Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Bachelor of Science College of Letters & Science

Office & Contact Information

Chemistry is the study of the composition of matter, its structure, and the means by which it is converted from one form to another.

The Program

We offer several degree programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) and the Bachelor of Science (B.S.). To meet and discuss these programs with our staff advisors, see Academic Advising.

The B.S. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry is strongly focused on basic science while providing students with a greater understanding of the experimental and computational processes and societal issues that surround the synthesis, discovery, and design of modern pharmaceuticals. Important relevant topics include potential drug targets, physical principles of drug action, drug synthesis & screening, computational drug design, drug delivery, and ethical concerns. The demand for pharmaceutical chemists is high and anticipated to grow, as modern chemistry allows a wide range of choices for drug synthesis and our growing knowledge of biological processes presents challenging targets for novel therapeutics.

Career Alternatives

Graduates in Pharmaceutical Chemistry will be able to successfully pursue their career objectives in advanced education in professional and/or graduate schools and in a range of scientific careers in academia, government, or industry including the pharmaceutical, medicinal & biological sciences, medicine, pharmacy, pharmacology, and biotechnology.

Major Advisor

To contact a major advisor in the Department of Chemistry, see Academic Advising.

Honors & Honors Program

The student must take courses CHE 194HA, CHE 194HB, and 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.

The major requirements below are in addition to meeting University Degree Requirements & College Degree Requirements; unless otherwise noted. The minimum number of units required for the Pharmaceutical Chemistry Bachelor of Science is 97.

Preparatory Subject Matter
Chemistry
Choose a series:15
CHE 002A
& CHE 002B
& CHE 002C
General Chemistry
and General Chemistry
and General Chemistry
CHE 004A
& CHE 004B
& CHE 004C
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
PHY 007A
& PHY 007B
& PHY 007C
General Physics
and General Physics
and General Physics
PHY 009A
& PHY 009B
& PHY 009C
Classical Physics
and Classical Physics
and Classical Physics
Mathematics
Choose a series:9-12
MAT 016A
& MAT 016B
& MAT 016C
Short Calculus
and Short Calculus
and Short Calculus
MAT 017A
& MAT 017B
& MAT 017C
Calculus for Biology & Medicine
and Calculus for Biology & Medicine
and Calculus for Biology & Medicine
MAT 021A
& MAT 021B
& MAT 021C
Calculus
and Calculus
and Calculus
Biological Science
BIS 002AIntroduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth5
BIS 002BIntroduction to Biology: Principles of Ecology & Evolution5
or BIS 002C Introduction to Biology: Biodiversity & the Tree of Life
Statistics
Choose one:4
STA 013
Elementary Statistics
or STA 013Y
 Elementary Statistics
STA 032
Gateway to Statistical Data Science
STA 100
Applied Statistics for Biological Sciences
Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal50-56
Depth Subject Matter
Chemistry
CHE 124AInorganic Chemistry: Fundamentals3
CHE 130APrinciples of Medicinal Chemistry3
CHE 130BComputational Drug Design3
CHE 135Drug Development Laboratory3
Choose a series:6-12
CHE 107A
& CHE 107B
Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences
and Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences
CHE 110A
& CHE 110B
& CHE 110C
Physical Chemistry: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
and Physical Chemistry: Properties of Atoms & Molecules
and Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics, Equilibria & Kinetics
Choose 118 series or 128 & 129 series:12-15
CHE 118A
& CHE 118B
& CHE 118C
Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences
and Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences
and Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences
or
CHE 128A
& CHE 128B
& CHE 128C
Organic Chemistry
and Organic Chemistry
and Organic Chemistry
CHE 129A
& CHE 129B
& CHE 129C
Organic Chemistry Laboratory
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory
Choose two:6
BIS 102
Structure & Function of Biomolecules
CHE 131
Modern Methods of Organic Synthesis
CHE 150
Chemistry of Natural Products
Choose at least four; not used to satisfy the above requirements:11-16
ANS 170
Ethics of Animal Use
BIS 102
Structure & Function of Biomolecules
BIS 103
Bioenergetics & Metabolism
BIT 171
Professionalism & Ethics in Genomics & Biotechnology
CHE 131
Modern Methods of Organic Synthesis
CHE 150
Chemistry of Natural Products
CHE 199
Special Study for Advanced Undergraduates (For a minimum 3 units.)
or CHE 194HA
 Undergraduate Honors Research
ETX 103A
Biological Effects of Toxicants
MCB 123
Behavior & Analysis of Enzyme & Receptor Systems
MCB 124
Macromolecular Structure & Function
MCB/PLB 126
Plant Biochemistry
MIC 102
Introductory Microbiology
NPB 100
Neurobiology
NPB 101
Systemic Physiology
NPB 168
Neurobiology of Addictive Drugs
PLB/MCB 126
Plant Biochemistry
VMB 101Y
Principles of Pharmacology & Toxicology (For a minimum 3 units.)
or VMB 101V
 Principles of Pharmacology & Toxicology
Depth Subject Matter Subtotal47-61
Total Units97-117