Chemistry
Chemistry
courses
Chemistry department home page
Director of undergraduate studies: Kurt Zilm, 249 SCL, 432-3956, kurt.zilm@yale.edu [F]; Patrick Vaccaro, 240 SCL, 432-3975, patrick.vaccaro@yale.edu [Sp]
FACULTY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
Professors
*Sidney Altman, Gary Brudvig, Robert Crabtree, R. James Cross, Jr., John Faller, *Gary Haller, Andrew Hamilton, *Francesco Iachello, Mark Johnson, William Jorgensen, J. Michael McBride, Scott Miller, Peter Moore, *Lynne Regan, Martin Saunders, Alanna Schepartz, Charles Schmuttenmaer, *Dieter Söll, *Thomas Steitz, *Scott Strobel, John Tully, Patrick Vaccaro, Frederick Ziegler (Emeritus), Kurt Zilm
Associate Professors
Victor Batista, *Craig Crews, J. Patrick Loria
Assistant Professors
Glenn Micalizio, David Spiegel, Ann Valentine, Elsa Yan
Lecturers
Paul Anastas, Iona Black, 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.
Students with B.A. or B.S. degrees in chemistry go on to a variety of professional callings. In addition to graduate work in chemistry, biochemistry, medicine, or other health-related disciplines, the department's graduates find their broad scientific training useful in fields such as business management and law. As contemporary society's problems involve ever more complex scientific issues, degree programs in the sciences become increasingly appropriate for students wishing to pursue careers in public policy, government, or public service. The breadth of exposure to the physical and life sciences makes chemistry an especially appropriate major for these students.
The department offers a flexible arrangement of beginning and upper-level courses intended to meet a variety of student interests. The choice of a proper course of study depends on the student's preparation and career goals. The director of undergraduate studies or any of the departmental advisers is available to assist students in choosing course offerings best suited to their educational needs. A list of advisers is available in the Chemistry department main office, 1 SCL.
The majority of students intending to major in one of the physical or life sciences, as well as those planning to pursue postgraduate studies in a health-related discipline, should begin the study of chemistry in their freshman year.
Placement in introductory courses. The introductory chemistry courses are designed to address the varied needs of Yale freshmen for a solid grounding in general chemistry. Placement in these courses is determined by the Chemistry department, using achievement test scores as well as information provided by preregistration and by the Admissions Office. Students may gain access to more advanced courses by taking the department's placement examination.
There are six different courses that commonly serve as a student's entry into the study of chemistry at Yale. The majority of students begin with a general chemistry sequence: either CHEM 113, Chemistry with Problem Solving; CHEM 114, Comprehensive General Chemistry; or CHEM 118a, Quantitative Foundations of General Chemistry. All of these courses fulfill the requirements for general chemistry in the Chemistry major and serve as the general chemistry prerequisite for any of the more advanced courses offered by the department.
Students with a sufficiently strong background in chemistry may initiate their studies with courses in organic or physical chemistry. CHEM 125, Freshman Organic Chemistry, is designed expressly for freshmen. Other beginning courses in organic or physical chemistry (CHEM 220a and 221b, 225b and 227a, 328a, or 332a and 333b) are available to qualified freshmen. CHEM 332a, 333b, Physical Chemistry with Applications in the Physical Sciences, is taught with the needs of freshmen in mind. Placement in any of these advanced courses provides chemistry and life science students with greater flexibility in course selection during subsequent years.
In addition, the Chemistry department offers three one-term courses intended for non–science majors: CHEM 100b, Chemistry in Popular Novels, CHEM 102a, Introduction to Green Chemistry, and 103b, Chemistry, Energy, and the Environment. These courses have no prerequisites. They do not satisfy medical school requirements or the requirements for any science major (including Chemistry). For students in the Class of 2008, CHEM 100b, 102a, and 103b count toward the Group IV distributional requirement.
Placement guidelines. A typical student in CHEM 113 may have taken a year of high school chemistry as a sophomore, but has not been exposed to the problem-solving approach used in many university-level science courses. Students placed in CHEM 114 may have taken one or 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 placed in CHEM 114 last took chemistry as sophomores in high school. Students in CHEM 118a have done well in an advanced placement course in chemistry or shown other evidence of high achievement in science or mathematics. For instance, students having a Chemistry Advanced Placement test score of 5 are placed into CHEM 118a. Students eligible for CHEM 118a who also perform well on the department's placement examination may enroll in CHEM 125 or 220a. Those who have a strong background in physics and calculus may be eligible for CHEM 332a, 333b (or 328a).
Placement procedures. The Chemistry department reviews the admission records of all incoming freshmen prior to the beginning of the fall term. Using these data and information supplied by students in preregistration, the department determines the appropriate general chemistry sequence for every entering freshman. This initial placement level is posted outside the Chemistry department main office, 1 SCL, by the beginning of registration week in the fall. Students planning to enroll in a chemistry course should check this list as soon as possible for their initial placement level.
Students wishing to take a higher-numbered chemistry course than they have been assigned to in the initial placement, as well as all students wishing to elect a lecture course numbered higher than CHEM 118a, must attend the department's registration and orientation meeting and take the placement examination. Students are advised to review general chemistry prior to taking this examination. Use of an electronic calculator on the examination 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 listed outside 1 SCL.
Students who feel they have been placed incorrectly may appeal their course assignment by consultation with a Chemistry placement adviser. Sessions with placement advisers are scheduled during the first week of the fall term. See the Calendar for the Opening Days of College for times and places. Students wishing to change their placement should consult one of the advisers as soon as possible.
Laboratory registration. Registration for laboratory sections takes place at the first regularly scheduled meeting of the associated lecture course. Due to the nature of laboratory exercises it is impractical to preview laboratory courses during the course selection period.
Placement information for upperclassmen. Upperclassmen taking an introductory chemistry course must attend the Chemistry department registration and orientation meeting to be advised of their placement. Since CHEM 113 is restricted to freshmen, upperclassmen are placed in either CHEM 114 or 118a. Upperclassmen wishing to enroll in CHEM 220a or 225b may do so as long as they have satisfied the general chemistry prerequisite.
Placement examination and registration information. For further information about registration, placement examinations, course placement, and class scheduling, consult the Calendar for the Opening Days of College, the Freshman Handbook, and the Chemistry Department Web site.
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 completing both terms of CHEM 113 or 114, or by completing two terms of physical chemistry (CHEM 328a or 332a and CHEM 333b). Students taking the term course CHEM 118a can complete this requirement by taking any additional term course in nonorganic chemistry with laboratory, for instance, CHEM 252b and 251Lb.
Requirements of the major. Both the B.A. and B.S. degrees in Chemistry have a core-course requirement that includes a year of general chemistry and laboratory, a year of organic chemistry and laboratory, a year of physical chemistry and laboratory, and a term course in inorganic chemistry. There is a great deal of flexibility in fulfilling these requirements and in adapting the Chemistry degree program to the requirements of medical and other professional schools. Four typical sequences that meet the Chemistry core-course requirements are listed below.
Standard Chemistry Major Core Sequences
| Requirement | Core 1 | Core 2 | Core 3 | Core 4 | ||||
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| General chemistry | CHEM 113 or 114, 116L | CHEM 118a, 119La | ——— | CHEM 119La | ||||
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| Organic chemistry | CHEM 220a, 221b, 222La, 223Lb | CHEM 225b, 227a, 222Lb, 223La | CHEM 125, 126L | CHEM 220a, 221b, 222La, 223Lb | ||||
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| Physical chemistry | CHEM 328a or 332a, CHEM 333b, first term of 331L | CHEM 328a or 332a, CHEM 333b, first term of 331L | CHEM 328a or 332a, CHEM 333b, first term of 331L | CHEM 328a or 332a, CHEM 333b, first term of 331L | ||||
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| Inorganic chemistry | CHEM 252b, or one from CHEM 450b, 452a, or 457a | CHEM 252b, or one from CHEM 450b, 452a, or 457a | One from CHEM 252b, 450b, 452a, or 457a | One from CHEM 252b, 450b, 452a, or 457a | ||||
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| Additional laboratory | One course credit from second term of CHEM 331L or from CHEM 224La or Lb, 251Lb, MB&B 360Lb | One and one-half course credits from second term of CHEM 331L or from CHEM 224La or Lb, 251Lb, MB&B 360Lb | Two course credits from CHEM 224La or Lb, 251Lb, second term of 331L, MB&B 360Lb | One and one-half course credits from second term of CHEM 331L or from CHEM 224La or Lb, 251Lb, MB&B 360Lb | ||||
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Core 1 is suitable for freshmen without an advanced chemistry background. Core 2 is intended for students with a strong background in chemistry. Core 3 and Core 4 are intended for students whose thorough preparation in high school is confirmed by satisfactory performance on the department's advanced chemistry placement examination. Students in Core 3 or Core 4 will find it possible to enroll in many graduate Chemistry offerings by their junior year and are encouraged to do so. Permission of the instructor and of the director of undergraduate studies is required in each instance.
Students electing Core 1, 2, or 4 may substitute MB&B 360Lb for one term of CHEM 331L or one term of the organic chemistry laboratory requirement. Substitutions other than those indicated in the three core sequences may be made only with approval of the director of undergraduate studies. No Chemistry courses to be counted toward the major (including substitutions for advanced courses) may be taken Credit/D/Fail. The graduate course CHEM 560L may replace CHEM 331L, but may not be counted as an advanced course in Chemistry. The graduate courses CHEM 562, 564, and 565 may not be counted toward any requirement of the major.
Examples of typical programs are available from the Chemistry department main office, 1 SCL.
Prerequisites. Each core sequence contains a course in physical chemistry. MATH 112a or b, 115a or b (MATH 120a or b is recommended), and PHYS 180a, 181b (or 150a, 151b, or 200a, 201b) or their equivalents in advanced placement are prerequisites for the physical chemistry courses.
B.S. degree. In addition to one of the four core sequences, the B.S. degree requires five additional terms of advanced chemistry lecture courses. At least one of these courses must be a course in Chemistry or MB&B 300a or 301b. Within this restriction, up to two terms of CHEM 490 (involving original research, not a literature project) or up to two terms of relevant advanced science courses may be used in fulfilling the five advanced term course requirement, with approval of the director of undergraduate studies.
B.A. degree. The B.A. degree requires completion of one of the four core sequences and three additional terms of advanced chemistry lecture courses. One of these must be a Chemistry course or MB&B 300a or 301b. Within this restriction, up to two terms of CHEM 490 (laboratory work, not literature research) or up to two terms of relevant advanced science courses may be used in fulfilling the three advanced term course requirement, with approval of the director of undergraduate studies.
Senior requirement. Senior majors prepare a written report and make an oral presentation on their laboratory, literature, or chemical education project in the spring term of CHEM 490. The presentation is made during the latter portion of the term and the paper is due the first day of the reading period of the student's final term. Research or literature papers are expected to be fifteen to twenty-five pages in length (double-spaced, twelve-point font, exclusive of figures).
Special restrictions on yearlong lecture courses. Completion of the first term of any yearlong Chemistry lecture course (CHEM 113, 114, 125, 220a and 221b, 225b and 227a, and 332a and 333b) with a passing grade is a prerequisite for registration in the subsequent term.
Special restrictions on laboratory courses. Any Chemistry lecture course may be taken without the accompanying laboratory (except CHEM 125, for which CHEM 126L is a corequisite). 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. All Chemistry laboratories earn one course credit for the year's work with the exception of CHEM 226La or Lb and 331L, which earn a full credit per term.
While CHEM 490 may be used to substitute for advanced lecture courses, it may not in any circumstance be substituted for any of the required core laboratory courses.
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 director of undergraduate studies and the Chemistry Year Abroad coordinator, Robert Crabtree. For general information about the Year or Term Abroad, see chapter III of this bulletin.
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. CHEM 490 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. Typical B.S./M.S. degree programs include completion of Core 3 or Core 4 and a Physics course at the level of 200 or higher by the end of the fourth term. Eight graduate courses in Chemistry (four of which count toward the B.S.) are required. Four terms of research are required, including two terms of research as CHEM 990.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE MAJOR
Prerequisites: MATH 112a or b, 115a or b (120a or b suggested); PHYS 180a, 181b (or 150a, 151b, or 200a, 201b), or equivalents in advanced placement
Number of courses: B.A.—8 to 10 term lecture courses depending on placement; 4 lab course credits; B.S.—10 to 12 term lecture courses depending on placement; 4 lab course credits
Specific courses required: General chem (CHEM 113, or 114, or 118a, or acceleration credit, depending on placement); organic chem (CHEM 125, or 220a, 221b, or 225b, 227a); physical chem (CHEM 328a or 332a and CHEM 333b); inorganic chem (CHEM 252b, or 450b, or 452a, or 457a); 3 advanced chem courses for the B.A.; 5 for the B.S.; 4 chem lab credits incl organic chem (CHEM 126L or CHEM 222La or Lb and 223La or Lb) and physical chem (CHEM 331L)
Substitution permitted: Certain approved labs for the second term of CHEM 331L; up to 2 relevant advanced science courses in other depts for advanced chem courses with DUS permission; up to 2 terms of CHEM 490 for advanced chem courses with DUS permission
Senior requirement: Oral presentation at a spring-term sem and written report, both based on research or literature project completed in spring term of CHEM 490
Unless otherwise indicated, courses in Chemistry count toward the natural science requirement for the Class of 2008.
