Chemistry
Discover what happens at the molecular and subatomic levels. Study the central science and learn how things in nature really work. Become a part of an undergraduate program that encourages you to think differently. Get a head start on your career with hands-on experience in new, modern laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation. Choose from research projects covering the most modern aspects of chemistry, including projects studying biological problems with chemical tools. These opportunities and more are available to you when you choose to major in Chemistry at the University of Saskatchewan.
What is Chemistry?
Chemistry is the study of the structure and the transformations of materials. It occupies a central place among the sciences because it takes the fundamental ideas of mathematics and physics, adapts them to chemical systems, and applies them in areas ranging from biotechnology to advanced materials to environmental science. Students explore the properties of the elements, the compounds they form and the reactions they undergo.
A Stepping Stone...
The U of S Chemistry Department has a dynamic undergraduate program that encompasses all areas of modern chemistry ranging from research on DNA and proteins to modern materials. Students can select from undergraduate chemistry courses in analytical, inorganic, organic, physical and theoretical chemistry.
A degree in Chemistry provides students with the necessary expertise and skill to gain employment or pursue graduate studies. Because Chemistry is the “central science,” a Chemistry degree is the ideal preparation for a career in a wide variety of allied disciplines and interdisciplinary areas. Students who graduate from the Four-year and Honours programs automatically qualify for membership as a professional chemist in the Canadian Society for Chemistry.
Gain practical experience in chemistry by joining the department's vibrant Summer Research Program!
I was originally attracted to the U of S Department of Chemistry by its tradition of excellence. I understood that being part of a mid-sized department allows students to have close contact with faculty members. An additional important aspect in my decision was the department's emphasis on undergraduate research. This research experience would encourage me to become a valuable part of the scientific community and would allow me to realize the potential for chemistry beyond the classroom. —Jody Swift,
B.Sc. Honours, May 2002
Career Opportunities
Of the 200,000 people employed in careers in the petrochemical, pharmaceutical, chemical manufacturing and other chemical industries, 6,000 are professionals who have attained university degrees in the sciences. Chemistry graduates excel in careers as chemical professionals and are employed in related industries: pulp and paper, mining, refining, food and agriculture. Many others gain employment in universities, colleges and technical institutes and in federal, provincial and municipal laboratories.
The U of S Advantage
The U of S is unique in having medical colleges, a full range of natural science departments, and Colleges of Agriculture & Bioresources and Engineering. Chemistry is central to the many collaborative research efforts that are occurring in interdisciplinary fields between the life sciences, agriculture and the natural sciences.
Faculty members in Chemistry are well known for their enthusiasm and interest in undergraduate teaching and include a Master Teacher and a USSU Teaching Excellence Award winner in their numbers. They maintain direct interaction with students throughout their program of study. In the final two years of the Four-year and Honours programs, students have the opportunity to become involved in hands-on research projects under the direct supervision of faculty members. The graduate student population, research associates, postdoctoral fellows and departmental technicians also contribute to a vibrant research atmosphere.
A Major in Chemistry
Students majoring in Chemistry may choose from one of the following degrees:
- B.Sc. Three-year
- B.Sc. Four-year
- B.Sc. Honours
The Four-year degree provides valuable preparation and training for students pursuing further study. The Honours degree prepares students for postgraduate studies and is an excellent step toward a research career in Chemistry.
Programs allow sufficient flexibility that students can specialize even at the undergraduate level in analytical, inorganic, organic, physical or theoretical chemistry.
The Department also offers a minor in Chemistry. This is completed while studying for a degree in another area, allowing students to "fast-track" their career in an allied discipline by gaining an additional qualification.
Our Chemistry faculty direct research projects covering the most modern aspects of chemistry, including research projects studying biological problems with chemical tools.—Soledade Pedras,
Professor, Canada Research Chair
Outstanding Students & Faculty
- Students awarded poster or oral presentation prizes at the 2007 Canadian Society for Chemistry national conference included undergraduate student Stephen Christensen, master's students Yin Lu and Nagarjuna Palyam, and doctoral students Vivek Padmanabhan and Yu Yang.
- ~70 graduate students are enroled in master's or doctoral programs. Most are teaching assistants in the undergraduate chemistry labs. Chris Phenix received his PhD degree for his enzymology research in 2007. During his program he received scholarships from the Indigenous People's Health Research Centre and the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council.
- Lee Wilson was awarded the U of S Governor General's Gold Medal when the received his PhD degree in 1999. He received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award (Science & Technology) in 2004, the same year he was awarded an NSERC University Faculty Award and joined faculty in the Department of Chemistry.
- Dale Ward has received the University of Saskatchewan Outstanding Graduate Student Supervisor Award. Ron Steer has been a recipient of the University Master Teacher Award - the University's highest award for teaching. Soledade Pedras has received the University of Saskatchewan Students' Union Teaching Excellence Award.
- Two renowned Canadian Nobelists, Gerhard Herzberg (1971) and Henry Taube (1983) were associates of the U of S Chemistry Department.
- Soledade Pedras is a Canada Research Chair in Bioorganic and Agricultural Chemistry. She sees chemistry as a tool to understanding life processes at the molecular level. Her research program in the areas of ecological and agricultural chemistry involves the discovery of organic molecules with important roles in keeping plants healthier and in designing and producing novel selective and environmentally friendly crop protection agents. Her team has discovered that the simplicity of the biomolecules mediating "the communication" of plants with other organisms is not indicative of triviality.
- Faculty members have a wide variety of active research programs, in all subdisciplines, funded by government agencies, the University and industry. More than half have been hired in the past ten years.
Getting Involved!
Join the Chemistry Students’ Society! The CS2 exists to promote Chemistry as a major at the U of S. It provides students with a receptive environment for tutoring, group discussions, workshops and social events. The club lounge is a home away from home for students with amenities including wireless internet access, computer, printer, telephone, microwave and refrigerator. The CS2 organizes activities ranging from bowling and games nights to city-wide scavenger hunts.
Research Facilities
The Chemistry Department uses world-class research facilities located right on the U of S campus, including the Saskatchewan Structural Sciences Centre (SSSC), the Saskatchewan Centre for Biomolecular Research (SCBR) and the Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron. The Spinks Addition to the Thorvaldson Building includes state-of-the-art laboratories for research and senior undergraduate instruction.
Departmental services include an electronics shop, a glassblowing shop, chemical stores, an NMR lab and a Mass Spectroscopy lab. For assignments that require research, students may take advantage of more than 30,000 Chemistry-oriented books and journals located in the Natural Sciences Library.
Admission Requirements
The following is a list of high school subjects required for admission. Please select the province/territory where you completed high school.
Additional Information
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