UnderGraduate Program: Courses
Course descriptions
Below is a listing of the undergraduate courses with course descriptions, when a previous syllabus is available a link has been provided. Please be aware that the syllabi available on this site is only an example and does not represent the course requirements of the current professor.
1010 Chemistry, Humanity, and the Environment
(3) Fulfills Physical/Life Science Exploration.
Three lectures, one discussion per week. An introduction to the concepts of chemistry and the importance of these concepts in understanding environmental and health issues.
1030 Chemistry of Drugs, Toxins, and Consumer Products
(3) Fulfills Physical/Life Science Exploration.
This course presents basic principles of chemistry through discussions of consumer products, medicine, pollution, DNA, and synthetic fibers and plastics. Specific examples demonstrate general chemical principles.
1040 Sex, Drugs and Organic Chemistry
(4) Cross listed as UGS 1040.
An elementary knowledge of structure and bonding in organic chemistry will lead to an understanding of important biomolecules and some fundamental processes in the body. This knowledge will be used to study the mode of action of important classes of drugs such as birth control drugs, antibiotics and some illegal drugs. The course will finally focus on critical evaluation of scientific claims in the popular media (e.g. newspaper, world wide web). Related to this, students will learn to make a rational evaluation of the safety and efficacy of prescription drugs, herbal remedies, and dietary supplements. Case studies (e.g. phen-fen, olestra and St. John's Wort) will illustrate the important issues. Ultimately students will become better informed consumers of scientific and psuedo-scientific information.
1050 Explosives, Propellants and Pyrotechnics
(3) An introduction to the history of energetic materials. This course will cover famous accidents, investigations, basic chemical properties of explosives and propellants, their detection, and strategies for countering terrorism.
1110 Elementary Chemistry
(4) Recommended Prerequisite: Intermediate Algebra. Fulfills Physical/Life Science Exploration.
Three lectures, one discussion section and 3 hour lab per week. The first of a two semester sequence (CHEM 1110 and 1120) intended as a broad introduction to chemistry primarily for students in nursing and allied health fields. CHEM 1110 consists of an introducion to general chemistry with an emphasis on the language of chemistry and quantitative problem-solving. The semester concludes with topics in introductory organic chemistry.
1120 Elementary Bioorganic Chemistry
(4) Prerequisite: CHEM 1110. Fulfills Physical/Life Science Exploration.
Three lectures, one discussion section and 3 hour lab per week. CHEM 1120 completes the discussion of elementary organic chemistry and introduces the student to biochemistry.
1200 Preparation for General Chemistry I
(3) Recommended Co-requisite: MATH 1050.
Preparatory course for students who intend to take CHEM 1210 but feel their background or high school preparation is inadequate. Introduction to basic chemistry concepts with emphasis on problem solving.
1210 General Chemistry I
(4) Recommended Prerequisite: MATH 1050. Co-requisite: CHEM 1230. Fulfills Physical/Life Science Exploration.
Three lectures, two discussions per week. Fundamentals of chemistry emphasizing descriptive and modern applied chemistry for science and engineering majors. Topics include atomic theory, molecular bonding, and reaction chemistry.
1215 General Chemistry Laboratory I
(1) Co-requisite: CHEM 1210.
One lecture and one 3 hour lab per week. Must be taken concurrently with CHEM 1210.
1220 General Chemistry II
(4) Prerequisite: CHEM 1210. Co-requisite: CHEM 1240. Fulfills Physical/Life Science Exploration.
A continuation of CHEM 1210.
1221 Honors General Chemistry II
(4) Prerequisite: CHEM 1210 and a grade of B or better and a GPA of 3.5 and instructor's consent and a member of the Honors Program. Co-requisite: HONOR 1241 or CHEM 1241.
Three lectures, two discussions weekly. Honors section of CHEM 1220. Content and level of treatment may differ somewhat from CHEM 1220. By invitation only; apply to instructor.
1225 General Chemistry Laboratory II
(1) Co-requisite: CHEM 1220.
One lecture per week, one three-hour laboratory/discussion per week. (Must be taken concurrently with Chem. 1220.)
1241 Honors General Chemistry Laboratory II
(1) Prerequisite: Member of Honors Program. Co-requisite: HONOR 1221 or CHEM 1221.
Honors section of CHEM 1240. Content and level of treatment may differ somewhat from CHEM 1240.
2310 Organic Chemistry I
(4) Prerequisite: CHEM 1210. Co-requisite: CHEM 2330.
Topics include reactions of organic molecules, shapes of molecules, and spectroscopic methods of identifying organic molecules.
2311 Honors Organic Chemistry I
(4) Prerequisite: CHEM 1210 and a grade of B or better and a GPA of 3.5 and instructor's consent and a member of the Honors Program. Co-requisite: CHEM 2330.
Honors section of Organic Chemistry I. Content and level of treatment may differ somewhat from CHEM 2310. By invitation only; apply to instructor.
2315 Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
(1) Co-requisite: CHEM 2310 or (CHEM 2311or HONOR 2311).
2320 Organic Chemistry II
(4) Prerequisite: CHEM 2310. Co-requisite: CHEM 2340.
A continuation of Organic Chemistry I emphasizing reaction chemistry and mechanisms of reactions.
2321 Honors Organic Chemistry II
(4) Prerequisite: CHEM 2311 or HONOR 2311 and a member of the Honors Program. Co-requisite: CHEM 2340.
Honors section of CHEM 2320. Content and level of treatment may differ somewhat from CHEM 2320.
2325 Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
(1) Co-requisite: CHEM 2320 or (CHEM 2321 or HONOR 2321).
2700 Introduction to Mathcad
(1) A distance-learning course offered entirely via the World Wide Web, this offering teaches skills in MathCad, a commercial mathematics and graphing program. Most of the examples and assignments are framed in the context of chemistry problems.
3000 Quantitative Analysis
(4) Prerequisite: CHEM 1220 or (CHEM 1221 or HONOR 1221). Recommended Prerequisite MATH 1220 or equivalent. Fulfills Quantitative Intensive & Communication/Writing.
Two lectures and two 4 hour labs per week. Principles of quantitative analysis, stoichiometry, equilibrium theory, and volumetric and gravimetric analysis. Introduction to instrumental analysis.
3010 Quantitative Analytical Chemistry
(2) Recommended Prerequisite: CHEM 1220.
Lecture portion of CHEM 3000. Chemistry majors must take CHEM 3000.
3060 Physical Chemistry I
(4) Prerequisite: MATH 2210 and PHYS 2220 and one of CHEM 1220 or 1221 or HONOR 1221. Recommended Prerequisite: MATH 2250. Fulfills Quantitative Intensive BS.
Topics include quantum mechanics, spectroscopy, statistical thermodynamics, and microscopic kinetics.
3070 Physical Chemistry II
(4) Prerequisite: MATH 2210 and PHYS 2220 and one of CHEM 1220 or 1221 or HONOR 1221. Recommended Prerequisite: MATH 2250. Fulfills Quantitative Intensive BS. Topics include kinetics, thermodynamics, state changes, electrochemistry, and crystal and diffraction techniques.
3090 Biophysical Chemistry
(3) Cross listed as BIOEN 5090. Prerequisite: MATH 2210 and PHYS 2220 and one of CHEM 1220 or 1221 or HONOR 1221. Recommended Prerequisite: MATH 2250. Fulfills Quantitative Intensive BS.
Emphasizes biological and biochemical aspects of physical chemistry.
3100 Inorganic Chemistry
(5) Prerequisite: CHEM 1220 or (CHEM 1221 or HONOR 1221). Recommended Co-requisite: CHEM 3060
Current theoretical models for correlation of inorganic systems; review of major chemical trends across periodic table; oxidation states of elements, oxidation-reduction equilibria, and introduction to acid-base equilibria. Introduction to inorganic stereochemistry including coordination compounds, organometallic compounds, and electron-deficient molecules.
3130 Solid-State Chemistry
(2) Prerequisite: CHEM 1210, 1220, 2310, 2320.
Meets with CHEM 6130. Course requirements will be tailored differently for graduate and undergraduate students. The course will be an introduction to topics in solid-state chemistry.
3510 Biological Chemistry I
(3) Cross listed as BIOL 3510. Prerequisite: BIOL 2020, 2030, CHEM 2320.
Structure and function of biomolecules, metabolism, and regulation.
3515 Biological Chemistry Laboratory
(2) Cross listed as BIOL 3515. Recommended Prerequisite: CHEM 3510 or BIOL 3510.
Laboratory designed to follow or be taken concurrently with CHEM/BIOL 3520. One hour lecture and one 4-hour lab per week.
3520 Biological Chemistry II
(3) Cross listed as BIOL 3520. Recommended Prerequisite: BIOL 3510 or CHEM 3510.
A continuation of Biological Chemistry I. Nucleic acid structure, protein and nucleic acid biosynthesis and signal transduction.
3525 Molecular Biology of DNA Lab
(3) Cross listed as BIOL 3525. Recommended Prerequisite: CHEM 3510 or BIOL 3510.
From the simplest bacterium to multicellular mammals, each living organism shares vital mechanisms to repair its DNA. In this lab course, we will explore the structure of DNA, mechanisms of DNA damage, consequences of un-repaired DNA damage, and how cells repair DNA.
4800 Undergraduate Research
(1 to 4) Participation in the ongoing research of any one of our faculty members.
4801 Departmental Honors Undergraduate Research
(1 to 4) Prerequisite: Must be working on a departmental honors degree.
Participate in the ongoing research of any of Chemistry's faculty members.
4810 Seminar for Departmental Honors Undergraduates
(1) Prerequisite: Must be working on a departmental honors degree.
Required for students who intend to graduate with honors in Chemistry. Content may vary, but will include both formal and informal oral and written presentations of research by dept. honors students as well as attendance at other dept. presentations.
4900 Directed Study
(1 to 4)
4999 Honors Thesis/Project
(3) Prerequisite: Restricted to Honors Program.
Restricted to students in the Honors Program working on their Honors degree.
5380 Special Topics in Modern Chemical Education
(1 to 4) For elementary and secondary school teachers specializing in science. Content varies.
5600 Specialized Laboratory Techniques
(1 to 4)
5700 Advanced Analytical Chemistry Laboratory
(2) Prerequisite: CHEM 3000. Fulfills Upper Division Communication/Writing.
Two lectures, two laboratories a week for 7.5 weeks. Introduction to advanced laboratory work in chemistry. Modern instrumental techniques including electrochemical, spectroscopic, and chromatographic analysis.
5710 Advanced Organic Chemistry Laboratory
(2) Prerequisite: CHEM 2320 or 2321.
Two lectures, two laboratories a week for 7.5 weeks. Laboratory emphasizing the use of modern instrumental techniques for the identification and characterization of organic compounds.
5720 Advanced Physical Chemistry Laboratory
(2) Prerequisite: CHEM 3060. Recommended Co-requisite CHEM 3070 or 3090.
Two lectures, two laboratories per week for 7.5 weeks. Experimental study of selected aspects of physical chemistry, with emphasis on quantitative techniques.
5730 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory
(2) Recommended Co-requisite: CHEM 3100.
Two lectures and two laboratories per week for 7.5 weeks. Laboratory in modern inorganic chemistry. Emphasis on synthetic techniques.
5810 Nanoscience: Where Biology, Chemistry and Physics Intersect
(3) Cross listed as BIOL 5810, PHYS 5810.
An introduction to the emerging fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Concepts from biology, chemistry and physics will be used to explore the special features of phenomena at the nanometer scale, and current developments in the design and construction of nanoscale devices will be discussed. Course requirements include a research paper.
