Chemistry Majors & Degrees
Immerse yourself in the lab & study with Christian professors.
In small classes, you work closely with professors who care deeply about you and your future. Demanding courses and a range of tracks help students think like a scientist and discover what it means to work in a lab. Chemistry majors undertake research with personal guidance from professors, and many spend 10 weeks in an intensive summer research program. Renovated labs and state-of-the-art instrumentation set Westmont's program apart and give graduates an advantage in finding jobs or getting into graduate school. You receive a first-rate education in chemistry from Christian professors who integrate faith and learning and prepare you for meaningful work.
Alumni Stories
Eddie Wertz ’20 is a Chemist at Graphitic Energy, a clean energy start-up company in Santa Barbara developing technology to make the carbon in natural gas an asset instead of a liability.
Chisondi Warioba ’21 (Chemistry, Physics, and Biology) received an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship to support his Ph.D. studies in medical physics at the University of Chicago. He has since completed his doctorate and is now continuing his work at Stanford University.
Lexy Gillette ’22 completed her Ph.D. in Solid State Chemistry at Oxford University, home to one of the world’s leading departments in the field.
Will Grubbs ’23 is a curious and insightful chemist who served as a TA and conducted research in inorganic synthesis at Westmont. He now works as a Hispanic Outreach Intern for Habitat for Humanity International, expanding a free home repair program for Santa Barbara’s Latin communities through partnerships with local organizations.
Alison Thomas ’23 is a curious and skilled chemist whose insightful questions elevate classroom discussions and research. She spent a year focused on organic synthesis research and now works as a Complex Securities Valuation Analyst at Deloitte in New York City.
Faculty and Staff
Kristi Cantrell, Ph.D.
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Steve Contakes, Ph.D.
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Michael Everest, Ph.D.
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Stephanie Cowell, M.S.
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Allan Nishimura, Ph.D.
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Amanda Silberstein, Ph.D., Department Chair
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Brandon Haines, Ph.D.
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Allison Vander Wall, Ph.D.
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Karis Daley
Administrative AssistantEmail: chemistry@westmont.eduTel: (805) 565-6152Office: WS 216
Opportunities Abroad
- Westmont’s Global Health Uganda
- Westmont in Asia • Organization for Tropical Studies: Tropical Diseases, Environmental Change and Human Health, Costa Rica
- Creation Care Studies Program, Belize or New Zealand
- Organization for Tropical Studies, South Africa
- Scholarship & Christianity In Oxford
Tracks & Requirements
Professional Track/Program A/Bachelor of Science
Leads to graduate study in chemistry and prepares students for challenging careers
in teaching and research. This track is approved by the American Chemical Society to grant certified degrees. Westmont is the only Christian College in the Western
United States with that designation.
General Track/Program B/Bachelor of Science
Offers more flexibility and prepares students for working in a lab and teaching at
the secondary level; additional study leads to a range of careers.
Biochemistry Track/Program C /Bachelor of Science
Includes a balance of chemistry and biology, provides the basis for pre-medical and
pre-dental training, and leads to graduate study in biochemistry, molecular biology,
biomedical research, or genetic engineering.
Chemical Physics Track/Program D/Bachelor of Science
Combines chemistry with a strong emphasis in physics and engineering and prepares
students for graduate work in chemical physics or chemical engineering and for teaching
chemistry and physics at the secondary level.
General Bachelor of Arts Track
Offers a broader curriculum for a double major; allows the most flexibility; four-year
fast-track plan for a secondary teaching credential in chemistry in addition to the
B.A. also available.
Requirements | Requirements with Teaching Credential | BA with Teaching Credential Sample 4-year plan
Pre-Chemical Engineering
3-2 program with a degree from an engineering school and a Bachelor of Arts from Westmont
College, combines the benefits the liberal arts and specialized training from an engineering
school; interested first-year students need to plan their schedule with a professor
to meet all requirements. See major requirements for details.
Pre-health Professions Webpage
Westmont is an excellent place for students to complete pre-professional requirements and to prepare for health professional school. There are many resources at Westmont to help students pursue careers in the health sciences including pre-health advising, pre-health information sessions and workshops, pre-health related books, and the pre-health club.