The undergraduate laboratory program emphasizes the hands-on use of modern research-grade instruments that allow students to become familiar with real-world equipment and tecniques used in research and industry.

As Chemistry is an experimental science, laboratory experience is an important component of a Chemistry major’s education. Part of this involves learning basic techniques, and part is applying these techniques in a context that prepares the student to function in a modern laboratory setting. This setting is highly instrumental. Throughout our program students make hands-on use of modern instrumentation, and particularly in the upper class laboratories they carry out their work on a wide variety of research-grade equipment of the kind found in research and industrial laboratories. The use of formal experiments allows students to become comfortable with instrumental applications as they learn the principles and theory behind the techniques. When coupled with undergraduate research experience, our laboratory program provides a very strong foundation for graduate school or industry.           

After the first year General Chemistry course, all of the Chemistry laboratory courses taken by Chemistry majors are limited to Chemistry students only. The sequence of 4 courses each meeting 8 hours per week over the sophomore and junior years are correlated with the lecture courses normally taken in the same semesters.