Academic Catalog and Handbooks

2024-2025 Edition

Chemistry

Department Chair: Alicia Peterson

Faculty: Elyse Boyle, Lisa Engstrom, Md Abul Fazal, Lisa Gentile, Edward McIntee, Justine Olson, Claire Otteson, Alicia Peterson, Annette Raigoza, Christen Strollo

A degree in chemistry, in addition to being an excellent preparation for industrial employment, graduate study or secondary teaching, also prepares students to apply for further study in the areas of medicine, forensics, environmental science, law, business administration, government service and agriculture science. To this end, the department offers a variety of introductory and advanced courses.

CHEM 125 Introduction to Chemical Structure and Properties is intended as an introductory chemistry course. It provides students with a comprehensive survey of chemical structure and ensuing chemical and physical properties that arise from structure.

CHEM 125 Introduction to Chemical Structure and Properties, together with the separate lab course, CHEM 201 Purification and Separation Lab I, fulfills the Common Curriculum Natural Science requirement and the Integrations Curriculum Natural World requirement. Courses at the 200-300 level are intended for the students seeking a major degree in chemistry or biochemistry, or a minor degree in chemistry; they also serve as supporting courses for students majoring in biology, or nutrition, and for pre-health profession students.

The Chemistry major consists of one introductory course (4 credits), four foundation courses (4 credits each), four separate lab courses (0-1 credits each), two in-depth advanced lab courses (1 credit each), and 12 credits of in-depth courses.

Assessment

Each year, the Chemistry Department assesses its overall program and its students in a number of ways. For example, several courses will periodically employ standardized final exams for which there are national norms. All chemistry majors are required to take a nationally-normed exam (CHEM XXX) in the spring of their senior year. In addition, senior majors are asked to complete an anonymous survey to probe the extent to which they believe the department meets its stated goals and objectives. Assessment data is critical for periodic re-accreditation by the American Chemical Society. All of this information is employed to improve our program and ensure that the educational opportunities we provide are the best possible.