Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Bachelor of Science College of Letters & Science

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
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
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
Elementary Statistics
Elementary Statistics
Gateway to Statistical Data Science
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
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
Choose 118 series or 128 & 129 series:12-15
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
Organic Chemistry Laboratory
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory
Choose two:6
Structure & Function of Biomolecules
Modern Methods of Organic Synthesis
Chemistry of Natural Products
Choose at least four; not used to satisfy the above requirements:11-16
Ethics of Animal Use
Structure & Function of Biomolecules
Bioenergetics & Metabolism
Professionalism & Ethics in Genomics & Biotechnology
Modern Methods of Organic Synthesis
Chemistry of Natural Products
Special Study for Advanced Undergraduates (For a minimum 3 units.)
Undergraduate Honors Research
Biological Effects of Toxicants
Behavior & Analysis of Enzyme & Receptor Systems
Macromolecular Structure & Function
Plant Biochemistry
Introductory Microbiology
Neurobiology
Systemic Physiology
Neurobiology of Addictive Drugs
Plant Biochemistry
Principles of Pharmacology & Toxicology (For a minimum 3 units.)
Principles of Pharmacology & Toxicology
Depth Subject Matter Subtotal47-61
Total Units97-117