Chemical Sciences

Chemistry is regarded as "the central science" because of the crucial ranking it holds in modern science and engineering. Most observable phenomena in the natural sciences can be detailed in terms of the chemical and physical attributions of behaviors in atoms and molecules. Much of the progress made in medicine and engineering is a result of the discovery and understanding of chemical processes and their real world applications to biological and earth systems.

Recent advancements with technology in the chemical sciences are pushing researchers in the field and faculty at colleges toward examining and experimenting on phenomena at the nanoscale, the size range intermediate between individual molecules and macroscopic matter. The ability to measure, conceptualize, and manipulate the properties of matter on these size scales are quintessential chemistry degree requirements that are expected at the university level when pursuing a BS in chemistry. The knowledge gathered from these studies permits us to draw theoretical and practical connections between the submicroscopic world of atoms and molecules and the macroscopic world we perceive with our senses.

UC Merced Bachelor of Chemistry

UC Merced offers an undergraduate major leading to a B.S. degree in the Chemical Sciences. All of our programs meet the requirements for approval by the American Chemical Society. The curriculum is catered to meet the needs of students who plan to finalize their formal education with a bachelors in chemistry degree as well as those who wish to pursue a master's degree. The UC Merced Chemistry B.S. graduate is qualified to pursue a career in chemistry or an allied field. UC Merced offers both a basic chemistry program and three emphasis tracks in biological chemistry, environmental chemistry, and materials chemistry, which allow students to choose interdisciplinary areas within a degree program that is still focused on chemistry.

When filling out your coursework and marks/grades, refer to the Intermediate School Certificate (Shahadat Al Kafa’at Al Mutawassita) and the General Secondary Education Certificate (GSEC) (Shahadat Al-Marhalat Al-Thanawiyyat) for accuracy.

Submitting official documents (after you are admitted to UC)

After you are accepted to UC, you must submit both of the following documents by July 1 to the UC campus where you plan to enroll:

• An official Intermediate School Certificate (Shahadat Al Kafa’at Al Mutawassita) with courses listed and grades received for each course; and
• An official General Secondary Education Certificate (GSEC) (Shahadat Al-Marhalat Al-Thanawiyyat) with courses listed and grades received for each course, indicating completion of required high school courses with above average grades.

Both certificates must:

• Indicate completion of the following subjects in an academic, non-vocational secondary program: history/economics, Arabic, foreign language (English), laboratory science, mathematics (including geometry and second year algebra at a minimum);
• Include course title and grades received; a minimum average of 75 percent is needed for consideration with no grade lower than 60 percent.

• Agricultural and food scientist
• Biochemist
• Chemical engineer
• Environmental chemist
• EPA chemist
• Forensic scientist, geneticist
• Hydrologist
• Industrial hygienist
• Petroleum industry chemist
• Polymer chemist
• Water conservation specialist