Chemistry student working in the lab

General Information

The Department of Chemistry offers an ACS-certified B.S. degree in Chemistry with two major concentrations to choose from. Each concentration requires core courses in Chemistry along with courses in Calculus and Physics. We also offer a minor in Chemistry to supplement other majors, as well as several courses for non-majors to fulfill the Natural Sciences General Education Requirement.

The Chemistry curriculum prepares students to succeed in graduate programs and professional schools, or to enter careers in chemical industry. Our majors have been accepted at many prestigious institutions for advanced degrees, or are quickly placed in the workforce after graduation. The Department of Chemistry is proud of the success of all of our graduates and strives to continue designing new coursework and programs to help NEIU students achieve their educational and career goals.

Biochemistry Concentration

The Biochemistry concentration requires courses in General Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry in addition to the core Chemistry courses. The biochemical training that students receive will prepare them to enter professional degree programs such as Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and other health fields. The Biochemistry concentration is also recommended for students who want to obtain graduate degrees in Biochemistry, or work in the biomedical industry.

Chemistry Concentration

The Chemistry concentration gives students a strong foundation in Organic, Analytical, Inorganic, and Physical Chemistry. Hands-on laboratory and research skills are emphasized. This concentration is recommended for students who want to have careers in chemical industry and those who plan to enter a Chemistry master's or Ph.D. program.

Placement of Majors

The strength of the Chemistry Department is demonstrated by the placement of our majors into the workforce shortly after graduation as well as their acceptance into graduate and professional programs at highly regarded institutions across the country. Examples of recent graduates are provided below.

  • Annie Fritz (B.S., May 2020) and Vanessa DaSilva (B.S., May 2020) have been admitted to the Ph.D. program in Chemistry at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
  • Brian Lampert (B.S. May, 2013) and Keith Arntson (B.S. May, 2013) have been admitted to a Ph.D. program in chemistry at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.), respectively.
  • Kristen Veldman (B.S. May 2013) is pursuing a master degree in Physician Assistant Studies at Butler University (Indianapolis, Ind.).
  • Max Goldmeier (B.S. December, 2012) is employed at Spherotech (Lake Forest, Ill.) synthesizing polymeric microparticles. 
  • Taral Patel (M.S. December, 2012) is employed at SA Analytical, LLC (Mundelein, Ill.) quantifying active ingredient in pharmaceutical products.
  • Lubna Masu (M.S. December 2012) is currently employed as adjunct faculty at the Dupage Community College.
  • Sarah Vorpahl (B.S. December, 2011) is pursuing a Ph.D. program in Chemistry at the University of Washington (Seattle, Wash.). Sarah also received a prestigious Advanced Materials for Energy Fellowship upon admission to the program. 
  • Umesh Chaudhary (B.S. May, 2011) and Fernando Tobias (B.S. May, 2011) are pursuing a Ph.D programs in chemistry at Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa) and the University of Illinois at Chicago, respectively. 
  •  Ariadna Martinez (B.S. May 2011) and Ian Karall (B.S. May, 2011) are pursuing Pharm. D programs at DePaul University (Chicago, Ill.) and Roosevelt University (Chicago, Ill.), respectively. 
  • Linh Le (B.S. May, 2011) is pursuing a graduate degree in nursing at the University of Illinois (Champaign, Ill.).
  • Steven Jerome (B.S. May, 2010) is pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemistry at Columbia University (New York, N.Y.).  In May 2011, Steven received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Award. 
  • Balamani Sittampalli (M.S. December 2010) is employed at Harvard University-Neurology Department (Cambridge, Mass.) developing and validating methods to determine chemicals in brain samples. 
  • Mark Majewski (M.S. May 2010) is pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemistry at The University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame Indiana). 
  • Huong Le (B.S. May 2010) is continuing a Doctor of Dentistry program at The Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio).