Chemistry (CHM)
Professors Hill and Strait; Associate Professor J. Dopke; Assistant Professors N. Dopke, Mo and Turk.
The Chemistry Program at Alma focuses on the understanding of matter, its chemical behavior and the research methods utilized by chemists to gain that understanding. The program emphasizes experimental and research work using laboratories equipped with modern chemical instrumentation and computers. The program's quality and completeness is certified by the American Chemical Society for the training of professional chemists. Career opportunities for Alma's Chemistry graduates include industry, teaching, research, law, health professions and chemical engineering. Our students have successfully entered the workforce or teaching profession upon graduation or continued their study in graduate or professional schools.
Major Requirements
- Core: 28 credits consisting of CHM 115, 223, 224, 230, 320, 331, and 332.
- Areas of Concentration:
- Chemistry: 8 credits from CHM 251, 300 or 400 level courses, BCM 321 or 422. At least 4 credits must be at or above the 300 level.
- American Chemical Society Certified Degree: CHM 313 and 314; BCM 321; and 4 credits chosen from CHM 399, 411, 499, or BCM 422.
- Pre-Medicine: BCM 321 and 4 credits from 300 or 400 level courses in Chemistry; The American Chemical Society Certified Degree is also available with the pre-medicine concentration.
- Successful completion of CHM 450.
Program Considerations
Potential majors are advised to schedule Mathematics 121-122 and Physics 121-122 (or Physics 112-113) in the freshman and sophomore years so they may enroll in Chemistry 331-332 in the junior year.
Completion of an independent research project normally culminating in a senior thesis is recommended.
Students bound for graduate school should make careful course selections to support their particular area of emphasis; participation in research, completion of Chemistry 313, 314 and 411, Mathematics 210 and 211 should be considered. Experience with calculus based physics (Physics 121-122) is preferred over Physics 112-113.
Students bound for medical school should elect CHM 115 in the fall of the freshman year so that BCM 321 can be completed in advance of taking the MCAT at the end of the Junior year (CHM 115, 223, 224, 230 and BIO 121 are prerequisites to BCM 321). To be a competitive medical school applicant, the Chemistry Department strongly recommends students completing a Chemistry major also take genetics and physiology, in addition to considering upper level electives from Biology, Biochemistry or Integrated Physiology and Health Science.
Departmental Honors
Students may achieve honors in the Chemistry Department by:
- Having a 3.5 GPA in all chemistry classes.
- Performing at a superior level in departmental Senior Seminar.
- Preparing and presenting a senior thesis of honors caliber. See the Department chair for details on how to fulfill the thesis requirements.
Minor requirements
Twenty-four credits with eight credits numbered 300 or above and which may include Biochemistry 321 and 422.
Teaching Major Requirements
Completion of the requirements for the Chemistry major.
Teaching Minor Requirements
Twenty-four credits that must include Chemistry 115, 223, 224, 230 and Biochemistry 321; and four credits chosen from Chemistry 320, 331 or 332.
American Chemical Society Certified Degree
Completion of Chemistry 115, 223, 224, 230, 313, 314, 320, 331, 332, 450, Biochemistry 321 and four credits chosen from Chemistry 399, 411, 499, or Biochemistry 422. Completion of a minimum of 400 hours of laboratory work must be included. Students must consult with the Chemistry chair in their junior year for approval of their program.
Four credits from CHM, with the exception of practicum or independent study courses, count towards the Distributive Requirements in the Natural Sciences — Physical Sciences.
| CHM 101. | Basic Chemistry | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 credits | ||
| MTH 101 | ||
| Study of basic principles of chemistry including atomic and molecular structure, stoichiometry, equilibria and chemical behavior. Intended for students who are non-science majors and may not count toward a Chemistry major or minor. DR and academic credit will only be awarded to one of CHM 101, CHM 103 or CHM 115. | ||
| CHM 103. | Basic Chemical Investigations | |
| 4 credits | $20 | |
| MTH 101 | ||
| Basic chemical phenomena and methodology for non-science majors. Topics center on real-world problems and societal issues with significant chemical content. Laboratory uses modern chemical instrumentation including spectrophotometers. Does not count toward the Chemistry major or minor. DR and academic credit will only be awarded to one of CHM 101, CHM 103 or CHM 115. Laboratory. | ||
| CHM 115. | Introductory Chemistry: Chemical Analysis | |
| 4 credits | $20 | |
| MTH 112 concurrently or Proficiency | ||
| Introduction to the basic principles of chemistry in a context of chemical analysis. Intended for students in the sciences. Includes the periodic table, elements, ionic and covalent compounds, stoichiometry, atomic and molecular structure, spectroscopy, gases, pH and acid-base and oxidation-reduction reactions. DR and academic credit will only be awarded to one of CHM 101, CHM 103 or CHM 115. Laboratory. | ||
| CHM 199-*299. | Independent Study | |
| 1-4 credits | $20 | |
| Permission | ||
| Planned program of reading or laboratory experimentation. | ||
| CHM *223-*224. | Organic Chemistry | |
| 4 credits each | $20 each | |
| CHM 115 | ||
| Study of the chemistry of carbon-containing compounds, emphasizing the various functional groups and their transformations, reaction mechanisms and stereochemistry, and the development of synthetic schemes. Laboratory. | ||
| CHM *230. | Intermediate Inorganic Chemistry | |
 |
4 credits | $20 |
| CHM 224 or Permission | ||
| Study of the chemistry of the metals and non-metals emphasizing periodic behavior, elementary thermodynamics, ionic and covalent structures, oxidation and reduction reactions, acid-base chemistry, equilibria, transition metal complexes and reaction kinetics. Laboratory. | ||
| CHM *251. | Chemistry of Ordinary Things | |
| 4 credits | $20 | |
| CHM 223 | ||
| An exploration of the applications of principles of general and organic chemistry to the chemistry of everyday phenomena. Additional topics include an introduction to drug design and aspects of spectroscopy to probe molecular structure. Laboratory. | ||
| CHM *280. | Topics in Chemistry | |
| 1-4 credits | ||
| CHM 230 | ||
| Chemical topics chosen by the instructor. May be taken more than once for credit. | ||
| CHM *310. | Medicinal Chemistry | |
| 2 credits | ||
| CHM 230 | ||
| Study of the molecular aspects of drug function leading to an understanding of the basis for rational drug design. Discussion of physical-chemical properties and their effect on biological activity, structure-activity relationships, drug metabolism and receptor theory. | ||
| CHM *311. | Environmental Chemistry | |
| 2 credits | ||
| CHM 230 | ||
| Introduction to environmental chemistry, emphasizing the origins, transport, reactions, effects and fates of chemical species in the environments. | ||
| CHM *312. | Fragrance and Flavor Chemistry | |
| 2 credits | ||
| CHM 230 | ||
| A study of the physiological basis for smell and taste, history of fragrances and flavors, origins and analysis of natural materials and raw materials for and production of synthetic ingredients. The fragrance and flavor industry, marketing and product application will also be discussed. There is no separately assigned laboratory, however students will be engaged in laboratory exercises. | ||
| CHM *313. | Inorganic Structures | |
| 2 credits | ||
| CHM 230 | ||
| A survey of inorganic species including symmetry, bonding models and spectroscopy. An overview of the reactions of organometallic compounds are included. | ||
| CHM *314. | Bioinorganic Chemistry | |
| 2 credits | ||
| CHM 230 | ||
| The study of the use of metals by biological species emphasizing inorganic models, reaction types and reaction mechanisms. | ||
| CHM *320. | Instrumental Analysis | |
|
4 credits | $20 |
| CHM 230 | ||
| Principles and laboratory methods of chemical analysis using instrumentation: chromatography, spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, atomic absorbance and ion selective electrodes. Laboratory. | ||
| CHM *331-*332. | Physical Chemistry | |
| 4 credits each | $20 each | |
| CHM 230, MTH 122 and PHY 113 or 122 | ||
| Study of the physical principles of chemistry with emphasis on thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics and kinetics. Laboratory. | ||
| CHM *380-*480. | Topics in Chemistry | |
| 1-4 credits | ||
| CHM 230 | ||
| Chemical topics chosen by the instructor. May be taken more than once for credit. | ||
| CHM *399-*499. | Research in Chemistry | |
| 1-4 credits | $20 | |
| Permission | ||
| Laboratory investigation of an original problem. | ||
| CHM *411. | Advanced Organic Chemistry | |
| 4 credits | $35 | |
| CHM 224 and 331 | ||
| Advanced study of modern synthetic reactions, mechanisms and theoretical perspectives. Laboratory. | ||
| CHM *450. | Senior Seminar in the Chemical Sciences | |
| 1 credit | ||
| Senior Standing, CHM or BCM major | ||
| Analysis of the literature in a variety of chemical subfields. Culminates in an oral exam evaluating the ability to read and interpret the literature. | ||
| CHM *500. | Senior Thesis | |
|
2 credits | |
| 6 credits in CHM 399/499 or taken concurrently | ||
| Preparation of a comprehensive thesis and a public presentation on an investigation of an original problem. Required for departmental honors. | ||
| Biochemistry Courses (BCM) | ||
| BCM *321. | Biochemistry | |
| 4 credits | $50 | |
| BIO 121, CHM 224 and CHM 230 | ||
| Overview of the major topics of biochemistry including the chemistry, structure, function, biological activity and molecular mechanisms of the major biological macromolecules. Introduction to bioenergetics and central metabolic pathways. Laboratory. | ||
| BCM *422. | Advanced Biochemistry | |
|
4 credits | $50 |
| BCM 321 | ||
| Further study of intermediary metabolism through the use of historical and current research articles. Introduction to biophysical methods. Emphasis on experimental design, data analysis and integration of biochemical information. Laboratory. | ||