Description of Graduate Chemistry Courses
Courses in Chemistry [CHEM]
Graduate standing and permission of department are prerequisites for graduate courses
in chemistry. The 5000-level courses also have the same prerequisites as listed for
the corresponding 4000-level courses in the undergraduate catalog. Laboratory sections
are listed separately and usually have course numbers ending in "1"
5100 Organic Spectroscopy.
Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 3220 or equivalent. Theory of and practice in the
interpretation of mass, infrared, Raman, ultraviolet-visible, and nuclear magnetic
resonance spectra. Offered every other spring.
5330/ 5340 Physical Chemistry Fundamentals.
Four credits each. Modern physical chemistry including current theories of atomic
and molecular structures, chemical thermodynamics, electrochemistry, chemical kinetics,
and related theoretical topics. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period
(5331/5341). Offered every year.
5350/ 5360 Physical Chemistry.
Four credits each. Quantitative principles of chemistry involving extensive use of
calculus. Major topics include thermodynamics, phase changes, chemical equilibria,
electrochemistry, reaction kinetics, quantum chemistry, molecular structure, and statistical
mechanics. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period (5351/5361). Offered
every year.
5400 Inorganic Chemistry.
Three credits. Basic concepts and theories of inorganic chemistry and how these are
used to predict and understand the physical and chemical properties of compounds of
the elements other than carbon. Inorganic compounds in the air, water, earth, and
in the laboratory, and in biochemistry, geochemistry, and industrial materials and
processes. Offered on sufficient demand.
5500 Biochemistry I.
Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 3220 or consent of instructor. The chemical properties
of biological molecules such as amino acids, proteins, enzymes, and carbohydrates.
Chemical basis of enzyme catalysis and reactions of carbohydrate metabolism. Offered
every fall.
5600 Introduction to Environmental Chemistry.
Three credits. Introduces major environmental issues including climate change, water
quality, air pollution, landfills, hazardous wastes, fossil fuels, and alternative
energy. Explores the quality of the environment and the changes in the environment
due to contamination. Offered every fall.
5630 Detection of Chemical Pollutants.
Four credits. Theory and practice of analytical chemistry methods used in pollution
measurement. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period. Offered every other
spring.
5700 Polymers, an Introduction.
Three credits. Structure, properties, and applications of polymers. Offered every
other fall.
5730 Advanced Physical Chemistry.
Four credits. Modern chemical concepts and computations applied to quantum chemistry,
molecular spectroscopy, and statistical thermodynamics. Three lectures and one three-hour
calculation laboratory period (5731). Offered on sufficient demand.
6100 Intermediate Organic Chemistry.
Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 3020 or 2030 or equivalent. Concepts and modern
theories of organic chemistry: stereochemistry of reactions, mechanistic interpretation
of organic reactions, and multistep synthesis. Offered every fall.
6110 Topics in Organic Chemistry.
Three to six credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6100. A selection of modern topics. Offered
every other spring.
6200 Topics in Analytical Chemistry.
Three to six credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 4230 or 6230. Selected topics of major interest
in chemical analysis. Offered every other fall.
6230 Intermediate Analytical Chemistry.
Four credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 2230 or equivalent. Selected instrumental methods
of analysis including but not limited to gas and liquid chromatography methods; ultraviolet,
visible, and infrared spectroscopic methods; and flame emission and atomic absorption
spectrometry. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period (6231). Offered
every spring.
6300 Intermediate Physical Chemistry.
Three credits. Key concepts from classical thermodynamics, quantum theory, and chemically
relevant spectroscopies. Statistical thermodynamics introduced. Offered every spring.
6400 Intermediate Inorganic Chemistry.
Three credits. Concepts of inorganic chemistry needed for effective teaching of general
chemistry and for safe and effective use of inorganic chemicals and materials in industrial
and academic laboratories; atomic theory, principles of inorganic reactivity in acid-base;
precipitation, complexation, and oxidation-reduction reactions; crystal and ligand
field theory; symmetry; molecular orbital theory; organometallic chemistry. Offered
every fall.
6410 Transition Metal and Theoretical Inorganic Chemistry.
Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 5400 or consent of instructor. The chemistry of
transition metal complexes, organometallic compounds, and of related compounds, their
practical applications, and modern theoretical treatments of this chemistry. Offered
on sufficient demand.
6420 Topics in Inorganic Chemistry.
Three to six credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6400. Selected topics of current interest
in inorganic chemistry such as organo-metallic chemistry, inorganic materials science,
and kinetics and mechanisms of inorganic reactions. Offered every other spring.
6480/ 6490 Laboratory in Inorganic Chemistry.
One credit each. Pre- requisite or corequisite: CHEM 6400 (for 6480), CHEM 6420 or
CHEM 5700 (for 6490), or consent of instructor.
6480 Inorganic Synthetic Methods. Offered every other fall.
6490 Physical Methods in Inorganic Chemistry. Offered every other fall.
6500 Intermediate Biochemistry.
Three credits. The chemistry and metabolism of biological compounds such as proteins,
carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. Offered on sufficient demand.
6510 Biochemistry II.
Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 5500. The structure of lipids, amino acids, nucleotides,
and nucleic acids and their metabolism at a molecular level. Emphasis on understanding
the chemical basis of biological phenomena. Offered every spring.
6520 Topics in Biochemistry.
Three to six credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6500 or 6510 or consent of instructor. Selected
topics of particular interest in biochemistry. Offered every other fall.
6530 Biochemical Techniques.
Two credits. Prerequisite/corequisite: CHEM 6500 or 6510 or consent of instructor.
Laboratory in biochemical techniques with emphasis on protein purification, enzyme
kinetics, carbohydrate and lipid analysis, and manipulation of DNA. Offered every
spring.
6610 Environmental Chemistry.
Three credits. Fundamental chemical principles applied to the fate and behavior of contaminants
in soil-water environments. Explores important toxins and explains their movement
and occurrence in ecosystems based on chemical and physical parameters. Topics will
include pesticides, dioxin, mercury, and bioaccumulation.
6640 Thesis Research.
One to six credits per semester. Selection of a research problem, review of pertinent
literature, collection and analysis of data, and composition of thesis. Once enrolled,
student should register for at least one credit hour of master's research each semester
until completion. S/U grading. Offered every term.
6720 Topics in Physical Chemistry.
Three to six credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6300. Advanced theories of, latest literature
in, and unsolved problems of a particular research area in physical chemistry selected
by the professor. Offered every other fall.
6780 Polymer and Materials Chemistry Laboratory
Two credit hours. Prerequisite: CHEM 6100 or previous undergraduate organic chemistry
knowledge; corequisite: CHEM 5700; CHEM 5330/CHEM 5331 strongly recommended. Laboratory
experiments introduce synthesis techniques, kinetics, characterization, engineering,
and application of polymers and other modern materials. Six hours of laboratory.
6800 Chemistry Seminar.
One credit. Required of graduate students specializing in chemistry. Scientific articles
reviewed and reports on individual research projects presented. Offered every fall
and spring.
6870 Chemistry Research.
Three credits. Original laboratory problem that will furnish material for a thesis.
Offered every fall.
7110 Advanced Topics in Organic Chemistry.
Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6100. Applications and advanced concepts in physical
organic chemistry, including those used in teaching organic chemistry. Topics include
classical and modern approaches in physical organic chemistry including MO theory,
conformational analysis, stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms, structure and solvent
effects, pericyclic reactions, and theories of acidity/basicity. Offered every other
spring.
7200 Advanced Chemical Separations and Chemical Equilibrium.
Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6230 or equivalent including a course in quantitative
chemical analysis. Advances in theories and applications of analytical chemistry for
students familiar with laboratory techniques and chemical instrumentation. Special
attention given to chemical equilibrium as it applies to the practice and teaching
of chemical separations. Offered every other fall.
7210 Problems in Modern Chemical Laboratory Procedures.
Three credits. Newly developed laboratory techniques and procedures which the student
had not previously had the opportunity to learn. Offered on sufficient demand.
7220 Independent Study of Instrumental Analysis.
Three credits. Developing skill in using selected sophisticated instruments. Offered
on sufficient demand.
7420 Advanced Topics in Inorganic Chemistry.
Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6400. Applications and advanced concepts of inorganic
chemistry; methods of teaching these concepts. Inorganic materials such as metals,
superconductors, zeolites, and fullerenes; organometallic compounds, halides, hydrides,
and oxides of elements; inorganic reaction mechanisms; bioinorganic chemistry; electronic
states and term symbols. Modern methods of teaching inorganic content in general chemistry
courses. Offered every other spring.
7510 Advanced Biochemistry.
Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6500 or consent of instructor. Advanced subjects
in biochemistry including current techniques in structure/activity relationships of
biomolecules, regulation and control of metabolic pathways, bioenergetics, enzymology,
control of transcription and translation, regulation of gene expression, and biochemistry
of inherited disease. Offered every other fall.
7640 Dissertation Research.
One to six credits. Selection of a research problem, review of pertinent literature,
collection and analysis of data, and composition of dissertation. Once enrolled, student
should register for at least one credit hour of doctoral research each semester until
completion. S/U grading. Offered every term.
7700 Topics in Theoretical Chemistry.
Three to six credits. Bonding, stereochemistry, empirical and semi-empirical parameters,
state functions, spectroscopic interpretation, and reaction mechanisms. Offered on
sufficient demand.
7710 Topics in Applied Chemistry.
Three to six credits. Some important and current practical applications. Offered on
sufficient demand.
7720 Advanced Topics in Physical Chemistry.
Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6300. Theoretical basis and application of the principal
methods used for experimental molecular structure determination. Computational methods
of structure prediction and interpretation of data. Searching and retrieving structural
information from structural databases. Offered every other fall.
7800/ 7810 Chemistry Internship.
Three credits each. Prerequisite: Permission of department. Admission based on recommendations
and performance in teaching. Offered every term.
7820 Seminar in Chemical Education.
One credit. Areas and ideas associated with chemical education. Readings from current
literature or seminal texts on given topics which may include the role of laboratory
in chemical education, current research in science education, trends in chemical education,
research techniques in chemical education, and the historical development of chemistry.
Offered online. May be taken up to three times for credit. Offered every fall.
7900 Teaching and Learning in Chemistry.
Three credits. Areas and ideas associated with chemical education. Readings from the
current literature or seminal texts on misconceptions in chemistry, theories of learning,
and theories of teaching. Offered summer only.
7910 Instructional Technology in the Science Classroom.
Three credits. Explores concepts and applications associated with the use of computer-
and other technology-based instructional materials in the science classroom. Readings
from current literature or seminal texts on theoretical issues; practical applications
associated with the use of technology in teaching scientific concepts. Offered summer
only.
Courses in Physical Science [PSCI]
Graduate standing and consent of instructor are prerequisites for graduate courses
in physical science.
5030 Experimental Physical Science.
Four credits. Basic concepts, laws, and principles of astronomy, chemistry, geology,
and physics with particular emphasis on the utilization of equipment available or
easily improvised in actual school situations to illustrate these concepts, laws,
and principles. Offered every term.
5080 Problems in Physical Science.
Four credits. A problem from chemistry, physics, or other physical science appropriate
to the student's background and interest. Offered on sufficient demand. May be repeated
for a total of eight credits with departmental approval.
One, two, or three credits. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Topics from astronomy to chemistry and physics, with special emphasis on the development of hands-on activities, determination of content cognitive demand, development of appropriate assessment instruments/implementation plans, and implementation of these across the pre-college curriculum. For practicing pre-college science teachers and school administrators. Consult the listed instructor for costs and specific credits. Does not apply toward chemistry graduate degrees. Offered on sufficient demand. May be repeated for a total of six credits with departmental approval.