Undergraduate Studies

Department of Chemistry course offerings are designed for students who desire to major in chemistry in preparation for graduate study or work in the chemical professions, for students who desire a teaching certificate in chemistry, and for students in biology, physics, mathematics, engineering and the health sciences. The Department also provides the requisite pre-professional courses for careers in medicine, dentistry, nursing, medical technology, pharmacy, and engineering.

Curriculum

Students may follow a four-year course schedule leading to a B.S. in Chemistry or the five-year program leading to the integrated BS/MS degree in chemistry.

Sample Plan of Study

The following outlines a proposed sequence of courses for the Bachelor of Science chemistry. This sequence is suggested, not mandatory.

FRESHMAN YEAR
First Semester: 18 hours
CHE 111 General Chemistry (4)
GED-C 100 First Year Seminar I (1)
ENG-C 105 English Composition I (3)
STA-C 101 Fundamentals of Speech (3)
MAT 105 Pre-Calculus I (3)
HIS-C 201 U.S., Africa and the World I (3)
PED-C 101/2 Physical Education Requirement (1)

Second Semester: 17 hours
CHE 112 General Chemistry (4)
GED-C 101 First Year Seminar
ENG-C 106 English Composition II (3)
PSY-C 211 General Psychology (3)
MAT 106 Pre-Calculus II (3)
HIS-C 202 U.S., Africa and the World II (3)

SOPHOMORE YEAR
First Semester: 18 hours
CHE 212 Analytical Chemistry I (4)
ENG-C 201/2 World Literature I or II (3)
MAT 111 Calculus I (4)
LIB-C 101 Information Technology and Computer Application (3)
BIO 111 General Biology I (4)

Second Semester: 18 hours
CHE 212 Analytical Chemistry II (4)
HUM-C Humanities Requirements (3)
MAT 112 Calculus II (4)
SOC-C 105 Culture and Society (3)
BIO 112 General Biology II (4)

JUNIOR YEAR
First Semester: 15 hours
CHE 231 Organic Chemistry (4)
GER 201 German (3)
PHY 111 General and Modern Physics (4)
MAT 211 Calculus III (4)

Second Semester: 17 hours
CHE 232 Organic Chemistry (4)
GER 202 German (3)
PHY 112 General and Modern Physics (4)
PHI/REL-C Philosophy/Religion Requirement (3)
MAT 212 Differential Equations I (3)

SENIOR YEAR
First Semester: 12 hours
CHE 441 Physical Chemistry (4)
CHE 431 Advanced Organic Chemistry (4)
CHE 443 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (4), or
CHE 480 Special Topics in Chemistry

Second Semester: 12 hours
CHE 442 Physical Chemistry (4)
CHE 432 Advanced Organic Chemistry (4)
Elective (4)

Accelerated B.S./M.S. Degree Program

The Department of Chemistry offers undergraduate students of superior ability entrance to the 5-Year B.S./M.S. Program. Students may be chosen based on their academic achievement in secondary school. Students must have a minimum cumulative high school grade point average of 3.25 and a minimum composite Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) score of 900 or a minimum ACT score of 22.

Students must satisfy all University general education requirements for undergraduates, the requisite major and cognate courses for the bachelor's degree and at least twenty-four (24) semester hours of graduate course work in the major field. Students undertake advanced course work and research during their fourth year of enrollment. Summer research opportunities are provided and may be required, depending on the nature of the students' research project.

Academic progress is monitored throughout. Students must maintain a cumulative "B" or better average. After successful completion of the third year, students must be admitted to the graduate program. Graduate admissions will depend upon the recommendation of the department chairperson and approval of the School Dean.

During the fourth year, students may begin graduate course work while completing undergraduate degree requirements. Students are engaged in graduate study exclusively during the fifth year, at which time students satisfy the graduate residence requirement.

In order to receive the B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemistry, students must complete at least fifty-four (54) semester hours of course work in Chemistry, at least twenty-four (24) of these at the graduate level. Students must complete an acceptable thesis. Students must apply for candidacy for each degree at the times specified in the university catalogues. Upon completion of the prescribed course of study, students receive two degrees, the Bachelor of Science and the Master of Science.

At any point during the students' participation in this program, they may elect or be required, because of academic performance, to pursue the traditional four-year bachelor's degree program. In such cases the bachelor's degree will be awarded once the undergraduate degree requirements are satisfied.

Listed below is the sequenced curriculum designed to facilitate the acquisition of skills and knowledge required for this program.

5-YEAR BS/MS PROGRAM IN CHEMISTRY (151 semester hours)

First Semester: 17 hours
CHE 111 General Chemistry (4)
BIO 111 General Biology (4)
MAT 111 Calculus I (4)
ENG-C 105 English Composition I (3)
GED-C 100 First Year Seminar I (1)
PED-C 101/2 Physical Education Requirement (1)

Second Semester: 16 hours
CHE 112 General Chemistry (4)
BIO 112 General Biology (4)
MAT 112 Calculus II (4)
GED-C 101 First Year Seminar II (1)
ENG-C 106 English Composition II (3)

SOPHOMORE YEAR
First Semester: 18 hours
CHE 231 Organic Chemistry I (4)
MAT 211 Calculus III (4)
PHY 121 General Physics (4)
ENG-C 201/2 World Literature I or II (3)
HIS-C 201 U.S., Africa and the World I (3)

Second Semester: 17 hours
CHE 232 Organic Chemistry II (4)
MAT 212 Differential Equations (3)
PHY 122 General Physics (4)
LIB-C 101 Information Technology and Computer Application (3)
HIS-C 202 U.S., Africa and the World II (3)

JUNIOR YEAR
First Semester: 17 hours
CHE 211 Analytical Chemistry (4)
CHE 341 Physical Chemistry (4)
GER 201 German (3)
PHI/REL-C Philosophy/Religion Requirement (3)
CHE Chemistry Seminar (0)
SOC-C 101 Culture and Society (3)

Second Semester: 17 hours
CHE 342 Physical Chemistry (4)
GER 202 German (3)
STA-C 101 Fundamentals of Speech (3)
CIS 205 Structured Programming (3)
CHE Chemistry Seminar
SOC-C 101 Culture and Society (3)

SENIOR YEAR
First Semester: 15 hours
CHE 421 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (3)
CHE 421L Inorganic Chemistry Lab (2)
CHE 441 Mathematical Method in Chemistry (3)
CHE Research in Chemistry Area (3)
CHE 481 Chemistry Seminar (1)
CHE Advanced Course or Core Course (3)

Second Semester: 16 hours
CHE 412,412L Instrumentation with Lab (4)
CHE Chemistry Core Course or

Advanced Course (3)
PSY-C 211 General Psychology (3)
CHE Research in Chemistry Area (3)
HUM-C Humanities Requirement (3)

SUMMER SENIOR YEAR
CHE Research in Chemistry Area (3-6)

FIFTH YEAR
First Semester: 9 hours
CHE Core Course/CHE Area Course (3)
CHE Core Course/CHE Area Course (3)
CHE Research in Chemistry Area (3)

Second Semester: 9 hours
CHE Core Course/CHE Area Course (3)
CHE Core Course/CHE Area Course (3)
CHE Core Course/CHE Area Course (3)

TOTAL HOURS SUMMER AND FIFTH YEAR 21-24
See Graduate Catalog for B.S./M.S. graduate course descriptions.

ADVANCED COURSE OFFERINGS

CHEM 451 Biochemistry (3)
CHEM 432 Organic Structure Determination (3)
CHEM 431 Advanced Organic Chemistry (3)
CHEM 441 Mathematical Methods in Chemistry (3)

CHEMISTRY CORE COURSES

Physical Chemistry
CHEM 541 Thermodynamics (3)
CHEM 542 Quantum Mechanics (3)

Analytical Chemistry
CHEM 412 Instrumentation (3)

Biochemistry
CHEM 551 Biochemistry
CHEM 552 Biochemistry

Industrial Chemistry
CHEM 531 Topics in Industrial Chemistry (3)
CHEM 562 Scale-Up for Chemists (3)

Organic Chemistry
CHEM 531 Mechanistic Organic Chemistry (3)
CHEM 532 Organic Synthesis (3)

Inorganic Chemistry
CHEM 522 Physical Inorganic Chemistry (3)

Polymer Chemistry
CHEM 571 Introduction to Polymer Chemistry (3)
CHEM 572 Techniques in Polymer Chemistry (3)
CHEM 573 Physical Polymer Science (3)