Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (ACS-Certified Degree)
The B.S. in Chemistry leads to a degree certified by the American Chemical Society.
This rigorous program requires 64 credit hours of courses and provides a strong
preparation suitable for students who plan to pursue graduate study in chemistry
or careers as professional chemists in chemical industry, government agencies, or
medical research. The four-year outline shown below shows the courses required for
the degree listed in the years that most students take the courses.
Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
Freshman Year
CHM 111 Principles of Chemistry I| An introduction to chemistry for the science major. First semester topics include atomic and molecular structure, chemical reactions, calculations involving chemical concentrations, gas laws and bonding. |
| A continuation of first semester. Topics include kinetics, acids and bases, equilibrium, oxidation- reduction chemistry, thermodynamics, electro- chemistry and nuclear chemistry. |
| Extended projects involving the synthesis of inorganic and organic compounds that require the development of procedure from published literature methods. The prepared compounds are then analyzed using quantitative analytical techniques, as well as introductory spectroscopic techniques. |
| Second semester of extended projects involving the synthesis of inorganic and organic compounds that require the development of procedure from published literature methods. The prepared compounds are then analyzed using quantitative analytical techniques, as well as introductory spectroscopic techniques. |
| This course will help the student develop his or her own voice while meeting the demands of academic and public expression. It will emphasize the development of clear, organized, and rhetorically effective written prose. Offered fall semester. |
| This course continues to help the student develop his or her own voice while meeting the demands of academic and public expression. In addition to emphasizing the development of clear, organized, and rhetorically effective written prose, this course also focuses on speaking, reading, and research skills. Offered spring semester. |
| A calculus sequence covering functions, limits, differentiation, integration and applications. |
| Second semester of a calculus sequence covering functions, limits, differentiation, integration and infinite series. |
Sophomore Year
CHM 213 Organic Chemistry I| An introduction to the principles of organic chemistry. The focus of the course is on the structure of organic molecules and how the structure of various functional groups affects their reactivity. The concepts of reactivity, structure and mechanism are applied to organic synthesis. |
| Second semester of an introduction to the principles of organic chemistry. The focus of the course is on the structure of organic molecules and how the structure of various functional groups affects their reactivity. The concepts of reactivity, structure and mechanism are applied to organic synthesis. |
| An introduction to the practice of classical organic chemistry and modern instrumental organic chemistry. The techniques of organic synthesis are taught along with instrumental methods including infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. |
| Second smester of an introduction to the practice of classical organic chemistry and modern instrumental organic chemistry. The techniques of organic synthesis are taught along with instrumental methods including infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. |
| The application of elementary principles of chemistry to provide a basis for understanding the physical and chemical properties of the elements. Topics include periodicity, acidity or basicity of metalcations and oxoanions, precipitation reactions, oxidation-reduction chemistry, and the structures of solids. |
| Students will be exposed to a number of advanced synthetic methods including inert atmosphere manipulations, high vacuum and temperature dehydrations, mixed solvent crystallizations, and photochemical transformations . |
| Multivariate calculus including partial differentiation, multiple integration, vector fields and vector functions. |
| An introduction to ordinary differential equations. |
| An introductory course in classical physics, designed for students who desire a rigorous mathematical approach to college physics. Calculus is used throughout. The first semester is devoted to mechanics and heat with laboratory work in each area. |
| Second semester of Principles of Physics. An introductory course in classical physics, designed for students who desire a rigorous mathematical approach to college physics. Calculus is used throughout. The second semester is devoted to electricity, magnetism and optics with laboratory work in each area. |
Junior Year
CHM 305 Analytical Chemistry| Topics for this course include statistical methods; activity and activity coefficients; chemical equilibria involving complex systems; volumetric analyses including acid/base, precipitation, redox, and complexometric titrations; principles of electrochemistry, potentiometry, electrogravimetry, coulometry, and voltametry. |
| Basic types of chemical instrumentation and their applications in analytical chemistry are examined. These include gas and liquid chromatography; infrared, UV-VIS, fluorescence, atomic absorption, and plasma emission spectrophotometry; nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. |
| Volumetric, spectrophotometric, and electrochemical methods are applied to the analysis of unknowns. |
| Chemical instrumentation is utilized in method development, unknown determinations, and chemical analysis. |
| The study of chemical systems from a molecular perspective. Basic concepts of quantum chemistry applied to atomic and molecular structure. Thermodynamic laws and functions applied to mechanical, thermal, and material equilibrium in gases, liquids, and solids. Also included are electrochemical systems, as well as kinetic and transport processes occurring in gases, in solutions, and at solid surfaces. |
| Second semester of a study of chemical systems from a molecular perspective. Basic concepts of quantum chemistry applied to atomic and molecular structure. Thermodynamic laws and functions applied to mechanical, thermal, and material equilibrium in gases, liquids, and solids. Also included are electrochemical systems, as well as kinetic and transport processes occurring in gases, in solutions, and at solid surfaces |
| Experimental study of the principles of physical chemistry. Work involves spectroscopy (IR, UV/VIS, fluorescence, Raman, and NMR), calorimetry, refractometry, conductivity, and viscometry applied to atomic and molecular structure, thermodynamics, phase and reaction equilibrium, and chemical kinetics |
| Second semester of an experimental study of the principles of physical chemistry. Work involves spectroscopy (IR, UV/VIS, fluorescence, Raman, and NMR), calorimetry, refractometry, conductivity, and viscometry applied to atomic and molecular structure, thermodynamics, phase and reaction equilibrium, and chemical kinetics. |
Senior Year
BCMB 421 Biochemistry I| The study of the chemistry of the molecules of life. Topics covered include: the applications of pH & buffers, amino acid chemistry, protein structure & function, the thermodynamics of protein folding, protein purification & analysis, ligand binding, enzyme mechanisms and enzyme kinetics. |
| A study of bonding theories, molecular structure, spectroscopy and reaction mechanisms with special emphasis on transition metal complexes. |
| Chemical research conducted under the supervision of a faculty member. This course introduces the students to the methods and analysis involved in research. A major written report and an oral presentation are required. |
Additional Requirements
3 credits from:
BCMB 422 Biochemistry II| The continued study of the chemistry of the molecules of life. Topics covered include carbohydrate chemistry & metabolism, coenzyme mechanisms, electron transport & oxidative phosphorylation, lipid chemistry, membranes, lipid metabolism amino acid metabolism and the integrated function of intermediary metabolism & its metabolic control. |
| In-depth treatment of the experimental and theoretical aspects of chemical kinetics and reaction dynamics. Reactions occurring in the gas phase, in the solution phase, and at solid surfaces will be discussed, with examples being drawn from catalysis, environmental/atmospheric chemistry, and astrochemistry. |
| A study of advanced topics in the field of organic chemistry. The course covers mechanistic and synthetic chemistry with an emphasis on current and classical organic chemical literature. |
| An application of multivariate statistics to experimental design and data analysis. Topics include experimental design, pattern recognition, calibration, optimization, signal processing and peak resolution. Some familiarity with computers and chemical instrumentation is recommended. |
4 credits of:
CHM 510 Chemical Research| Chemical research conducted under the supervision of a faculty member. This course introduces the students to the methods and analysis involved in research. A major written report and an oral presentation are required. |