Chemistry - ACS Certified, B.S.

Students must complete the Oakland University General Education Requirements, General College of Arts and Sciences requirements , College of Arts and Sciences Exploratory requirement , Major Requirements, and an appropriate number of free elective classes to meet the overall credit requirement for the degree (in most cases a minimum of 124; some degrees may require a greater number).

As a general rule, no more than eight credits of coursework used to satisfy one major, minor or concentration may be applied toward another, but exceptions to this rule may be allowed with the written approval of the program coordinators.

Schedule of Classes

Specific offerings for each semester may be found in the Schedule of Classes.

General Education Requirements

In order to graduate on-schedule without taking additional courses, it is highly recommended that students meet with an Undergraduate Academic Adviser concerning the selection of all of their general education courses.

Each candidate for an Oakland University baccalaureate will need to satisfactorily complete approved courses in each of the following areas: Foundations, Explorations, and Integration. For details, refer to the General Education Requirements section of the catalog.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in chemistry (ACS certified)

The Bachelor of Science degree with a major in chemistry consists of the core curriculum, which includes a set of advanced courses and corequisite courses. In selecting advanced courses, students may tailor their programs to fit specific career objectives, such as industrial chemistry, biochemistry, graduate study, research, medicine or dentistry. Students should plan their programs in consultation with a faculty adviser. Advanced course programs must be approved as part of the application for major standing.

To earn a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in chemistry, a student must be approved for major standing and must complete the core curriculum with a grade of at least a C in each course.

The specific selection of the eight elective credits in chemistry at the 4000 level must be approved in writing by the chemistry department’s chief adviser. CHM 4996 Independent Research (3 credits) or CHM 4257 - Biochemistry Laboratory (3 credits) may be included as part of the elective credits in chemistry, as these courses satisfy the laboratory requirement as well as the general education capstone requirement. CHM 4995 may not be used to satisfy the 4000 level elective credits for the major. The full degree requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in chemistry are detailed below.

Recommended General Education courses

AN 3110 - Culture, Society and Technology (4) (Satisfies the general education requirement in social science or western civilization knowledge exploration areas)
HST 2380 - Science and Technology in Western Culture (4) (Satisfies the general education requirement in western civilization knowledge exploration area)
PHL 1310 - Introduction to Ethics in Science and Engineering (4) (Satisfies the general education requirement in western civilization knowledge exploration area)

Admission to major standing

To be eligible for a degree in chemistry, admission to major standing by the department is required at least three semesters before graduation. Students must consult with the chemistry department chief adviser to develop a curriculum plan prior to the term in which they first take a 3000-4000 level chemistry course. This procedure is designed to ensure that an appropriate plan of study is completed by graduation.

Application for major standing in chemistry is recommended as early as possible, preferably prior to completion of CHM 1440 /1470 , CHM 1450 /1480 , CHM 2200 , CHM 2340 , CHM 2350 , CHM 2370 , PHY 1510 and MTH 1554 with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 or better.

American Chemical Society certification

The Department of Chemistry’s faculty members, facilities and curriculum meet the criteria of the American Chemical Society. This allows the department to certify chemistry students as eligible for society membership. Certification is granted to students who have successfully completed the requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in chemistry.