Chemistry and Biochemistry
(Program Homepage)
Faculty: S. Crary, H. Eppley, B. Gourley, D. Gurnon, J. Hansen, B. Hanson, D. Harvey, R. Martoglio, D. Roberts, J. Roberts, J. Stack
Knowledge of the chemical world is important for any educated person because chemical concepts and issues affect so many aspects of our personal lives and society. Coursework in chemistry naturally prepares one to understand the physical and living worlds; it also prepares one to make scientifically-informed contributions to many other fields and to society. Areas such as molecular biology, environmental law and policy, bioethics, patent law, medicine and education are examples of fields where chemical knowledge is needed. Both biochemistry and chemistry majors pursue graduate studies in chemistry, biochemistry or medicine upon graduation. Other career paths available to these majors include employment in fields such as the pharmaceutical industry, law, environmental monitoring and technical sales/management.
The chemistry faculty encourages students to participate in collaborative research during the school year, Winter Term and summers. Such research is an important facet of a student's education. Students may also choose to pursue an internship at a national laboratory or in an industrial or medical setting at some point in their training. All chemistry students may participate in the activities of the award-winning Chemistry Club. The Pre-health Professions Club and the Women in Science group also sponsor speakers and activities of interest to chemistry students.
Majors and minors are offered in chemistry and biochemistry.
No chemistry course may be taken pass/fail.
Requirements for a major in Biochemistry
| Total courses required | Nine and one-quarter |
| Core courses | CHEM 120, CHEM 130, CHEM 170, CHEM 240, CHEM 260, CHEM 310, CHEM 343, CHEM 440 |
| Other required courses | Two courses selected from: CHEM 342, BIO 250, BIO 314, BIO 320, BIO 325, BIO 335, BIO 361, BIO 382, BIO 415 |
| # 300 and 400 level courses | At least 3.0 courses |
| Senior requirement | Satisfactory performance on the Biochemistry Comprehensive Examination and satisfactory attendance at departmental seminars during the junior and senior years are required. |
| Additional information | With the approval of their advisor, students may apply CHEM 335, CHEM 354, CHEM 364, BIO 390 or BIO 490 toward the "other required courses" (such courses should have a biochemical emphasis). With the approval of their advisor, students may apply up to 0.5 course of research (CHEM 395, CHEM 405, and BIO 490). |
| Recent changes in major |
Requirements for a major in Chemistry
| Total courses required | Nine and one-quarter |
| Core courses | CHEM 120, CHEM 130, CHEM 170, CHEM 240, CHEM 260 |
| Other required courses | Chemistry majors must also complete advanced courses in three categories as follows:
|
| # 300 and 400 level courses | Four and one-half |
| Senior requirement | The senior requirement consists of satisfactory performance on the Chemistry Comprehensive Examination and satisfactory attendance at departmental seminars during the junior and senior years. |
| Additional information | |
| Recent changes in major |
Requirements for a minor in Biochemistry
| Total courses required | Five and one-quarter NOTE: Chemistry majors may not earn a minor in Biochemistry. |
| Core courses | CHEM 120, CHEM 170, CHEM 240, and CHEM 260. |
| Other courses | One course chosen from: CHEM 310, CHEM 343 or CHEM 440 and one course from BIO 314, BIO 315, BIO 320, BIO 325, BIO 335, BIO 361 or BIO 415. 300 and 400 level courses: 2. |
| # 300 and 400 level courses | 2 |
| Recent changes in minor | A number of 300 and 400 level chemistry and biology courses have been added to the list of electives for the minor. |
Requirements for a minor in Chemistry
| Total courses required | Five and one-quarter Note: Biochemistry majors may not earn a minor in Chemistry. |
| Core courses | CHEM 170 |
| Other courses | |
| # 300 and 400 level courses | One |
| Recent changes in minor |
Courses in Chemistry and Biochemistry
| CHEM 100. Medicinal Plants for Poets | Group 1, lab | 1 course, class and lab |
| This course examines the concepts needed to understand medicinal plants from a broad scientific and cultural perspective. In addition to developing basic chemical concepts (emphasizing bonding and structure, and their effects on chemical behavior), the course will draw on areas such as pharmacology in order to build a complete picture of how medicinal plants function. Issues such as the cultural origins of medicinal plant knowledge, the nature of scientific methods/scientific truth and the changing role of medicinal plants in society will also be examined. The laboratory will consist of experiments and activities designed to illustrate and elaborate on ideas discussed in lecture. No prerequisites. Not open to students with credit for any college chemistry course. May not be counted toward a major in chemistry. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 120. Structure and Properties of Organic Molecules | Group 1, lab | 1 course, class and lab |
| This course introduces the basics of chemical bonding, structure and behavior in the context of organic molecules. Emphasis is placed on the nature of bonding, how chemists determine structure, the three-dimensional aspects of structure and how molecular structure determines chemical behavior. Lab activities are designed to reinforce class topics while introducing common organic lab techniques, such as liquid-liquid extraction, NMR, IR, GC/MS, and molecular modeling. Prerequisite: high school chemistry or CHEM 100. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 130. Structure and Properties of Inorganic Compounds | Group 1, lab | 1 course, class and lab |
| An introduction to structure, bonding, properties and simple reactions of inorganic compounds. Topics covered include basic quantum theory, bonding theories, molecular and solid state structure and periodic properties of the elements and their compounds. Application of these topics to biological, environmental and geological systems will be stressed. The lab will focus on the synthesis, structure, properties, and reactivity of inorganic substances, including simple ionic substances and coordination complexes. Characterization using infrared and visible spectroscopy is also introduced. Prerequisite: high school chemistry or CHEM 100. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 156. Advanced Placement in General Chemistry | Group 1 | 1 course |
| Advanced placement credit for entering first-year students. | ||
| CHEM 170. Stoichiometric Calculations | 1/4 course, class only | |
| A review of the quantitative treatment of chemistry and chemical reactions. Topics include ways to express the absolute and relative amount of chemicals (grams, moles and concentration), balancing chemical reactions, mole-to-mole relationships, limiting reagents and theoretical yields. The course is composed of a series of self-paced modules. There are no class meetings. Prerequisite: high school chemistry or CHEM 100. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 197. First-year Seminar: Green Chemistry | Group 1, lab | 1 course, class and lab |
| A seminar focused on a theme related to the study of chemistry. Open only to first-year students. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 240. Structure and Function of Biomolecules | Group 1, lab | 1 course, class and lab |
| An introduction to the molecules of living organisms. Topics will include the chemical and physical nature of biological macromolecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and carbohydrates. The lab will emphasize characterization of biomolecules using common biochemical techniques. Physical and computer models will be utilized in both class and lab. Prerequisite: CHEM 120. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 260. Thermodynamics, Equilibrium and Kinetics | Group 1, lab | 1 course, class and lab |
| A rigorous introduction to the theoretical principles governing the favorability of reactions, extent of reactions and rate of reactions. The application of these topics to environmental chemistry, geochemistry and/or biochemistry is also considered. Laboratory work is designed to reinforce class topics while stressing the importance of making careful quantitative measurements and the careful design of experiments. Prerequisite: CHEM 170, and CHEM 120 or CHEM 130. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 310. Enzyme Mechanisms | 1 course | |
| An introduction to organic mechanisms as they occur in metabolic processes. The course begins with a rigorous study of organic mechanisms commonly seen in biological systems, and progresses to the mechanisms behind the transformations of lipids, carbohydrates, amino acids and nucleotides in metabolic pathways. Examples from the primary literature will be considered in detail. Not open to students with credit in CHEM 320. Prerequisite: Chem 240. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 320. Organic Mechanisms and Synthesis | Group 1, lab | 1 course, class and lab |
| This course focuses on the concept of reaction mechanisms, surveys a variety of reactions, and introduces the principles of organic synthetic design and strategy. Laboratory introduces fundamental methods of synthesis and purification, and makes heavy use of instrumentation to verify structure and purity. Prerequisite: CHEM 120 and 170. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 331. Inorganic Reaction Mechanisms | Group 1 | 1/2 course, class only |
| This course offers a more in-depth look at the range of inorganic reactions. Basics of structure, bonding and properties are used to rationalize reactions ranging from simple precipitation, redox, and acid-base reaction to significantly more involved organometallic reaction mechanisms. Topics vary from year to year but other possible topics include inorganic catalytic cycles, inner and outer sphere redox chemistry, dissociative and associative mechanisms in coordination chemistry, and major bioinorganic reaction mechanisms. Frequently examples are chosen from the most recent primary chemical literature. Prerequisite: CHEM 120, 130 and 260. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 332. Inorganic Synthesis | Group 1, lab | 1/2 course, 1 hour class and lab |
| A laboratory course focusing on advanced synthesis techniques, such as air sensitive handling, sublimation and solid-state synthesis. Use of the chemical literature will be integrated into the course. Prerequisite: CHEM 120, 130, and 260. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 335. Topics in Chemical Reactivity | 1/2 course, class or lab | |
| Selected topics in inorganic and organic chemical reactivity are offered. May be repeated for credit (with a different topic). Prerequisite: varies with topic. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 341. Metabolism (discontinued after Fall Semester 2005) | Group 1 | 1/2 course |
| A detailed examination of the function, bioenergetics and regulatory mechanisms of enzymes in the context of intermediate metabolism. Focuses on chemical transformation, regulation and integration at both cellular level and between different organs--lecture only. Prerequisites: CHEM 240 and CHEM 260. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 342. Topics in Biochemistry | 1/2 course, class or lab | |
| Selected topics in biochemistry are offered. May be repeated for credit (with a different topic). Prerequisite: varies with topic. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 343. Advanced Biochemistry | 1 course | |
| A detailed examination of the function, bioenergetics and regulatory mechanisms of enzymes in the context of intermediate metabolism.Focuses on chemical transformation, regulation and integration at the level of cells and organs. The project-oriented laboratory focuses on advanced techniques such as methods of isolation and those needed to analyze structure and function of biomolecules. Prerequisites: BIO 315, CHEM 240 and CHEM 260. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 351. Chemometrics | Group 1 | 1/2 course, class only |
| An introduction to the mathematical handling of chemical data, including the statistical analysis of data, linear regression, standardization strategies, sampling, optimization and ruggedness testing. Prerequisite: CHEM 260. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 352. Analytical Equilibria | Group 1 | 1/2 course, class only |
| This course provides a more detailed examination of equilibrium chemistry and its application to gravimetry, titrimetry and analytical separations, including solvent extractions and chromatography. Prerequisite: CHEM 260. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 353. Instrumental Methods of Analysis | Group 1 | 1/2 course, class only |
| A detailed examination of spectroscopic, electrochemical and flow injection methods of analysis. The application of kinetic methods of analysis is also considered. Prerequisite: CHEM 260. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 354. Topics in Chemical Analysis | 1/2 course, class or lab | |
| Selected topics in chemical analysis are offered. May be repeated for credit (with a different topic). Prerequisite: varies with topic. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 361. Chemical Kinetics | Group 1 | 1/2 course, class only |
| A careful study of the key methods for the kinetic analysis of chemical systems. In addition to reviewing basic methodologies, such as the method of initial rates and simple integrated rate equations, considerable attention is given to more complicated kinetic mechanisms. Consecutive, competing, oscillating and explosive reactions are covered. Prerequisite: MATH 152, | ||
| CHEM 362. Chemical Thermodynamics | Group 1 | 1/2 course, class only |
| This course will look at the fundamental principles of thermodynamics and how those principles govern the behavior of chemical systems. Emphasis will be given to applications in biochemical systems. Prerequisite: MATH 152, PHYS 130, and CHEM 260. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 363. Quantum Mechanics in Chemistry | Group 1 | 1/2 course, class only |
| This course examines the core quantum mechanical models, including the particle in a box, harmonic oscillator, rigid rotor, and hydrogen atom. Emphasis is placed on the power and limits of each model in explaining molecular vibrations, rotations and electronic motions. Approximation methods are discussed to extend the models to a larger number of physical systems. Prerequisite: MATH 152, PHYS 130 and CHEM 260. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 364. Topics in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry | 1/2 course, class only | |
| Selected topics in theoretical and computational chemistry are offered. May be repeated for credit (with a different topic). Prerequisite: varies with topic. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 395. Independent Study | 1/4-1/2-1 course, laboratory only | |
| Directed independent study. Participation by arrangement with a faculty member. An oral presentation and written report are required. May be repeated; however, only one-half course total from CHEM 395 and 405 may be counted toward the chemistry or biochemistry major. Consult with research supervisor to determine credit. Permission of instructor required. | ||
| CHEM 400. Teaching of Chemistry | 1/2 course | |
| For students preparing to teach in secondary schools. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Not applicable toward the major. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 405. Thesis | 1/4 course, includes laboratory | |
| Completion of a research project and the preparation of a written thesis and oral presentation. Participation by arrangement with a faculty member. For students finishing a research project and writing a thesis. May not be repeated. Course grade will be assigned by the joint chemistry faculty. Only one-half course total of CHEM 395 and 405 may be counted toward the chemistry or biochemistry major. Prerequisite: Four credits in chemistry and permission of instructor. | ||
| CHEM 440. Biophysical Chemistry | 1 course | |
| This course will examine the physical and chemical behavior of biomolecules from a quantitative perspective emphasizing applications and problem solving. Approximately half the course will focus on understanding biochemical reactions, structures and reactivity from a thermodynamic and kinetic perspective. The other half of the course will consider selected topics from biochemical applications of spectroscopy, crystallography and separations science. Prerequisites: CHEM 130, 240, 260; MATH 151; PHYS 120. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 450. Method Development | 1/2 course, 1 hour class and lab | |
| Three laboratory hours and one hour recitation. A project-based laboratory course focusing on the development of analytical methods. Prerequisite: CHEM 351, CHEM 352 or CHEM 353. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
| CHEM 460. Theory and Experiment | 1/2 course, 1 hour class and lab | |
| Three laboratory hours and one hour recitation. This project based laboratory will develop skills in asking fundamental questions about chemical behavior, deciding which theories can be used to explain that behavior, and then designing and implementing experiments to answer these questions. Prerequisite: CHEM 361 or CHEM 362 or CHEM 363. May not be taken pass/fail. | ||
