The Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology offers a program
of study that provides broad and comprehensive training in all areas of
modern chemistry. A certain core of courses is required for completion
of the major in chemistry. Included is course work in the four major
subdisciplines of chemistry-inorganic, organic, physical, and
analytical-as well as work in mathematics and physics. A minimum
grade-point average of 2.0 in all chemistry courses is required for
graduation.
Within the program, the following six options
permit students to select an area of concentration that reflects their
particular interests and career goals: core option (A), general
American Chemical Society option (B), chemical biology option (C),
environmental option (D), business/law option (E), and chemical physics
option (F). Normally, this selection is made in consultation with a
chemistry adviser in the term that the major is declared.
The
required core courses for option A are listed below. Completion of
these courses satisfies the requirements in chemistry for graduation.
Additional advanced and research courses are required in options B, C,
and D, each of which leads to a degree certified by the American
Chemical Society (ACS). Degree options also are available for students
interested in using chemistry as a basis for interdisciplinary training
(options E, F). For options E and F, courses marked with an asterisk
(*) or two (**) in the core are substituted by appropriate courses from
other disciplines. The required additional courses or substitutions are
described under the individual options.
Some options require
upper-level courses in disciplines other than chemistry. These courses
may have as prerequisites lower-level courses in those other
disciplines. When planning the courses for an option, make sure to
research the prerequisites well in advance to avoid being prevented
from entering a particular course.
An advanced chemistry
course is a course that is not part of the core and has a major portion
of the curriculum as a prerequisite, including physical chemistry, in
most cases. All 400-level courses offered by the department are
considered advanced courses.
Overall, the curriculum is
designed to permit the student a wide range of career choices,
including, but not limited to, chemistry, medicine, law, business,
chemical physics, environmental science, and secondary-school teaching.
Required Core Courses
01:160:161-162 General Chemistry (4,4) or 01: 160:163-164 Honors General Chemistry (4,4)
01:160:171 Introduction to Experimentation (1)
01:160:251 Analytical Chemistry (3)
01:160:307-308 Organic Chemistry (4,4) or 01: 160:315-316 Principles of Organic Chemistry (4,4)
01:160:309-310 Organic Chemistry Laboratory (2,2) or
01:160:311,310 Organic Chemistry Laboratory (2,2) * **
01:160:327-328 Physical Chemistry (4,4) or 01: 160:341-342 Physical Chemistry: Biochemical Systems (3,3) ***
01:160:329 Experimental Physical Chemistry (2.5)
01:160:348 Instrumental Analysis (3) ** or 01:160: 344 Introduction to Molecular Biophysics Research (3) **
01:160:361 Chemical Bonding (1.5)
01:160:371 Inorganic Chemistry (3)
01:160:491-492 Seminar in Chemistry (1,1)
01:640:151-152 Calculus for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (4,4)
01:640:250 Introductory Linear Algebra (3) *
01:640:251 Multivariable Calculus (4)
01:750:203-204 General Physics (3,3) **
01:750:205-206 General Physics Laboratory (1,1) **
Core
Option (A). For students who plan to seek immediate employment as
chemists, and who do not seek certification by the American Chemical
Society.
Required: Core courses
General ACS
Option (B). For students who seek to find immediate employment as
chemists, or who plan to attend graduate or medical school. Leads to a
degree certified by the American Chemical Society.
Required:
In addition to the core courses, 4 credits of senior-level research,
one term of biochemistry [01:694:407 Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
(3) or 11:115: 403 General Biochemistry (3)], and one advanced course
in chemistry.
Chemical Biology Option (C). For students
whose interests are in the application of chemistry to the solution of
biological problems. Appropriate for students who plan to attend
graduate school in chemistry or related biological sciences or medical
school, or who plan to seek immediate employment. Leads to a degree
certified by the American Chemical Society.
Required: In
addition to the core courses, 4 credits of senior-level research, one
term of biochemistry [01:694:407 Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (3)
or 11:115:403 General Biochemistry (3)], and one course from the
following:
01:160:418 Bioorganic Mechanisms (3) or 11:115: 412 Protein and Enzyme Chemistry (3)
01:160:437 Physical Chemistry of Biological Systems (3) or 11:115:410 Physical Biochemistry (3)
01:160:476 Bioinorganic Chemistry (3)
01:694:408 Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (3) or 11:115:404 General Biochemistry (3)
30:715:409 Medicinal Chemistry (3)
Environmental Option (D). For students whose interests are in the
application of chemistry to environmental problems, who plan to seek
employment in environmentally related areas, or who plan to attend
graduate school. Leads to a degree certified by the American Chemical
Society if one additional course in biochemistry is taken [01:694: 407
Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (3) or 11:115:403 General
Biochemistry (3)].
Required: In addition to the core courses, 4 credits of senior-level research and two courses from the following:
01:160:415 Theory and Interpretation of Organic Spectra (3)
01:160:439 Physical Chemistry of the Environment (3)
01:160:451 Analytical Spectroscopy (3)
11:375:416 Chemical Reactions in the Environment (3)
11:375:422 Air Sampling and Analysis (3)
11:375:425 Radioactivity and the Environment (3)
11:375:444 Water Chemistry (3)
11:375:451 Soil Chemistry (4)
01:460:401 Introduction to Geochemistry (4)
01:460:417 Environmental Geochemistry (3)
11:628:472 Chemical Oceanography (4)
Business/Law Option (E). For students who seek business or law
careers that require a scientific background. Appro-priate for those
seeking nonlaboratory employment in industry as well as those planning
to attend graduate school in business or law.
Required
substitutions in the core curriculum: For the following two
courses from the list of core courses, 01:160:310 Organic Chemistry
Laboratory (2) and 01:640:250 Introductory Linear Algebra (3),
substitute three business or business-related courses. One of the three
courses must be chosen from the following:
33:010:272 Introduction to Financial Accounting (3)
01:355:302 Scientific and Technical Writing (3)
01:830:373 Organizational and Personnel Psychology (3)
The remaining courses must be at the 200 level or above and offered in
accounting, communication, economics, finance, management, or
marketing. Students electing this option should consult with the vice
chair of the undergraduate program in chemistry as early as possible
for assistance in selecting the courses for the option and in meeting
professional or graduate school requirements.
Chemical Physics
Option (F). For students whose interests are in chemical physics
and who plan to attend graduate school.
Required substitutions
in the core curriculum: For 01: 750:203-204 General Physics (3,3),
substitute either 01:750:123-124 Analytical Physics (2,2) and
01:750:227-228 Analytical Physics IIA, IIB (3,3) or 01:750:271-272-273
Honors Physics (3,3,3). For 01:750:205-206 General Physics Laboratory
(1,1), substitute either 01:750:229-230 Analytical Physics II
Laboratory (1,1) or 01:750:275-276 Classical Physics Laboratory (1,1).
For 01:160:310 Organic Chemistry Laboratory (2) and 01: 160:348
Instrumental Analysis (3), substitute 01:640:252 Elementary
Differential Equations (3) and 01:750:381 Mechanics (3)
and 01:750:385 Electromagnetism (3).
Students who choose
the Chemical Physics option only after having taken 01:750:203-204
General Physics and 01:750:205-206 General Physics Laboratory normally
should take 01:750:323 Advanced General Physics before enrolling in
either 01:750:381 Mechanics or 01:750:385 Electromagnetism. A physics
adviser should be consulted if there is uncertainty about the proper
preparation for any physics course in this option.
Required advanced courses: Two courses chosen from the following:
01:160:421 Atomic and Molecular Structure (3) or 01: 750:361 Quantum Mechanics and Atomic Physics (3)
01:160:425 Thermodynamics I (3)
01:160:434 Kinetics (3)
01:750:406 Introductory Solid State Physics (3)
01:750:417 Intermediate Quantum Mechanics (3)
Two terms of senior-level research of at least 3 credits each
may be used as a substitute for one advanced course.
The major in chemistry provides an excellent basis for those students
who wish to teach in secondary school. Additional requirements for
students interested in certification as teachers are set by the
Graduate School of Education, which should be consulted for details.
Those students whose needs are not met by any of these options may plan
an individual program through consultation with a departmental adviser.
Individual programs require written approval of the department
chairperson.
