providing an educational environment conducive to scholarship, intellectual development, and the acquisition of a foundation of knowledge and techniques required of professional chemists. This goal requires the effective representation of the fundamental areas of chemistry, a dedicated and creative faculty, and support for the many functions of the department.

Academic Programs

For a listing of programs offered within the Department of Chemistry, please, reference the Programs tab on this page.

The Department of Chemistry is approved by the American Chemical Society. Chemistry majors may pursue the Bachelor of Science for professional chemists that leads to American Chemical Society certification and prepares students for graduate studies in traditional chemical fields. Students interested in professional schools, chemistry-associated industries, or secondary education may pursue this Bachelor of Science degree for other technical careers. The Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry with emphasis in Biochemistry-Biotechnology prepares students for careers in biotech companies in the Houston area and across the state and nation. The growing interest in Forensic Science has prompted the Department of Chemistry to offer a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Chemistry that is designed to prepare students for careers combining a knowledge of chemistry and the legal system. Students completing this degree can pursue opportunities in various forensic labs across the country, or can continue their education either in the graduate program in Forensic Science, or in graduate programs that are more traditional.

Highlights

  • The Department of Chemistry has state of the art instrumentation for modern techniques including nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, x-ray diffraction, mass spectrometry, atomic absorption, fluorescence and UV-visible spectrophotometry, high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, computational chemistry, and more.
  • Chemistry majors work with highly quality faculty on innovative research in the chemistry research laboratories, gaining important hands-on experience solving problems, working on diverse teams, generating new knowledge in their field using the skills the students develop from their coursework, and communicating their research results. Many students present results of their research each year at meetings of professional societies like the American Chemical Society, Society of Toxicology, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and Texas Academy of Science and some coauthor papers in professional journals. 

Career Opportunities

Everything around you is composed of chemicals. We live in a world of chemicals and life would not be possible without them. An understanding of the fundamentals of chemistry is important for everyone in today’s society. Professional chemists are working to enhance our quality of life by improvements in food, medicine, clothing, building supplies, products for recreation, and a whole range of consumer products.

Virtually every industry or business that makes or sells a product is involved in chemistry. It is no wonder that the various areas of chemical and biochemical technology offer the largest field of employment in the physical sciences. Chemists are employed in fields such as:

  • Environmental Analysis
  • Agriculture
  • Biotechnology
  • Pharmaceutical Research
  • Waste Management
  • Energy Production
  • Forensic Science
  • Petrochemical Industry

Chemistry graduates will find many applications for their training in the fields of education, business, industry, law, government, and medicine.

Suggested Minors

A variety of minors can complement a major in chemistry. Some of the more popular minors in recent years have been biology, criminal justice, general business, mathematics, and physics. Others have included history, political science, and psychology.

Curriculum

Chemistry students learn how to critically examine and analyze observations, to use chemical understanding to propose solutions to problems of a quantitative or qualitative nature that may arise in industry, in academia, or in various careers associated with chemistry. Students majoring in Chemistry have the opportunity for hands-on experience in working with atomic absorption, gas chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, ultraviolet and visible spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, 300 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, ion chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, and other standard instrumentation in chemistry.