DEPARTMENT OF
CHEMISTRY
Chair and Coordinator:
Dr. Fred R. Clayton Jr.
Faculty: Clabo, Clayton,
Hankinson, Kelley, L. Peterson, Varazo, Williams
MISSION
STATEMENT
The Department of
Chemistry offers lower-level courses appropriate for general education and
upper-level courses for major and minor programs in chemistry. These courses
also serve as foundation courses for majors in other areas such as biology,
mathematics, and pre-professional programs. Topics and concepts on the fundamental
laws of nature that govern the physical universe and on the methods of
scientific inquiry used to investigate and develop those laws are the
foundations of course content. A basic understanding of the fundamental laws of
nature and a basic understanding of the process of scientific inquiry are
essential parts of a liberal arts education.
The chemistry program
seeks to offer courses in chemistry that are taught by full-time faculty
members with appropriate advanced degrees dedicated to science education at the
university level. The courses offered in the department range in level from
introductory courses that expose non-science majors to scientific thought to
advanced courses that cover current and complex topics in modern chemistry. The
laboratory experience is required in appropriate courses to illustrate the
importance of experimentation to the scientific endeavor. For the majors in
chemistry, the opportunity to undertake undergraduate research is offered.
Since part of research is the interpretation and communication of results,
majors graduating from those programs in the department are expected to be
proficient in oral and written communication, to be familiar with the
scientific literature, and to be aware of the importance and usage of computers
in science.
Those students
completing either of the two major tracks offered by the Department of
Chemistry are prepared to enter into any number of career choices. These
include science education at the secondary level; work in local, regional, and
national industries and with governmental agencies; and entrance into graduate
or professional schools.
The current chemistry
curriculum consists of two tracks. The first is the track leading to the basic
or minimal chemistry major. The second track is the curriculum leading to the
American Chemical Society (ACS) certified degree. The ACS-certified degree
requires additional advanced course work in chemistry, physics, and
mathematics.
Back to Table of Contents
BASIC MAJOR
A basic major in
chemistry includes the following:
1. Chemistry course
requirements
a) eight hours of
introductory courses: CHEM 101, 102
b) a minimum of 28 hours
beyond the 100 level, including CHEM 201-202, 203, 301-302, 303, 402, and 499
2. Minor/collateral
requirements (two options)
a) two 12-hour collaterals
approved by the faculty adviser (physics, computer science, or mathematics
should be considered; pre-medical or pre-dental students should also consider
biology)
b) an 18-hour minor
approved by the faculty adviser preferably from either: i. physics, recommended
for students who plan to attend graduate school
ii. biology, recommended
for pre-medical or predental students
iii. mathematics or
computer science
3. Other requirements
for a basic major in chemistry include Mathematics 201, 202, and 203 and
Physics 200, 201, and 202.
4. General Education
courses for all B.S. degrees.
Back to Table of Contents
ACS-CERTIFIED MAJOR
An ACS-certified major
in chemistry includes the following:
1. Chemistry course
requirements
a) Thirty-eight hours of
core courses: CHEM 101-102 201-202, 203, 301-302, 303, 402, and 404
b) a minimum of 10 hours
of advance courses: CHEM 405, 408, 497, and 499
2. Minor/collateral
requirements (two options)
a) two 12-hour
collaterals approved by the faculty adviser (physics, computer science, or
mathematics should be considered; pre-medical or pre-dental students should
also consider biology)
b) an 18-hour minor
approved by the faculty adviser preferably from either:
i. physics, recommended
for students who plan to attend graduate school
ii. biology, recommended
for pre-medical or predental students
iii. mathematics or
computer science
3. Other requirements
for an ACS-certified major in chemistry include Mathematics 201, 202, 203, 301,
and 306; Physics 200, 201, and 202; and English 318.
4. General Education
courses required for all B.S. degrees.
Students majoring in
chemistry and planning to enter graduate school should take French or German.
Students planning such advanced studies should consider completing the American
Chemical Society approved major in chemistry.
The minimum number of
semester hours required in major courses for a basic major in chemistry is 36;
for an ACS-certified major in chemistry, the minimum is 48. The minimum number of
semester hours in all courses (major and nonmajor) required for the basic major
in chemistry is 120; for the ACS-certified major in chemistry, the minimum is
132.
Back to Table of Contents
MINOR
A minor in chemistry
requires a minimum of 19 semester hours including Chemistry 101, 102. Remaining
hours may be taken in Chemistry 201-202, 203, 301-302, 303, and 404. Permission
of department chairperson is required before Chemistry 301-302, 402, 405, and
407 may be taken without appropriate prerequisites.
Back to Table of Contents
COLLATERAL
A collateral in chemistry
requires 12 semester hours, including Chemistry 101, 102, and 201 or 203.
Back to Table of Contents
OTHER INFORMATION
Credit toward graduation
may not be earned in both Physical Science 101-102 and any chemistry course.
To advance to the next
chemistry course, a grade of C or higher must be earned in each prerequisite
chemistry course.
Back to Table of Contents
THE ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCE OPTION IN CHEMISTRY
The Environmental
Science Option in Chemistry offers students the choice of specialization in
environmental science at the undergraduate level.
The Environmental
Science Option will require the completion of recommended General Education
courses, a required core curriculum of science and mathematics courses, and
requirements for the student’s major. One hundred and twenty four to 126
semester hours of credit will be required for graduation.
The curriculum for the
E
nvironmental Science Option is summarized in the following:
|
General Education Requirements
|
51 hours
|
|
Communications
|
12 hours
|
|
ENG 112
|
3
|
|
ENG 200
|
3
|
|
SPCO 101
|
3
|
|
Computer Science
|
3
|
|
Social Sciences
|
9 hours
|
|
POL 101 or 103
|
3
|
|
ECON 203, 340
|
6
|
|
Humanities
|
12 hours
|
|
HIST 200 level
|
3
|
|
ENG 203 (recommended)
|
3
|
|
Appreciation (Art, Music, or Theatre)
|
3
|
|
PRS 400 or HIST 335
|
3
|
|
Mathematics
|
6 hours
|
|
MATH 201
|
3
|
|
MATH 202
|
3
|
|
Natural Sciences
|
12 hours
|
|
BIOL 105-106
|
8
|
|
CHEM 101
|
4
|
|
Core Courses for Environmental Science Program
|
39 or 40 hours
|
|
ENVS 201
|
4
|
|
PSY 302 or MATH 312
|
3
|
|
GEOG 105
|
3
|
|
BIOL 308 or 402 or 408
|
4
|
|
CHEM 102, 201, and 202 or 203
|
12
|
|
PHYS 200, 201, 202
|
11
|
|
CS 190 or 212 or 226
|
3 or 4
|
|
Chemistry Major/Environmental Science Emphasis
|
38 or 39 hours
|
|
MATH 203
|
3
|
|
CHEM 202 or 203, 301, 302, 303, 313, 497, 499
|
22
|
|
Science Electives (Select two courses) BIOL 308, 402, 408 PHYS
316, 318, 406
|
7-8
|
|
Free Electives (any courses) Speech Communication and Technical
Writing Recommended
|
6
|
|
Total Hours Required for Graduation
|
125-127 hours
|
Back to Table of Contents
CHEMISTRY COURSES
(CHEM)
101 General Chemistry
I: General
Concepts in Chemistry (4:3-3) (Prerequisite: Completion of Mathematics 105 or eligibility
to take Mathematics 111) F, SU. The states of matter, including the gas laws;
stoichiometry; electronic structure and bonding; periodicity; solutions.
102 General Chemistry
II: Introduction
to Inorganic Chemistry (4:3- 3) (Prerequisite: 101) S, SU. Oxidation-reduction,
equilibria, electrochemistry, thermodynamics, acids and bases, kinetics,
chemistry of the representative elements, coordination compounds of the
transition elements, nuclear chemistry.
150 Chemistry for
Everyday Life (4:3-3) (Prerequisite/eligibility to take Math 111 or Math 121) F,
S, SU. The focus of this course is on the common chemical language used in
general society today.
Special emphasis will be
placed on the basic chemistry of currently “hot topics” such as the depletion of
the ozone layer and alternative energy sources. Topics such as food chemistry,
agricultural chemistry, and the chemistry of household products will be also
addressed. Chemical concepts including stoichiometry, atomic structure,
acidbase chemistry and basic organic chemistry will be integrated throughout
the course. Academic credit may not be received for Chemistry 150 and Chemistry
101.
201-202 Organic
Chemistry I and II (4:3-3) (4:3-3) (Prerequisite: 102) 201 F, SU; 202 S, SU. The
structure, properties, and important reactions of organic compounds. Major
topics are hydrocarbons, aromatics, halides, alcohols, acids, esters, aldehydes
and ketones, amines, stereochemistry, carbohydrates, proteins, IR and NMR
spectroscopy, and chemical literature.
203 Analytical
Chemistry I: Quantitative Analysis (4:3-4) (Prerequisite: 102) F. Solution
equilibria; evaluation of analytical data; precipitation theory and precipitate
formation; volumetric and gravimetric principles; acids, bases, and
neutralization; oxidation-reduction; electroanalysis; photometry; complexation
analysis; methods of separation.
301-302 Physical
Chemistry I and II (4:3-3) (4:3-3) (Prerequisite: 202, Physics 202, and Mathematics
202 or permission of department; Corequisite: 203 and Mathematics 203) F, S.
The states of matter, thermodynamics, equilibria, solutions and colligative
properties, phase rule, conductance and electrochemistry, kinetics, quantum
chemistry, atomic and molecular structure and chemical bonding, photochemistry.
[Before enrolling in Chemistry 301, a student must have a 2.0 cumulative
average in all courses prerequisite to Chemistry 301. (For information, courses
prerequisite to Chemistry 301 are Chemistry 101-102, 201-202, Mathematics 201,
202 and Physics 201- 202.)
303 Analytical Chemistry
II: Instrumental Analysis (4:3-4) (Prerequisite: 203, 301) S. Electroanalytical and
electrogravimetric methods; potentiometric and coulometric methods;
conductometric titrations; polarography and amperometric titrations; methods
based on infrared, ultraviolet, and visible spectroscopy; flame photometry;
atomic absorption spectrometry; gas chromatographic methods; methods based on
nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; fluorescence analysis; mass
spectrometry.
313 Environmental
Chemistry (4:3-3)
(Prerequisite: 203) AS. Introduction to the chemistry of natural systems with
an emphasis on atmospheric and aquatic chemistry. Sampling and measurement
techniques used to characterize the environment, particularly using
electrochemical, spectroscopic, and chromatographic methods.
402 Inorganic
Chemistry (3)
(Prerequisite: 301 or permission of department) S. Structure of the atom, ionic
and covalent bonding models; group theory; the solid state; advanced acid-base
concepts; chemistry in nonaqueous solvents; structure and reactivity of
coordination compounds; organometallic chemistry; bioinorganic chemistry.
404 Biochemistry (3) (Prerequisite: 202
and one semester of biology or permission of department) F. Chemistry of
biologically important processes at the molecular level: the chemistry and
metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids and the action of vitamins,
hormones, and enzymes.
405 Advanced Methods
of Organic Synthesis and Characterization (4:2-6) (Prerequisite: 202 or permission
of department) AF. Content to be divided between three areas: synthetic organic
methods stressing library and laboratory work in preparative chemistry;
physical methods of characterization including systematic identification of
organic compounds by interpretive spectroscopy; structure and reaction dynamics
including structure and reactivity relationships, molecular rearrangements, and
kinetic techniques to solve problems in reaction mechanisms.
407 Introduction to
Polymer Science (3) (Prerequisite: 202 or permission of department) AF. Emphasis
on polymer synthesis, characterization and structure/property relationships;
addition and stepgrowth polymerizations; glass transition temperature;
copolymers; the amorphous and crystalline states; mechanical properties.
408 Biochemistry II (3) (Prerequisite: 301
and 404 or permission of department; Corequisite: 302) AS. Advanced principles
of the structure, function, and analysis of biological molecules; chemical
reactions of biomolecules including kinetics, mechanisms, and thermodynamics;
regulation of chemical reactions and response to external signals by cells.
Also includes advanced studies of select topics in biochemistry including
bioinorganic chemistry, photochemistry, and molecular virology.
497 Special Studies (3), (2), or (1)
(Prerequisite: Permission of department) F, S. Open only to juniors or seniors
with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in their major courses. A maximum of 3 semester
hours may be earned. Academic Committee approval required for each seminar and
practicum. All individual research projects are reviewed by three faculty
members from two different disciplines. May be taken for credit (3 hours)
towards the Honors degree by special arrangement.
499 Chemistry Senior
Capstone (1)
(Prerequisite: at least 24 hours in chemistry) S. A required course for all
senior chemistry majors as part of the assessment of the chemistry program.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
COURSE (ENVS)
201 Environmental
Science (4:3-3)
(Prerequisite: Biology 105, 106; Chemistry 101, 102). Broad introduction to
environmental issues and problems, and their technical solutions through
environmental science applications. Includes discussions of political, economic
and ethical issues.
Back to Table of Contents
PRE-PHARMACY CURRICULA
Coordinator: Dr. Fred R.
Clayton Jr.
The University offers
two pre-pharmacy curricula, which will prepare a student for transfer to a
college of pharmacy at either the Medical University of South Carolina or the University
of South Carolina. The adviser for
pre-pharmacy is assigned from the Department of Chemistry. Both programs lead
to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree, now requiring four years of study at each
school.
Required courses for the
Medical University of South Carolina are the following:
|
Biology 105, 106, 311
|
12 hours
|
|
Chemistry 101-102
|
8 hours
|
|
Chemistry 201-202
|
8 hours
|
|
Economics 204
|
3 hours
|
|
English 112, 200
|
6 hours
|
|
Mathematics 112, 114, and 201
|
9 hours
|
|
Physics 215-216
|
8 hours
|
|
Psychology 206
|
3 hours
|
|
SPCO 101
|
3 hours
|
|
Electives: Social sciences
|
9 hours
|
|
|
69 semester hours
|
Required courses for the
University of South
Carolina are the following:
|
Biology 105, 106
|
8 hours
|
|
Biology 205, 406
|
8 hours
|
|
Chemistry 101-102
|
8 hours
|
|
Chemistry 201-202
|
8 hours
|
|
Economics 204
|
3 hours
|
|
English 112, 200
|
6 hours
|
|
Mathematics 112, 114, and 201
|
9 hours
|
|
Physics 215-216
|
8 hours
|
|
Psychology 206
|
3 hours
|
|
History elective
|
3 hours
|
|
Fine arts elective
|
3 hours
|
|
Electives: humanities and social science
|
3 hours
|
|
|
70 semester hours
|
Back to Table of Contents
