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Opportunities in Chemistry

Student working with lab equipment.

Almost all chemistry majors take advantage of real world out-of-the-classroom opportunities before they graduate by engaging in internships with industry off campus, or joining a research group on the OSU campus. This is an excellent way to expand learning experiences in science and chemistry, earn credits to meet requirements, and sometimes get paid.

Chemistry internship opportunities

An internship provides an opportunity for a student to work in an industrial, government, or academic environment under the direction of a supervisor representing the interests of the employer and to experience first hand what chemists do in a professional setting. Normally the employer will be a business in which products or services are sold for profit or a governmental or academic agency performing prescribed specific functions.

Summer Internship Program

The David T Wong Chemistry Research Internship Fund will provide internship opportunities for Chemistry students. Potential funding opportunities exist to support the internship program through OSU. Additionally, financial support may be possible through corporate sponsor of internship. Students may also earn CH 410 - Internship credits for successful completion of this program.

Study abroad

OSU GO provides over 200 international opportunities for education, internships, and research in more than 70 different countries around the world. To develop a strategy for your program search and better navigate the options available to you, check out the Global Opportunities, Get Started page. Click the link below to explore various study abroad program models available to you and search through our wide range of OSU-supported study abroad programs.

Learn more about study abroad options with the Global Opportunities office 

Undergraduate research

Although course work in the classroom is the foundation of a chemistry degree, chemistry labs provide an important hands-on learning environment and are a critical part of a chemistry degree. Most students are interested in and benefit from, the chance to conduct research in chemistry. The chemistry research labs in the chemistry department are shared by research associates, graduate students (earning an M.S. or Ph.D.), and undergraduates. The undergraduates generally start out by sharing a project with a graduate student but often end up with their own independent research project. Many of the research undergraduates end up as co-authors on scientific papers. The research labs in chemistry cover a broad range of science and technology, from environmental chemistry to pharmaceuticals to batteries to genetics...

Learn more about summer research opportunities 
Learn more about undergraduate research opportunities 

Career development

Oregon State Career Services offers both on-campus and virtual events designed to help students gain skills, learn about careers, and meet potential employers.

Learn more at OSU's Career Services 

Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society

Our Chemistry Club is known as Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society, or SAACS for short. The club is all about having fun with chemistry while gaining a greater understanding of science and exploring the mysteries of chemistry. If you are interested in chemistry, or just like blowing things up and lighting things on fire, then the Chemistry Club just might be what you are looking for.