Degree Requirements
The BS degree requires the completion of 39 major credits, plus 20 required supporting course credits in advanced chemistry and the related fields of mathematics and physics.
A minimum of 10–12 credits of chemistry electives should be taken to enhance career and graduate study opportunities. Electives should be selected in consultation with the student's faculty advisor.
In addition to the courses below, two to three chemistry electives and one to three computer science courses are strongly recommended. For pre-health professions students, BI 111 and BI 112 and two Biology courses at the 200 level or higher are recommended.
Required Courses
Choose CH 390 or CH 395 | Internship or Research Project
Explores modern theories of atomic and molecular structure, chemical bonding and periodic relations, chemical reactions and stoichiometry, states of matter, and solutions. Three 50-minute lectures and one 50-minute discussion per week. A prerequisite to BI 230 and CH 152.
Prerequisite: Take CH-153
Explores chemical thermodynamics; chemical kinetics; chemical, ionic, and acid-base equilibria; electrochemistry; chemistry of the representative elements and transition elements; and nuclear reactions. Three 50-minute lectures and one 50-minute discussion per week.
Prerequisite: Take CH-151 and CH-153
Illustrates basic concepts presented in CH 151. Experiments include qualitative analysis of cations and anions, chromatography, synthesis, and FT-IR. One three-hour laboratory per week.
Prerequisite: Take CH-151
Illustrates basic concepts presented in CH 152. Experiments include quantitative analysis, equilibria, thermochemistry, spectrophotometry, and GC-MS. One three-hour laboratory per week. A prerequisite to CH 254 and 331.
Prerequisite: Take CH 151 and CH-153
Covers hydrocarbons, stereochemistry, arenes, alkyl halides, nucleophilic substitution and elimination reactions, and IR, NMR, MS, and UV spectroscopy in relation to structure determination. Two 75-minute lectures and one 50-minute discussion per week. A prerequisite to CH 222 and 252.
Prerequisite: Take CH-152 and CH-154
Covers aromaticity; electrophilic and nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions; ethers, epoxides, carboxylic acids, and their functional derivatives; aldehydes; ketones; amines; phenols; carbanion reactions; and alpha-beta unsaturated compounds. Emphasizes organic reaction mechanisms organic synthesis and structure determination. Two 75-minute lectures and one 50-minute discussion per week. A prerequisite to CH 341 and 361.
Prerequisite: Take CH-221 and CH-223
Covers basic techniques in organic chemistry: extraction, distillation, recrystallization; thin layer chromatography; gas chromatography; and IR spectroscopy. Emphasizes techniques in organic synthesis. One three-hour laboratory per week.
Prerequisite: Take CH-152 and CH-154
Covers simple and multistep organic syntheses using a wide variety of organic reagents and some important functional group analyses. Employs spectroscopy and GC-MS for structure determination. One three-hour laboratory per week.
Prerequisite: Take CH-221 and CH-223
Basic knowledge of modern inorganic chemistry. Atomic and molecular structure and trends in the periodic table. Acid-base, oxidation-reduction, and chemistry of main groups and transition elements. Photoelectron and vibrational spectroscopy.
Prerequisite: Take CH-152
Explores data analysis and classical methods of quantitative analysis. Focuses on the basics of analytical chemistry and the development and application of equilibrium models to all branches of classical analysis. Two 75-minute lectures per week. A prerequisite to CH 351.
Prerequisite: Take CH-221 and CH-223
A series of experiments as well as unified projects involving synthesis and analysis of a complex or a pair of isomers. Emphasis will be on common analytical and instrumental techniques in the characterization of inorganic compounds.
Prerequisite: Take CH-154
Provides laboratory experience in volumetric, gravimetric, and instrumental methods. Experiments correlate with lecture material in CH 252 to help students understand the chemistry involved and develop proper analytical procedures and techniques. One six-hour laboratory per week.
Prerequisite: Take CH-154;
Explores thermodynamics, statistical thermodynamics, kinetic theory of gases, changes of state, solutions, and kinetics. Two 75-minute lectures per week. A prerequisite to CH 332, 351, and 355.
Prerequisite: Take CH-152 CH-154
Explores advanced kinetics and quantum mechanics. Two 75-minute lectures per week.
Prerequisite: Pre: CH-331
Explores various techniques used to apply the fundamental concepts of physical chemistry to real chemical systems. One three-hour laboratory per week. A prerequisite to CH 334
Prerequisite: Take CH-331
Explores more advanced techniques of physical chemistry and applies theoretical concepts learned in CH 332 to real chemical systems. One three-hour laboratory per week.
Explores theory and practice of instrumental methods of analysis, spectrophotometric, and electroanalytical and chromatographic methods of separation and quantification. Two 75-minute lectures per week.
Prerequisite: Take CH 252 and CH 331
Provides hands-on experience with modern analytical instrumentation, including UV/visible infrared, atomic absorption spectrophotometry, potentiometric and ion selective electrode methods, electrodeposition, gas chromatography, and mass spectrometry. One three-hour laboratory per week.
Prerequisite: Take CH-254 and CH-333
Research may be carried out under supervision of a Chemistry faculty member.
Required Supporting Courses
Choose PY 111, PY 112, PY 113 & PY 114 or PY 151, PY 152, PY 153 & PY 154
Explores limits and approximation, differential and integral calculus of the elementary algebraic and transcendental functions, and applications of differentiation and integration.
Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in MA-140 or placement by Dpt
Covers applications and methods of integration, inverse trigonometric functions, improper integrals, sequences and series, parametric representation, and polar coordinates.
Prerequisite: Take MA-151 with a minimum grade of C, P
Non-calculus-based course covering the basic principles of mechanics (units, vectors, 1D and 2D motion, concepts of force, torque, static equilibrium, energy, work, momentum, rotational motion, and gravitation), fluid mechanics, temperature, and thermal expansion. A prerequisite to PY 113.
Prerequisite: Take MA-140 or higher
Non-calculus-based course covering basic principles of thermodynamics, wave motion, sound, electricity, magnetism, light, and geometrical optics. A prerequisite to PY 114.
Prerequisite: Pre: PY 111
Fundamental training in physical measurements in mechanics (base physical quantities, vectors, acceleration of gravity, concepts of force, torque, static equilibrium, energy, momentum, rotational motion) and Archimedes' principle.
Prerequisite: Take PY-111 or PY-113 after the completion of PY-111
Fundamental training in physical measurements in specific heat, wave motion, sound, electricity, light, and optical devices.
Prerequisite: Pre: PY 113
Calculus-based course covering basic principles of mechanics (units, vectors, 1D and 2D motion, concepts of force, torque, static equilibrium, energy, work, momentum, rotational motion, and gravitation) and fluid mechanics. A prerequisite to PY 152, 153.
Prerequisite: MA 152;
Calculus-based course covering basic principles of thermodynamics, wave motion, sound, electricity, magnetism, light, and geometrical optics. A prerequisite to CH 331 and PY 154.
Prerequisite: PY 151;
Fundamental training in physical measurements in mechanics (base physical quantities, vectors, acceleration of gravity, concepts of force, torque, static equilibrium, energy, momentum, rotational motion) and Archimedes' principle.
Prerequisite: Take PY-151
Fundamental training in physical measurements in specific heat, wave motion, sound, electricity, light, and optical devices.
Prerequisite: Take PY-153