Chemistry/Biochemistry Major

Requirements

The following two options prepare students for professional or graduate schools or for employment in a variety of industry, educational or government settings. They can be supplemented with graduate work in education, law, library science or business administration to prepare for such careers as high school science teacher, patent attorney, science librarian, chemical or pharmaceutical industry executive or small business owner.

Additional Requirements, Chemistry Option

This option prepares students for employment in teaching or in the chemical industry and for graduate study in most pure and applied chemistry areas, such as organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, polymer or forensic chemistry. It satisfies the American Chemical Society requirements for professional certification. With permission, appropriate advanced courses in other departments can be substituted for the advanced chemistry electives.

• CHM 318 - Physical Chemical Measurements I Credits: 2

• and

• CHM 319 - Physical Chemical Measurements II Credits: 2

• or

• CHM 416 - Computer Methods in Biochemistry and Bioinformatics Credits: 1
• CHM 424 - Mathematical Methods in Physical Science Credits: 2
• CHM 431 - Principles of Inorganic Chemistry Credits: 3
• CHM 433 - Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory Credits: 1
• CHM 4xx or 5xx Advanced Chemistry Electives - minimum of 6 credits

Additional Requirements, Biochemistry Option

This option prepares students for employment in the pharmaceutical industry and for graduate study in biochemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology, nutrition and other areas of life science. The advanced biology electives must be approved by the biochemistry advisor. Note that students with weak backgrounds in biology may need to take BIO 121, 122, 131 and 132 before attempting other biology courses.

• BIO 121, 122, 131, 132 - Biology of Organisms I and II and Labs (prerequisites for BIO 234/244)
• BIO 234 - Cell Biology Credits: 3
• BIO 236 - Cells & Genetic Laboratory Credits: 1
• BIO 244 - Biology of Cells Laboratory Credits: 1
• BIO 3xx or 4xx Advanced Biology Electives - minimum of 6 credits
• CHM 412 - Biochemistry II Credits: 3
• CHM 414 - Biochemistry Laboratory Credits: 3
• CHM 416 - Computer Methods in Biochemistry and Bioinformatics Credits: 1
• CHM 4xx or 5xx Advanced Chemistry Electives - minimum of 3 credits

University Studies Requirement

In addition to the requirements in the major, students will be required to complete the University Studies requirements. For more information: http://www.umassd.edu/generaleducation/universitystudies/universitystudiescurriculum/.

Educational Outcomes

The objectives of the BS programs are the following:

1. Provide a solid background and develop students’ ability to apply the fundamental concepts and methods of inorganic, organic, analytical, physical, and biochemistry to problem-solving.
2. Provide specialized knowledge of at least one of the sub-fields of chemistry, sufficient to understand current issues, solve problems in this field, and qualify for entry-level employment and admission to graduate school.
3. Develop proficiency in laboratory techniques, experimental design, record-keeping practices and data analysis, as well as the ability to form logical conclusions from the data.
4. Foster effective communication skills through oral presentations and written reports.
5. Provide competence in searching the scientific literature, appreciation of current research issues, and the ability to apply this information to project design, development, and dissemination

Notes

NOTE on minimum grades

For all majors in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, any course that is a prerequisite for another required course must be passed with a grade of at least C-.

Gen Ed note: Chemistry courses satisfy the Natural Science and Technology requirement. Those marked S are appropriate for non-science/engineering majors.

University Studies: CHM155, 130 or 132 satisfy Cluster 2A/Science and the Natural World; CHM170 satisfies Cluster 2B/Science and the Engaged Community; CHM204 satisfies Cluster 1C/Intermediate writing. CHM499 satisfies Cluster 5A/Capstone Study and 5B/Learning through Engagement

Note: Some graduate courses may be open to undergraduates. Please consult your department chairperson. See the Graduate Catalog for graduate general and program requirements.

BS-MS Option

The BS/MS option permits the student to achieve both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in five years, rather than the usual six years required. This option provides exposure to graduate courses and research, making easier the transition from BS-MS to PhD-level study. For those going directly into teaching or industry, the master’s degree typically yields a significant increase in starting salary.

By counting some beginning graduate courses also as senior chemistry courses, this combined program permits the student to achieve both degrees in 143 credits, fewer than the total if the two degree programs were taken separately. Two summers of research are necessary. Entrance into this program requires approval of the department.

Under this option the student works toward completion of the course curriculum for one of the BS options. The student may apply for acceptance to this program as early as the fourth semester. A research project is typically begun in the summer of the third year and continued through one or two summers, the fall of the fourth year (as CHM 499), the spring of the fourth year and in both semesters of the fifth year (as 9 credits of CHM 600). A total of 12 additional credits of advanced CHM electives beyond those required for the BS (or, with approval of the departmental advisor, advanced electives in another department) is required at the 500 level. The student is also required to enroll in Graduate seminar (CHM 650) in both semesters of the fifth year. Since this program has a relatively demanding course load, students without significant advanced placement credit are advised to take University Studies electives during the summer after the first or second year.

The student should request permission to pursue this degree option no later than the beginning of the fall semester of the fourth year. A requirement for admission into the program is an overall GPA of at least 2.75 and a GPA of at least 3.00 in all core and advanced elective chemistry courses. These minimum requirements must be maintained throughout the remainder of the program.

Students in this program are eligible for teaching assistantships after completing the BS requirements (typically by the spring of the fourth year) and may be eligible for summer research stipends. At this time, they will apply for formal entrance to the graduate level by submitting an application through the Office of Graduate Studies. Applicants Chemistry Major BS-MS Option will state their specific intention of applying for the BS/MS program and do not need to submit GRE scores or reference letters.

Environmental Chemistry

For students in marine chemistry, geochemistry, toxicology, environmental monitoring and analysis, environmental law or other areas of environmental science, the department allows for a more disciplinary course of study, with electives chosen from other departments, such as biology, physics, environmental engineering, economics or political science.

The Chemistry option is modified as follows:  (CHM 552, Instrumental Methods of Analysis) is substituted for CHM 318 and CHM 319.  CHM 431, CHM 433 and either CHM 416 or 424 can be waived.  In place of the two advanced science electives, at least five courses chosen from an approved list of environmental electives are required. (One of these can count toward the university social science requirement.) Contact the department’s environmental chemistry advisor for full details.

Premedical

Both options satisfy the mathematics, physics, and chemistry requirements for admission to medical, osteopathic, optometric, podiatric, dental or veterinary school. To satisfy biology requirements students will typically need 11 credits of biology courses including BIO 234 (Cell Biology), Biology 236 (Cells and Genetics Lab), BIO 235 (Genetics) and one appropriate advanced BIO elective, which should be chosen in consultation with the departmental faculty advisor. The Biochemistry option includes these biology courses in the degree curriculum.  

Biochemistry majors may also satisfy pre-requisites for Physician Assistant (PA) and PharmD programs through careful choice of electives, in consultation with their Premedical Faculty Advisor and the University’s Pre-Health Director.

All premedical students need to have their degree programs approved by the Premedical Faculty Advisor to make sure that they will satisfy the prerequisites of the professional schools to which they plan to apply.