Opportunities in high school and elementary teaching are better than ever. There is an acute shortage of physical science teachers in the nation's schools, which has led to widespread concern and efforts to upgrade salaries and working conditions. Opportunities for women and minorities in chemistry are excellent. There is a need to increase the numbers of these groups in the physical sciences, and special incentives in the way of scholarships or other types of support are often available to those who take up the challenge. Because many graduates want to begin careers as soon as they finish their undergraduate degrees, the department has a career counselor who works with students and University Career Services to find the best position for each individual.
Companies call the department directly, looking for chemists at all levels.
The employment picture for chemistry graduates, as for those in other fields, fluctuates with the economy. However, chemistry cuts across several disciplines, which improves the odds for chemists. This pattern is expected to continue, partly because the wide range of employment opportunities for chemists in industry, government, and education makes their jobs less susceptible to the employment fluctuations of a particular industry. Currently, about two thirds of chemistry undergraduates move on to graduate school. Many of our graduates have gone on to outstanding careers in chemistry and related fields.