Franklin and Marshall College's Chemistry Department ranks 7th among liberal arts colleges (LACs) in the number of research articles published since 2008 (many with student coauthors), and ranks 4th among LACs as the baccalaurete origin of PhDs awarded from 2007 to 2016 . F&M was also among the top 10 predominantly undergraduate institutions (PUIs) in terms of research grants received from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. From 2007 to 2017, F&M's Chemistry Department has been awarded $3.4 million, from external funding sources, to support its programs.

See students in action by scrolling  through selected Chemistry Research Lab photos by  using the right and left arrows.

Read more about the  learning objectives for Graduating Students for the Chemistry Department at F&M.

Chemistry is fundamental to an understanding of the properties and reactions of matter. It is critical for the development of new drugs, compounds with new properties such as superconductors and nanomaterials, and the continual refinement of substances that make our lives more enjoyable.

Chemistry, the Central Science, is inherently interdisciplinary and is at the interface of many disciplines such as molecular biology, solid-state physics, and geology. The Chemistry Major is taught by dedicated and productive faculty who are committed to helping the student acquire:

• skills necessary for critical and analytical thinking
• an understanding of the basic concepts of chemistry
• a feeling for the joys and frustrations of original research
• the ability to communicate observations and discoveries

Chemistry majors routinely co-author research articles published in well-respected journals, and present their research at local and national meetings.  The student who majors in Chemistry at F&M receives an excellent, balanced education and is well-prepared for graduate work in chemistry, the pursuit of medicine, opportunities in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, and a variety of other career paths.