Best chemistry department?

<p>what about Pitt for organic...they are getting real good.</p>

<p>I'm reactivating this thread. What are the top 25 or so undergraduate
chemistry departments?</p>

<p>fyi: 2007 us news <em>graduate</em> (peer assessment) ranking:
1. California Institute of Technology 4.9
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 4.9
1. Stanford University (CA) 4.9
1. University of California--Berkeley 4.9
5. Harvard University (MA) 4.8
6. Scripps Research Institute (CA) 4.6
7. University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign 4.5
7. University of Wisconsin--Madison 4.5
9. Cornell University (NY) 4.4
9. Northwestern University (IL) 4.4
11. Columbia University (NY) 4.3
12. University of California--Los Angeles 4.2
12. University of Chicago 4.2
12. University of Texas--Austin 4.2
15. Yale University (CT) 4.1</p>

<p>I hate to bring up a dead topic, but this is relevant. I've noticed Berkeley is listed as the top school for chemists. I wanted to let anyone who is interested know that they now have full semesters of their chemistry classes online on their website at UC</a> Berkeley Webcasts | Video and Podcasts: Chem 1A. I've actually watched the chem lectures on the MIT and Yale websites as well and I must say that the teachers at Berkeley are amazing. The MIT teacher blew through the material and was, quite frankly, boring. Alex Pines at Berkeley was awesome. He made the course material easy to understand and he does at least one cool experiment during every lecture.</p>

<p>Yea, he's pretty good!</p>

<p>Thanks Zarathustra! I'm still stalking this info and will absolutely check out the
chem classes online. Thanks again, amd also belated thanks to Sam Lee
for US News ranking. Still stalking this info, I am!
Happy New Year!</p>

<p>(at the risk of hijacking the thread) where do you guys find these rankings for best departments? I am trying to find a list for good mathematics departments, but no success.</p>

<p>Just to let you guys know, Chem 1a at Berkeley is for non chemistry majors. Most of the people who are taking it are thinking about MCB or just any other majors. This course is supposed to be the easier version comparing to chem 4A, which is intended for chemistry or chem E majors. </p>

<p>However, I do agree that chem 1a is AMAZING! The professors who were teaching the courses were really great at explaining things and making students to think deeply about the topic. I think this is the first time I have ever truly understood a lot of things in general chem (I actually learned all these materials several times in high school in Taiwan,US and a community college). I absolutely hated chemistry when I was in high school b/c I thought it was just a very very hard and boring subject. After taking chem 1a, I just fall in love w/ chemistry and I am thinking about doing a minor in chem with my major in biochem (under MCB department).</p>

<p>Powergrid, NU is exceptional in Chemistry. Definitely up there with (if not better than) the likes of Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Princeton and Yale.</p>

<p>Cal is obviously one of the top 4 or 5 Chemistry departments on Earth. Michigan, which has pumped over $400 million into its life science programs in the last 5 or 6 years, is also quite strong, particularly for undergrads. Other excellent programs include UIUC, Wisconsin (both of which are top 10 nationally), UCLA, UNC and UT-Austin. </p>

<p>If I had to group them,that's how I would do it:</p>

<p>GROUP I:
California Institute of Technology
Harvard University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Stanford University
University of California-Berkeley</p>

<p>GROUP II:
Columbia University
Cornell University
Northwestern University
University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign
University of Wisconsin-Madison</p>

<p>GROUP III:
Princeton University
University of California-Los Angeles
University of Chicago
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
University of Pennsylvania
University of Texas-Austin
Yale University</p>

<p>GROUP IV:
Johns Hopkins University
Ohio State University
Pennsylvania State University-University Park
Purdue University-West Lafayette
Rice University
University of California-Irvine
University of California-San Diego
University of California-Santa Barbara
University of Colorado-Boulder
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Washington</p>

<p>what about Colorado State University? And why is UCI where it is on that list? Also, any thoughts on the direction of Princeton's chem department?</p>

<p>Northwestern definitely has one of the top chemistry departments! Don't be hating!</p>

<p>I know that the University of Florida is supposed to be one of the top ranking undergrad programs for chemistry. A lot of people wont even consider some of the public schools in their rankings, but they really should. Especially when you consider that UF and some other public schools like UCLA have higher standards than many private schools in the country. However, I would agree that Berkeley is the place to be. (That rhymes)</p>

<p>I noticed Case Western Reserve University is missing from all the rankings. I live in Ohio and the consensus seems to be that they are as good or better than Ohio State especially for chemistry w/medical applications. Is this just a regional view? Does anyone know anything about where they rank nationally?</p>

<p>I agree with Alexandre. :D</p>

<p>hi iam new here i need some ideas to make a chemistry project</p>

<p>Northwestern chemistry has moved up 5 spots to 7th in the nation since this thread was first created. :D</p>

<p>Old thread is old.</p>

<p>Plus each dept focuses on different areas, so a general ranking might not be the most useful. For example while Harvard may be the best for organic chemistry, it falls flat if you want to do any pure inorganic work. Cornell only has 2 synthetic organic groups (Ganem and Lewis, Njaroarson used to be there but seems he left). Likewise Northwestern is very strong in materials chem but again, there’s only 2 dedicated synthetic peeps (Scheidt, Thomson) with Nguyen dabbing in other areas along with synthesis.</p>