CHE - Chemistry

Designed for non-science majors. Introduces the basic concepts of chemistry and examines them in terms of real-world examples. Satisfies general distribution requirements. Requires proficiency in mathematics skills developed in MAT 150. Lecture only.

This course deals with the fundamental principles of chemical science and basic calculations in science. Topics include scientific measurement, states of matter, solution chemistry, acid-base theory, chemical equilibrium, and oxidation-reduction reactions. This course is intended for science majors as preparation for taking CHE 150/152/153L. Satisfies general curriculum distribution requirements. Lecture only. For CNHS majors only.

Investigates the fundamental principles of general chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry. Topics include chemical bonding, nomenclature, gases, states of matter, solutions, acid and base theory, equilibrium and oxidation-reduction, organic functional groups, stereochemistry, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Lecture only.

Expands on the basic concepts of chemistry. Topics include chemical nomenclature, stoichiometric relationships, the chemistry of gases, atomic structure, chemical bonding and molecular geometry.  Permission to retake the course during the fall or spring semester after having earned a letter grade in or having officially withdrawn from the course can only be granted by the department chair.

Laboratory experiments supplement lecture material presented in CHE 152.  Permission to retake the course during the fall or spring semester after having earned a letter grade in or having officially withdrawn from the course can only be granted by the department chair.

A continuation of General Chemistry I. Topics include solution chemistry, kinetics, equilibrium, thermodynamics, electrochemistry and nuclear chemistry.

Laboratory experiments supplement lecture material presented in CHE 154.

A science course designed to teach concepts of chemistry using works of art as the context. The course may include the study of materials used in creation of objects of art, art preservation, art restoration, forgery detection and nondestructive testing. The course will also explore the effect of environmental pollution, primarily air, on the stability and longevity of objects of art. The influence of materials on aesthetics will also be included. Lecture only.

Provides an introduction to the chemistry of the processes involved in air, water and soil pollution, and covers techniques and methods used by state and federal regulatory agencies. Does not apply toward a major or a minor in chemistry. Lecture only.

The goal of this course is to provide students with a survey of topics in forensic science that will be covered in more depth in higher-level courses. Topics may include subjects such as arson investigation, trace evidence analysis and firearms analysis. Each subject is taught individually by an expert in the field.

A study of the chemical properties and reactions of carbon and its derivatives. Topics include bonding, nomenclature, stereo chemistry, substitution, elimination and free radical reactions, organometallic compounds, infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and the chemistry of alkyl halides, alcohols, epoxides, glycols, alkenes and alkynes.

Experiments focus on organic techniques used in the purification of liquids and solids and in structural elucidation. Emphasis is on the acquisition of basic organic laboratory skills, including communication of the results of scientific work. Over the course of the academic term, between nine and twelve experiments are conducted and students are required to keep a detailed laboratory notebook and submit discipline-specific formal laboratory reports on selected experiments. To effectively emulate the experience of professional science communication, training in report writing as well as peer review and iterative revision are incorporated in the report assignments.

A continuation of Organic Chemistry I. Topics include the chemistry of benzene, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids and their derivatives, amines, polycyclic and heterocyclic compounds, condensation reactions and special topics such as carbohydrates, amino acids, proteins or pericyclic reactions.

Experiments involve organic synthesis and physical methods in organic chemistry including IR and NMR spectroscopy. Emphasis is on the acquisition of advancing organic laboratory skills, including communication of the results of scientific work. Over the course of the academic term, between nine and twelve experiments are conducted and students are required to keep a detailed laboratory notebook and submit discipline-specific formal laboratory reports on selected experiments. To effectively emulate the experience of professional science communication, training in report writing as well as peer review and iterative revision are incorporated in the report assignments.

This course offers an introduction of the synthesis, chemical and biological properties and reactions of medicinal compounds and their metabolites. Topics include: the chemistry of bonding, nomenclature, stereochemistry, geometry and pharmacology. Students will be given the opportunity to present on disease-related topics and their respective treatments.

An introduction to the basic principles of bonding with an introduction to molecular orbital theory. An extensive survey of the periodic properties of the elements supplemented with representative reactions for the main group elements. Additional topics include acid and base theory and crystal field theory for the first row transition elements. Lecture and laboratory.

Laboratory component of CHE 245.

An introduction to principles and applications of physical chemistry. Topics include states and properties of matter, thermodynamics and its application to chemical and biochemical systems, phase and chemical equilibrium, electrochemistry and chemical kinetics. Lecture only.

An advanced treatment of chemical equilibrium and its application to the quantitative analysis of materials. Emphasizes gravimetric, volumetric, spectrophotometric and potentiometric methods of analysis. Lecture and laboratory.

The ocean is the largest aqueous mixture on the planet, and this course is an introduction to the chemistry of the seas. Chemical oceanography is one of the four major fields of oceanography and requires an interdisciplinary approach to understand the biological, chemical, geological and  physical processes that affect seawater constituents. The composition of seawater and its spatial and temporal variations will be the primary focus of the course. Interactions at the boundaries of the ocean with the atmosphere, sediments and seafloor that affect seawater chemistry will be explored.

A study of the chemical properties and biological functions of the atoms, molecules, macromolecules and macromolecular complexes that contribute to living systems. Topics include pH; structure and function of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids; enzyme kinetics; and the major metabolic cycles and their cellular control processes. Lecture only.

This laboratory course is designed to supplement lecture material discussed in CHE 320 (Biochemistry). Topics to be discussed and experiments performed by students include buffer composition and analysis; protein purification and quantitation; enzyme kinetics and inhibition; nucleic acid purification and quantification; and ligand binding and equilibrium analysis.
CHE 320L is only required for Biochemistry and Forensic Science majors. Other students enrolled in or who have previously completed CHE 320 (lecture) with a grade of at least a C may register for the lab, but it is not required.

This course extends the basic biochemistry (CHE 320) curriculum and provides a more comprehensive foundation. Topics covered in the lecture component include: glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, the citric acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation and photosynthesis, the Calvin cycle and pentose phosphate pathway, glycogen and fatty acid metabolism, biosynthesis and catabolism of amino acids, nucleotide biosynthesis, biosynthesis of lipids, metabolism integration, metabolism of nucleic acids, and biochemical regulation of gene expression.

This course is designed to provide hands-on experience in firearms evidence examination, with a focus on microscopic methods. The course will explore common types of firearms evidence such as cartridge casings, bullets, bullet fragments, shot pellets, and gunshot residues. Students will compare fired bullets and cartridges with unknown samples, primarily using comparison microscopy.

Topics include gases and kinetic molecular theory, the laws of thermodynamics, phase equilibrium, ideal and non-ideal solutions, electrochemistry and surface phenomena. Lecture only.

Introduction to advanced chemical laboratory techniques.

A continuation of Physical Chemistry I. Topics include kinetics, photochemistry, quantum mechanics, spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Lecture only.

Continuation of physical chemistry laboratory.

An in-depth, independent, literature-based study of a current topic in chemistry or biochemistry. A written report and an oral presentation of the topic must be presented to and reviewed by the chemistry faculty. 

Advanced Biochemistry CHE420 is a writing-intensive, laboratory-based course that expands on the basics introduced in Biochemistry CHE 320 and Biochemistry Laboratory CHE 320L. This course emphasizes both biochemical theory and methodology, including enzymology, purification and characterization of biological molecules, immunobiochemistry and the structure/function relationship of biological molecules. Students perform a semester-long laboratory project, culminating in formal laboratory report. Students are also assessed through scientific presentation, in-class examinations and take-home examinations designed to measure students’ mastering of the concepts presented during the lecture and laboratory portions of the course.

Studies atomic and molecular structure, types of chemical bonding, periodic relationships, typical reactions of inorganic substances, and the modern experimental methods used in inorganic chemistry. Lecture only.

This course is designed to cover many of the topics discussed in Organic Chemistry I and II in more depth. Topics may include the general study of organic reaction mechanisms including Eyring plots, Hammond's postulate, Curtin-Hammett principle, isotope effects and acid-base catalysis; conformational control; stereoelectronics; Hückel molecular orbital theory; pericyclic reactions; aromaticity; free-radical species and reactions; nucleophilic substitutions; eliminations; additions; multi-step synthetic strategies; retrosynthetic strategies; and natural product synthesis. In addition, the student may be expected to develop literature research skills by preparing and presenting a project involving the total synthesis of a naturally occurring compound or a topic of current interest. Lecture only.

Studies the theory and practice of modern instrumental methods of chemical analysis. Methodology includes spectrophotometric, chromatographic, electroanalytical and nuclear techniques. Additionally, students are required to retrieve scientific information from primary, secondary and tertiary literature sources. Lecture and laboratory.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of chemical methods and techniques commonly used in the analysis of forensic evidence. Topics include 1) drugs of abuse, explosives, and ignitable liquids, 2) sample preparation and extractions, 3) separations theory, 4) gas chromatography, 5) high performance liquid chromatography, 6) absorbance methods and color tests, and 7) mass spectrometry. The course is focused on forensic analytical methods, with particular emphasis on analysis of drugs of abuse, as well as interpretation of data. Lecture.

Laboratory experiments supplement lecture material presented in CHE 432.

Focuses on the application of methods discussed in Forensic Chemistry to biological samples such as blood, urine, ocular fluid and tissue samples, to identify and quantitate drugs and toxins. Topics covered include 1) immunoassay, 2) forensic toxicology analyses of urine, blood, and alternative matrices, 3) pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, 3) blood-alcohol analyses, and 4) subdisciplines and related topics such as postmortem forensic toxicology, human performance forensic toxicology, forensic urine drug testing, and performance-enhancing drug testing. Lecture.

Laboratory experiments supplement lecture material presented in CHE 434.

This course is designed to help students transition the knowledge and skills gained in their laboratory and coursework into employment in working forensic laboratories. The following topics, in the context of forensic science, are covered: quality assurance, courtroom testimony, ethics, data integrity, and employment practices.

Covers current spectroscopic methods for organic structure determination. Topics include mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction, and other techniques and their use in organic structure determination. Students are expected to develop literature research skills by preparing and presenting a project involving the determination of the molecular structure of a naturally occurring compound. Lecture only.

Qualified students choose a project in consultation with a chemistry faculty member. Requires laboratory or computational research. The project should be performed during the student’s junior and/or senior years. This capstone research experience may be repeated for up to a total of 4 credit hours. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Provides practical experience in chemistry-related programs in a firm or agency under the supervision of faculty and firm representatives. May be accomplished on a part-time basis and may be repeated for a total of 4 credit hours. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Qualified students in junior year choose project subject in consultation with chemistry faculty member. Requires laboratory research related to forensic science.  A written report and an oral presentation of the research must be presented to and reviewed by the chemistry faculty. The project should be performed during the student’s last three semesters. This capstone experience may be repeated for a total of 4 credit hours. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Provides practical experience in forensic science-related programs in a firm or agency under the supervision of faculty and agency representatives. Students must apply for this internship at least one semester in advance. May be accomplished on a part-time basis and may be repeated for a total of 4 credit hours. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

This course is an introduction to biochemical principles of and techniques utilized in the science of cultivating, manipulating and assaying animal cells in vitro. This course provides the basic science knowledge and laboratory skills required for carrying out diverse research projects in biomedical science, clinical research and biotechnology. This laboratory-intensive course provides extensive hands-on experience in animal cell propagation, sub-culturing, transfection with transgenes, clonal cell isolation, cryopreservation, inducible transgene expression, and a variety of biochemical assays. Lecture and laboratory.

Molecular Basis of Cancer (MBoC) is a laboratory-intensive course that provides extensive hands-on experience in chemically treating human cancer cell lines and performing a variety of biochemical assays and molecular analysis techniques of the biological molecules isolated from these cells. MBoC is intended to serve as an undergraduate classroom research experience (CURE). This CURE course includes lectures on the molecular techniques utilized and background on molecular oncology topics including oncogenes, signal transduction, DNA replication and repair, cell growth metabolism, apoptosis, as well as cancer of breast, colon, lung and prostate organ sites.

A lecture course in an applied forensic science discipline offered at the discretion of the forensic science faculty. Subject may be chosen from across forensic science but will typically involve forensic DNA analysis or forensic microscopy.

A lecture and/or laboratory course offered at the discretion of the chemistry faculty. Subject may be chosen from theoretical and/or practical applications in biochemistry, analytical, inorganic, physical or organic chemistry.