Chemistry Major
Department Advanced Placement Policy
Knowledge and experience gained in high school AP courses provide an excellent background for our introductory chemistry courses. Students who have received a score of 4 or 5 on the AP chemistry exam will earn credit for CHEM 181 and can begin with CHEM 221 or CHEM 231. Students will forfeit their AP credit if they opt to take CHEM 181. Medical and allied health programs generally do not accept AP credit for basic sciences and students pursuing these opportunities should consider taking CHEM 181. Students with AP credit who wish to major in chemistry earn advanced standing in the major yet are still required to complete 9 CHEM classes other than research to fulfill the requirements of the major. Students are invited to contact the department chair to discuss this option.
Requirements
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Required courses: | |
| Atoms & Molecules (with integrated lab) | |
| Organic Chemistry 1 (with integrated lab) | |
| Organic Chemistry 2 (with integrated lab) | |
| Equilibrium & Reactivity (with integrated lab) | |
| Instrumental Chemistry/Analytical Methods (with integrated lab) | |
| Quantum Mechanics & Spectroscopy (with integrated lab) | |
| Select two of the following: | |
| Biochemistry | |
| Chemical Thermodynamics | |
| Inorganic Chemistry | |
| One non-research 300 or above chemistry elective | |
| Required Physics course: | |
| Introductory Physics 1: Mechanics, Fluids and Waves | |
| Select one of the following Calculus options: | |
| Calculus 1 with Fundamentals and | |
| Calculus 1 and Calculus 2 | |
| Calculus 2 | |
Chemistry majors are required to successfully complete nine chemistry courses with six required labs as described below. Chemistry majors also must take the first semester of physics with lab (PHYS 115 Introductory Physics 1: Mechanics, Fluids and Waves) and Calculus through MATH 134 or MATH 136 Calculus 2, normally by the end of the second year.
All chemistry majors must begin with the Discovery Chemistry Core, which includes CHEM 181 Atoms & Molecules, CHEM 221 Organic Chemistry 1, CHEM 222 Organic Chemistry 2, and CHEM 231 Equilibrium & Reactivity. Each of these courses includes lab and they are typically taken in the order listed above during the first and second year. Students in the major normally continue with CHEM 300 Instrumental Chemistry/Analytical Methods followed by CHEM 335 Quantum Mechanics & Spectroscopy. CHEM 300 Instrumental Chemistry/Analytical Methods, which introduces experimental and instrumental methods essential to modern chemistry, is considered a gateway course to the upper level of the curriculum. Each course integrates lecture and lab. Majors complete their chemistry curriculum with two advanced courses, chosen from Biochemistry (CHEM 301 Biochemistry or BIOL 301 Biochemistry 1), CHEM 336 Chemical Thermodynamics, and CHEM 351 Inorganic Chemistry, and with one other non-research CHEM elective at the 300-level.
American Chemical Society (ACS) Certification
Students wishing to receive ACS certification for their degree must complete:
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| CHEM 181 | Atoms & Molecules |
| CHEM 221 | Organic Chemistry 1 |
| CHEM 222 | Organic Chemistry 2 |
| CHEM 231 | Equilibrium & Reactivity |
| CHEM 300 | Instrumental Chemistry/Analytical Methods |
| CHEM/BIOL 301 | Biochemistry |
| CHEM 335 | Quantum Mechanics & Spectroscopy |
| CHEM 336 | Chemical Thermodynamics |
| CHEM 351 | Inorganic Chemistry |
| One non-research CHEM elective at the 300-level. | |
| Select one lab from the following: | |
| Biochemistry 1 Lab | |
| Biochemistry 2 Lab | |
| Inorganic Chem Lab | |
| Two semesters of credited research (CHEM 390, 405/406, 407/408, 410) along with a comprehensive research report. | |
| Two introductory Physics courses: | |
| Introductory Physics 1: Mechanics, Fluids and Waves and Introductory Physics 2: Electromagnetism, Optics and Modern Physics | |