Curriculum

General Chemistry

CHEM 2070+2080 or CHEM 2150*
*Admission to CHEM 2150 requires a 5 on the Chemistry Advanced Placement Exam, a 6 or 7 on the International Baccalaureate Chemistry Exam, or the permission of the course’s instructor.

Organic Chemistry

CHEM 3570+3580 or CHEM 3590+3600
Either sequence can be taken for the Honors Curriculum.

Physical Chemistry

CHEM 3870 or CHEM 3890+3900
Students  planning for graduate study in chemistry or a career in chemistry are strongly advised to take CHEM 3890+3900. Students interested in chemistry-related fields are advised to take CHEM 3890+3900 or CHEM 3870+3900. CHEM 3890+3900 is required for the Honors Curriculum. Students taking CHEM 3890+3900 are required to take one semester of Multivariable Calculus or Linear Algebra (MATH 1920; MATH 2130, MATH 2220, MATH 2210, MATH 2310, MATH 2940).

Inorganic Chemistry

CHEM 4100

Core Laboratories

CHEM 2510 (organic)

CHEM 2900 or CHEM 3030 (physical)
Students planning for graduate study in chemistry or a career in chemistry  are advised to take CHEM 3030. CHEM 3030 is required for the honors curriculum.

Mathematics

MATH 1110+1120 (AP credit may substitute for one or both courses)

or 4 AP credits + MATH 1910

Physics

PHYS 2207+2208 or PHYS 1112+2213 or PHYS 1116+2217.

AP credit may be substituted for one or both of the courses in these sequences.


PHYS 1101-1102 is NOT acceptable.

Laboratory Requirement

A total of eight laboratory credits (including the core laboratories) is required. This requirement may be met by taking CHEM 3010 and/or CHEM 3020, or by taking laboratory elective courses outside of chemistry that have been approved by the department. Credits for independent research (CHEM 4210, CHEM 4330, CHEM 4610, or CHEM 4770) do NOT count toward the laboratory requirement. In addition to CHEM 3030, the honors curriculum requires CHEM 3010 + CHEM 3020. This sequence is recommended for students planning for graduate study in chemistry or a career in chemistry. 

Electives

For a complete list of approved chemistry electives, please contact the Chemistry Undergraduate Office. Some courses may not be offered every year. Some courses may have prerequisites that do not count toward chemistry elective credits.

Syllabi

Click here to view recent course syllabi.

Freshman Year

Fall Semester

• Chemistry 2070: General Chemistry I

• Math 1110*: Calculus I

Spring Semester

• Chemistry 2080: General Chemistry II
• Math 1120*: Calculus II

Sophomore Year

Fall Semester

• Chemistry 3570: Organic Chemistry I
• Chemistry 2510: Introduction to Organic Lab
• Physics 2207*: General Physics I

Spring Semester

• Chemistry 3580: Organic Chemistry II
• Chemistry 3010*: Synthetic Chemistry Lab or 4 credit Chemistry Elective Lab
• Physics 2208*: General Physics II

Junior Year

Fall Semester

• Chemistry 3870: Principles of Physical Chemistry
• Elective
• Elective

Spring Semester

• Chemistry 2900*: Physical Chemistry Laboratory
• Chemistry 3880: Basics of Biophysical Chemistry
• Elective
• Elective

Senior Year

Fall Semester

• Elective

Spring Semester

• Chemistry 4100: Inorganic Chemistry
• Chemistry 4980*: Honors Seminar
• Elective

*Please note the following about the above content:

• Possible sequences for the chemistry elective lab: Chemistry 2900, 3010 and Other Lab or Chemistry 2900, 3010, and 3020
• Possible sequences for math: Math 1110 and Math 1120 or Math 1120 and AP Calculus Credit or Math 1910 and AP Calculus Credit
• Possible sequences for physics: Physics 2207 and 2208 or Physics 1112 and Physics 2213 or Physics 1116 and Physics 2217
• Research is needed for enrollment in Chemistry 4980. While 4980 is an optional seminar, it is required for the Research Latin Honors Degree
• A career max of 4 research credits can be counted as electives

Freshman Year

Fall Semester

• Chemistry 2070: General Chemistry I
• Math 1110*: Calculus I

Spring Semester

• Chemistry 2080: General Chemistry II
• Math 1120*: Calculus II

Sophomore Year

Fall Semester

• Chemistry 3530: Principles of Organic Chemistry
• Chemistry 2510: Introduction to Organic Lab
• Physics 1112*: General Physics I

Spring Semester

• Chemistry 4100: Inorganic Chemistry
• Physics 2213*: General Physics II
• Math 2220* or Elective*

Junior Year

Fall Semester

• Chemistry 3890: Quantum Mechanics
• Chemistry 3020: Physical/Analytical Lab I
• Elective

Spring Semester

• Chemistry 3900: Thermodynamics, Statistical Mechanics
• Chemistry 3030: Physical/Analytical Lab II
• Elective

Senior Year

Fall Semester

• Elective

Spring Semester

• Chemistry 4980*: Honors Seminar
• Elective

*Please note the following about the above content:

• Possible sequences for the chemistry elective lab: Chemistry 2900, 3010 and Other Lab or Chemistry 2900, 3010, and 3020
• Possible sequences for math: Math 1110 and Math 1120 or Math 1120 and AP Calculus Credit or Math 1910 and AP Calculus Credit
• Possible sequences for physics: Physics 2207 and 2208 or Physics 1112 and Physics 2213 or Physics 1116 and Physics 2217
• Research is needed for enrollment in Chemistry 4980. While 4980 is an optional seminar, it is required for the Research Latin Honors Degree.
• A career max of 4 research credits can be counted as electives

Semester	Accelerated Sequence	Standard Sequence
Freshman Year
Fall	Chem 2150: Honors Gen Chem	Chem 2070: Gen Chem
Spring	Chem 3590: Honors Org Chem Chem 2510:  Org Chem Lab     (or following Fall)	Chem 2080: Gen Chem
Sophomore Year
Fall	Chem 3600: Honors Org Chem	Chem 3570: Org Chem Chem 2510: Org Chem Lab
Spring	Chem 4100: Inorg Chem Chem 3010: Honors Org Chem Lab	Chem 3580: Org Chem Chem 3010: Honors Org Chem Lab
Junior Year
Fall	Chem 3890*: Honors Phys Chem Chem 3020: Honors Analytical Lab	Chem 3890*: Honors Phys Chem Chem 3020: Honors Analytical Lab
Spring	Chem 3900: Honors Phys Chem Chem 3030: Honors Phys Chem Lab	Chem 3900: Honors Phys Chem Chem 3030: Honors Phys Chem Lab Chem 4100: Inorg Chem  (or following Spring)

Senior Year: Electives   

*Chem 3890-3900 has a prerequisite of one semester of multivariable calculus: Math 1920, Math 2130, or Math 2220. This math course is therefore required for the honors curriculum.