Program Overview

B.S. in Chemistry

Curriculum

The B.S. in Chemistry program at West Chester University of Pennsylvania is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in chemistry, preparing them for careers in research, industry, and education.

Curriculum

The program requires a minimum of 120 credits, including:

• General Education Requirements (40-44 credits)
• Major Requirements (76-80 credits)
• Additional Baccalaureate Requirements (4-8 credits)

General Education Requirements

• Academic Foundations (16-20 credits)
  • First Year Experience requirement (4 credits)
  • English Composition requirement (6-7 credits)
  • Mathematics requirement (3-4 credits)
  • Interdisciplinary requirement (3 credits)
  • Diverse Communities requirement (3 credits)
  • Ethics requirement (3 credits)
• Distributed Disciplinary Foundations (24-28 credits)
  • Science requirement (6-8 credits)
  • Behavioral & Social Science requirement (6 credits)
  • Humanities requirement (6 credits)
  • Arts requirement (3 credits)

Major Requirements

• Core Courses (44-48 credits)
  • CHE 103: General Chemistry I (3 credits)
  • CHE 104: General Chemistry II (3 credits)
  • CHE 231: Organic Chemistry I (4 credits)
  • CHE 232: Organic Chemistry II (3 credits)
  • CHE 321: Analytical Chemistry I (3 credits)
  • CHE 418: Chemical Information (1 credit)
  • CHE 476: Biochemistry I (3 credits)
  • CRL 103: General Chemistry I Lab (1 credit)
  • CRL 104: General Chemistry II Lab (1 credit)
  • CRL 231: Organic Chemistry I Lab (2 credits)
  • CRL 321: Analytical Chemistry I Lab (2 credits)
  • PHY 180: Physics II (4 credits)
  • MAT 162: Calculus II (4 credits)
• Other Required Courses (20-24 credits)
  • CHE 341: Physical Chemistry I (4 credits)
  • CHE 342: Physical Chemistry II (3 credits)
  • CHE 409: Foundational Inorganic Chemistry (3 credits)
  • CHE 411: Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (3 credits)
  • CHE 424: Advanced Analytical Chemistry (3 credits)
  • CRL 232: Organic Chemistry II Lab (2 credits)
  • CRL 341: Physical Chemistry I Lab (2 credits)
  • CRL 342: Physical Chemistry II Lab (2 credits)
  • CRL 411: Inorganic Syntheses Lab (2 credits)
  • CRL 424: Analytical Chemistry II Lab (2 credits)
• Chemistry Electives (3 credits)
  • Select 3 credits from advanced standing chemistry courses, except CHE 310.

Additional Baccalaureate Requirements

• Writing Emphasis requirement (9 credits)
• Speaking Emphasis requirement (9 credits)
• Capstone requirement (1-15 credits)
  • CHE 491: Seminar in Chemistry (1 credit)

Sample Course Plan

The following is a sample suggested course sequence for this program:

Year One:

• Fall:
  • CHE 103: General Chemistry I (3 credits)
  • CRL 103: General Chemistry I Lab (1 credit)
  • MAT 161: Calculus I (4 credits)
  • WRT 120: Effective Writing I (3 credits)
  • FYE 100X: First Year Experience (4 credits)
• Spring:
  • CHE 104: General Chemistry II (3 credits)
  • CRL 104: General Chemistry II Lab (1 credit)
  • MAT 162: Calculus II (4 credits)
  • PHI 180: Introduction to Ethics (3 credits)
  • WRT 2XX: 200-Level WRT Course (3 credits)
  • Free Elective (3 credits)

Year Two:

• Fall:
  • CHE 231: Organic Chemistry I (4 credits)
  • CRL 231: Organic Chemistry I Lab (2 credits)
  • CHE 321: Analytical Chemistry I (3 credits)
  • CRL 321: Analytical Chemistry I Lab (2 credits)
  • PHY 170: Physics I (4 credits)
• Spring:
  • CHE 232: Organic Chemistry II (3 credits)
  • CRL 232: Organic Chemistry II Lab (2 credits)
  • PHY 180: Physics II (4 credits)
  • Arts Gen Ed (3 credits)
  • Behavioral and Social Science Gen Ed (3 credits)
  • Department Safety Examination

Year Three:

• Fall:
  • CHE 341: Physical Chemistry I (4 credits)
  • CRL 341: Physical Chemistry I Lab (2 credits)
  • CHE 409: Foundational Inorganic Chemistry (3 credits)
  • CHE 476: Biochemistry I (3 credits)
  • CRL 476: Biochemistry I Lab (1 credit)
  • CHE 418: Chemical Information (1 credit)
• Spring:
  • CHE 342: Physical Chemistry II (3 credits)
  • CRL 342: Physical Chemistry II Lab (2 credits)
  • CHE 477: Biochemistry II (3 credits)
  • CRL 477: Biochemistry II Lab (1 credit)
  • Humanities Gen Ed (3 credits)
  • Free Elective (4 credits)

Year Four:

• Fall:
  • CHE 409: Foundational Inorganic Chemistry (3 credits)
  • CHE 491: Seminar in Chemistry (1 credit)
  • Arts Gen Ed (3 credits)
  • Behavioral and Social Science Gen Ed (3 credits)
  • Interdisciplinary Gen Ed (3 credits)
• Spring:
  • CHE 411: Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (3 credits)
  • CRL 411: Inorganic Syntheses Lab (2 credits)
  • CHE 424: Advanced Analytical Chemistry (3 credits)
  • CRL 424: Analytical Chemistry II Lab (2 credits)
  • CHE XXX: Chemistry Elective (3 credits)