BS Chemistry at Iowa State University

Programme overview

The Department of Chemistry offers Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Graduates holding the B.S. degree in Chemistry qualify in many ﬁelds as teachers of Chemistry, supervisors in industry, technical sales personnel, and research chemists in federal, state, municipal, academic, or industrial laboratories.

Faculty: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Duration: 120 credits | Study mode: full-time | Location: Ames, IA, United States

What you will study

Curriculum totals 120 credits. Required and core courses listed in the curriculum include BBMB 3010 Survey of Biochemistry; BBMB 3030 General Biochemistry; BBMB 3120 Experimental Research Skills in Biochemistry; BBMB 3160 Principles of Biochemistry; BBMB 4040 Biochemistry I; BBMB 4050 Biochemistry II.

Career pathways

Students who are planning to attend graduate school in Chemistry or become chemistry professionals are strongly advised to pursue a B.S. in Chemistry.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission is to Iowa State University and its college, not to the individual major (Iowa State does not make admission decisions by major). First-year applicants are admitted on the Regent Admission Index (RAI = ACT composite x 3 + cumulative GPA x 30 + years of high school core courses x 5); an RAI of at least 245 with the minimum high school course requirements (4 years English, 3 years mathematics including algebra, geometry and advanced algebra, 3 years science, 2 years social studies) receives automatic admission, and applicants below 245 may be considered through individual review. Iowa State is test-optional for first-year applicants. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences additionally requires a third year of social studies and two years of a single world language.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Entry terms for first-year applicants include Fall 2026, Spring 2027 and Summer 2027. International undergraduate applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and may be submitted up to one year before the intended start date; applying at least six to eight weeks in advance is strongly recommended.

International undergraduate applicants pay a nonrefundable application fee of $65 by credit card through the online application system; fee waivers are not offered. SAT/ACT are not required for applicants educated abroad or for transfer students. First-year applicants: Iowa State is test-optional for ACT, SAT or CLT scores; admission is based on the Regent Admission Index. Apply with the institutional application or the Common App.

Apply through the official page: https://apps.admissions.iastate.edu/apply/online/

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