Coursework in the Chemistry major is designed so that students will:

• Recall, relate, synthesize, deploy knowledge, and solve problems in foundational areas of chemistry – analytical, biological, inorganic, organic and physical.
• Use standard laboratory equipment, modern instrumentation, and classical techniques to carry out experiments.
• Employ modern library search tools to locate and retrieve primary chemical literature on a topic. Critically evaluate the chemical literature and use the content of articles to inform classroom and laboratory work.
• Design experiments, collect data, and interpret results so as to support or refute a hypothesis or research question.
• Use computational methods to model chemical systems and use computers for data acquisition and processing. Use appropriate software for data analysis including graphing and basic statistics.
• Communicate work to professional and general audiences in oral and written form in a manner that complies with accepted guidelines of scientific communication. Specific types of communication include written scientific reports, informal and formal oral presentations, and poster presentations.
• Follow proper procedures and regulations for safe handling, use, and disposal of chemicals and practice safe laboratory procedures.
• Maintain proper records of laboratory activities.
• Work in teams in both the classroom and laboratory.
• Practice science in an ethical and responsible manner.

• Understand that societal decisions lead to conducting chemical and biochemical work and result in applications that have both beneficial and harmful effects, specifically as they relate to populations with different amounts of power and privilege.
• Interrogate the ways systems and structures determine who participates within our disciplines, which science is done, and how it is done.
• Students see science as a human activity conducted by a collaborative and diverse community.
• Students feel empowered beyond understanding deficiencies of power, privilege, and equity within STEM to the development of strategies for effectively challenging power and privilege in productive ways.
• Students understand and are empowered to develop and foster their own place and identity within science at Bates and beyond. 
• Students realize their unique path gives them space to make novel contributions.
• Students explore a variety of opportunities to engage and participate in science throughout their time at Bates and after graduation.