Yes, BS Chemistry leads to a board exam, and it is one of the more unusual ones in the Philippines: you can fail it and still walk away with a licence. Under Republic Act No. 10657, an examinee who does not make the chemist grade but passes any two subjects automatically qualifies as a chemical technician. That single provision tells you a lot about how the profession is structured.
Here is the degree, the curriculum order behind it, and how the licensure path actually works.
The order that governs BS Chemistry
The standard is CHED Memorandum Order No. 47, series of 2017, "Policies, Standards and Guidelines for the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (BS Chem) Program." It was adopted under Republic Act No. 7722 by virtue of Commission en banc Resolution No. 231-2017 dated 28 March 2017, and it updates the earlier CMO No. 18, s. 2007.
The order states its own lineage in a footnote that is genuinely useful context: the 2007 PSG was preceded by a set of policies and standards for the basic sciences issued in 1989 by the Bureau of Higher Education, CHED's predecessor, which was reviewed after CHED was created in 1994, presented at a public hearing in 1999, and revised over following years into the 2007 order.
Two things make CMO 47 stronger than a typical PSG. It is aligned to the K-to-12 basic education programme and the general education curriculum of CMO No. 20, s. 2013 - so unlike some older science PSGs it is not working from a pre-K-12 unit structure. And it was benchmarked against American Chemical Society-approved programmes and the Chemistry Eurobachelor framework, which is why the skills language in it reads like an international accreditation document rather than a local memorandum.
The degree name is fixed: Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (BSChem).
What the order says chemistry is
CMO 47 quotes the statutory definition from RA 10657 itself: chemistry is "the study, analysis, modification and calculations of physic-chemical or biochemical properties of matter," including "the atomic, molecular, surface and supramolecular composition and structure of matter, properties and reactions, the changes which matter undergoes, the energy involved, and the conditions under which such changes occur."
The order names the five core disciplines - inorganic, organic, analytical, physical chemistry and biochemistry - and those five are exactly the five subjects of the licensure examination. The alignment is not accidental.
It also sets two programme aims, and the first one is unusually blunt about the licence: to produce graduates "who comply with the current qualification requirements of professional chemists for local and overseas employment and entrepreneurship," and to prepare students for higher studies.
The 130-unit breakdown
| Component | Units |
|---|---|
| General Education | 36 |
| Core: ancillary (mathematics and physics) | 14 |
| Core: chemistry | 54 |
| Electives | 6 |
| Thesis and professional engagement | 6 |
| Physical Education and NSTP | 14 |
| Total | 130 |
Ancillary courses (14 units). Math Analysis 1 (3), Math Analysis 2 (3), Physics 1 (4) and Physics 2 (4). Chemistry is not a mathematics-light science, and the order treats the physics and mathematics background as core rather than support.
Chemistry core (54 units), in three levels:
| Level | Units | Courses |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 22 | Principles of Chemistry (5), Inorganic Chemistry 1 (3), Organic Chemistry 1 (5), Physical Chemistry 1 (4), Analytical Chemistry 1 (5) |
| Level 2 | 22 | Inorganic Chemistry 2 (3), Organic Chemistry 2 (5), Physical Chemistry 2 (4), Biochemistry 1 (5), Analytical Chemistry 2 (5) |
| Level 3 | 10 | Analytical Chemistry 3 (4), Physical Chemistry 3 (3), Biochemistry 2 (3) |
The order allows an "equivalent combination of lecture and laboratory courses" provided the basic topics and skills in each core area are covered - so a school may split a 5-unit course into separate lecture and laboratory offerings.
Electives (6 units). CHED's suggested list: Advanced Organic Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, General Industrial Chemistry, Food Chemistry, Molecular Spectroscopy, Biotechnology/Microbiology, Nanotechnology, Biomolecules, Entrepreneurship, and Special Topics in Chemistry (1 to 3 units). The order says departments may use the electives to emphasise special areas of chemistry - which means the elective list is a real signal of a department's research character.
Thesis and professional engagement (6 units combined). The split is flexible: thesis of 3 to 6 units, professional engagement of 0 to 3 units, totalling 6. Professional engagement is meant to happen "in various settings such as laboratories, research institutions, scientific organizations, and policy making bodies in government, industry and academe," in accordance with CMO Nos. 23 and 24, s. 2009.
CHED's sample programme of study is front-loaded hard - 19, 21, 22 and 22 units in the first four semesters - then drops sharply to 16, 13, 13 and 4 units as thesis and professional engagement take over the final year. If a school's own programme keeps you at 20-plus units through fourth year, ask why.
The three skill categories
CMO 47 divides what a graduate should be able to do into three groups, adapted from the Chemistry Eurobachelor framework. They are worth reading because they describe the actual job.
Cognitive skills. Conceptual understanding and problem-solving in analytical, organic, inorganic, biochemistry and physical chemistry; a foundation in physics and mathematics and the ability to apply it to chemical problems; evaluating, interpreting and synthesising chemical information and data; critically assessing primary papers; recognising and implementing accurate and precise scientific measurements; and computational and data-processing skills.
Practical skills. Good laboratory practice including safety, waste management and record keeping; proper use of modern chemical instrumentation; conducting standard laboratory procedures in analytical and synthetic work for both organic and inorganic systems; using and critically evaluating the scientific literature; monitoring chemical properties, events or changes by observation and measurement with systematic and reliable documentation; and designing experiments while understanding the limitations of the experimental approach.
Generic skills developed during the course and applicable elsewhere.
The waste management and safety language matters practically: a chemistry department without a functioning chemical waste protocol is not delivering this curriculum, and that is a fair thing to ask about on a campus tour.
The chemist licensure examination
Chemistry practice is regulated by Republic Act No. 10657, the "Chemistry Profession Act", which repealed Republic Act No. 754, the old Chemistry Law of the Philippines. The Act's declaration of policy is that "chemistry is vital to public safety, the national economy, and the protection of the environment."
The bar on unlicensed practice (Sec. 14). Unless exempt, "no person shall practice or offer to practice as a chemist or chemical technician in the Philippines, without having previously obtained a certificate of registration from the Board and a professional identification card."
Who may sit as a chemist (Sec. 16). A citizen and resident of the Philippines, or a foreign citizen from a reciprocating state; good moral character and sound mind; a graduate of a higher educational institution holding a BS Chemistry or an allied degree whose curriculum is under CHED academic supervision - provided the applicant has earned at least 60 university units in chemistry, which must include all of the professional chemistry courses, and provided the allied degree and its curriculum have passed evaluation by the Board. Graduates of reputable foreign universities with a BS Chemistry or equivalent whose curriculum includes all the professional chemistry courses may apply subject to Board evaluation. And no conviction of a crime or offence involving moral turpitude.
That 60-unit rule is why the chemistry core in CMO 47 is 54 units plus electives: the degree is built so its graduates clear the statutory threshold.
Scope (Sec. 17). Analytical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Inorganic Chemistry and Physical Chemistry, with the relative weight of any subject not exceeding 30% or falling below 15% of the total. The Board may modify coverage as chemistry develops, in consultation with CHED and the accredited professional organisation, but must announce revisions at least two years before they appear in the examination.
Frequency (Sec. 20). At least once each calendar year, on the date and venue prescribed by the Commission.
Rating (Sec. 22). For chemists, a general average of at least 70% with no rating below 50% in any subject. And the provision that makes this examination distinctive: "if the examinee passes any two (2) subjects, the examinee shall automatically qualify as a chemical technician." Results are released not later than the tenth day from the last day of the examination.
Registration without examination (Sec. 23). Holders of a doctoral degree in chemistry from a reputable university may apply for registration as chemists without examination, submitting undergraduate and graduate diplomas, transcripts and doctoral thesis cover pages, and showing evidence of active practice in chemistry. The Board may require the thesis itself and other evidence of competence.
The chemical technician licence
This is a separate registration, not a consolation prize, and it has its own entry route.
Qualifications (Sec. 18). Philippine citizenship or citizenship of a country granting the corresponding privilege to Filipinos; good moral character and sound mind; and successful completion of at least 30 units of undergraduate chemistry courses from an institution recognised by CHED or TESDA. Those units must include both lecture and laboratory courses in General Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, with a certified true copy of the transcript accompanying the application.
Scope (Sec. 19). Practical aspects of laboratory work in Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, with equal weights.
Rating (Sec. 22). An overall average of at least 70% with no rating below 50% in any subject.
The TESDA route in Section 18 is the interesting part - it means a laboratory career in chemistry does not strictly require a four-year degree, which is worth knowing if cost is the binding constraint. Our TESDA courses guide covers that side of the system.
For the filing mechanics of either examination, see our PRC board exam requirements guide. Examination dates are set by PRC resolution each year, so check the PRC website for the current cycle rather than an older schedule.
Careers
CMO 47 lists the employment areas directly. With a BS Chemistry degree and a professional licence, a graduate can work as a laboratory chemist in industries dealing with chemicals, food and beverage, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, oil and petroleum, minerals and metals, textiles, agricultural products, pulp and paper, analytical chemistry services, quality control and research. Government agencies with the same lines of concern hire chemists, as do crime laboratories for forensic analysis.
The order is equally clear that not every chemistry career is at a bench: graduates also move into science communication, technical writing, entrepreneurship, marketing and management, product sales, chemical information services, health and safety, intellectual property and project management. Teaching in colleges and universities is a named path, with further training at master's and doctoral level qualifying graduates for tenured positions.
CMO 47 also names the allied fields whose graduates may teach non-professional or elective courses in a BS Chemistry programme: marine science, geological sciences, physics, molecular biology and biotechnology, materials science, pharmaceutical science, food science, agricultural sciences, chemical engineering, forensic sciences and environmental science. Two of those have their own licensed routes - see our chemical engineering board exam guide and BS Pharmacy guide.
Choosing a school
Three questions that separate programmes:
- Instrumentation. The practical skills in CMO 47 assume access to modern chemical instrumentation. Ask what is in the laboratories, whether it works, and whether undergraduates are allowed to use it.
- Licensure record. PRC publishes school performance with each release. For a licensed profession, this is the closest thing to an objective quality measure.
- Electives and thesis supervision. A department's elective list and the research interests of its faculty determine what you can actually specialise in.
Chemistry is an expensive programme to run properly, which is one reason it is concentrated in state universities and established private institutions. We do not publish a national tuition figure for it - laboratory fees vary considerably between schools and are often assessed separately from tuition. Ask each registrar for the full assessment, not just the per-unit rate. If you are comparing costs across programmes, our STEM strand guide covers the senior high school preparation that leads here.
The short version
BS Chemistry is a four-year, 130-unit programme prescribed by CHED Memorandum Order No. 47, series of 2017, with 54 units of chemistry core across three levels, 14 units of mathematics and physics, and 6 combined units of thesis and professional engagement. It leads to the chemist licensure examination under Republic Act No. 10657: five subjects, a 70% general average with nothing below 50%, results within ten days, and a separate chemical technician registration that requires only 30 units of chemistry and can be reached through a TESDA-recognised institution. Of the pure science degrees, it has the clearest licensed career path.
Sources
- CHED Memorandum Order No. 47, s. 2017 - Policies, Standards and Guidelines for the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (BS Chem) Program (official PDF)
- Far Eastern University - mirror of CMO No. 47, Series of 2017 (BS in Chemistry)
- Supreme Court E-Library - Republic Act No. 10657, "Chemistry Profession Act"
- Official Gazette - Republic Act No. 10657
- Professional Regulation Commission - Table of Qualification and Documentary Requirements to Accompany an Application to Take a Licensure Examination
