Applied Chemistry, Bachelor of Science College of Letters & Science
The Major Programs
Chemistry studies the composition of matter, its structure, and the means by which it is converted from one form to another.
The Program
The Department of Chemistry offers two Bachelor of Science degree emphases under the heading of Applied Chemistry: Environmental Chemistry and Forensic Chemistry. The B.S. emphasis in Applied Chemistry fall outside of the classical chemistry degree and instead draw on significant course material from areas relevant to their particular fields. The Environmental Chemistry program provides students with tools to understand the processes governing chemical transformations in soil, air, and water, analyze for key substances in the environment, and make meaningful predictions about the fates of these chemicals. The Forensic Chemistry program involves the identification and quantitation of scientific evidence both in the natural environment and in urban settings, including substances sometimes available in only trace amounts.
Career Alternatives
Environmental chemistry graduates with the bachelor's degree will be able to pursue advanced degrees in areas such as atmospheric chemistry, geochemistry, toxicology, and environmental science. They will also have access to a range of scientific careers including regulatory agencies, environmental consulting firms, and industries concerned with the environmental impacts and fates of their products. Forensic chemistry graduates will be able to pursue careers in private forensic labs as well as law enforcement and regulatory agencies at many levels, including police and sheriff’s departments, district attorney crime labs, and laboratories of federal agencies including the FBI, DEA, FDA, and many others.
Major Advisor
To contact a major advisor in the Department of Chemistry, see Academic Advising.
Honors & Honors Program
The student must take CHE 194HA, CHE 194HB, & CHE 194HC, and complete a capstone research project (typically a written honors thesis). For more information, see Undergraduate Research on the department's website.
Graduate Study
The Department of Chemistry offers programs of study and research leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry. Detailed information regarding graduate study may be obtained by contacting the Graduate Advisor, Department of Chemistry. See also Graduate Studies.
Environmental Chemistry Emphasis
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
Preparatory Subject Matter | ||
Chemistry | ||
Choose a series: | 15 | |
General Chemistry and General Chemistry and General Chemistry | ||
General Chemistry for the Physical Sciences & Engineering and General Chemistry for the Physical Sciences & Engineering and General Chemistry for the Physical Sciences & Engineering | ||
Physics | ||
Choose a series: | 12-15 | |
General Physics and General Physics and General Physics | ||
Classical Physics and Classical Physics and Classical Physics | ||
Mathematics | ||
Choose a series: | 9-12 | |
Short Calculus and Short Calculus and Short Calculus | ||
Calculus for Biology & Medicine and Calculus for Biology & Medicine and Calculus for Biology & Medicine | ||
Calculus and Calculus and Calculus | ||
Biological Science | 5 | |
Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth | ||
Statistics | ||
Choose one: | 4 | |
Elementary Statistics | ||
or STA 013Y | Elementary Statistics | |
Gateway to Statistical Data Science | ||
Applied Statistics for Biological Sciences | ||
Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal | 45-51 | |
Depth Subject Matter | ||
Chemistry | 32-39 | |
Environmental Water Chemistry | ||
Analytical & Physical Chemical Methods | ||
Instrumental Analysis | ||
Inorganic Chemistry: Fundamentals | ||
Choose a series: | ||
Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences and Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences | ||
Physical Chemistry: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics and Physical Chemistry: Properties of Atoms & Molecules and Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics, Equilibria & Kinetics | ||
Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences and Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences and Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences | ||
OR | ||
Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry | ||
AND | ||
Organic Chemistry Laboratory and Organic Chemistry Laboratory | ||
Environmental Science & Policy | 4 | |
Principles of Environmental Science | ||
Environmental Toxicology | 4 | |
Principles of Environmental Toxicology | ||
Choose at least three: | 7-15 | |
Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry | ||
Global Environmental Interactions | ||
Limnology | ||
Choose one: | ||
Environmental Fate of Toxicants | ||
Quantitative Analysis of Environmental Toxicants | ||
Perspectives in Aquatic Toxicology | ||
Environmental Toxicology of Air Pollutants | ||
Health Risk Assessment of Toxicants | ||
Exposure & Dose Assessment | ||
Choose one: | ||
Structure & Properties of Fibers | ||
Textile Chemical Analysis Laboratory | ||
Choose one: | ||
Radiogenic Isotope Geochemistry & Cosmochemistry | ||
Stable Isotopes & Geochemical Tracers | ||
Physical & Chemical Oceanography | ||
Aqueous Geochemistry | ||
Choose one: | ||
Environmental Soil Chemistry | ||
Soil Microbiology | ||
At least three additional upper division units in Chemistry (CHE) 1 | 3 | |
Depth Subject Matter Subtotal | 50-65 | |
Total Units | 95-116 |
- 1
CHE 199 strongly encouraged.
Forensic Chemistry Emphasis
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
Preparatory Subject Matter | ||
Chemistry | ||
Choose a series: | 15 | |
General Chemistry and General Chemistry and General Chemistry | ||
General Chemistry for the Physical Sciences & Engineering and General Chemistry for the Physical Sciences & Engineering and General Chemistry for the Physical Sciences & Engineering | ||
Physics | ||
Choose a series: | 12-15 | |
General Physics and General Physics and General Physics | ||
Classical Physics and Classical Physics and Classical Physics | ||
Mathematics | ||
Choose a series: | 9-12 | |
Short Calculus and Short Calculus and Short Calculus | ||
Calculus for Biology & Medicine and Calculus for Biology & Medicine and Calculus for Biology & Medicine | ||
Calculus and Calculus and Calculus | ||
Biological Science | 5 | |
Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth | ||
Environmental Toxicology | 3 | |
Introduction to Forensic Science | ||
Statistics | ||
Choose one: | 4 | |
Elementary Statistics | ||
or STA 013Y | Elementary Statistics | |
Gateway to Statistical Data Science | ||
Applied Statistics for Biological Sciences | ||
Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal | 48-54 | |
Depth Subject Matter | ||
Chemistry | 29-36 | |
Forensic Applications of Analytical Chemistry | ||
Analytical & Physical Chemical Methods | ||
Instrumental Analysis | ||
Choose a series: | ||
Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences and Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences | ||
Physical Chemistry: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics and Physical Chemistry: Properties of Atoms & Molecules and Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics, Equilibria & Kinetics | ||
Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences and Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences and Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences | ||
OR | ||
Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry | ||
AND | ||
Organic Chemistry Laboratory and Organic Chemistry Laboratory | ||
Environmental Toxicology | 13 | |
Principles of Environmental Toxicology | ||
Environmental Fate of Toxicants | ||
Quantitative Analysis of Environmental Toxicants | ||
Choose at least two: | 6-9 | |
Choose one: | ||
Principles of Environmental Science | ||
or ESP 161 | Environmental Law | |
Choose one: | ||
Genes & Gene Expression | ||
Biological Effects of Toxicants | ||
Biological Effects of Toxicants: Experimental Approaches | ||
Introduction to Mass Spectrometry | ||
Health Risk Assessment of Toxicants | ||
Legal Aspects of Environmental Toxicology | ||
Applied Statistical Methods: Regression Analysis | ||
Mathematical Statistics: Brief Course | ||
At least three additional upper division units in Chemistry (CHE) 1 | 3 | |
Depth Subject Matter Subtotal | 51-61 | |
Total Units | 99-115 |
- 1
CHE 199 strongly encouraged.