ABOUT THE CHEMISTRY MINOR:
The chemistry minor provides students with the opportunity to explore major areas of the discipline, including general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, spectroscopy, and natural products. Students who complete the minor in chemistry will be able to predict outcomes of reactions, design routes to synthetically construct a wide range of molecules, systematically prove a molecular structure, determine purity and composition of compounds, and predict whether a subset of molecules will exhibit certain biological properties. Courses in the minor will emphasize understanding the role of chemistry in biological systems as well as the development and interactions of drugs, preparing them for careers in scientific research or in the health professions. The Chemistry Minor was established in Spring of 2013 and is a rapidly growing program. Currently, over 28 students have enrolled in courses with the intent of obtaining a minor degree, five of which graduated in Spring of 2014 with a minor degree. |
WHY CHEMISTRY AT NSC
Chemistry is a subject that ties into a lot of practices requiring a scientific background including: medicine and other health related professions, pharmacy, biology, physics, among other careers. Obtaining a chemistry background is great for "launching" into a wide range of career options. In addition, chemists traditionally have one of the lowest rates of unemployment. Here are some careers and programs that students with a NSC chemistry minor degree can access after graduation:
Fascinating Careers that require a background in Chemistry (usually a graduate degree is required):
Chemistry is a subject that ties into a lot of practices requiring a scientific background including: medicine and other health related professions, pharmacy, biology, physics, among other careers. Obtaining a chemistry background is great for "launching" into a wide range of career options. In addition, chemists traditionally have one of the lowest rates of unemployment. Here are some careers and programs that students with a NSC chemistry minor degree can access after graduation:
- Health Related Programs (ie Medical School, Pharmacy School, Dental School, Physicians Assistant, and etc.)
- Graduate Programs (Particularly in Biology, Medicinal chemistry, Biochemistry, and Pharmacology)
- A job in industry (some local companies that require a chemistry background: Olin, Molycorp, Procap Labs, Eastridge Group, Biglow Aerospace)
- Secondary Education (Chemistry teachers are often highly demanded)
Fascinating Careers that require a background in Chemistry (usually a graduate degree is required):
- Natural Products chemist: On the hunt for new useful molecules from nature that can help to cure diseases. Some of these scientist will go on "expeditions" which requires scuba diving, tromping through rainforests, visiting the arctic circle, digging through soil, to find the next "cure."
- Fragrance and Flavor Chemist: Creates new flavors and fragrances using organic synthesis. These jobs are usually fueled by the perfume/cologne industry and the food industry and often pay very well!
CHEMISTRY MINOR DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:
Chem 122 - General Chemistry II
Chem 242 - Organic Chemistry II
Chem 377 - Natural Products
Chem 445 - Organic Spectroscopy and Structure
Chem 475 - Biochemistry II
Chem 242 - Organic Chemistry II
Chem 377 - Natural Products
Chem 445 - Organic Spectroscopy and Structure
Chem 475 - Biochemistry II
The descriptions of these courses are given below in the "Chemistry Courses offered at NSC" Section.
Note to Biology Students: Since the NSC Biology Degree requires an extensive amount of Chemistry courses, only two additional courses (Chem 377 and Chem 445) are required to obtain a minor degree.
Note to Biology Students: Since the NSC Biology Degree requires an extensive amount of Chemistry courses, only two additional courses (Chem 377 and Chem 445) are required to obtain a minor degree.
CHEMISTRY DEGREE OFFERED AT NSC:
CHEM 105 - Chemistry, Man, and Society: Introduction to chemistry, intended to develop an understanding of basic principles, and an appreciation of both the benefits and risks resulting from application of these principles in science and technology. (3 Credits)
CHEM 112 - Introduction to Chemistry: Introductory chemistry course for non-science majors and students majoring in nursing. The course surveys general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry, especially as they relate to living systems. Emphasis will be placed on the fundamental classes of compounds and molecules as well as their chemical and physical characteristics, especially their relationship to biochemistry and the intracellular biochemical pathways. Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory. The laboratory component of the course will focus on safety, proper labeling of chemicals, the use of common laboratory equipment, and the essential qualitative and quantitative methods used in a chemistry laboratory. (4 Credits)
CHEM 121 - General Chemistry I: Chem 121 - General Chemistry I: Fundamental principles of chemistry including nomenclature, chemical stoichiometry, thermochemistry, atomic structure, chemical bonding, molecular structure, states of matter and solutions. Satisfies the Natural Sciences Core Curriculum. (4 Credits)
CHEM 122 - General Chemistry II: Fundamental principles of chemistry including reaction kinetics, chemical equilibrium, aqueous equilibria, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, properties and uses of the common metals, their compounds, elementary chemistry of carbon and introductory qualitative analysis. Satisfies the Natural Sciences Core Curriculum. (4 credits)
CHEM 241 - Organic Chemistry I: Intensive introduction to the theory of carbon chemistry with particular emphasis on understanding the relationship between the structure and behavior of organic molecule. (4 credits)
CHEM 242 - Organic Chemistry II: Continuation of CHEM 241 with emphasis on complex reactions and mechanisms, and introduction to advanced approaches for the synthesis of organic molecules. (4 credits)
CHEM 377 - Natural Product Chemistry: Survey of the classes of natural products (polyketides and fatty acids, terpenoids and steroids, phenylpropaniods, alkaloids, and carbohydrates) including isolation, synthesis and biosynthesis, pharmacological and biological relevance, and analog studies. (3 Credits)
CHEM 392 - Special Topics: Research in Chemistry (Requires instructors permission, 1 - 3 credits)
CHEM 445 - Organic Spectroscopy and Structure Determination: Use of spectroscopic methods to prove constitutional and stereochemical structures of organic molecules. The laboratory component will use modern instrumentation (HPLC, GC, and UV/Vis) to determine identities and purities of samples. Lecture will include data analysis of outputs from other spectroscopic technologies, such as NMR, IR, and MS. (4 credits).
CHEM 474 - Biochemistry I: Fundamentals of biochemistry with emphasis on the structure-function relationships of proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids; bioenergetics; and intermediary metabolism and the mechanisms of its regulation. (3 credits).
CHEM 475 - Biochemistry II: Continuation of CHEM 474 with emphasis on anabolic and catabolic pathways; gene replication and expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes; recombinant DNA; and various aspects of physiological chemistry. (3 credits)
CHEM 112 - Introduction to Chemistry: Introductory chemistry course for non-science majors and students majoring in nursing. The course surveys general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry, especially as they relate to living systems. Emphasis will be placed on the fundamental classes of compounds and molecules as well as their chemical and physical characteristics, especially their relationship to biochemistry and the intracellular biochemical pathways. Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory. The laboratory component of the course will focus on safety, proper labeling of chemicals, the use of common laboratory equipment, and the essential qualitative and quantitative methods used in a chemistry laboratory. (4 Credits)
CHEM 121 - General Chemistry I: Chem 121 - General Chemistry I: Fundamental principles of chemistry including nomenclature, chemical stoichiometry, thermochemistry, atomic structure, chemical bonding, molecular structure, states of matter and solutions. Satisfies the Natural Sciences Core Curriculum. (4 Credits)
CHEM 122 - General Chemistry II: Fundamental principles of chemistry including reaction kinetics, chemical equilibrium, aqueous equilibria, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, properties and uses of the common metals, their compounds, elementary chemistry of carbon and introductory qualitative analysis. Satisfies the Natural Sciences Core Curriculum. (4 credits)
CHEM 241 - Organic Chemistry I: Intensive introduction to the theory of carbon chemistry with particular emphasis on understanding the relationship between the structure and behavior of organic molecule. (4 credits)
CHEM 242 - Organic Chemistry II: Continuation of CHEM 241 with emphasis on complex reactions and mechanisms, and introduction to advanced approaches for the synthesis of organic molecules. (4 credits)
CHEM 377 - Natural Product Chemistry: Survey of the classes of natural products (polyketides and fatty acids, terpenoids and steroids, phenylpropaniods, alkaloids, and carbohydrates) including isolation, synthesis and biosynthesis, pharmacological and biological relevance, and analog studies. (3 Credits)
CHEM 392 - Special Topics: Research in Chemistry (Requires instructors permission, 1 - 3 credits)
CHEM 445 - Organic Spectroscopy and Structure Determination: Use of spectroscopic methods to prove constitutional and stereochemical structures of organic molecules. The laboratory component will use modern instrumentation (HPLC, GC, and UV/Vis) to determine identities and purities of samples. Lecture will include data analysis of outputs from other spectroscopic technologies, such as NMR, IR, and MS. (4 credits).
CHEM 474 - Biochemistry I: Fundamentals of biochemistry with emphasis on the structure-function relationships of proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids; bioenergetics; and intermediary metabolism and the mechanisms of its regulation. (3 credits).
CHEM 475 - Biochemistry II: Continuation of CHEM 474 with emphasis on anabolic and catabolic pathways; gene replication and expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes; recombinant DNA; and various aspects of physiological chemistry. (3 credits)