Bachelor's in Chemistry

Williams College has a rich history and a strong commitment to providing a well-rounded, top-tier education. Williams College offers a wide range of undergraduate programs across various disciplines in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. The college is known for its rigorous academic standards and small class sizes, which facilitate close interactions between students and faculty. Williams places a strong emphasis on critical thinking, analytical skills, and intellectual curiosity, preparing graduates to excel in a diverse array of careers and fields. With a stunning rural campus surrounded by the Berkshire Mountains and a vibrant community of scholars, Williams College offers a truly immersive and intellectually stimulating environment for students seeking a liberal arts education of the highest quality.

Through a variety of individual courses and sequential programs, the department provides an opportunity for students to explore the nature and significance of chemistry, an area of important achievement in our quest for knowledge about ourselves and the world around us. The student of chemistry is able to become aware of the special viewpoint of chemists, the general nature of chemical investigation, some of its important results, how these results are expressed, and something of their significance within the fields of science and in the area of human endeavor as a whole. The Chemistry major provides excellent preparation for graduate study in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, environmental science, materials science, medicine, and the medical sciences. A major in chemistry can be achieved in several ways, preferably beginning in the student’s first year at Williams, but also beginning in the sophomore year. Building on a foundation in general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry, a student elects additional advanced courses to complete a major that is consistent with his or her background in other sciences, interests, and goals. A student’s program might emphasize biochemistry, organic chemistry, or physical chemistry, with additional courses available in analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and materials science. Students considering a major in chemistry should consult with a member of the department as early as possible in order to plan a program which best suits their interests and abilities and which makes full use of their previous preparation.