Majors and Minors

There are four possible chemistry majors and minors, all with a dynamic curriculum:

• General Chemistry
• Organic Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry

You'll have the option of elective courses in spectroscopy, advanced organic, advanced inorganic, and biochemistry, along with multiple research opportunities and the ability to customize a major or minor program of study that meets your specific needs.

Major in Chemistry

For students interested in majoring in chemistry, the following courses are required or recommended:

Required: Chemistry 101-101L, 102-102L, 202L, 221-221L, 222-222L, 311, 312, 380, 398 or 448, 401-401L, 402-402L, 444, 450, and one of the following courses: CHEM 307, 322, 332, 342, or 345; MATH 201, 202, and 301; PHYS 121-121L and 122-122L.

Recommended: Biology 101-102; Chemistry 305; German or French; additional chemistry, physics, and mathematics courses to suit individual goals. Chemistry 307-307L and 308-308L are especially recommended for pre-medical students.

Minor in Chemistry

20 hours in chemistry including CHEM 101, 101L, 102, 102L, 202L, 221, 221L, 222, and 222L are required for the minor. The additional 3 semester hours must be selected from CHEM 307, 308, 311, 322, 332, 342, or 345.

During your studies you will become familiar with the most commonly used instruments in modern chemistry laboratories, such as infrared, visible, and ultraviolet spectrophotometers. You will separate and analyze complex mixtures using gas chromatographs and high performance liquid chromatographs. You'll learn molecular modeling -- the construction and study of molecular species using computer technology -- and conduct a gc/mass spectral analysis for characteristic fragmentation patterns. You will use the 270 Mhz JEOL eclipse nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer for organic molecule structure determination. Just like the field of chemistry, the possibilities for exploration are limitless.

Course Descriptions

100. Chemistry: A Human Experience (4)
(3 hrs lecture, one 3-hr lab weekly) Using common experience and issues of contemporary human life (air, water, energy sources, plastics, polymers, and nutrition) as points of departure, this course will develop fundamental chemical principles and relate those principles to personal, social, and environmental concerns. Features of this course are: liberal use of in-class demonstrations, development of a set of demonstrations that could be used in a classroom, class discussion based in part on assigned media searches, and minimization of mathematics and theory.

101. General Chemistry (3)
(3 hrs lecture weekly; prereq/coreq: CHEM 101L) Designed to give a thorough grounding in the fundamental principles and theories of chemistry. While stress is laid upon the class behavior of the elements, descriptive chemistry and historical perspective are not neglected.

101L. General Chemistry Laboratory (1)
(3 hrs lab weekly; prereq/coreq: CHEM 101) The laboratory work develops the student's lab technique, powers of observation, and ability to draw conclusions as it adds insight to the topics introduced in Chemistry 101.

102. General Chemistry (3)
(3 hrs lecture weekly; prereq: CHEM 101 and 101L; prereq/coreq: CHEM 102L) Continuation of the study of general chemistry with introduction of kinetics, equilibria phenomenon, and organic chemistry.

102L. General Chemistry Laboratory (1)
(One 3-hr lab weekly; prereq: CHEM 101 and 101L; prereq/coreq: CHEM 102) Once-a-week lab designed to emphasize concepts from CHEM 102 as well as continue the development initiated in CHEM 101L. The laboratory work consists of quantitative and qualitative studies of equilibria.

202L. Qualitative Analysis (1)
(One 3-hr lab weekly; prereq: CHEM 102 and 102L) A lab designed to emphasize concepts of traditional wet chemical qualitative analyses. A thorough grounding in the separation and identification of inorganic ions, both cations and anions, will be presented. Equilibria concepts will be emphasized throughout the course.

221. Organic Chemistry (3)
(3 hrs lecture weekly; prereq: CHEM 102 and 102L; coreq: CHEM 221L) A study of carbon-based molecules with an emphasis placed on their structure, stereochemistry, reactions, reaction mechanisms, and spectroscopy. Coverage of functional groups includes alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alkyl halides, and alcohols. Also introduced is multi-step synthesis involving these functional groups. The foundation of structure and reactivity prepares students for understanding other related fields such as biochemistry.

221L. Organic Chemistry Laboratory (1)
(one 3-hr lab weekly; prereq: CHEM 102 and 102L; coreq: CHEM 221) Students are introduced to the common organic laboratory techniques used in setting up, running, and working up reactions. Also covered are techniques involving the isolation, purification, and analysis of organic molecules. Some labs are designed to teach techniques while others are used to illustrate material covered.

222. Organic Chemistry (3)
(3 hr lecture weekly; prereq: CHEM 221 and 221L) A continuation of CHEM 221 in which aromatic, conjugated, carbonyl, and amine functional groups are studied in terms of their structure, stereochemistry, reactions, and reaction mechanisms. Multi-step synthesis involving reactions covered in CHEM 221 and 222 reinforces material from CHEM 221. Time permitting, biological molecules such as carbohydrates, nucleic acids, amino acids, peptides, proteins, and lipids are discussed.

222L. Organic Chemistry Laboratory (1)
(one 3-hr lab weekly; prereq: CHEM 221 and 221L; prereq/coreq: CHEM 222) A continuation of CHEM 221L where students practice their organic laboratory techniques on reactions that illustrate material covered in the lecture portion of the course. Lab concludes with students using techniques covered in CHEM 221L and 222L in identifying an unknown compound.

258. Special Topics (1-6)

307. Biochemistry I (3)
(Prereq: BIOL 112 or BIOL 102 with consent of instructor, CHEM 221 and 221L; CHEM 222 is strongly recommended; crosslisted with BIOL 307) An introductory course in biochemistry. Starting with an overview of the cell, the structure and function of amino acids, proteins, lipids, membranes, and carbohydrates are covered. The remainder of the course involves a detailed discussion of the bioenergetics and metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids, lipids, and steroids. Included is a limited discussion on diseases caused by inborn errors of metabolism.

307L. Biochemistry I Lab (1)
(One 3-hr lab weekly; prereq/coreq: BIOL 112 or BIOL 102 with consent of instructor; BIOL/CHEM 307, CHEM 221 and 221L; CHEM 222 is strongly recommended; crosslisted with BIOL 307L) Experiments in amino acid and protein analysis, protein purification, membrane lipid analysis, carbohydrates and cellular metabolism. Also included are the techniques of electrophoresis, chromatography, spectrometry, and cell fractionation.

308-308L. Biochemistry II (4)
(3 hrs lecture, one 3-hr lab weekly; prereq: BIOL 112 or BIOL 102 with consent of instructor; CHEM 221 and 221L; crosslisted with BIOL 308-308L) The function of enzymes, enzyme catalysis, and enzyme kinetics. Biosynthesis of nucleotides; DNA structure; the processes of replication, transcription and translation; DNA biotechnology; control of gene expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes; viruses; and oncongenes. Laboratory exercises will include enzyme catalysis and kinetics and the techniques of recombinant DNA.

311. Quantitative Analysis (4)
(3 hrs lecture, one 3-hr lab weekly; prereq/coreq: CHEM 202L; MATH 201) An introduction to the theory and methods of quantitative analysis. Designed to fit the needs of chemistry majors, pre-medical students, and biology majors. Although volumetric methods are emphasized, gravimetric and instrumental methods also are utilized.

312. Instrumental Analysis (4)
(3 hrs lecture, one 3-hr lab weekly; prereq: CHEM 311; prereq/coreq: PHYS 122 or 215) An introduction to instrumental analysis. Topics taken up in class and in lab normally include atomic and molecular spectroscopy (absorption, fluorescence, phosphorescence, raman), electrochemistry (potentiometry, coulometry, voltammetry), chromatography (gas, liquid, electrophoresis) and mass spectrometry.

322. Inorganic Chemistry (3)
(3 hrs lecture weekly; prereq: CHEM 222 and 222L) A survey of inorganic chemistry that includes a study of the electronic structure of atoms and the resultant periodicity of the elements; an introduction to coordination chemistry and ligand field theory; and a review of the descriptive chemistry of selected main group and first transition series elements. (Alternate years)

322L. Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory (1)
(3 hrs lab weekly; prereq/coreq: CHEM 322; offered simultaneously with CHEM 322) The laboratory work will consist of inorganic synthetic techniques, methods of purification, and methods of characterization of inorganic compounds.

332. Advanced Organic Chemistry (5)
(3 hrs lecture, two 3-hr labs weekly; prereq: CHEM 222 and 222L) A course in the identification of organic molecules by use of both chemical and physical methods. (Alternate years)

342. Spectroscopy (4)
(3 hrs lecture, one 3-hr lab weekly; prereq: CHEM 222 and 222L; prereq/coreq: PHYS 122 or 215) The application of spectroscopic techniques is the main focus of this course, along with the corresponding theoretical background. Course coverage includes methodologies such as infrared spectroscopy (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and mass spectrometry (MS) and how they may be employed as powerful tools in structural determination. The laboratory work will involve the student using these instruments to elucidate chemical structures. (Alternate years)

345. Forensic Science (3)
(Prereq: CHEM 221, 221L) An exploration of forensic techniques that would be encountered in a typical crime lab: evidence collection, trace analysis (glass, soil, fiber, hair, etc.), latent fingerprints, ballistics, arson, drug testing, blood typing, and DNA fingerprinting. (Alternate years)

380. Introduction to Research (1)
(Prereq: CHEM 102 and 102L) Each student will learn the process of performing searches in the chemical literature. Projects ranging in difficulty from straightforward to complex will be assigned, culminating in a research proposal for research to be carried out during the junior/senior years.

398. Honors Research (3-6)

401. Physical Chemistry (3)
(Prereq: CHEM 102 and 102L; MATH 202; PHYS 122 or 215) A study of theoretical chemistry, designed to teach the understanding and use of laws of chemistry and physics. Emphasis is placed on thermodynamics.

401L. Physical Chemistry Laboratory (1)
(Prereq: CHEM 102 and 102L; MATH 202; PHYS 122 or 215; coreq: CHEM 401) Selected experiments investigating thermodynamic, statistical mechanical, and kinetic properties of chemical systems. Emphasis is placed on laboratory problem solving in the lab.

402. Physical Chemistry (3)
(3 hrs lecture, one 3-hr lab weekly; prereq: CHEM 401; MATH 301) Topics include: electrochemistry, chemical equilibria, kinetics, and atomic theory.

402L. Physical Chemistry Laboratory (1)
(3-hr lab weekly; prereq: CHEM 401 and 401L; MATH 202; coreq: CHEM 402) A theoretical and experimental investigation into the structures of atoms, molecules, and nanoparticles. Special emphasis is placed on molecular spectroscopy.

442. Directed Studies (1 to 3)
Open to juniors and seniors by special permission. Designed to allow the student an opportunity for individual study of topics of special interest. This may range from off-campus projects to self-paced study of advanced topics related to the student’s specific goals.

444. Internships.

446. Readings.

448. Research (3-6)
Considerable latitude allowed in choice of subject matter and type of approach. Ordinarily restricted to students of unusual promise who wish to undertake suitable research problems under staff guidance. Use of library as well as lab required.

450. Seminar.

452. Special Projects.

458. Special Topics.

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