What does the ACS certified degree mean?
Your American Chemical Society certified chemistry degree means that Skidmore has prepared you for a wide variety of careers relying on chemistry knowledge and skills. You will have taken courses in all areas of chemistry, with breadth and depth. You will have used a variety of modern chemical instrumentation, had access to current chemistry journals, and spent significant quality learning time in chemical labs (400+ hours).
On your resume, you can specify that you earned an ACS certified degree, and employers will know you have graduated from a Chemistry department that meets high standards.
The American Chemical Society provides some more detail with this brief letter.
The American Chemical Society's Committee on Professional Training oversees certification of Chemistry degree programs and provides even more information here.
What's the difference between the ACS CERTIFIED DEGREE and the regular B.A. at SKidmore?
At Skidmore, the ACS certified degree in Chemistry and the regular B.A. in Chemistry
require similar amounts of coursework, though the ACS degree has a couple extra specific
requirements. Usually a Skidmore Chemistry major will need to take all the major
foundational courses and pursue research with a faculty member to meet the lab requirements.
Here are suggested course timelines for completing either version of the degree that you can compare.
ACS Degree requirement checklist:
| ACS degree requirement | Skidmore Course | Lab hours |
| Introductory |
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not counted |
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Foundational
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In-Depth
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Lab hours Requirement
SPECIAL NOTE: to meet ACS requirements, you must also write a comprehensive written report to count your research work towards the lab hours. |
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