Online Graduate Certificate Programs in Chemistry
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Chemistry is an ever-evolving field with a plethora of opportunities. As more businesses veer towards sustainable practices, there is an increasing need to find safer chemicals and develop better processes. Given that the demand for green practices and the discovery of new chemical processes will only increase, there will be a demand for professionals in chemistry too.
An online graduate certificate in chemistry helps students learn chemistry fundamentals and delve into the latest advancements in the field. These certificate programs explore topics such as clinical biochemistry, molecular diagnostics, and immunology and serology. Some also require students to attend a clinical laboratory for a given number of days a week.
Along with the latest research and progress in the field, students learn about tools and methods for designing chemicals, the benefits of green chemistry, product design, and the business aspects of chemistry. At the end of these programs, students can work with a variety of businesses as well as hospitals, government agencies, and non-profit organizations.
This guide covers six online graduate certificates in chemistry and related subjects. We have also highlighted three exceptional faculty members from the field.
Featured Online Graduate Certificates in Chemistry
George Washington University offers an online post-baccalaureate certificate in chemistry for medical laboratory science. This program can be completed entirely online and does not require students to attend campus. Applicants who have clinical laboratory experience may be eligible to waive individual clinical practicum requirements. The certificate teaches students about medical and basic sciences so that they can pursue a career of their choice in medicine or related fields.
The 19-credit certificate program qualifies candidates to sit for the ASCP Technologist in Chemistry exam and comprises five, three-credit courses and a four-credit practicum course. Coursework includes immunology and serology; clinical biochemistry; molecular diagnostics; lab management and operations; and clinical biochemistry practicum.
At the end of the program, graduates can pursue opportunities in various healthcare settings such as hospital laboratories, clinics, physician offices, pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms, and commercial and research laboratories, as well as government and public health facilities.
To apply, students must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college and a minimum cumulative and science GPA of 2.5, among other requirements.
- Location: Washington, D.C.
- Accreditation: National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS); Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
- Expected Time to Completion: Six to 12 months
- Estimated Tuition: $661 per credit
The University of Washington offers an online certificate program in green chemistry and chemical stewardship. The program provides graduates with the tools and knowledge needed for designing safer chemicals. Since businesses are always looking for less toxic and harmless chemicals for manufacturing products, graduates of this program are in high demand. The program is ideal for engineers, materials scientists, risk management researchers, health and safety professionals, legal experts, and building designers.
The 15-credit program comprises three courses: sustainability, toxicology, and human health; the principles of green chemistry; and assessment tools for safer chemical decisions. The program introduces students to the 12 guiding principles of green chemistry, the environmental and economic benefits of green chemistry, the latest research, tools for chemical design, and business barriers and drivers. At the end of the program, graduates can pursue several opportunities in the chemical industry.
Admission requirements include a four-year degree, a year of relevant work experience (or graduate-level educational experience), and a basic knowledge of chemistry.
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
- Expected Time to Completion: Six to 12 months
- Estimated Tuition: $910 per course
The University of Florida’s College of Pharmacy offers an online graduate certificate in forensic drug chemistry. The program provides students with a strong background in drug pharmacology, drug synthesis, expert testimony, analytical techniques, and forensic drug chemistry. Qualified working professionals will find much value in the program.
The 15-credit program includes courses such as forensic toxicology; medicinal chemistry of drugs of abuse; synthetic medicinal chemistry; laboratory quality assurance and quality control; and pharmaceutical analysis. The program teaches students the basic concepts of analytical chemistry. They learn how to produce scientific data using appropriate standards and controls and which methods to use in the synthesis of organic compounds. At the end of the program, graduates can pursue opportunities in law enforcement agencies, military services, or pharmaceutical industries.
Admission requirements to this certificate program include a baccalaureate degree in a natural science subject from an accredited institution and a minimum grade point average of 2.0 or better, among other requirements. GRE test scores are not required for admission.
- Location: Gainesville, FL
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: One year
- Estimated Tuition: $575 to $625 per credit
Illinois State University (Courses Only)
Illinois State University offers online graduate-level chemistry courses. These courses cover the most recent chemical education research and are taught by award-winning faculty members. While students do not receive a certificate, the credits earned in these courses can be applied to various master’s programs in chemistry.
The courses available are highly rigorous and the university recommends one or two courses per semester. Class options include advanced inorganic chemistry; advanced chemistry demos; applied inorganic chemistry; biochemistry of nutrition, exercise, and sports medicine; and nuclear chemistry. Students learn how to use laboratory demonstrations to improve the delivery of essential chemistry topics.
Admission requirements for freshman students include proof of high school coursework, a competitive grade point average, and SAT/ACT scores and subscores. Requirements for transfer students include an official college transcript from each college or university attended, prerequisite college coursework, and GPA above 2.82 on a 4.0 scale.
- Location: Normal, IL
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Varies
- Estimated Tuition: $1,607.04 per three-credit course
Indiana University offers an online graduate certificate in chemistry where students will analyze and explore the chemical principles and processes of inorganic and organic substances. Students in this program will adopt a methodological approach to problem-solving and develop an understanding of multiple subdisciplines of chemistry. Upon graduation, graduates can break down chemical processes and concepts, design assignments and experiments for teaching chemical concepts, and analyze chemistry-related press news and releases.
This 18-credit certificate includes courses such as inorganic chemistry; organic spectroscopy; physical chemistry; introductory biochemistry; environmental chemistry; nuclear chemistry; and a chemistry capstone.
Applicants to the program must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0. They must complete an online application with official transcripts from each undergraduate institution and a 250-word personal statement explaining their background and reasons for entering the program.
- Location: Bloomington, IN
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 12 months
- Estimated Tuition: In-state ($350 per credit); out-of-state ($490 per credit)
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead offers an online graduate certificate in chemistry. Graduates of this program will be able to apply advanced chemistry techniques for solving real-world problems, demonstrate experimental chemistry techniques for developing and exploring solutions to problems, and synthesize concepts from geochemistry, biophysical chemistry, and biochemistry into an understanding of the larger concept of chemistry.
This 18-credit program includes courses such as biochemistry; chemistry of food & cooking; modeling environmental geochemistry systems; forensic chemistry; and biophysical chemistry.
Admission requirements for the program include an online graduate application, official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0, and a letter of intent.
- Location: Moorhead, MN
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 12 months
- Estimated Tuition: $515 per credit
Professors to Know in Chemistry Graduate Certificate Programs
Dr. Gregory Ferrence is a professor of chemistry at Illinois State University, where he teaches general chemistry; fundamentals of chemistry; fundamentals of inorganic chemistry; research in chemistry, and guides the independent honor study in chemistry and independent research for the master’s thesis. His research efforts center around f-element chemistry, chemical education, and metal-organic chemistry.
Dr. Ferrence has published his research in many top journals such as the Journal of Chemical Education and the Journal of Organic Chemistry. He was previously chair of the ethics committee at the American Chemical Society and currently leads the ethics subdivision of the professional relations division at ACS. He has received numerous awards, including the Distinguished Service Award and the John A. Dossey Award. Dr. Ferrence completed his doctorate in inorganic chemistry from Purdue University and was a postdoctoral fellow of chemistry and f-element at the University of Alberta in Canada. He also has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Timothy Lash teaches organic chemistry at Illinois State University. Additional courses that he teaches include heterocyclic chemistry; organic chemistry; organic synthesis; and structure determination using spectroscopic methods. Currently, his research focuses on the synthesis of porphyrins and other biologically and medicinally active macrocycles.
Dr. Lash has published his articles in several influential peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Organic Chemistry, Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, and the Journal of the American Chemical Society. He also has won prestigious awards such as the ISU College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship and the Illinois Heartland Local ACS Section Chemist of the Year Award. He completed his doctorate and master’s in organic chemistry from the University of Wales and his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom.
Jeffrey Bodwin serves as a professor of chemistry at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Dr. Bodwin’s main teaching areas include general chemistry and general chemistry lab, while he also teaches inorganic chemistry and inorganic lab. His research interests include pedagogical research, outreach-based research, and transition metal coordination chemistry. His research has been published in prominent journals such as Inorganic Chemistry, and the Journal of Solid State Chemistry. Dr. Bodwin completed his PhD and MS from the University of Michigan and BS from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
