Description
The American Chemical Society, through its Committee on Professional Training, establishes a professional standard for the undergraduate curriculum in chemistry. This committee also evaluates undergraduate programs and approves those departments which meet its standards. Brockport’s Department of Chemistry is an ACS approved department. Students who wish to receive preparation more in-depth than our regular chemistry major before employment as a chemist or entry into chemistry graduate programs are advised to complete the program outlined below, which meets the requirements of the Committee on Professional Training for certification. Graduates who complete the program are also eligible for immediate election to membership in the ACS.
Admission to the Program
Any undergraduate student can declare a major in chemistry with ACS certification.
Program Requirements
Students in the chemistry major with ACS certification pursue a Bachelor of Science degree, and must complete the corresponding degree’s requirements.
General Education Requirements (34* credits)
- GEP 100 Academic Planning Seminar (1 credit)
- ENG 112 College Composition (3 credits) (Q)
- Oral Communication (3 credits) (Y)
- Social Science (3 credits) (S)
- Humanities (3 credits) (H)
- US History & Civic Engagement (3 credits) (V)
- World History & Global Awareness (3 credits) (O)
- World Language (3 credits) (R)
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Social Justice (3 credits) (D)
- Arts (3 credits) (F)
- Contemporary Issues (3 credits) (I)
- Perspectives on Gender (3 credits) (W)
Major Department Requirements (48 credits)
- CHM 205 College Chemistry I (4 credits)*
- CHM 206 College Chemistry II (4 credits)
- CHM 301 Chemical Safety (1 credit)
- CHM 302 Inorganic Chemistry I (4 credits)
- CHM 303 Quantitative Chemical Analysis (4 credits)
- CHM 305 Organic Chemistry I (4 credits)
- CHM 306 Organic Chemistry II (4 credits)
- CHM 400 Seminar I (1 credit)
- CHM 401 Seminar II (1 credit)
- CHM 405 Physical Chemistry I (3 credits)
- CHM 406 Physical Chemistry II (3 credits)
- CHM 408 Physical Chemistry Laboratory I (1 credit)
- CHM 409 Physical Chemistry Laboratory II (1 credit)
- CHM 467 Biochemistry I (3 credits)
- 6 lecture credits, selected from any 400 level Chemistry lecture course
- 4 credits of laboratory courses from any 400 level Chemistry lab course or:
Cognate or Additional Requirements (20 credits)
- MTH 201 Calculus I (4 credits)*
- MTH 202 Calculus II (4 credits)
- PHS 235 Physics I (4 credits)*
- PHS 240 Physics II (4 credits)
Prerequisites (0-6 credits)
Electives (12-18 credits)
Total Credits (120 credits)
Additional Degree Requirements
- Chemistry majors must earn a grade of C or better in CHM 205 and 206
- A minimum overall GPA of 2.0 in all required major courses (Major Departmental Requirements).
- Completion of all college-wide degree requirements
*denotes courses that meet both major and general education requirements
To make normal progress in the major, a student should complete CHM 205, CHM 206, CHM 302, CHM 303, CHM 305, CHM 306, PHS 235, PHS 240, MTH 201, and MTH 202 by the end of the sophomore year, but speak with your advisor about your specific needs and the timing of the courses that will work best for you.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will be expected to:
- identify and apply key principles of chemistry to solve complex problems.
- analyze data and draw meaningful conclusions from chemical experiments and research.
- explain chemical ideas in a coherent, logical, and compelling way, in both verbally and in writing using correct chemical terminology.
- use a variety of chemical laboratory techniques safely and accurately to investigate chemical systems.
- find chemical information using commonly available search engines and critically evaluate primary literature to further intellectual scientific pursuit.