Program Faculty: Dunlop, Dwyer, Mancini-Samuelson*, Slavin, Williams (*department chair)
Program Description:
The chemistry major prepares students for a wide variety of careers in chemistry, including those in industry and academe. In addition, the major may serve as a stepping stone to many other professions, including medicine, dentistry, chemical engineering, medical technology, pharmacology, patent law and technical writing.
The department offers a core chemistry major with two optional tracks: an ACS-approved concentration and a biochemistry concentration. In addition, students may receive certification to teach chemistry in secondary schools (grades 5-12) by completing a chemistry major and additional course work in science and education. A minor in chemistry also is available.
The chemistry major is available only with the B.A. degree; all of the degree programs in chemistry (majors and minor) are available only in the Day Program.
Major Requirements:
As part of the department's ongoing assessment activities, all chemistry majors compile and maintain a portfolio of their work throughout their program. The portfolio may include materials such as papers, exams, laboratory reports, research projects, seminar presentations and other items that document a student's experience and learning in the program. The portfolio serves as the basis for a review and discussion with departmental faculty conducted during a student's final term at the College.
CORE CHEMISTRY MAJOR
The core chemistry major provides a sound program for students interested in pursuing graduate study or employment in an industrial or governmental laboratory. In addition, students in interdisciplinary fields such as biochemistry, food science, environmental science and oceanography, as well as in professional fields such as medicine, veterinary medicine, patent law, dentistry, pharmacology and microbiology should investigate this major.
Required courses:
CHEM 111, 112 General Chemistry I and II
CHEM 201, 202 Organic Chemistry I and II
CHEM 300 Quantitative Analysis
CHEM 331, 332 Physical Chemistry I and II
CHEM 400 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry
CHEM 420 Advanced Analytical Chemistry
CHEM 440 Biochemistry
CHEM 485 Seminar (4 semesters)
Supporting courses:
PHYS 111, 112 Introductory Physics I and II
MATH 113, 114 Calculus I and II
Students should fulfill the liberal arts and sciences core language requirement with German, Russian or French, if graduate study is anticipated.
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY (ACS) APPROVED CONCENTRATION
The ACS-approved concentration provides for a certified program defining the graduate as a professional chemist with respect to employment, graduate study and membership in the professional organization -- the American Chemical Society -- upon graduation. It is an elective concentration.
To satisfy the requirements for the ACS concentration, students complete the following courses in addition to those listed above for the core chemistry major:
CHEM 491 Research, 4 credits
CHEM 499 Topics
BIOCHEMISTRY CONCENTRATION
The biochemistry concentration is intended to prepare students for professional study in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy and medical technology.
Required courses:
CHEM 111, 112 General Chemistry I and II
CHEM 201, 202 Organic Chemistry I and II
CHEM 300 Quantitative Analysis
CHEM 331 Physical Chemistry I
CHEM 332 Physical Chemistry II or CHEM 420 Advanced Analytical Chemistry
CHEM 340 Principles of Metabolism: Applied Biochemistry
CHEM 440 Biochemistry
CHEM 485 Seminar (4 semesters)
BIOL 121, 122 General Biology I and II
One additional course in biology selected from: BIOL 280, 290, 321, 322, 335
Supporting courses:
PHYS 111, 112 Introductory Physics I and II
MATH 113, 114 Calculus I and II
SECONDARY EDUCATION TEACHING LICENSURE (Grades 5-12)
Chemistry majors seeking licensure to teach chemistry in secondary schools (grades 5-12) must declare secondary education as a licensure and complete the following courses: Chemistry requirements:
Core chemistry major (see above)
Other science courses:
BIOL 121, 122 General Biology I and II
PHYS 104 Astronomy
Introductory Geology (taken through the ACTC)
Education Courses:
EDUC 207W Teachers as Leaders for a Changing Society
EDUC 209 General Methods: Secondary and K-12
EDUC 249 School Health and Chemical Health
EDUC 355 Literacy in the Content Areas
EDUC 365 Current Issues in Education
EDUC 374 Special Methods: Middle School
EDUC 375 Special Methods: Senior High
EDUC 391 Student Teaching and Seminar: Middle School
EDUC 395 Student Teaching and Seminar: Secondary
Licensure is also available in chemistry only for grades 9 - 12. This requires the same course work as listed above for the 5 - 12 licensure, except the extra courses in biology, astronomy and geology are omitted.
Minor Requirements:
The minor in chemistry is intended for students majoring in related fields such as biology, physics, foods and nutrition, and nursing. In addition, the minor may be considered by those in other preprofessional fields such as business administration or information management where a background in chemistry may be beneficial to career goals.
Six courses including:
CHEM 111, 112 General Chemistry I and II
CHEM 201, 202 Organic Chemistry I and II
CHEM 300 Quantitative Analysis
One additional chemistry course (300 or above)
Chemistry majors satisfy the Writing Requirement for Majors by completing a sequence of two specifically designated writing-intensive courses. The courses designated for this purpose are CHEM 331 Physical Chemistry I and CHEM 440 Biochemistry. Transfer students or others that complete either or both of these courses off campus may satisfy this requirement by completing an alternative sequence approved by the department chair. All students complete the Liberal Arts and Sciences Core Writing Requirement with three additional writing-intensive courses (CORE 100W and CORE 399W, and any other writing-intensive course in another department).
