Chemistry

Chemistry courses
Chemistry department home page

Director of undergraduate studies: Victor Batista, 239 SCL, 432-6672, victor.batista@yale.edu

FACULTY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

Professors

*Sidney Altman, Victor Batista, Gary Brudvig, Robert Crabtree, *Craig Crews, R. James Cross, Jr., John Faller, *Gary Haller, *Francesco Iachello, Mark Johnson, William Jorgensen, J. Patrick Loria, J. Michael McBride, Scott Miller, Peter Moore, *Lynne Regan, *James Rothman, Martin Saunders, Alanna Schepartz, Charles Schmuttenmaer, *Dieter Söll, *Thomas Steitz, *Scott Strobel, John Tully, Patrick Vaccaro, Frederick Ziegler (Emeritus), Kurt Zilm

Associate Professor

Ann Valentine

Assistant Professors

Nilay Hazari, Seth Herzon, David Spiegel, Elsa Yan

Lecturers

Paul Anastas, Christine DiMeglio, N. Ganapathi, Jonathan Parr

*A joint appointment with primary affiliation in another department.

The wide range of courses offered by the Department of Chemistry reflects the position of chemistry as the foundation of all the molecular sciences. In addition to graduate work in chemistry, biochemistry, or health-related disciplines, the department's graduates find their broad scientific training useful in fields such as technology policy, business management, and law. Chemistry is an especially appropriate major for students interested in energy research or policy and the environment.

Courses for nonmajors without prerequisites. Three one-term courses with no prerequisites are offered for non–science majors: CHEM 101a, Chemistry in the Modern World, CHEM 102a, Introduction to Green Chemistry, and CHEM 103b, Chemistry, Energy, and the Environment. They do not satisfy medical school requirements or the general chemistry requirement for any science major.

Introductory courses and placement. The majority of students begin with a general chemistry sequence: either CHEM 112a and 113b, Chemistry with Problem Solving; CHEM 114a and 115b, Comprehensive General Chemistry; or CHEM 118a, Quantitative Foundations of General Chemistry. All of these courses fulfill the prerequisite for general chemistry in the Chemistry major. A typical student in CHEM 112a may have taken a year of high school chemistry, but has not been exposed to the problem-solving approach used in many university-level science courses. Students in CHEM 114a may have taken one or possibly two years of chemistry in high school and have had some exposure to quantitative problem-solving scientific methods. A little more than half of the students in CHEM 114a last took chemistry as sophomores in high school. Students in CHEM 118a have done well in an advanced placement chemistry course or shown other evidence of high achievement in science and mathematics. For instance, students with a Chemistry Advanced Placement test score of 5 are placed into CHEM 118a.

Students with a sufficiently strong background in chemistry may initiate their studies with courses in organic or physical chemistry after demonstrating proficiency on the department's placement examination. CHEM 124a and 125b, Freshman Organic Chemistry, is designed expressly for freshmen. Other courses in organic chemistry, CHEM 220a and 221b, or 225b and 227a, are also available to qualified freshmen. Students with a strong background in physics and calculus may be eligible for the physical chemistry courses CHEM 332a and 333b.

Placement procedures. The Chemistry department reviews the admission records of all freshmen prior to the beginning of the fall term. Using test scores and information supplied by students in preregistration, the department determines the appropriate general chemistry course for every entering freshman, either CHEM 112a, 114a, or 118a. Students will be able to view their initial placement in late August by following links provided on the Chemistry department Web site. Placement updates will be posted on the same site during registration week in the fall term.

Freshmen wishing to take CHEM 124a, 220a, or 332a, or those wishing to take a higher-level course than their initial assigned placement, are required to take a placement examination on the first day of registration week in the fall term. Students who feel they have been incorrectly placed at too high a level may discuss changing their placement with a chemistry placement adviser and do not need to take the examination. Students uncertain about their placement are encouraged to sit for the examination, as it provides the best measure of a student's readiness to enter the wide variety of courses offered to freshmen.

Students with placement questions, or those wishing to change their course preference indicated during preregistration, should attend the department's orientation meeting prior to the placement examination. Additional sessions with placement advisers are scheduled throughout the first week of the fall term in 1 SCL at times listed in the Calendar for the Opening Days of College. Students wishing to change their placement should consult an adviser as soon as possible.

Students are advised to review general chemistry before taking the placement examination. Use of an electronic calculator is permitted. Times and places for the examination are published in the Calendar for the Opening Days of College. After the examination, final placements are posted on the Chemistry department Web site. For further information about placement and the examination, consult the Calendar for the Opening Days of College, the Freshman Handbook, and the Chemistry department Web site.

Permission keys. Enrollment in all introductory chemistry courses requires an electronic permission key. Keys are automatically issued by the department for entering freshmen, and are displayed as green key-shaped icons next to the appropriate courses on the online registration page. Students are blocked from enrolling in any chemistry course for which they do not possess a permission key. Students experiencing problems with permission keys should inquire in person at the department office, 1 SCL.

Section registration in laboratory and lecture courses. Information about online registration for laboratory and discussion sections can be found in the description for each laboratory or lecture course on OCI. Due to the nature of laboratory exercises, it is impractical to preview laboratory courses during the course selection period.

Placement information for upperclassmen. Upperclassmen wishing to take CHEM 114a, 115b or 118a must first confirm their placement and obtain permission keys by inquiring at the department office, 1 SCL. Because CHEM 112a and 113b are restricted to freshmen, upperclassmen are placed into either CHEM 114a or 118a. Upperclassmen wishing to enroll in CHEM 220a or b or 225b may do so, as long as they have satisfied the general chemistry prerequisite.

Information for premedical students. Medical schools currently require one year of organic chemistry and laboratory as well as one year of general chemistry and laboratory. The general chemistry requirement may be satisfied by CHEM 112a and 113b, or 114a and 115b, or CHEM 328a or 332a followed by 333b. Students taking CHEM 118a often complete this requirement by taking either CHEM 252b and 251Lb or a course in biochemistry with laboratory. Students should consult with Undergraduate Career Services for the most up-to-date premedical course advice.

Major degree programs. Four degree programs are offered: a B.S., an intensive B.S., a B.A., and a combined B.S./M.S. The B.S. degree is pursued by the greatest number of majors. It is intended to prepare students for graduate study while permitting extensive exploration of other disciplines. The intensive B.S. provides more focused preparation for a career in chemical research, and requires greater breadth in laboratory courses and electives. Students electing the intensive B.S. can also satisfy the requirements for a certified degree in chemistry as set forth by the American Chemical Society. The B.A. is intended for students who want solid training in the chemical sciences, and who also intend to study other subjects in which chemical training would be an asset, such as technology policy, economics, the environment, or medicine. The combined B.S./M.S. is designed for students whose advanced preparation qualifies them for graduate-level work in their third and fourth years of college.

Degree requirements common to all Chemistry degree programs. One year of general chemistry and laboratory, or the equivalent in advanced placement, is a prerequisite to all four degree programs. In addition, all degrees require a year of organic chemistry (CHEM 124a or 220a or b or 225b, and 125b or 221b or 227a) and laboratory (CHEM 126La or 222La or Lb, and 127Lb or 223La or Lb), a year of physical chemistry (CHEM 332a or 328a and 333b, except for the B.A., which does not require 333b) and one term of laboratory (CHEM 330La), and a term course in inorganic chemistry (CHEM 252b or higher). No chemistry courses taken Credit/D/Fail may be counted toward the major (including substitutions for advanced courses).

Prerequisites outside the Chemistry department. Each degree program requires a course in physical chemistry. Single-variable calculus and college-level physics are required for the physical chemistry courses. Students are also encouraged to complete a course in multivariable calculus and a physics course that uses calculus.

B.S. degree. In addition to the prerequisites and common degree requirements, the B.S. requires completion of an additional half-credit chemistry laboratory elective and four additional course credits of advanced chemistry lecture or laboratory courses. At least one of the advanced courses must be a lecture course in chemistry. One term of CHEM 490a or b involving original research may be applied toward the advanced-course requirement.

Intensive B.S. degree. The requirements for the intensive degree are the same as those for the B.S., except that the laboratory elective requirement is increased to one full course credit, and five, rather than four, advanced chemistry courses are required. The five advanced courses must include two terms of the independent research course CHEM 490a or b.

B.A. degree. The B.A. degree requires completion of the prerequsites, the common degree requirements, and three course credits of advanced chemistry lecture or laboratory courses, one of which may be CHEM 490a or b. At least one of the advanced courses must be a lecture course in chemistry. CHEM 333b can be counted toward this requirement, although not as the sole advanced chemistry lecture course offered.

Combined B.S./M.S. degree program in Chemistry. Exceptionally well-prepared students may complete a course of study leading to the simultaneous award of the B.S. and M.S. degrees after eight terms of enrollment. Formal application for admission to this program must be made by the first day of classes in the sixth term of enrollment. Acceptance into the program requires two-thirds A or A– grades within the major and one-half A or A– grades overall after five terms. Two terms of CHEM 490a or b must be taken in the fifth and sixth terms with grades of A or A– earned to continue in the program. Subsequent grades are irrelevant as long as normal progress is maintained. The B.S./M.S. degree program requires completion of the instensive B.S. requirements, a physics course at the level of 200 or higher, and eight graduate courses in chemistry (four of which count toward the B.S.). Four terms of research are required, including two terms of research taken in CHEM 990.

Advanced courses. For the purposes of degree requirements, all chemistry courses numbered 400 or higher count as advanced lecture or laboratory courses, as do CHEM 224La or Lb, 226La or Lb, 251Lb, 331Lb, MB&B 300a, 301b, and 360Lb.

Substitutions for required courses. Up to two terms of advanced science courses outside chemistry may be counted as electives, with the written approval of the director of undergraduate studies. Students without advanced placement who complete CHEM 116La and 117Lb may count one-half course credit of physics laboratory toward the laboratory requirement, with approval of the director of undergraduate studies. CHEM 490a or b may not in any circumstances be substituted for any of the laboratory requirements. The graduate courses CHEM 562, 564, and 565 may not be counted toward any requirement of the major.

Senior requirement. Senior B.S. and intensive B.S. majors prepare a written report and give an oral presentation on their independent project in CHEM 490b. Research papers are expected to be fifteen to twenty-five pages in length (double-spaced, twelve-point font, exclusive of figures and bibliography). Students pursuing the B.A. typically do not pursue independent research, but instead write a senior essay under the guidance of a faculty member as arranged by the instructor of CHEM 490b. The senior essay option may also be elected by B.S. students. The requirements of the senior essay are the same as those for research papers. Students electing the senior essay must secure a faculty sponsor by the middle of the fall term.

Sequence of courses. Majors are encouraged to begin their programs in the freshman year to provide the greatest flexibility in scheduling. It is possible, however, to complete the B.S. in as little as six terms if a student has advanced placement. One sample B.S. program follows, but many others are possible:


Freshman	Sophomore	Junior	Senior

CHEM 118a, 119La, 252b, 251Lb	CHEM 220a, 221b, 222La, 223Lb	CHEM 332a, 333b, 330La	CHEM 490b

math prereq	physics prereq	1 elective	2 electives

Approval of major programs of study. All Chemistry majors in the sophomore, junior, and senior years must have their programs approved by the director of undergraduate studies. A program tailored to each major's goals is created and recorded on a Chemistry Course of Study form kept in the student's file in the department office. Majors who have a current course of study form on file may have their schedules signed by the director of undergraduate studies or any of the advisers to the major: J. Michael McBride, Patrick Vaccaro, or Kurt Zilm.

Special restrictions on lecture courses. Completion of the first term of any yearlong chemistry lecture sequence (CHEM 112a and 113b, 114a and 115b, 124a and 125b, 220a or b and 221b, 225b and 227a, and 332a and 333b) with a passing grade is a prerequisite for registration in the subsequent term.

Students receive credit for only one chemistry sequence of any given type. For example, a student who has completed CHEM 112a and 113b may not subsequently enroll in CHEM 118a; a student who has completed CHEM 124a and 125b may not subsequently enroll in CHEM 220a or b. Similarly, students may not enroll in a course that is a prerequisite to a course they have already taken. Thus, for example, a student who has completed an organic chemistry laboratory cannot subsequently enroll in a general chemistry laboratory.

Special restrictions on laboratory courses. Chemistry courses may be taken without the accompanying laboratory (except CHEM 124a and 125b, for which CHEM 126La and 127Lb are corequisites), although the department does not recommend it. However, the appropriate lecture course is a prerequisite or corequisite for each laboratory course. A student who is not enrolled in the second term of a yearlong lecture course may not take the second term of the related laboratory course. This restriction can be waived only by the director of undergraduate studies.

Year or Term Abroad. Participation in the Year or Term Abroad program is available for qualified majors at Sussex University (U.K.). Interested students should consult the Chemistry Year Abroad coordinator, Robert Crabtree. For general information about the Year or Term Abroad, see chapter II of this bulletin.

REQUIREMENTS OF THE MAJOR

Prerequisites: CHEM 112a and 113b, or 114a and 115b, or 118a; CHEM 116La and 117Lb, or 119La; MATH 112a or b, 115a or b (MATH 120a or b or ENAS 151a suggested); PHYS 180a and 181b, or 200a and 201b (150a, 151b acceptable), or equivalents in advanced placement

Number of courses: B.A.—10 term courses, totaling 9 course credits; B.S.—13 term courses, totaling 11 ½ course credits; Intensive B.S.—14 or 15 term courses, totaling 13 course credits

Specific courses required: All degrees—organic chem (CHEM 124a, 125b, or 220a or b, 221b, or 225b, 227a); organic chem lab (CHEM 126La, 127Lb or 222La or Lb, 223La or Lb); physical chem I (CHEM 328a or 332a); inorganic chem (CHEM 252b, 450b, 452a, or 457a); physical chem lab I (CHEM 330La); B.S.—CHEM 333b; Intensive B.S.—CHEM 333b, two terms of CHEM 490a or b

Distribution of courses: B.A.—3 course credits in advanced lectures or labs; B.S.—addtl lab for ½ course credit; 4 course credits for advanced lectures or labs; Intensive B.S.—addtl labs for 1 course credit; 5 course credits in advanced lectures or labs

Substitution permitted: Up to 2 relevant advanced science courses in other depts for advanced chem courses with DUS permission

Senior requirement: CHEM 490b or senior essay