Course Descriptions
CHEM 101 Introductory College Chemistry (4; F/S)
Six hours integrated lecture/laboratory per week. This course cannot be used as a prerequisite for any other chemistry course. This course is an introduction to the study of chemistry and chemical principles with emphasis on the applications of chemistry to everyday life. Topics covered include atomic and molecular structure, chemical bonding, stoichiometry, gases, solutions, equilibria, kinetics, and nuclear chemistry.
CHEM 120 Urban Environmental Issues (3)
Three hours per week. A non-mathematical approach to environmental issues with emphasis on air quality, water pollution and solid waste disposal in the context of an urban environment.
The seminar is an intensive study of a topic from the perspective of a particular discipline. The course introduces students to basic research principles and methods appropriate to the discipline. All seminar courses include research assignments appropriate to the 100 level. Seminars also emphasize discipline- appropriate communication skills, including writing, oral presentation, and/or artistic expression.
Seminars may be cross-listed to promote inter-disciplinary studies. May be repeated for credit when topic is different.
CHEM 204 General Chemistry I (3; F)
Three hours of lecture per week. Pre-requisite: A “C” or better in MATH 104 or placement in a core mathematics course. Pre-requisite or Co-requisite: CHEM 204L. This course is geared towards science majors, and is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of the principles associated with atomic and molecular structure, chemical bonding, energy of reaction, stoichiometry, and nuclear chemistry.
CHEM 204L General Chemistry I Laboratory (1; F)
Three hours of laboratory per week. Pre-requisite: A “C” or better in MATH 104 or placement in a core mathematics course. Pre-requisite or Co-requisite: CHEM 204. This course is geared towards science majors, and gives hands on laboratory experiences related to the material covered in CHEM 204 including: atomic and molecular structure, chemical bonding, energy of reaction, and stoichiometry.
CHEM 205 General Chemistry II (3; S)
Three hours of lecture per week. Pre-requisite: A “C” or better in both CHEM 204 and CHEM 204L. Pre-requisite or Co-requisite: CHEM 205L. This course is geared towards science majors, and is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of the principles associated with the states of matter, chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, spontaneity of chemical reactions, oxidation-reduction reactions, and electrochemistry.
CHEM 205L General Chemistry II (1; S)
Three hours of laboratory per week. A “C” or better in both CHEM 204 and CHEM 204L. Pre-requisite or Co-requisite: CHEM 205. This course is geared towards science majors, and gives hands on laboratory experiences related to the material covered in CHEM 205 including: states of matter, chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, spontaneity of chemical reactions, oxidation-reduction reactions, and electrochemistry.
CHEM 211SI Oral Presentation in Chemical Science (3)
Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: A "C" or better in CHEM 104 or CHEM 205&205L. This course is designed to enable students to speak effectively in various professional speaking situations. These include: interviews, professional introductions, and formal research presentations. Students will be required to make presentations in differing relevant formats and styles.
CHEM 304 Environmental Chemistry (4)
Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory per week. Prerequisites: A "C" or better in CHEM 205&205L. The objective of this course is to provide an overview of (1) important chemical parameters relating to the environment and (2) important processes that affect the fates and effects of various pollutants. Basic principles of chemical behavior and assessment will be learned by application to the following topics: principles of environmental sampling and analysis, oxygen demand, nutrient enrichment, acidity and alkalinity, complexation, toxicology, partitioning behavior, and atmospheric oxidants. Major classes of contaminants will be addressed, with emphasis on aquatic pollutants. Students will gain elementary problem-solving skills and spreadsheet abilities. The course will consist of classroom lectures, field trips, group activities, and labs. It is geared toward students with a general chemistry background who are interested in chemical aspects of environmental issues.
CHEM 306 Solving Problems in Organic Chemistry (1)
One hour of lecture session per week. Pass/Fail only. Co-requisite: CHEM 310 or CHEM 311. Problem solving sessions are designed to provide guidance for students in solving organic chemistry problems. Problems are derived from the textbook, worksheets, and journals. This course may be taken more than once for a maximum of two credit hours.
CHEM 310 Organic Chemistry I (3; F)
Three hours lecture per week. Prerequisite: A “C” or better in both CHEM 103 or CHEM 204 & 204L and CHEM 104 or CHEM 205 & 205L. Prerequisite or corequisite: CHEM 310L. This is the first of a two-semester sequence covering the chemistry of carbon-containing compounds. The course is geared toward science majors wishing to pursue graduate or professional studies. Topics to be covered include synthesis and reactivity of: alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and alcohols. Particular emphasis is placed on stereochemistry, mechanisms, and structure/reactivity effects.
CHEM 310L Organic Chemistry I Laboratory (1; F)
Three-hour laboratory per week. Prerequisite or corequisite: CHEM 310. This laboratory accompanies CHEM 310, and exposes students to the methods and techniques necessary to perform organic chemical reactions. Particular emphasis is placed on melting/boiling point determinations, extractions, distillations, recrystallizations, qualitative analysis via infrared spectroscopy, and one step organic reactions.
CHEM 311 Organic Chemistry II (3; S)
Three hours lecture per week. Prerequisite: A “C” or better in both CHEM 310 and CHEM 310L. Prerequisite or corequisite: CHEM 311L. This is the second of a two-semester sequence covering the chemistry of carbon-containing compounds. The course is geared toward science majors wishing to pursue graduate or professional studies. Topics to be covered include synthesis and reactivity of: aromatics, ethers, epoxides, aldehydes, ketones, amines, carboxylic acids, esters, acid chlorides, anhydrides, amides, and nitriles. Particular emphasis is placed on stereochemistry, mechanisms, and synthesis.
CHEM 311L Organic Chemistry II Laboratory (1; S)
Three-hour laboratory per week. Prerequisite or corequisite: CHEM 311. This laboratory accompanies CHEM 311, and exposes students to historically important organic reactions necessary to perform multi-step organic synthesis. Particular emphasis is placed on the isolation of organic compounds, organic reactions, multistep synthesis, and qualitative analysis via nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
CHEM 321WI Inorganic Chemistry (4; S Even)
Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory per week. Prerequisite: A “C” or better in both CHEM 310 and CHEM 310L. An advanced course that focuses on important topics from inorganic chemistry. Topics include: coordination chemistry, bonding models, application of spectroscopy, and other topics of current interest. Laboratory includes experiments that are designed to illustrate the lecture material.
Formal scientific papers of research and/or laboratory results will be required.
CHEM 322 Analytical Chemistry (4; S)
Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory per week. Prerequisite: A "C" or better in CHEM 205&205L, CHEM 310 and CHEM 310L. A study of the fundamental principles and techniques associated with classical wet methods of chemical analysis. Additional topics to be examined are sampling techniques, sample preparation, experiment design and electrochemical methods of analysis.
CHEM 323 Instrumental Analysis (4; F Odd)
Three hours lecture and four hours laboratory per week. Prerequisite: A "C" or better in both CHEM 205&205L; and CHEM 322. A study of the theory and application of modern instrumentation methods of analysis. Emphasis will be placed on ultraviolet-visible, atomic absorption, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, mass spectroscopy, gas and liquid chromatography, and solvent extraction.
CHEM 351 Advanced Experimental Chemistry (1 each; 4 max.)
Three hours laboratory per week. Prerequisites: A “C” or better in CHEM 205&205L and consent of instructor. A course designed for students wishing to develop advanced laboratory techniques usually not encountered in other courses.
CHEM 401 Physical Chemistry I (4; F Even)
Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory per week. Prerequisite: A “C” or better in CHEM 205&205L, MATH 300, and PHYS 152. This course is the first part of a two-semester physical chemistry sequence. This course covers thermodynamics and kinetics. Thermodynamics focuses on the gas laws, first law, second law, and third law of thermodynamics, internal energy, enthalpy, entropy, Gibb’s energy, chemical potential, and how to use these thermodynamic quantities to predict the feasibly of a chemical reaction under certain conditions. Kinetics focuses on the rate laws and reaction mechanisms.
CHEM 402 Physical Chemistry II (4; S Odd)
Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory per week. Prerequisite: A “C” or better in CHEM 205&205L, MATH 300, and PHYS 152. This course is the second part of a two-semester physical chemistry sequence. This course covers quantum mechanics, atomic, molecular, and nuclear spectroscopic techniques. This course utilizes calculus based mathematical methods to characterize the quantum mechanical nature of atoms and molecules. A theoretical basis for atomic spectroscopy and a variety of molecular spectroscopy are developed by using quantum mechanical methods. The students are expected to gain a deep understanding of the atomic and various molecular spectroscopic methods and be able to choose the appropriate method to solve specific problems.
CHEM 404 Physical Chemistry of Biological Systems (3; S Even)
Three hours lecture per week. Prerequisite: A “C” or better in CHEM 310, CHEM 310L, and MATH 140. This course is designed to expose biochemistry students to physical chemistry. This course covers thermodynamics, kinetics and various spectroscopic methods. The emphasis is focused on how to apply principles to solve physical chemistry problems in biochemical science.
CHEM 405 Special Topics in Chemistry (3)
Three hours per week. Advanced topics in chemistry not covered in other courses.
CHEM 409WI/BIOL 409WI. Pharmacology and Toxicology (3)
Cross-listed with BIOL 409WI. Three hours lecture per week. Prerequisites: A “C” or better in CHEM 310; and BIOL 290. An introduction to the principles underlying pharmacology and toxicology, including the nature of drug targets, their interaction and response (pharmacodynamics), the fate of drugs within the body (pharmacokinetics), chemotherapy, toxicity classification, poisons and antidotes, adverse drug reactions, selective toxicity, drug discovery and development and clinical molecular therapeutic techniques. Selected examples will be studied to illustrate key principles of clinical pharmacology. Credit cannot be awarded for both CHEM 409WI and BIOL 409WI.
CHEM 410 Science Seminar (1 each; 2 max.)
One hour seminar per week. Prerequisite: A “C” or better in CHEM 205&205L and consent of instructor. An interdisciplinary science seminar.
Aquatic Toxicology (3) Three hours lecture per week. Pre-requisite: A “C” or better in CHEM 205&205L or permission of the instructor. This course is an introduction to the major classes of contaminants in aquatic environments and their interactions with aquatic organisms. Methods of toxicity testing, chemical fate and interactions in aquatic systems, contaminant effects at different levels of biological organization, and environmental regulations will be discussed. This course will give students an opportunity to integrate and apply their knowledge from multiple disciplines.
CHEM 435WI/BIOL 435WI. Biochemistry I (4; F)
Cross-listed with BIOL 435WI. Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory per week. Prerequisites: A “C” or better in CHEM 311; BIOL 190, and either BIOL 290 or CHEM 322 (BIOL 290 strongly recommended). An examination of the structures and functions of amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. Enzyme kinetics and regulation will be discussed. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic DNA replication with emphasis of the processes that make modern recombinant DNA techniques possible will be studied. Formal scientific papers of research and/or laboratory results will be required with a minimum of 6,000 words. Credit cannot be awarded for both CHEM 435WI and BIOL 435WI.
CHEM 436/BIOL 436. Biochemistry II (4; S)
Cross-listed with BIOL 436. Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory per week. Prerequisites: A “C” or better in BIOL 435WI or CHEM 435WI. A continuation of modern recombinant DNA techniques, with emphasis on prokaryotic and eukaryotic gene expression and regulation. The background from these studies and the prerequisite course will then be used to examine the mechanisms and control of cellular energy metabolism. Credit cannot be awarded for both CHEM 436 and BIOL 436.
CHEM 450RI Senior Project (3; S)
One hour lecture and eight hours laboratory per week. Prerequisite: a minimum of 20 semester hours completed in chemistry, senior status, or consent of the instructor. Course content will include reviews of subject material by chemistry faculty, departmental assessment examinations, and an investigatory research project under the direction of a member of the faculty. An internship for which the student has not previously received course credit may be substituted for the research portion of CHEM 450RI if approved by the instructor. Each student is required to prepare a written report and an oral presentation on the research project. This course is research intensive and satisfies the experiential learning requirement.
CHEM 495 Research Participation (var. 1-4; max. 4; F/S)
This course may be taken more than once for a maximum of four credit hours. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Students will participate in research directed by a member of the faculty.
Four hours per week. Prerequisite: A "C" or better in MATH 110. Rates of change, polynomial and exponential functions, models of growth. Differential calculus and its applications. Simple differential equations and initial value problems. A graphing calculator is required.
MATH 141 Calculus II (4; F/S)
Four hours per week. Prerequisite: A "C" or better in MATH 140. The definite integral,
the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, integral calculus and its applications. An introduction
to series including Taylor series and its convergence. A graphing calculator is required.
MATH 300 Calculus III (4; F/S)
Four hours per week. Prerequisite: A "C" or better in MATH 141. Functions of several
variables, vectors, partial derivatives, double and triple integrals, non-Cartesian
coordinate systems, vector fields and line integrals. A graphing calculator is required.
PHYS 151 General Physics: Mechanics (4; F/S)
Six hours of integrated lecture/laboratory per week. Prerequisite: MATH 140. A calculus-based
treatment of classical mechanics, including kinematics, dynamics of translational
and rotational motion, and simple harmonic motion.
PHYS 152 General Physics: Electricity & Magnetism (4; F/S)
Six hours of integrated lecture/laboratory per week. Prerequisites: PHYS 151 and
MATH 141. A calculus-based treatment of electricity and magnetism, including electrostatics,
magnetic fields, Maxwell’s equations, AC and DC circuits, magnetic properties of matter
and electromagnetic oscillations.
PHYS 111 Principles of Physics I (4; F)
Six hours of integrated lecture/laboratory per week. Co-requisite: MATH 110 or MATH 112. Measurement and error analysis. An algebra-based treatment of classical mechanics, including kinematics and dynamics of translational and rotational motion, oscillations, waves and fluids.
PHYS 112 Principles of Physics II (4; S)
Six hours of integrated lecture/laboratory per week. Prerequisite: PHYS 111. An algebra-based
treatment of electricity and magnetism, AC and DC circuits and geometrical optics.
For all BIOL courses, please see the current academic catalog for these course descriptions.