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Chemistry

Chemistry

Russ Selzer, Chair
        selzerr@wcsu.edu
        Science Building 323, Midtown Campus
        (203) 837-8440

Paula Secondo, Associate Chair
        secondop@wcsu.edu
        Science Building 323, Midtown campus
        (203) 837- 8440

Merisa Williams, Department Secretary
        williamsm@wcsu.edu
        Science Building 324, Midtown campus
        (203) 837- 8669

Faculty

N. Greco S. Madison Y. Mei-Ratliff
M. Rajabzadeh A. Roberts F. Robertson
P. Secondo, Assoc. Chair R. Selzer, Chair Y. Yen

Adjunct Faculty

C. Hickey-Williams J. DeVito T. DiGaetano
M. Malin R. Merrer L. Passaro
R. Snow    

Overview

The Department of Chemistry offers the chemical training necessary for allied health areas such as nursing. The chemistry program and the biochemistry option are both accredited by the American Chemical Society.

Mission

Consistent with the university’s mission to serve as an accessible, responsive and creative intellectual resource for the people and institutions of Connecticut, the Department of Chemistry endeavors to provide a thorough, modern education in chemistry that is tailored to the individual student’s background and career objectives. The chemistry major and the biochemistry option are both accredited by the American Chemical Society.

Objectives

To accomplish this mission, the Department of Chemistry:

• Continues to offer our students the highest quality undergraduate programs in chemistry and biochemistry.
• Emphasizes laboratory techniques throughout the undergraduate curriculum to develop students’ synthetic, analytical, instrumental and computational skills.
• Provides laboratory experiences using modern instrumentation and data reduction methods.
• Provides a personalized learning environment through faculty mentored undergraduate research opportunities and cooperative education research.
• Prepares students for graduate education in the sciences, the health professions and other fields of interest.
• Assists students in discerning appropriate careers through diligent advising.
• Provides chemical training necessary for nursing and community health students.
• Fosters the growth and development of faculty through research, attendance at professional meetings, and publication and presentation of scholarly work.
• Continues to collaborate with chemical industry professionals in the tri-state area to support professional growth of faculty as well as research opportunities for the students.
• Expresses its strong commitment to public service by collaborating with regional elementary, junior and senior high school educators to promote science education. Assesses entering students’ backgrounds in math and science to place students in appropriate chemistry courses.

DEGREE PROGRAMS IN CHEMISTRY

Bachelor of Arts

Chemistry, ACS approved
Chemistry
Chemistry with Biochemistry Option, ACS approved
Chemistry with Biochemistry Option
Chemistry with Biotechnology Option

Bachelor of Science

Secondary Education: Chemistry

Minor Program

Chemistry

Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry (B.A.)

Requirements:

The courses listed below and additional free electives to total a minimum of 122 semester hours, including foreign language and exercise science.

CHE 110, 111 General Chemistry I & II (placement exam required)
CHE 205 Analytical Chemistry Lecture
CHE 206 Analytical Chemistry Laboratory
CHE 210, 211 Organic Chemistry I & II
CHE 250 Chemistry Seminar (two semesters minimum)
CHE 300, 301 Physical Chemistry I & II
CHE 311 Inorganic Chemistry
CHE 400 Instrumental Analysis Lecture
CHE 401 Instrumental Analysis Laboratory
CHE 297 Cooperative Education in Chemistry (Cooperative Research in Chemistry)
or CHE 330 Senior Research in Chemistry plus CHE 421 Biochemistry I Lecture (ACS Approved)
PHY 110, 111 General Physics I & II
MAT 181 Calculus I
MAT 182 Calculus II
Senior Presentation

Course Restrictions
For a complete list of prerequisites, corequisites and other restrictions for all courses, please consult the Course Description section of this catalog.

The following is a suggested per semester sequence of courses. However, due to the diversity of the backgrounds of students, we encourage careful consultation with the program adviser for the selection of the program which best suits the student’s needs.

Freshman Year

Fall Semester Spring Semester
CHE 110 General Chemistry I  CHE 111 General Chemistry II
(Placement exam required) MAT 182 Calculus II
MAT 181 Calculus I  

Sophomore Year

CHE 210 Organic Chemistry I CHE 211 Organic Chemistry II
PHY 110 General Physics I PHY 111General Physics II
CHE 205 Analytical Chemistry Lecture CHE 250 Chemistry Seminar
CHE 206 Analytical Chemistry Lab  

Junior Year

CHE 300 Physical Chemistry I CHE 301 Physical Chemistry II
CHE 311 Inorganic Chemistry 
    or
*Advanced Elective		 *Advanced Elective
  Chem 250 Chemistry Seminar

Senior Year

*CHE 330 Sen. Research in Chemistry 
   or
*CHE 297 Cooperative Education		 CHE 400 Instrumental Analysis Lecture

CHE 401 Instrumental Analysis Lab
  Senior Presentation

*If CHE 297 (12 S.H.) is chosen, no advanced elective is required; if CHE 330 is chosen, the advanced elective shall be one of the following:
MAT 281 Calculus III
MAT 282 Ordinary Differential Equations
MAT 272 Introduction to Linear Algebra
CHE 415 Medicinal Chemistry
CHE 420 Advanced Topics in Organic Chemistry
CHE 421 Biochemistry Lecture I
CHE 438 Molecular Biochemistry of Nucleic Acids

Biochemistry Option

As an alternative to the chemistry program, the department also offers a program with a concentration in biochemistry, leading to a bachelor of arts degree.
Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts with an option in biochemistry (ACS approved) are completion of all general education requirements, the courses listed below, and additional free electives to total a minimum of 122 semester hours including exercise science and foreign language.

CHE 110, 111 General Chemistry I & II (placement exam required)
CHE 205 Analytical Chemistry Lecture
CHE 206 Analytical Chemistry Laboratory
CHE 210, 211 Organic Chemistry I & II
CHE 250 Chemistry Seminar
CHE 297 Cooperative Education in Chemistry (Cooperative Research in Chemistry)
or CHE 330 Senior Research in Chemistry plus one advanced chemistry or biology elective
CHE 300, 301 Physical Chemistry I & II
CHE 311 Inorganic Chemistry (ACS approved)*
CHE 421, 422 Biochemistry Lecture I & II
CHE 431 Biochemistry Laboratory
BIO 103, 104 General Biology I & II
PHY 110, 111 General Physics I & II
MAT 181 Calculus I
MAT 182 Calculus II
Senior Presentation

Suggested sequence of major courses:

Freshman Year

Fall Semester Spring Semester
CHE 110 General Chemistry I CHE 111 General Chemistry II
BIO 103 General Biology I BIO 104 General Biology II
MAT 181 Calculus I MAT 182 Calculus II

Sophomore Year

CHE 210 Organic Chemistry I CHE 211 Organic Chemistry II
PHY 110 Physics I PHY 111 Physics II
CHE 250 Chemistry Seminar  

Junior Year

CHE 205 Analytical Chemistry Lecture CHE 250 Chemistry Seminar
CHE 206 Analytical Chemistry Lab CHE 422 Biochemistry Lecture
CHE 421 Biochemistry Lecture I CHE 431 Biochemistry Lab
  *Advanced Elective

Senior Year

CHE 300 Physical Chemistry I CHE 301 Physical Chemistry II
CHE 330 Senior Research Senior Presentation 
   or
CHE 297 Cooperative Education in Chemistry		  

*If CHE 297 (12 SH) is chosen, no advanced elective is required; if CHE 330 is chosen, the advanced elective shall be one of the following:

CHE 311 Inorganic Chemistry (required for ACS approved degree)
CHE 320 Clinical Biochemistry
CHE 400 Instrumental Analysis Lecture
CHE 415 Medicinal Chemistry
CHE 420 Advanced Topics in Organic Chemistry
CHE 438 Molecular Biochemistry of Nucleic Acids
BIO 300 Cell Biology
BIO 310 Vertebrate Embryology

Biotechnology Option

The department offers an interdisciplinary program option in biotechnology. Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts with an option in biotechnology are completion of all general education requirements, the courses listed below and additional free electives to total a minimum of 123 semester hours including exercise science and foreign language.

Suggested sequence of major courses:

Freshman Year

Fall Semester Spring Semester
CHE 110 General Chemistry I CHE 111 General Chem. II
BIO 103 General Biology I BIO 104 General Biology II
MAT 181 Calculus I MAT 182 Calculus II
   

Sophomore Year

CHE 210 Organic Chemistry I CHE 211 Organic Chemistry II
BIO 312 Genetics BIO 216 General Microbiology
CHE 205 Analytical Chemistry Lecture CHE 206 Analytical Chem Lab
   

Junior Year

PHY 110 Physics I PHY 111 Physics II
CHE 421 Biochemistry Lecture I CHE 431 Biochemistry Lab
BIO 321 Immunology BIO/CHE 440 Molecular Biology

Senior Year

CHE 305 Biophysical Chemistry CHE 400 Instrumental Analysis Lecture
BTE 300 Biotechnology Sem. Analysis Lecture CHE 401 Instrumental Analysis Laboratory
BIO or CHE Elective (s) BIO 411 Cell Culture Methods
  BIO or CHE Elective(s)
  Senior Presentation

Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education–Chemistry (B.S.)

Requirements:

See the Department of Education and Educational Psychology within the School of Professional Studies.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES

 At the completion of their degree in Chemistry:
  1. Students will demonstrate a proficiency in a majority of the six main branches of Chemistry (including: General Chemistry; Organic Chemistry; Analytical Chemistry; Biochemistry; Inorganic Chemistry and Physical Chemistry).
  2. Students will demonstrate competence in the use of practical chemical laboratory safety, techniques and skills.
  3. Students will demonstrate the ability to utilize scientific literature in academic and independent research.
  4. Students will demonstrate the ability to clearly disseminate scientific information in a written format.
  5. Students will demonstrate the ability to clearly disseminate scientific information in a verbal format.

Minor in Chemistry

Twenty semester hours of chemistry courses distributed as follows: CHE 110, CHE 111, CHE 210 and either CHE 205-206 or CHE 300 and an additional course from the following list: CHE 205-206, CHE 211, CHE 300, CHE 301 or CHE 311.