Chemistry and Chemistry-Biochemistry

Program Objectives

The chemistry-biochemistry degree offered by the Department of Chemistry-Biochemistry prepares chemistry majors for graduate work in pure and applied chemistry, health science and environmental fields, for employment as research chemists and chemical technicians and for governmental civil service and teaching positions.

Learning Outcomes

Content Knowledge: Students will apply basic chemical/ biochemical principles and content in the major specialty areas, including inorganic, organic, physical, analytical, and biochemistry.
Applied Learning Skills: Students will demonstrate safe chemical/ biochemical laboratory practices and techniques including the use of instrumentation and computers.
Inquiry and Integrated Learning: Students will design experiments and analyze experimental data with appropriate documentation including assembling relevant scientific literature.
Communication and Critical Thinking: Students will demonstrate ability to discuss chemical/biochemical information both orally and in writing to their peers and to communicate the importance of chemistry to modern society.

Means of Assessment

To assess student learning, the faculty will employ traditional evaluation techniques such as homework assignments, quizzes, examinations, and evaluation of laboratory experiments. Standardized exams created by the American Chemical Society (ACS) are administered to our students upon completion of their coursework for program level comparison to national averages. Service learning components are be incorporated in selected courses. Students are required to complete an independent undergraduate research project under the supervision of a chemistry faculty member , and a fourth-year seminar which includes an independent literature review presentation and oral exam with the faculty. Students are highly encouraged to present their research at national meetings of scientific societies, such as the ACS.

Programs

Major(s)

Chemistry-Biochemistry Major

Minor(s)

Four Year Plan(s)

Courses

Chemistry