Major in Chemistry
The major in Chemistry requires completion of required and elective courses. A student may repeat no more than three courses, including multiple attempts at the same course, required for the Chemistry major or minor. This includes all foundation courses, as well as required courses and electives for the major and minor.
This major is recommended for students who intend to teach in secondary schools, or to work in hospital laboratories, the chemical industry, technical libraries, chemical or instrument sales, or related professions. Students who plan to pursue chemically oriented careers in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, environmental science, agriculture or other allied fields should also consider this major. Students who wish to pursue graduate studies in chemistry, or to enter a career in the chemical industry should consider the Professional Track. Students who plan to teach in secondary schools should elect the Chemistry major or Chemistry Secondary Education Concentration. The Chemistry major makes a good double major for students in the Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics, or Environmental Science and Studies (Environmental Chemistry Track) programs, as well as majors in Biology, Geology, and Physics.
Students should contact the Department of Chemistry and be assigned an adviser to assist them in designing programs to meet their career needs.
The Chemistry major consists of 35 units of required chemistry courses, 15-16 units of additional required courses and 6 units of elective courses for a total of 56-57 units.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Chemistry Courses | ||
| CHEM 131 & 131L | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LECTURE and GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY | 4 |
| CHEM 132 & 132L | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LECTURE and GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY | 4 |
| CHEM 220 & 220L | ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY [LECTURE] and ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY [LAB] | 5 |
| CHEM 331 & CHEM 332 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II | 10 |
| CHEM 323 | INORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| CHEM 345 | PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 351 | BIOCHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 372 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY | 2 |
| Additional Required Courses | ||
| MATH 231 | BASIC STATISTICS | 3-4 |
| or MATH 237 | ELEMENTARY BIOSTATISTICS | |
| or MATH 274 | CALCULUS II | |
| MATH 273 | CALCULUS I | 4 |
| PHYS 211 & PHYS 212 | GENERAL PHYSICS I; NON CALCULUS-BASED and GENERAL PHYSICS II; NON CALCULUS-BASED 1 | 8 |
| Total Units | 51-52 | |
In addition to the required courses listed above, students must complete a minimum of 6 additional units of electives. At least 2 units must be selected from Elective Group A. The remaining units can be selected from either Elective Group A or Elective Group B.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Elective Courses | 6 | |
| Elective Group A (minimum 2 units): | ||
| INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSIS | ||
| THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY 1 | ||
| BIOCHEMISTRY LAB | ||
| ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY | ||
| ADVANCED LECTURE TOPICS | ||
| ADVANCED LABORATORY TECHNIQUES | ||
| APPLICATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY | ||
| CHEMICAL TOXICOLOGY | ||
| HONORS THESIS IN CHEMISTRY | ||
| CHEMISTRY OF DANGEROUS DRUGS | ||
| FORENSIC CHEMISTRY | ||
| FORENSIC ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY | ||
| Elective Group B | ||
| SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN CHEMISTRY I | ||
| INTERNSHIP IN CHEMISTRY | ||
| COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN CHEMISTRY | ||
| RESEARCH IN CHEMISTRY | ||
| INDEPENDENT STUDY IN CHEMISTRY | ||
| CELL BIOLOGY 1 | ||
| MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 1 | ||
| IMMUNOLOGY 1 | ||
| VIROLOGY 1 | ||
| MINERALOGY 1 | ||
| HYDROGEOLOGY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS 1 | ||
| DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS 1 | ||
| EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS 1 | ||
| INTRO TO BIOINFORMATICS | ||
| ADVANCED BIOINFORMATICS 1 | ||
| INTRODUCTORY MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS 1 | ||
| MODERN PHYSICS I 1 | ||
| THERMODYNAMICS AND KINETIC THEORY | ||
| ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM 1 | ||
| Total Units | 6 | |
- 1
Course has prerequisite(s) not listed among the required courses above.
Sample Four-Year Plan
The selected course sequence below is an example of the simplest path to degree completion. Based on course schedules, student needs, and student choice, individual plans may vary. Students should consult with their adviser to make the most appropriate elective choices and to ensure that they have completed the required number of units (120) to graduate.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| CHEM 131 & 131L (Core 7/8) | 4 | CHEM 132 & 132L (Core 7/8) | 4 |
| MATH 273 (Core 3) | 4 | Select one of the following: | 3-4 |
| Core 1 (or Core 2) | 3 | ||
| Core 4 | 3 | ||
| Core 5 | 3 | ||
| Core 2 (or Core 1) | 3 | ||
| Core 6 | 3 | ||
| 17 | 13-14 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| CHEM 220 & 220L | 5 | CHEM 336 | 2 |
| CHEM 334 | 3 | CHEM 337 | 3 |
| PHYS 211 or 241 | 4 | PHYS 212 or 242 | 4 |
| Core 9 | 3 | Core 10 | 3 |
| Core 11 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| CHEM 339 | 2 | CHEM 372 | 2 |
| CHEM 351 | 3 | CHEM 323 | 5 |
| CHEM 345 | 3 | Core 14 | 3 |
| Core 12 | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| Core 13 | 3 | Elective Group B | 3 |
| Elective Group A | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Units 120-121 | |||
- Explain important chemical concepts and solve chemical problems by application of relevant concepts and analytical tools.
- Design an experiment to test a hypothesis or theory in chemistry, and collect and interpret experimental data within the framework of the appropriate chemical theory.
- Prepare written laboratory reports in a journal format that provide a description of the experiment, explain the experiment and reasoning clearly, and provide an appropriate conclusion. Students will be able to give oral presentations on topics in chemistry.
- Use computer resources effectively.