The Major
Quicklinks
Obtaining an Advisor in Chemistry
Advising by faculty
Advising by DUS Group
Advising for teacher certification
Suggested Scheduling of major courses
Suggestions for senior year
Career Information
Graduation with Distinction
Changes in Major Declaration
Requirements for the various chemistry degrees, and scheduling of courses taking into account prerequisites for courses, can be obtained from the section on prospective majors.
Obtaining an Advisor in Chemistry. Once your major has been processed by the Registrar, you will receive a welcome letter from the chemistry department notifying you that your faculty advisor will be appointed just prior to the next registration. Until then, contact the DUS-group with any questions you may have.
Advising by Faculty. Prior to registration each semester, majors will meet with a faculty advisor to discuss their course selections, their progress toward a degree in chemistry, and career options.
General advising including advising for registrations. In addition to faculty advisors, majors may contact the DUS-group for advising appointments anytime.
Advising for Teacher Certification
Course Requirements. The course requirements for the various degrees, concentrations, degree tracts, the descriptions of all chemistry courses, and work sheets for the various types of chemistry majors are available from the current Handbook.
Suggested Scheduling of Courses
The scheduling of core courses for AB majors is available here and that for BS majors here.
Scheduling of advanced courses is complicated not only by required prerequisites, but also by course availability. For chemistry majors the most difficult scheduling is that for physical chemistry (P-Chem).
For course descrriptions, see the Handbook for Majors.
Math prerequisites: Introductory physics courses and Chem 301 have a math prerequisite of Math 112L. Math 212 is recommended, but not required, for Chemistry 301. Chemistry 310 has a required prerequisite of Math 212
Physics prerequisites: Phy 141L and 142L, or Phy 151L and 152L or 161L and 162L. Majors are strongly encouraged to fulfill this physics prerequisite before taking a P-chem course.
For those majors who started at organic chemistry as first-year students, we recommend you complete physics during your sophomore year and delay P-chem until the junior year. The sophomore year is also a good time to pursue any required biology courses and possibly even Biochemistry 301, but you must have permission from the course instructor to enroll.
Physics transfer courses. Course(s) transferred as Phy100 may be substituted for required physics courses: Phy 141L, 142L, 151L, 152L, or 161L, 162L, in either the A.B. or the B.S. chemistry major, provided the physics course(s) are (1) calculus-based, (2) taken at an institution that is accredited by the American Chemical Society, and (3) are the courses which are required for an ACS-certified degree at that institution.Those majors who are unable to complete the physics and/or math prerequisite may request permission to take P-chem directly from the P-chem course instructor.
Physical Chemistry
Chemistry 301 vs Chemistry 310
Majors who are candidates for an AB degree with or without any concentration generally take Chem 301 in the fall of the junior year followed by its laboratory, Chem 301L, in the spring semester of the junior year.Majors who are candidates for a BS degree with or without any concentration must take two semesters of physical chemistry. A candidate for the ACS-certified BS degree generally takes Chem 310/310L in the fall semester of their junior year followed by 311/311L in the spring semester of their junior year. BS candidates in any concentration may take either 310/310L in the fall semester of their junior year followed by 311 in the spring semester of their junior year; or Chem 301 in the fall semester of their junior year followed by Chem 301L and Chem 302, Biophysical Chemistry, in the spring semester of their junior year.
Analytical Chemistry
Chem 401 is usually taken fall of the senior year and Chem 401L, the laboratory course associated with Chem 401, may be taken either fall of the senior year or spring semester of the senior year.
Independent Study
Chemistry 393. Available any semester.
Majors who wish to begin independent study should consult the listings of research directors and their areas of research online at: http://www.chem.duke.edu/undergraduates/research/is_reg.php. Students who want to start Independent Study this semester should fill out the form for independent study that is available at http://www.chem.duke.edu/undergraduates/research/isform.doc. You should turn in the completed form to Dr. Roy in suite 1219, room 1222 FFSC. Dr. Roy will provide you with a permission number to add independent study to your ACES schedule.If the project is with a faculty member outside the Chemistry Department, you must obtain from that faculty member the course number, section number, and a permission number for his/her independent study. You then add the independent study using ACES. We also recommend that you also enroll in Chemistry 295, the Introduction to Research Independent Study, which is required for certification of the BS degree and for Graduation with Distinction.
Chemistry 295 Introduction to Independent Study, is offered for all majors who are enrolling in their first semester of independent study in chemistry (Chemistry 393) or a related area. The catalog description for the course follows.
Chemistry 295. Introduction to Research Independent Study. NS, W Includes research methodology, retrieval techniques for, and use of, the chemical literature, safety in the research laboratory, and the ethical conduct of research, and writing a research proposal. Co-requisite (if posssible): registration for a first course in research independent study in chemistry (CHEM 393) or a related area. Lecture/discussion. Staff. Half course. Regular letter grading or satisfactory/unsatisfactory grading. Instructors: Bonk, Gamsby and Roy.
Chemistry 394, 493, 494. Available any semester.
Majors who wish to sign up for a continuing Independent Study course must obtain a permission number. If the project is with a faculty member in the Chemistry Department, Dr. Roy will provide you with a permission number so that you can add the course to your ACES schedule. If the project is with a faculty member outside the Chemistry Department, you must obtain from that faculty member the course number, section number, and a permission number for his/her independent study. You then add the independent study using ACES.Completing Independent Study. All majors who enroll in independent study are required to write a formal report on their research, Research Thesis, and to present a Poster.
Requesting Writing Credit (W) for Independent Study. Writing credit (W) may be requested only once and that should be your final semester of independent study when you will write your research thesis. The procedure for W-credit for Independent Study is as follows: Prior to the end of Drop/Add of your final semester of participation in independent study, you can go to the following URL: http://trinity.duke.edu/uploads/assets/wcoderequest.pdf and print a form for requesting W-credit for one Independent Study course. Fill out the form, have your research mentor and DUS sign it, and deliver the completed form to room 011 Allen Building prior to the end of Drop/Add.
Other Advanced Courses
Chemistry 410, inorganic chemistry, is usually taken the spring semester of the senior year.
Chemistry 420L is the advanced laboratory techniques course which is usually taken concurrently with Chem 117 in the spring semester of the senior year.
Chemistry 500-700 are Advanced Studies courses that are open to both advanced undergraduates and graduate students and are usually taken in the senior year.
Biochemistry 301. Historically, during summer session, Term I, the department of Biochemistry offers Biochemistry 301. This is an excellent way to lighten a fall course load for those who need to take both physical chemistry and biochemistry.
Pharmacology. Historically PHR 350 has been offered fall semester, while PHR 360 has been offered in spring semester only. In case of scheduling conflicts, other pharmacology courses such as PHR 533 or 554 can be substituted with permission of the DUS.
Senior Year. In the fall of the senior year, majors need to consider Graduation with Distinction, career options, and the possibility of applying for post-graduation awards.
Graduation with Distinction. The requirements for Graduation with Distinction are found in the Majors' Handbook at http://www.chem.duke.edu/undergraduates/handbook.php#distinct.
Careers in Chemistry (graduate school and employment in industry)
Careers in Medicine (getting into medical school, MCAT preparation)