Chemistry Department

Bachelor of Science -- Major in Chemistry

The BS chemistry major is designed to provide the necessary background in chemistry for employment in the chemical industry, for pre-professional education requiring chemistry (pre-med), for continued study at the graduate level, or for a combined career in chemistry and engineering.

Students desiring to complete the American Chemical Society (ACS) accredited program must take the required courses listed below plus: 1. CH 725 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry, 2. one course from among CH 724, CH 760, or CH 772 and 3. CH 726 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Lab. Advanced courses in biology, mathematics, or physics may be substituted with departmental approval. Courses in German and computer programming are highly recommended. Please consult with an advisor in the Chemistry Department for current details.

I. General Education Program

See the current university catalog or Click here for details.

II. Major Area Required Courses

CH 123/124	Chemistry I & Lab	5 hrs.
CH 126/127	Chemistry II & Lab	5 hrs.
CH 376/377	Quantitative Analysis & Lab	5 hrs.
CH 479	Undergraduate Research	1 hr.
CH 525	Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry	3 hrs.
CH 560	Biochemistry	3 hrs.
CH 572/573	Organic Chemistry I & Lab	5 hrs.
CH 574/575	Organic Chemistry II & Lab	5 hrs.
CH 720	Physical Chemistry I	3 hrs.
CH 721	Physical Chemistry Lab	2 hrs.
CH 722	Physical Chemistry II	3 hrs.
CH 480	Seminar in Chemistry	1 hrs.
CH 777	Instrumental Analysis	5 hrs.
Subtotal		46 hrs.

At least one of the following must be chosen:

CH 724	Topics in Physical Chemistry	3 hrs.
CH 725	Advanced Inorganic Chemistry	3 hrs.
CH 772	Organic Reaction Mechanisms	3 hrs.

In order to earn an ACS-certified BS degree, the following two courses are required.

CH725	Advanced Inorganic Chemistry	3 hrs
CH726	Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Lab	2 hrs

AND

One advanced elective from the following:

CH 723	Advanced Physical Chemistry Lab	2 hrs
CH 724	Topics in Physical Chemistry	3 hrs
CH760	Nucleic Acids Biochemistry	3 hrs
CH776	Topics in Biochemistry	3 hrs
CH772	Topics in Organic Chemistry	3 hrs

III. Major Area Elective Courses

Select additional chemistry courses to meet the student's goals.

IV. Required Associated Courses

These courses are pre- or co-requisites to CH 720 (Physical Chemistry I) and should be taken as early as possible:

PH 190/191/192	Physics I, Lab, and Recitation	5 hrs.
PH 393/394/395	Physics II, Lab, and Recitation	5 hrs.
MA 161	Calculus I	5 hrs.
MA 262	Calculus II	5 hrs.

V. Additional Electives

The student may select additional courses to total 124 credit hours. The University requires 45 hours of 300-level and above course work. All baccalaureate degree students are required to pass competency exams in reading, writing, and mathematics.

Note to Pre-engineering Students

Pre-engineering students may elect to earn a B.S. degree in Chemistry from ESU and a B.S. degree in Engineering from Kansas State University (KSU) or the University of Kansas (KU). The required chemistry courses and most general education courses are completed in three years at ESU, and then the engineering requirements are met in two additional years at KSU or KU.