Associate
Students studying to get an associate’s degree in chemistry usually end up with a great career. An associate degree in chemistry can help many people easily get graduate jobs. It takes only two years to get an associate's degree in chemistry. After graduation, the graduate can work as a research assistant or aid in laboratories. Students with an associate's degree may also choose to get a bachelor's degree immediately after their program. Before being enrolled for an associate's program in chemistry, it is necessary that the student understands high school algebra because in most courses, the student will be required to balance several chemical equations.
Course work for Associate's Degree in Chemistry
Some of the courses that must be learned during the two-year study include:
- General chemistry
- General physics with laboratory experience
- Trigonometry
- Organic chemistry with laboratory experience
- Calculus and
- Algebra
What Associate's Degree Students Should Know About General Chemistry
Some of the topics in general chemistry that the associate's degree student will learn include molecular structure, chemical reactions, arrangement of the periodic table, properties of elements on the periodic table, acids and bases, chemical bonding and several other important theories. Most schools endeavor to include these courses into the students' curriculum because they help students understand other chemistry courses when they decide to specialize in their respective fields.
What Associate Degree Students Learn about Organic Chemistry
Organic chemistry is the study of organic compounds. The study includes the mechanisms, formation and spectroscopy of organic compounds. Organic chemistry deals with the study of compounds containing carbon and hydrocarbons. Other elements that can be found in organic compounds include hydrogen, phosphorus, silicon, oxygen and nitrogen. Products such as plastics, drugs, paints and food are made from organic compounds.
Associate's Degree in Chemistry VS General Physics
Students studying to get an associate's degree in chemistry are also exposed to some subjects in general physics. The courses they learn help them explain why certain things exist in the universe. They also learn how to use mathematics to explain some of the forces of nature. In addition, they learn how to get data, how to organize data and how to interpret and report them.
Community College: A Good Option for Getting an Associate's Degree in Chemistry
While it is impossible to get a bachelor's degree in chemistry by attending a community college, a community college can help students to get an associate's degree in chemistry. One of the advantages of going to a community college for this is that their tuition fees are generally lower than what you’ll find at the universities. Students can use the savings they get from their tuition fees to buy text books and take care of themselves. Another advantage is that community colleges admit students from several parts of the world and they have very flexible lecture periods such as night classes and weekend classes.
High Salary potential for Chemistry Students
A study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers revealed that graduates of physical sciences can occupy a wide range of positions in industries that pay very well. Other studies also reveal that students with a degree in chemistry or physics usually earn 30% more than others without a degree in these courses. A degree in chemistry or physics also attracts higher salaries than art courses such as psychology, English and history. Even an associate’s degree in chemistry helps qualify people to work as chemical technicians. Chemical technicians in 2008 were believed to earn around $42,000 per year.
