Our faculty are dedicated teachers, and the department is also a major research institution with about 150 graduate and postdoctoral students working in the various laboratories. We offer a Bachelors of Arts, Bachelors of Science with American Chemical Society (ACS) Certification, and a variety of Bachelors of Science degrees with different specializations (with ACS Certification being optional). This is a unique opportunity for students to combine two areas in which they have an interest (e.g., chemistry and biology, chemistry and physics, etc.). While the University does not offer Biochemistry as an undergraduate degree program, we offer a Bachelor’s of Science in Chemistry with a Specialization in Biochemistry. Additional information about our degree programs can be found here.
Two things to keep in mind when looking at different colleges and universities are 1) in what department can you do research, and 2) how early in your academic career you can start. At the University of Virginia’s Department of Chemistry, we are proud to offer our students the opportunity to do research for chemistry credits while also doing research in another department. You are welcome to do research in the Department of Chemistry, in related departments such as Biology, or in the medical school. For example, you can register for CHEM 3951 (Introductory Research) but do your actual research in the Department of Microbiology or the field of diabetes at the School of Medicine. You can start conducting research as early as the second semester of your first year. By doing research, not only are you developing and enhancing your skills, you have the opportunity to present your research at poster sessions, conferences, and be named a co-author on a research paper. You can apply these credits toward designations and scholarship opportunities. Additional information about Undergraduate Research can be found here.
Undergraduate students are eligible to transfer up to 60 credits and apply them toward the 120 credits required by the College of Arts and Sciences. These transfer credits can be from a combination of AP, IB, dual enrollment, and/or another college or university. Students are encouraged to keep the syllabi from these courses in case there is a question regarding their equivalency to our courses. We do not give credit for AP Chemistry labs. In addition, labs taken at another college or university (including through dual enrollment) must be taken in person. We do not accept online labs. We strongly recommend you refer to the University of Virginia’s Office of Admission for transfer students for additional information. Students who have transfer credits from AP, IB, dual enrollment, and/or another college or university can check here for their equivalencies.
Professor Kateri DuBay is the chemistry major advisor for all transfer students. Please see her welcome message here. We encourage all students who come to UVA to take things slow and to not commit to too many activities right away. For time management tips, please see here. For an article on making the transition from community college to UVA, please click here.
Finally, we offer you the opportunity for you to meet with me and sit in on one of our classes. Additionally, we invite all students to attend the ACS Poster Session and Distinguished Majors Symposium. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Cindy Knight, Undergraduate Program Coordinator
The Class That Rocked My World
Start of Semester Memo from the College of Arts and Sciences