The chemistry curriculum provides broad and rigorous training in the five traditional branches of chemistry: analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, and physical. This program will prepare students desiring to work as professional chemists, to teach chemistry or pursue advanced degrees in chemistry or medicine.
Graduates of the Chemistry Program will:
Introduces fundamental concepts of general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry. Topics include molecular structure and bonding; chemical equations and associated calculations; solution calculations; states of matter; nuclear chemistry; identification of primary organic functional groups and their reactions; the basic chemistry of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, amino acids, and DNA; critical thinking skills in science; and problem-solving procedure development.
ACT Math 22+ or SAT Math 520+, or HS Chemistry and HS Algebra II, or MATH 124.
Accompanies CHEM 110 as laboratory component.
ACT Composite 20+ or SAT 970+ and HS GPA 3.5+, or HS Chemistry and HS Algebra II, or MATH 124.
Accompanies CHEM 111 as laboratory component.
Continues discussions from CHEM 111. Topics include properties of solutions; chemical equilibrium; acid-base theories; acid-base equilibria; solubility equilibria; entropy and free energy; electrochemistry; chemical kinetics; transition metal chemistry and coordination compounds; nuclear chemistry; and an introduction to organic chemistry.
CHEM 111 or AP Chemistry 3.
Accompanies CHEM 112 as laboratory component.
Explores general principles and theories of organic chemistry. Topics include preparation; properties; hybridization; stereochemistry; mechanisms of reactions and uses of aliphatic, halogenated, unsaturated, and alcoholic organic functional groups; basic spectroscopic techniques applicable to organic molecules and conjugated systems; critical thinking skills for solving organic chemistry reactions and syntheses; and problem-solving procedure development.
CHEM 112 or AP Chemistry 4+.
Accompanies CHEM 271 as laboratory component.
Continues discussions from CHEM 271 Organic Chemistry I. Topics include reaction mechanisms and uses of aromatic (substituted aromatic), oxygen- containing (ethers, phenols, carbonyls, and heterocyclic), nitrogen containing (amines, amides, and heterocyclic), carboxylic acids and derivative functional groups; multistep synthesis along with carbonyl and ester condensation reactions.
Accompanies CHEM 272 as laboratory component.
Available as needed. Includes independent study or elective work in chemistry under the direction of a chemistry faculty member.
Chemistry major and permission of the professor.
Introduces techniques in analytical chemistry. Topics include analytical laboratory equipment; measurement uncertainly and error; statistical analysis of data; quality assurance and calibration; and titrimetric and gravimetric analysis.
Accompanies CHEM 331 as laboratory component.
Introduces instrumental methods for chemical analysis. Topics include high performance liquid chromatography; gas chromatography; atomic spectrometry; UV-vis spectrometry; Fourier transform infrared spectrometry; mass spectrometry; and electroanalytical methods.
Accompanies CHEM 332 as laboratory component.
Explores chemistry related to life processes in plants and animals. Topics include enzymes and metabolism, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acid chemistry.
Accompanies CHEM 375 as laboratory component.
Discusses topics related to metabolism in the human body, including the anabolic and catabolic processes used in the cells to provide energy and biomolecules necessary to sustain life.
Accompanies CHEM 377 as laboratory component.
Discusses the analysis of unknown organic compounds and mixtures and methods for detection. Topics include identification, separation, and structural determination of organic molecules and functional groups using classical chemical and spectroscopic instrumental methods.
Accompanies CHEM 378 as laboratory component.
Covers a unique blend of physical, chemical, and biological sciences. The scope of the field is sufficiently broad to give students a comprehensive overview of the drug design and discovery process; This includes target identification and screening through clinical trials and FDA evaluation. At the end of the course, students will have a well-rounded understanding of relevant topics to a medicinal chemist, which include: Kinetics and mechanism of actions of drug molecules, design and synthesis of medicinal agents, and importance of computational chemistry in drug design.
Introduces a calculus-based approach to the study of chemistry. Topics include the kinetic theory of gases, equations of state, thermodynamics, phase equilibria, mixtures, chemical equilibria, and equilibrium electrochemistry.
Accompanies CHEM 431 as laboratory component.
Introduces quantum mechanics and its applications in chemical science. Topics include the development of modern atomic and molecular theory; introductory quantum mechanics; particle in a box; the hydrogen atom; multi-electron atoms, statistical thermodynamics; and an introduction to atomic and molecular spectroscopy.
Accompanies CHEM 432 as laboratory component.
Discusses fundamental topics in inorganic chemistry. Topics include the periodic relationships; molecular orbital theory; molecular symmetry; the chemistry of solids; acids and bases; oxidation and reduction; coordination compounds; and an introduction to physical techniques in inorganic chemistry.
Available as needed. Topics may include specialized areas of chemistry according to student needs and instructor's specialization.
Permission of the professor.
Chemistry major.
Provides students with an internship experience in a vocation related to chemistry under the supervision of both a facility manager and an academic advisor. This course is available as needed.
Permission of the department chair.
