Chemistry Major

The chemistry major is one of science’s most versatile degrees and is becoming increasingly important in today’s global environment.

The chemistry program at Cedar Crest College will prepare you for entry into industry, graduate study, education, or the medical professions by encouraging critical thinking and leadership skills. It also provides a background for those entering the allied biological and environmental fields in which chemical knowledge and laboratory skills are required.

As a student in Cedar Crest’s chemistry department, you will conduct leading-edge research with state-of-the-art equipment, which will provide you with a strong science foundation that will open doors to a wide variety of careers and graduate studies opportunities.

Students who have graduated from Cedar Crest’s Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences have gone on to pursue careers in:

• Agricultural chemistry
• Environmental analysis
• Forensic Science
• Marketing
• Medical research
• Pharmaceutical drug discovery
• Polymer/materials science
• Science education
• And more

Many of our students have pursued the medical professions, gaining entry into dental, medical, pharmaceutical and veterinary schools. We encourage research-oriented students to pursue advanced degrees in chemistry or biochemistry. Recent graduates of our program have obtained full fellowships in M.S. and Ph.D. programs at institutions including: Duke University, Lehigh University, North Carolina State University, The Ohio State University, The Pennsylvania State University, and Princeton University.

Program Options

At Cedar Crest College, you may choose any of the following tracks when studying chemistry at the undergraduate level:

• A bachelor of science in chemistry
• A bachelor of science in chemistry with a concentration in forensic science
• A co-major in chemistry and secondary education
• A bachelor of science in chemistry combined with a non-science major or minor, such as dance or global studies

Program Details

As a chemistry major at Cedar Crest College, you have the opportunity to:

• Work closely with faculty to structure your academic program
• Carry out student-faculty research
• Participate in an internship
• Obtain a summer research fellowship
• Work for the department as a student instructional assistant
• Participate in activities of the Chemistry Club, an American Chemical Society student affiliate group

Upper class students are required to complete either a departmental research project or a corporate internship, summarized in a seminar presentation.

Course Requirements

 

Total number of credits required: 51

• CHE 111 Chemical Principles 4 credits
• CHE 112 Chemical Equilibrium and Analysis 4 credits
• CHE 205 Organic Chemistry I 4 credits
• CHE 206 Organic Chemistry II 4 credits
• CHE 230 Analytical Chemistry 4 credits
• CHE 300 Technical Information 3 credits
• CHE 302 Instrumental Analysis 4 credits
• CHE 306 Advanced Organic Chemistry 3 credits
• CHE 307 Biochemistry I 4 credits
• CHE 331 Inorganic Chemistry 4 credits
• CHE 335 Physical Chemistry I 4 credits
• CHE 336 Physical Chemistry II 3 credits
• CHE 352 Seminar 1 credit
• CHE 391 Advanced Laboratory and Research 3 or 6 credits OR CHE 393 Internship

Plus choose two courses from the following:

• CHE 308 Biochemistry II 3 or 4 credits
• CHE 314 Toxicology 3 credits
• CHE 320 Environmental Chemistry 3 or 4 credits
• CHE 341 Polymer Chemistry 3 credits
• CHE 344 Heterocyclic Compounds 3 credits
• CHE 347 Trace Evidence and Microscopy 4 credits

Note: To obtain an ACS certified degree, 6 credits of laboratory research will be required.

Plus the following cognate courses:

• BIO 248 Biostatistics (for Forensics Concentration) 3 credits OR MAT 110 Probability and Statistics and MAT 141 Calculus I 3 credits
• MAT 142 Calculus II 3 credits
• PHY 101 Introductory College Physics I 4 credits
• PHY 102 Introductory College Physics II 4 credits