Introduction to Harvey Mudd Chemistry

The Harvey Mudd Department of Chemistry is dedicated to undergraduate education and close personal interaction with students. It represents all chemical fields and provides a diverse range of research interests. The department is committed to challenging coursework and extensive hands-on experience with modern instrumentation and computation and provides a broad-based education with an emphasis on problem-solving skills.

Our Distinctive Features

• PhD faculty teach all courses and laboratories
• The department offers a major compatible with pursuing double majors or minors, study abroad and participation in extracurricular activities
• We encourage research participation at the earliest point in one’s Harvey Mudd career
• We integrate modern research-grade instrumentation and computational equipment in courses and research

The Chemistry Major

• Provides classroom and laboratory instruction in the traditional fields of chemistry: Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry
• Allows exploration of specialized areas through elective courses Bioorganic Chemistry, Biophysical Chemistry, Computational Chemistry, Industrial Chemistry, Lasers in Chemistry, Materials Science, Organometallic Chemistry, Surface Science, Synthetic Methods
• Involves a senior research experience
• Emphasizes development of problem-solving skills and communication skills
• Leads to a Bachelor of Science degree certified by the American Chemical Society

Our Graduates

• More than 80 percent of our chemistry graduates continue advanced study leading to the PhD degree
• Highest ranked chemistry department for the percentage of graduates who have earned PhD degrees
• Significant numbers of graduates have won national scholarships
• Our chemistry alumni hold positions of leadership in academe and industry