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ACS-Certified Program

JCU’s chemistry major is approved by the American Chemical Society. This means you have an option to pursue an ACS-certified degree by taking a selection of rigorous chemistry courses and participating in upper-level labs and research.

Hands-On Research

Assist your professor with their research, work on a project of your own, or participate in a prestigious summer program. You might even get to present at DISCOVER, JCU’s annual celebration of research, creativity, and academic achievement.

Student Involvement

Get involved with the American Chemical Society Student Affiliates, Pre-Health Society, Environmental Issues Group, or Iota Sigma Pi (the national honor society for women in chemistry).

• ACS-Certified Program

  JCU’s chemistry major is approved by the American Chemical Society. This means you have an option to pursue an ACS-certified degree by taking a selection of rigorous chemistry courses and participating in upper-level labs and research.

• Hands-On Research

  Assist your professor with their research, work on a project of your own, or participate in a prestigious summer program. You might even get to present at DISCOVER, JCU’s annual celebration of research, creativity, and academic achievement.

• Student Involvement

  Get involved with the American Chemical Society Student Affiliates, Pre-Health Society, Environmental Issues Group, or Iota Sigma Pi (the national honor society for women in chemistry).

You'll explore the core areas of chemistry: analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, and physical. You can also choose a concentration that aligns with your specific career goals. Options include Biochemistry, Chemical Physics, and Neuroscience.

View Program Catalog 

• Major Required Courses

  Sci: General Chemistry I

  4 Credits

  CH1410

  Four hours of lecture per week. Stoichiometry, thermochemistry, states of matter, atomic structure, chemical bonding, molecular structure, oxidation-reduction, acid-base, solutions. Corequisite: CH 1430. Offered: Fall.
  

  General Chemistry Lab I

  1 Credits

  CH1430

  Three hours of laboratory per week. Laboratory experiments illustrating principles developed in the corequisite lecture courses. Offered: Fall. Corequisite: CH 1410. Additional fees apply to this course. Please see the section schedule for amount details.
  

  General Chemistry Ii

  4 Credits

  CH1420

  Four hours of lecture per week. Homogeneous and heterogeneous equilibria, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, kinetics, chemistry of metals and non-metals, and other relevant topics. Offered: Spring. Prerequisites: (CH 1410 or CH 141) and (CH 1430 or CH 143). Corequisite: CH 1440.
  

  General Chemistry Lab Ii

  1 Credits

  CH1440

  Three hours of laboratory per week. Laboratory experiments illustrating principles developed in the corequisite lecture courses. Offered: Spring, Prerequisites: (CH 1410 or CH 141) and (CH 1430 or CH 143). Corequisites: CH 1420. Additional fees apply to this course. Please see the section schedule for amount details.
  

  Organic Chemistry I

  3 Credits

  CH2210

  Three hours of lecture per week. Theoretical and descriptive treatment of the structure and reactions of the representative classes of aliphatic organic compounds. Naming of organic molecules; reactions and preparations of alkane, alkene, alkynes; stereochemistry; carbocation theory; writing mechanisms; nucleophilic substitution, elimination, electrophilic addition, oxidation and reduction reactions. Prerequisites: CH 1410-1440 or CH 141-144 (or CH 1510 or CH 151, CH 1530 or CH 153). Corequisite: CH 2230. Offered: Fall.
  

  Organic Chemistry I

  1 Credits

  CH2230

  Four hours of laboratory per week. Laboratory experiments to illustrate basic organic laboratory techniques to perform reactions, isolate and purify products, determine physical properties and purities of organic compounds and products. Reactions include those discussed in corequisite lecture course. Corequisite: CH 2210. Offered: Fall. Additional fees apply to this course. Please see the section schedule for amount details.
  

  Organic Chemistry Ii

  3 Credits

  CH2220

  Three hours of lecture per week. Theoretical and descriptive treatment of the structure and reactions of acyclic and cyclic aliphatic and aromatic organic compounds. Naming of organic molecules; reactions and preparations of alcohol, diene, aromatic, amine and carbonyl-containing functional groups; carbanion theory; writing mechanisms; nucleophilic substitution, elimination, electrophilic addition, oxidation and nucleophilic displacement, elimination reactions, carbonyl chemistry; and spectroscopic analysis. Prerequisites: (CH 2210 or CH 221) and (CH 2230 or CH 223). Corequisite: CH 2240. Offered: Spring.
  

  Organic Chemistry Ii

  1 Credits

  CH2240

  Four hours of laboratory per week. Laboratory experiments to illustrate basic organic laboratory techniques to perform reactions, isolate and purify products, determine physical properties, composition and purities of organic compounds and products; Reactions include those discussed in the corequisite lecture course. Theory and application of spectroscopic analysis to organic structure determination. Prerequisites: (CH 2210 or CH 221) and (CH 2230 or CH 223). Corequisite: CH 2220. Offered: Spring. Additional fees apply to this course. Please see the section schedule for amount details.
  

  Qa: Analytical Chemistry

  3 Credits

  CH2610

  Three hours of lecture per week. Overview of chemical analysis; hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, correlation and regression, confidence intervals, estimation, sampling distributions; equilibria; redox chemistry; basic principles of modern electrochemical, spectroscopic, and chromatographic analysis; sampling and sample preparation. CH 2610 and CH 2630 fulfill the foundational Quantitative Analysis (QA) requirement of the Integrated Core Curriculum. Prerequisites: CH 1410-1440 or CH 141-144 (or CH 1510 or CH 151, CH 1530 or CH 153) and Chair permission Corequisite: CH 2630. Offered: Spring.
  

  Analytical Chemistry Laboratory

  1 Credits

  CH2630

  Four hours of laboratory per week. Practice in classical analysis, sampling and sample preparation, and introductory instrumental analysis. Experiments are designed to illustrate the principles discussed in CH 2610 (CH 261), including ethical principles guiding the collection, display, analysis, and reporting of data. CH 2610 and CH 2630 fulfill the foundational Quantitative Analysis (QA) requirement of the Integrated Core Curriculum. Prerequisites: CH 1410-1440 or CH 141-144 (or CH 151 or CH 1510 and CH 153 or CH 1530) and Chair permission. Corequisite: CH 2610. Offered: Spring
  

  Physical Chemistry I: Chemical Thermodynamics And Kinetics

  3 Credits

  CH3630

  Three hours of lecture per week. Chemical thermodynamics, kinetic molecular theory and the properties of gasses, and reaction kinetics. Only accepted or conditionally accepted chemistry majors or students working to complete chemistry minor requirements and are accepted or conditionally accepted as majors in another program will be permitted to register for CH 3630. Prerequisites: CH 1410-1440 or CH 141-144 or ((CH 1510 or CH 151) and (CH 1530 or CH 153)); (CH 2610-2630 or CH 261-263); (MT 1350 or MT 135). Prerequisites or corequisites: (PH 1250 or PH 125), (PH 1251 or PH 125L) or (PH 1510 or PH 135), (PH 1511 or PH 135L); (MT 1360 or MT 136). Offered: Fall.
  

  Physical Chemistry Laboratory I

  2 Credits

  CH3670

  Four hours of laboratory per week. Laboratory experiments designed to illustrate the principles discussed in CH 3630. Emphasis on scientific writing. Prerequisites or corequisites: (CH 2610 or CH 261), (CH 2630 or CH 263), (CH 3630 or CH 363) (or Department Chair permission). Offered: Fall, Spring. Additional fees apply to this course. Please see the section schedule for amount details.
  

  Physical Chemistry Ii

  3 Credits

  CH3660

  Three hours of lecture per week. Introduction to quantum mechanics, atomic and molecular structure, liquid and solid states, phase equilibria, electromotive force, and symmetry. Prerequisite: CH 3630 or CH 363; Prerequisites/corequisites: (MT 1360 or MT 136) and (PH 1260/PH 1261 or PH 126/PH 126L) or (PH 1520/1521 or PH 136/PH 136L). Offered: Spring.
  

  Ch4310

  CH4310

  Four hours of lecture per week. One-semester survey; proteins, enzymes, nucleic acids, lipids, membranes, and carbohydrates. Approximately half of the course is devoted to metabolism and metabolic regulation. May be used as a corequisite for CH 437. Only accepted or conditionally accepted chemistry majors or students working to complete chemistry minor requirements and are accepted or conditionally accepted as majors in another program will be permitted to register for CH 4310. Prerequisites: CH 2210-2240 or CH 221-224. Offered: Fall and/or Spring.
  

  Biochemistry I

  3 Credits

  CH4350

  Three hours of lecture per week. Structure/function of proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, biomembranes, and carbohydrates. Enzyme catalysis, coenzymes, regulation of proteins, DNA binding proteins, molecular genetics (introduction), laboratory methods, and signal transduction. Note: See listing under Biology for BL 4650, a separate course focusing on the biochemistry/molecular biology of gene expression. Only accepted or conditionally accepted chemistry majors or students working to complete chemistry minor requirements and are accepted or conditionally accepted as majors in another program will be permitted to register for CH 4350. Prerequisites: CH 2210-2240 or CH 221-224; BL 1500 or BL 155, BL 1600 or BL156 strongly recommended. Offered: Fall.
  

  Biochemistry Laboratory

  1 Credits

  CH4370

  Four hours of laboratory per week. Protein isolation, chromatography, electrophoresis, quantitative assays, enzyme kinetics, DNA isolation and restriction enzyme analysis, fluorescence and UV/VIS spectroscopy, and bioinformatics. Note: BL 4700 provides additional laboratory instruction in methods for biochemistry/molecular biology. Prerequisites or corequisites: CH 4310 or CH 431 or CH 4350 or CH 435; Chair permission. Offered: Fall, Spring. Additional fees apply to this course. Please see the section schedule for amount details.
  

  Instrumental Analysis

  3 Credits

  CH4410

  Prerequisites: CH 2610, CH 2630; Prerequisite or corequisite: CH 3630; Corequisite: CH 4430. Three hours of lecture per week. In-depth treatment of modern chemical instrumentation; quantitative analysis using UV/VIS, IR, NMR, MS, AAS, ICP, electrochemistry, chromatography; qualitative characterization of pure substances through interpretation of IR, NMR, and mass spectra. Emphasis will be on the unique capabilities and limitations of each technique. Highly recommended for students interested in pursuing a career in chemical research and/or development. Only accepted or conditionally accepted chemistry majors or students working to complete chemistry minor requirements and are accepted or conditionally accepted as majors in another program will be permitted to register for CH 4410. Prerequisites: (CH 2610 or CH 261), (CH 2630 or CH 263); Prerequisite or corequisite: CH 3630; Corequisite: CH 4430.Offered: Fall.
  

  Instrumental Analysis Laboratory

  2 Credits

  CH4430

  Four hours of laboratory per week. Practice in instrumental analysis and experimental design, reflecting quantitative determinations and qualitative characterization of substances. Experiments are designed to utilize principles discussed in CH 4410. Includes a final project with a written and oral presentation component. Fulfills the Capstone, Additional Writing, and Oral Presentation requirements in the major for the Integrative Core Curriculum. Only accepted or conditionally accepted chemistry majors or students working to complete chemistry minor requirements and are accepted or conditionally accepted as majors in another program will be permitted to register for CH 4430. Prerequisite: (CH 2610 or CH 261), (CH 2630 or CH 263). Corequisite: CH 4410. Offered: Fall. Additional fees apply to this course. Please see the section schedule for amount details.
  

  Chemistry Seminar

  0 Credits

  CH4780

  Meets one hour per week. All chemistry majors are required to complete satisfactorily one semester of CH 4780. Attendance at eight seminars per semester constitutes completion. A variety of topics is presented, including chemistry/biochemistry research and aspects of professional development. Guest speakers from industry, government. Graded SA/FA. Only accepted or conditionally accepted chemistry majors or students working to complete chemistry minor requirements and are accepted or conditionally accepted as majors in another program will be permitted to register for CH 4780. Prerequisites: CH 2210-2240 or CH 221-224. Offered: Spring.
  

  Inorganic Chemistry

  3 Credits

  CH4810

  Three hours of lecture per week. Principles correlating the chemistry of the elements and their compounds. Atomic structure, chemical periodicity, structure and bonding in molecules, symmetry and point groups, solid state materials, acid/base and redox chemistry, coordination chemistry, aspects of main group and transition metal chemistry. Only accepted or conditionally accepted chemistry majors or students working to complete chemistry minor requirements and are accepted or conditionally accepted as majors in another program will be permitted to register for CH 4810. Prerequisite: CH 3630 or CH 363.. Offered: Every other Spring starting Spring 2023.
  

  Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory

  1 Credits

  CH4820

  Four hours of laboratory per week. Laboratory syntheses and analyses to illustrate the chemistry of the elements and their compounds. Includes a final project with a written and oral presentation component. Fulfills the Capstone, Additional Writing, and Oral Presentation requirements in the major for the Integrative Core Curriculum. Only accepted or conditionally accepted chemistry majors or students working to complete chemistry minor requirements and are accepted or conditionally accepted as majors in another program will be permitted to register for CH 4820. Prerequisite: CH 3670 or CH 367. Prerequisite or Corequisite: CH 4810 or CH 481. Offered: Every other Spring starting Spring 2023.
  

  Special Topics In Chemistry

  1 Credits

  CH4950

  Subject matter not covered by established courses but of interest to the instructor and students. Topic will be announced in the course schedule. May be repeated one time for credit. Only accepted or conditionally accepted chemistry majors or students working to complete chemistry minor requirements and are accepted or conditionally accepted as majors in another program will be permitted to register for CH 4950. Prerequisites: CH 2210 - CH 2240 (or CH 221 - CH 224); Chair permission. Offered: Fall.
  

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• Concentration: Biochemistry

  Biochemistry Ii

  3 Credits

  CH4360

  Three hours of lecture per week. Bioenergetics and the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, and nucleotides. Emphasis on integration and regulation by metabolic, hormonal, and genetic factors. Photosynthesis and some physiological topics. Only accepted or conditionally accepted chemistry majors or students working to complete chemistry minor requirements and are accepted or conditionally accepted as majors in another program will be permitted to register for CH 4360. Prerequisite: CH 4350 or CH 435. Offered: Spring.
  

  Biochemistry Iii

  3 Credits

  CH4390

  Three hours of lecture per week. In-depth examination of selected topics with extensive reading of original research articles and review papers. Topics covered in recent years: G-proteins, SH2 and SH3 domains in protein-protein recognition, signal transduction pathways, oncogenes, tumor suppressors, prenylation of proteins, ubiquitin-based protein degradation, anti-cancer drugs, regulation of gene expression, angiogenesis, pharmacokinetics gene delivery, and new developments in laboratory methods and instrumentation. Prerequisite: CH 4360 or CH 436; Chair permission. Offered: Spring.
  

  Literature Research In Chemistry

  3 Credits

  CH3980

  Three hours of lecture per week. Literature-based research course. Instruction in the proper use of chemical literature, as well as further development of a student’s abilities to communicate chemistry in both writing and in oral presentation. Includes a final project with a written and oral presentation component. Fulfills the Capstone, Additional Writing, and Oral Presentation requirements in the major for the Integrative Core Curriculum. Only accepted or conditionally accepted chemistry majors or students working to complete chemistry minor requirements and are accepted or conditionally accepted as majors in another program will be permitted to register for CH 3980. Prerequisites: (CH 3670 or CH 367) and (CH 4780 or CH 478) and Chair permission. Offered: Every other Spring starting Spring 2024.
  

  Ch3990

  CH3990

  CH 3994 prerequisites: CH 3670 and CH 4780; pre/corequisite of a third credit of CH 3991-3993 is required for registration in CH 3994. The number of credits must be agreed on by student and faculty sponsor and specified at registration. Minimum of four hours’ work per week expected per credit hour. CH 3991, 1 cr, first research experience; CH 3992, 1 cr, second research experience; CH 3993, 1 cr, third research experience. More than 3 credits may be taken for credit; however, only three credits of CH 3991-3993 may be used to fulfill an upper-division course elective. CH 3991-3993 may also be used as an upper-division lab credit. Systematic investigation of an original research problem. A written report must be submitted by the time a third credit is completed. CH 3994 requires submission of both a written report and oral presentation and satisfies the Capstone, Additional Writing, and Oral Presentation requirements in the major for the Integrative Core Curriculum. Prerequisite: Approval of a faculty sponsor and/or permission of the Department Chair. Offered: Fall, Spring.
  

  Ch3994

  CH3994

  Number of credits to be agreed on by student and faculty sponsor and specified at registration. CH3991=1cr; CH3992=1cr; CH3993=1cr; CH3994=0 cr. Minimum of four hours' work per week are expected per credit hour. May be repeated for credit; however only three credits of CH 3991-3993 may be used to fulfill an upper-division course elective. CH 3991-3993 credit also counts as upper-division lab credit. Systematic investigation of an original research problem. A written report must be submitted by the time a third credit is finished. Prerequisites: CH3670, CH4780, and at least two credits of CH3991-3; approval of a faculty sponsor and/or permission of Department Chair. Prerequisite or corequisite: CH 399C or CH 3993. Offered: Fall and Spring.
  

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• Concentration: Chemical Physics

  Sci: Physics I

  3 Credits

  PH1510

  For science, mathematics, and pre-engineering majors. Topics in classical mechanics. Emphasis on the foundations of physics and the applications to the physical sciences and engineering. Students who have not had high school physics should consult with the Department Chair prior to registering. Prerequisites or corequisites: MT 135 or MT 1350 and PH 135L or PH 1511.
  

  Physics Workshop I

  1 Credits

  PH1511

  Experiments and simulations designed to aid assimilation of selected topics treated in PH 135 or PH 1510. Two hours of laboratory per week. Corequisite: PH 1510. Additional fees apply to this course. Please see the section schedule for amount details.
  

  Sci: Physics Ii

  3 Credits

  PH1520

  For science, mathematics, and pre-engineering majors. Electricity and magnetism. Emphasis on the foundations of physics and the applications to the physical sciences and engineering. Students who have not had high school physics should consult with the department chair prior to registering. Prerequisites or corequisites: MT 136 or MT 1360 and PH 136L or PH 1521.
  

  Physics Workshop Ii

  1 Credits

  PH1521

  Experiments and simulations designed to aid assimilation of selected topics treated in PH 136 or PH 1520. Two hours of laboratory per week. Corequisite: PH 1520. Additional fees apply to this course. Please see the section schedule for amount details.
  

  Literature Research In Chemistry

  3 Credits

  CH3980

  Three hours of lecture per week. Literature-based research course. Instruction in the proper use of chemical literature, as well as further development of a student’s abilities to communicate chemistry in both writing and in oral presentation. Includes a final project with a written and oral presentation component. Fulfills the Capstone, Additional Writing, and Oral Presentation requirements in the major for the Integrative Core Curriculum. Only accepted or conditionally accepted chemistry majors or students working to complete chemistry minor requirements and are accepted or conditionally accepted as majors in another program will be permitted to register for CH 3980. Prerequisites: (CH 3670 or CH 367) and (CH 4780 or CH 478) and Chair permission. Offered: Every other Spring starting Spring 2024.
  

  Ch3990

  CH3990

  CH 3994 prerequisites: CH 3670 and CH 4780; pre/corequisite of a third credit of CH 3991-3993 is required for registration in CH 3994. The number of credits must be agreed on by student and faculty sponsor and specified at registration. Minimum of four hours’ work per week expected per credit hour. CH 3991, 1 cr, first research experience; CH 3992, 1 cr, second research experience; CH 3993, 1 cr, third research experience. More than 3 credits may be taken for credit; however, only three credits of CH 3991-3993 may be used to fulfill an upper-division course elective. CH 3991-3993 may also be used as an upper-division lab credit. Systematic investigation of an original research problem. A written report must be submitted by the time a third credit is completed. CH 3994 requires submission of both a written report and oral presentation and satisfies the Capstone, Additional Writing, and Oral Presentation requirements in the major for the Integrative Core Curriculum. Prerequisite: Approval of a faculty sponsor and/or permission of the Department Chair. Offered: Fall, Spring.
  

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• Concentration: Chemistry

  Literature Research In Chemistry

  3 Credits

  CH3980

  Three hours of lecture per week. Literature-based research course. Instruction in the proper use of chemical literature, as well as further development of a student’s abilities to communicate chemistry in both writing and in oral presentation. Includes a final project with a written and oral presentation component. Fulfills the Capstone, Additional Writing, and Oral Presentation requirements in the major for the Integrative Core Curriculum. Only accepted or conditionally accepted chemistry majors or students working to complete chemistry minor requirements and are accepted or conditionally accepted as majors in another program will be permitted to register for CH 3980. Prerequisites: (CH 3670 or CH 367) and (CH 4780 or CH 478) and Chair permission. Offered: Every other Spring starting Spring 2024.
  

  Ch3990

  CH3990

  CH 3994 prerequisites: CH 3670 and CH 4780; pre/corequisite of a third credit of CH 3991-3993 is required for registration in CH 3994. The number of credits must be agreed on by student and faculty sponsor and specified at registration. Minimum of four hours’ work per week expected per credit hour. CH 3991, 1 cr, first research experience; CH 3992, 1 cr, second research experience; CH 3993, 1 cr, third research experience. More than 3 credits may be taken for credit; however, only three credits of CH 3991-3993 may be used to fulfill an upper-division course elective. CH 3991-3993 may also be used as an upper-division lab credit. Systematic investigation of an original research problem. A written report must be submitted by the time a third credit is completed. CH 3994 requires submission of both a written report and oral presentation and satisfies the Capstone, Additional Writing, and Oral Presentation requirements in the major for the Integrative Core Curriculum. Prerequisite: Approval of a faculty sponsor and/or permission of the Department Chair. Offered: Fall, Spring.
  

  Ch3994

  CH3994

  Number of credits to be agreed on by student and faculty sponsor and specified at registration. CH3991=1cr; CH3992=1cr; CH3993=1cr; CH3994=0 cr. Minimum of four hours' work per week are expected per credit hour. May be repeated for credit; however only three credits of CH 3991-3993 may be used to fulfill an upper-division course elective. CH 3991-3993 credit also counts as upper-division lab credit. Systematic investigation of an original research problem. A written report must be submitted by the time a third credit is finished. Prerequisites: CH3670, CH4780, and at least two credits of CH3991-3; approval of a faculty sponsor and/or permission of Department Chair. Prerequisite or corequisite: CH 399C or CH 3993. Offered: Fall and Spring.
  

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