> Overview
Overview
Chemistry Department
The Department of Chemistry sees its focus as providing students with the liberal arts background and comprehensive chemical education necessary to succeed in graduate or professional school or in entry-level careers in the chemical sciences. Chemistry, a basic science, contributes to the general objectives of a liberal arts education both through its content and through the skills and dispositions that it imparts to students. The fundamental principles of chemistry constitute some of the most important underlying concepts for understanding the physical and biological behavior of nature. Hence, some knowledge of chemistry is a prime requisite for anyone who is to be considered liberally educated.
General Department Goals
Students:
- Demonstrate their understanding of the fundamental chemical principles and concepts by applying them to the solution of unfamiliar chemical situations and exercises;
- Predict the products of chemical reactions, propose reagents to transform one compound into another, draw reaction mechanisms, name compounds and interpret spectral data for the purpose of structural determination;
- Solve practical chemical problems by gathering pertinent information, applying chemical concepts where appropriate and calculating and interpreting numerical results;
- Work as a team to design laboratory approaches to solving chemical problems, use the chosen methodologies to obtain meaningful data, and present satisfactory qualitative and quantitative solutions to the problems;
- Design and implement an original research project that includes an effective survey of the chemical literature as well as their own independent experimental or theoretical work; and
- Effectively communicate the results of their original research in a formal written report and/or oral presentation.
The department believes that active learning, self-directed learning, and group learning are all valid approaches to accomplish the above outcomes. As a consequence, the courses designed by the department rely heavily on guided-inquiry methods, laboratory projects, and research, with constant stress on written and oral communication. Our general belief is that students learn better by doing.
Chemistry students can be involved in the activities of the department, especially through the Saint Mary’s University Chemistry Club. The Chemistry Club has been a student affiliate chapter of the American Chemical Society since 1947. The club sponsors speakers, field trips, fund raisers, educational programs, and social events. The members are also involved in promoting National Chemistry Week in the fall of each year.
Majors Offered
Minor Offered
Pre-Professional Program Offered
Course Descriptions
Click on courses below for descriptions
C110 World of Materials with Laboratory (3 credits)
This science course is intended for non-science majors. It discusses the chemical makeup, physical properties, historical development, and economic impact of materials encountered in daily life. Examples of the materials covered include: metals, ceramics, leather, plastics, concrete, paper, and a variety of others. The course details a "biography" of each of these materials from its primary source in the animal, vegetable, or mineral world, through the various transformations in its production and fabrication into usable products, to its ultimate fate and impact on the environment when it has lived its useful life. The course involves two lectures and one lab per week.
Offered every semester.
C131 General Chemistry I (3 credits)
This course covers the fundamental principles upon which the study of chemistry is based. Stoichiometry, atomic structure, molecular structure, chemical bonding, behavior of gases, kinetic molecular theory, properties of solutions, chemical reactivity and thermochemistry are included. Three hours of lecture per week.
Offered fall semester. Prerequisite: M149, or grade of C or better in M148 with concurrent enrollment in M149, or M151 placement; concurrent with C133.
C133 General Chemistry I Laboratory (1 credit)
This laboratory is an inquiry-based approach to understanding the process of doing chemistry. Each week, as a team member with a specific role working for a consulting company, the student receives a letter from a "chemical client" requesting the solution to a chemical problem. It is the responsibility of the team to design a solution, collect data, and report the results to the client in report form.
Offered fall semester. Prerequisite: concurrent with C131.
C142 General Chemistry II (3 credits)
This course includes the study of the chemistry of redox reactions, chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium theory, electrochemistry, chemical dynamics, organic chemistry, phase behavior and solution chemistry. Three hours of lecture per week.
Offered spring semester. Prerequisite: minimum grade of C in C131/133 and concurrent with C144.
C144 General Chemistry II Laboratory (1 credit)
This laboratory is an inquiry-based approach to understanding the process of doing chemistry. Each week, as a team member with a specific role working for a consulting company, the student receives a letter from a "chemical client" requesting the solution to a chemical problem. It is the responsibility of the team to design a solution, collect data, and report the results to the client in report form.
Offered spring semester. Prerequisite: minimum grade of C in C131/133 and concurrent with C142.
C321 Organic Chemistry I (3 credits)
Organized by chemical functional groups and reaction mechanisms, this course presents both classical and modern theories of organic chemistry while rigorously exploring chemical structure-reactivity relationships. The fundamentals of nomenclature, physical properties, chemical structure, stereochemistry, organic reactions, mechanisms, synthesis, purification, and compound characterization is emphasized. Biological, medical, and familiar real-world examples are discussed in the context of organic chemistry.
Offered fall semester. Concurrent with C323; prerequisites: C131/133 and C142/144.
Prerequisites:
C131 General Chemistry I
C133 General Chemistry I Laboratory
C142 General Chemistry II
C144 General Chemistry II Laboratory
C322 Organic Chemistry II with Laboratory (4 credits)
A continuation of C321/323, this course builds upon the fundamental presented in C321/323. It is organized by functional groups and reaction mechanisms, while integrating this knowledge into chemical synthesis. Additional topics include aromaticity, NMR and IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, carbonyl chemistry, synthetic strategy, and advanced C-C bond forming reactions.
Offered spring semester. Prerequisite: minimum grade of C in C321 and C323.
C323 Organic Chemistry I Laboratory (1 credit)
This laboratory complements the lecture segment of the course by demonstrating and utilizing the concepts learned in the classroom to acquire, isolate, and characterize desired organic reaction products In this laboratory students become familiar with the equipment, glassware, techniques, and expertise required to implement the chemistry proposed on paper, to optimize it, and to communicate it to the chemical community. A practical context for the developed chemical intuition is provided.
Offered fall semester. Concurrent with C321; prerequisites: C131/133 and C142/44.
Prerequisites:
C131 General Chemistry I
C133 General Chemistry I Laboratory
C142 General Chemistry II
C144 General Chemistry II Laboratory
C331 Physical Chemistry I with Laboratory (4 credits)
This course involves chemical thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, and their applications. The following thermodynamic topics are considered: properties of gases, kinetic molecular theory, the laws of thermodynamics, thermochemistry, and chemical equilibrium. The following kinetic topics are considered: chemical reaction rates, determination of rate laws, reaction mechanisms, and theories of reaction rates. Three lectures and three hours of lab per week are required.
Offered fall semester. Prerequisites: C142/144, M152, and P211/212.
C332 Physical Chemistry II with Laboratory (4 credits)
This course involves an introduction to quantum mechanics and statistical thermodynamics. The following quantum topics are considered: quantum theory and applications to simple systems of particles, approximation methods for complex systems of particles and spectroscopic verification of quantum results. The following statistical mechanics topics are considered: the Boltzmann distribution, statistics of large populations, the partition function and thermodynamic functions from statistical mechanics results. Three lectures and three hours of lab per week are required.
Offered spring semester. Prerequisite: C142/144, M152, and P211/P212.
C341 Analytical Chemistry I with Laboratory (4 credits)
This course introduces the student to the methods of quantitative analysis. Topics include: measurement uncertainty, statistical analysis of data, aqueous solution equilibria, titrimetry, electrochemistry, molecular spectroscopy (UV-visible and fluorescence), and chromatography.
Offered fall semester. Prerequisites: C142/144 and C322.
C400-405 Special Topics in Chemistry (1-3 credits)
The topics for these courses vary according to the needs and interests of chemistry majors. Topics may include: chemistry education, industrial chemistry, natural product chemistry, and advanced laboratory methods.
Offered as needed.
C409 Biochemistry with Laboratory (4 credits)
The principal concepts of biochemistry are the focus of this course. The major themes include the relationship between the three-dimensional structure of proteins and their biological function and the chemistry and metabolism of biologically important macromolecules including proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids.
Offered spring semester. Prerequisites: B110/111, B120/121, C321/C323, and C322 (or concurrently with consent of instructor).
C412 Molecular Biology with Laboratory (3 credits)
An analysis of the regulation of cellular metabolism at the molecular level is the core of this study. The major themes include biochemistry of DNA, RNA and protein synthesis and the regulation of gene expression in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The laboratory component incorporates genetic engineering techniques. The class meets for two lectures and one three-hour lab weekly.
Offered fall semester. Prerequisites: B110/111, B120/121, C321, and C409. Also offered as B412.
C428 Advanced Organic Chemistry (3 credits)
Building upon the content and skills learned in C321 and C322, this course revisits familiar topics in greater detail and explores new areas of organic chemistry with an emphasis on physical organic methods. Topics include asymmetric synthesis, stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms, and reaction energetics and dynamics. A primary objective of this course is to develop the skills and knowledge to understand current research papers published in scientific journals.
Offered spring semester as needed. Prerequisite: C322.
C432 Advanced Physical Chemistry (3 credits)
This course provides an in-depth study of the concepts of quantum mechanics, statistical thermodynamics, theoretical kinetics and spectroscopy. Three lectures per week.
Offered as needed. Prerequisite: C332.
C441 Analytical Chemistry II with Laboratory (4 credits)
This course explores the theory and applications of chemical instrumentation. Topics include instrumental noise, atomic spectroscopy (FAA, FAE, ICP), molecular spectroscopy (UV-visible, IR, fluorescence, NMR), mass spectrometry, chromatography, as well as selected advanced spectroscopic techniques. The laboratory emphasizes the collection, analysis and interpretation of quantitative data in real world applications.
Offered spring semester. Prerequisite: C341.
C443 Chemistry Seminar (1 credits)
Chemistry seminar provides chemistry majors experience with reading, discussing, and presenting articles from the current chemical literature. The seminar is a requirement for chemistry and biochemistry majors. It is intended to familiarize the students with the current chemical literature and with accepted writing styles in chemistry. It must be taken for credit during the student’s junior year and before C445-7 Chemistry Research courses, since participating in the seminar may spark research ideas. Chemistry majors are encouraged to sit in on this course every semester to contribute to the on-going chemistry conversation.
Offered fall semester. Prerequisite: consent of department chair.
C445 Chemistry Research: Planning (1 credit)
This is the initial course of the three required research courses for chemistry and biochemistry majors. A faculty research advisor is chosen after consultation with and/or presentations by the relevant faculty. After the necessary literature search, a research proposal concerning a current chemical problem is developed and is written, revised, submitted and defended.
Offered spring semester. Prerequisite: C443; may be taken concurrently with consent of the chemistry department chair.
C446 Chemistry Research: Experience (1 credit)
This is the second course of the three required research courses for chemistry and biochemistry majors. The independent laboratory and/or computational research proposed in C445 is performed under the direction and guidance of the faculty research advisor. Off-campus research experiences, such as a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), may serve to satisfy the course.
Offered fall semester. Prerequisite: C445.
C447 Chemistry Research: Thesis (1 credit)
This is the third course of the three required research courses for chemistry and biochemistry majors. The independent computational and/or laboratory work is completed, if necessary. The thesis is written, with time for a writing revision cycle. A formal presentation of the research results is given at an undergraduate research symposium or its equivalent.
Offered spring semester. Prerequisite: C446.
C451 Inorganic Chemistry with Laboratory (4 credits)
This course investigates atomic structure, periodic properties, symmetry and group theory, molecular orbital theory, chemical bonding, coordination compounds, ligand field theory, reaction kinetics and mechanisms. Special topics include materials chemistry with an emphasis on solid state structures and theory, and bioinorganic chemistry focusing on the impact of metal ions in biological processes. The lab component serves to emphasize the lecture material while showing the wide variety of chemistry, techniques, and instrumentation that are considered inorganic. Topics such as main group chemistry, coordination chemistry, organometallic chemistry, materials chemistry, and more are included.
Prerequisite: C332 (or concurrent with consent of instructor).
Prerequisites:
C332 Physical Chemistry II with Laboratory
C460 Polymer Chemistry (3 credits)
This course surveys the fields of polymer chemistry and materials science. Topics include macromolecular properties, polymer synthesis, reaction mechanisms, kinetics of polymerization, and instrumentation for polymer characterization. Modern applications are highlighted, including the use of polymeric materials as adhesives, coating, textiles, packaging, foams, biomedical devices, electronic components, and engineering plastics.
Offered as needed. Prerequisites: C322 & C331 (or concurrently with consent of instructor).
For more information contact:
Brett Bodsgard, Ph.D.
Chair, Chemistry Department
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
700 Terrace Heights #14
Winona, MN 55987-1399
(800) 635-5987, Ext. 6972
bbodsgar@smumn.edu
