Bachelor of Arts and Science - Women and Gender Studies & Chemistry (Optional Co-op)

Chemistry studies the elements that comprise all matter. Everything in the world — the air, water, food, cars, even human bodies — are made from these elements.

There are five main branches of chemistry:

• analytical focuses on the detection and measurement of chemical species used in fields like forensics.
• organic deals with carbon compounds, which are the main components of living matter.
• inorganic delves into all the remaining elements, most of which are found in the mineral world.
• physical looks at the study of the fundamental principles governing the behavior of matter.
• theoretical starts by exploring basic physical theories like quantum mechanics in order to provide frameworks within which all chemical phenomena can be understood.

The primary focus of the program is to provide students with extensive theoretical knowledge in all five branches, in addition to enhancing their technical and practical skills with hands-on experience. Throughout the program, they will receive intensive laboratory instruction on the transformation and safe handling of chemical compounds, as well as hands-on training in advanced instrumental techniques such as elemental analysis, optical spectroscopy, magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction and mass spectrometry.

Chemistry graduates will have access to state-of-the-art research facilities that provide the infrastructure to support the research interests of University of Lethbridge’s award-winning faculty, the instructors, as they investigate diverse areas of the chemical sciences including catalysis, nanomaterials and food chemistry.