• According to recent statistics, the demand for chemistry graduates is very high. In fact, chemists hired by private industry resulted in unemployment rates less than two percent and starting salaries averaging $30,000. Some of the companies and labs that have hired Southeast chemistry graduates include Monsanto, Eli Lilly, Proctor and Gamble, Biokyowa, Lone Star Cement, Noranda Aluminum, Pharmacia, Severn-Trent, Mallinckrodt, Plastene Corporation, Missouri Crime Lab and Texaco.  
  
• The Chemistry Department at Southeast directly receives internship opportunities by many corporations to hire students for on- and off- campus positions. These opportunities include research, teaching, laboratory work and many other areas. To view the most recent opportunities, click on http://chemistry.semo.edu/hrecruit83101.htm.
  
• The field of forensic science is based on a solid scientific foundation. The American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) recommends that students wanting to break into this field earn a bachelor’s degree in science. If you are interested in pursuing a career in forensic science, you can build the strong scientific background you will need by earning a degree in chemistry at Southeast. Our program also enables you to further enrich your education through courses and opportunities geared specifically to the forensic sciences. Opportunities include participating in research projects with faculty who are active in the forensic science field, attending professional meetings of forensic science associations, and experiencing the field first-hand in the Southeast Missouri Regional Crime Laboratory. You can also further your education by pursuing a graduate degree in Southeast’s forensic chemistry option.
  
• The American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest professional scientific society, certifies Southeast’s chemistry program.
  
• The Bachelor in Medical Technology is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science.
  
• Southeast chemistry graduates excel on the nationally renowned Major Field Achievement Test in Chemistry, which is prepared by the Educational Testing Service of Princeton. In fact, 25 percent of Southeast chemistry graduates have scored at or above the 90th percentile and 50 percent have scored at or above the 70th percentile.
  
• Approximately 50-60 percent of Southeast chemistry graduates pursue graduate degrees in chemistry. The remainder either attend medical, law or pharmacy school, or enter the work force. 
  
• As a Southeast chemistry major, you will have access to facilities that are equipped with state-of-the-art chemical technology. For instance, Southeast students have access to capillary electrophoresis chromatography and x-ray fluorescence spectrometry through our relationship with the Southeast Missouri Regional Crimelab. The laboratory has been serving law enforcement since 1970 and is housed on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. The laboratory serves 85 agencies and is known for its excellent reputation throughout the region, as well as, for its use in forensic matters by various states and defense attorneys.
  
• The Chemistry department offers a 32-credit hour Master of Natural Science in Applied Chemistry degree program.  Southeast’s bachelor of chemistry degree provides the prerequisites for admission into the Master of Natural Science in Applied Chemistry degree program.
  
• Chemistry student organizations give you additional opportunities to further your experience and to be involved with numerous professional activities, including seminars and conferences, hands-on projects and network opportunities. The student organizations hold monthly meetings and sponsor a variety of events on and off campus. As a student, you will benefit from participation in numerous seminars, travel opportunities and social events sponsored by the Student Affiliates of the American Chemistry (ACS) and the Chemistry Club. 
  
• Students in Southeast’s chemistry program work very closely with experienced faculty who are recognized for their own writing, training, professional affiliations, publications and expertise. In order to stay current in their fields, faculty members have published more than 25 papers in peer-reviewed journals since 1992. The chemistry program at Southeast encourages strong student-teacher relationships, emphasizing individual attention by 11 faculty members, all of whom have earned advance degrees.
  

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