Chemistry Major/Minor Requirements

Chemists, biochemists, and chemical engineers contribute to the development and utilization of the materials, medicines, foods, and fuels that are the hallmarks of modern life. They also contribute to the understanding and protection of the natural environment. Working in concert with biologists, geologists, physicists, psychologists, and others, chemists work toward the solution of many of society’s most pressing problems—challenges to physical and mental health, pollution and its effects, resource recovery, and energy production and conservation among them.

The American Chemical Society certified chemistry major at Lawrence prepares students for a broad range of opportunities and careers, including academic or industrial research, engineering, secondary or college teaching, medical or veterinary practice, law, business, or public service.

The Lawrence chemistry department is large enough to ensure that all the major areas of chemistry are well represented, yet small enough that students can build close working relationships with all the faculty members. Our faculty are all actively engaged in their own research programs, primarily using Lawrence’s own wide array of instrumentation; these programs create ample independent research opportunities for students, either during the school year or the summer months. We see these research experiences as a critical part of our curriculum, as they provide students with the analytical techniques, problem-solving strategies, and critical thinking skills necessary for success in the physical, medical or life sciences. Our goals are to engage students from diverse backgrounds with the excitement of chemistry; foster in them the habit of informed and critical thinking; involve them in independent learning and research; and prepare them for the successful pursuit of a wide variety of post-baccalaureate and professional opportunities.

Advanced Placement

Students who have had the equivalent of a college general chemistry course are encouraged to take the Advanced Placement (AP) Examination in Chemistry administered by the Educational Testing Service. Students with sufficiently high AP exam scores will receive six units of college credit for CHEM 115, and will typically be advised to enroll in CHEM 116.

Students that have not taken or passed the AP Chemistry exam may also be placed in CHEM 116, depending on their score on our online placement test; in this case, no course credit for CHEM 115 would be awarded. In any case, instructor approval is required for our general chemistry courses, and students are encouraged to reach out to a chemistry faculty member with any questions about the courses. For more information about placement in our introductory chemistry courses, please visit the Introductory Chemistry and Advanced Placement page at our departmental website: http://go.lawrence.edu/4420.

Students who major in chemistry will explain and practice theories, concepts, and models from each of the disciplines within chemistry, and they will demonstrate depth of expertise in a particular chemical discipline or topic. They will also demonstrate safe and effective laboratory techniques and conduct experiments using both classical and instrumental analysis methods, and they will analyze and interpret chemical data and draw sound conclusions. And by implementing the scientific method, they will apply foundational and advanced chemical concepts in new areas of inquiry. As they develop their knowledge and skills, students will search, comprehend, summarize, discuss, and critically analyze the primary literature, and they will clearly communicate scientific concepts and reasoning in both written and oral forms to multiple audiences. They will also work effectively and inclusively as part of a group to complete a scientific task or project through project management, cooperative action, and positive interpersonal interactions, and they will explain and adhere to the relevant professional standards (ACS, NIH, OSHA, etc.) of safety, honesty, and integrity in scientific work.

The major in chemistry requires the following:

1. Introductory principles
   1. CHEM 115: Principles of Chemistry: Structure and Reactivity and CHEM 116: Principles of Chemistry: Energetics and Dynamics, or the equivalent
   2. MATH 140: Calculus 1 and MATH 155: Multivariable Calculus, or the equivalent
   3. PHYS 141: Principles of Classical, Relativistic, and Quantum Mechanics and PHYS 151: Principles of Classical Physics
2. Core competencies
   1. CHEM 210: Analytical Chemistry and CHEM 211: Statistics in Analytical Chemistry (3 units)
   2. CHEM 250: Organic Chemistry I
   3. CHEM 252: Organic Chemistry II
   4. CHEM 320: Inorganic Chemistry
   5. CHEM 340: Biochemistry
   6. CHEM 370: Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics and Reaction Kinetics
   7. CHEM 470: Physical Chemistry: Quantum Chemistry and Spectroscopy
   8. Two additional chemistry classes at or above the 400 level. At least one of these classes must be a lab class.
3. Seven units of credit earned in the following chemistry Senior Experience courses:
   1. CHEM 380: Seminar: Perspectives on Chemistry (1 unit)
   2. CHEM 480: Seminar: Chemical Literature (3 units)
   3. CHEM 680: Senior Seminar (3 units)

Chemistry students who have strong secondary interests in physics or geology may construct a major involving chemistry and geology or physics using the interdisciplinary major in the natural sciences. Previous interdisciplinary combinations of biology and chemistry have been replaced by the biochemistry major.

The requirements for the interdisciplinary major with chemistry as the primary discipline are:

1. Introductory course sequences in chemistry, physics, and geology, chosen to include the discipline of secondary interest. The introductory sequences are:
   1. CHEM 115: Principles of Chemistry: Structure and Reactivity and CHEM 116: Principles of Chemistry: Energetics and Dynamics, or the equivalent
   2. GEOS 110: Introduction to the Geosciences and GEOS 210: History of the Earth and Life
   3. PHYS 141: Principles of Classical, Relativistic, and Quantum Mechanics and PHYS 151: Principles of Classical Physics
2. Intermediate/advanced requirement: At least 10 six-unit courses in the sciences (biology, chemistry, geology, physics) numbered 200 or above, with at least five in chemistry and at least three in the secondary discipline.
3. Seven units of credit earned in the following chemistry Senior Experience courses:
   1. CHEM 380: Seminar: Perspectives on Chemistry (1 unit)
   2. CHEM 480: Seminar: Chemical Literature (3 units)
   3. CHEM 680: Senior Seminar (3 units)

The chemistry department's capstone sequence consists of a series of three seminars:

1. CHEM 380: Seminar: Perspectives on Chemistry (Fall Term, 1 unit): Taken optimally by sophomores or juniors, this is a series of presentations by visiting chemists and Lawrence students, faculty, and staff, featuring current issues in chemistry, important applications of chemistry, and professional development topics appropriate to chemistry majors or minors.
2. CHEM 480: Seminar: Chemical Literature (Winter Term, 3 units): A seminar course for chemistry majors and minors, taken optimally during the junior year, in which students learn how to educate themselves about the chemical literature in fields of interest to them. In this seminar, they learn the character and organization of the chemical literature and become familiar with search strategies. Students select topics and, guided by the instructor, conduct a literature search for key papers, construct a bibliography, and prepare presentations highlighting key research findings. Students are encouraged to correlate their activities in this seminar with research projects that they undertake at Lawrence or elsewhere, which form the basis of the senior seminar.
3. CHEM 680: Senior Seminar (Spring Term, 3 units): The culminating course in our capstone sequence asks each major to present an individual seminar presentation based on research they have done at Lawrence or elsewhere. 3 units.

Students are strongly encouraged to consult with their advisors and relevant department chairs to plan and negotiate their overall capstone experience as early as possible.

1. Introductory principles
   1. CHEM 115: Principles of Chemistry: Structure and Reactivity and CHEM 116: Principles of Chemistry: Energetics and Dynamics, or the equivalent
2. Core competencies
   1. CHEM 210: Analytical Chemistry and CHEM 211: Statistical Methods in Analytical Chemistry (3 units)
   2. CHEM 250: Organic Chemistry I
   3. CHEM 320: Inorganic Chemistry
   4. CHEM 370: Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics and Reaction Kinetics or CHEM 470: Physical Chemistry: Quantum Chemistry and Spectroscopy
   5. Two additional chemistry classes, one of which must be at or above the 400 level.
3. At least three units of credit earned in the following chemistry seminar courses:
   1. CHEM 380: Seminar: Perspectives on Chemistry (1 unit)
   2. CHEM 480: Seminar: Chemical Literature (3 units)
   3. CHEM 680: Senior Seminar (3 units)

Chemistry majors can seek certification to teach science at the secondary level. To receive a science license, a student must complete a major in one of the sciences (biology, chemistry, environmental science, geosciences, or physics) and at least one course in each of the other sciences. Students who plan to seek teacher certification should review the requirements in the Education section of the catalog and meet with the director of teacher education, preferably before the end of the sophomore year.