Undergraduate Degree

The major in Chemical Physics provides a strong foundation in chemistry, physics and mathematics for those students who have a professional interest in the areas of overlap between chemistry and physics. It is particularly suitable for students planning to pursue a graduate degree in the area of chemical physics or physical chemistry.

A detailed description of this program may be obtained from the Department of Chemistry.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Physics

1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Physics.
   
   The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Chemical Physics major is met by completing two enrollments of Chemistry 499.  That course is referenced in item 3. b. (6) below.
   
   Students who are enrolled in the College of Natural Science may complete the alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences that is described in item 1. under the heading Graduation Requirements in the College statement.  Certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be used to satisfy the alternative track.
2. The requirements of the College of Natural Science for the Bachelor of Science degree.
   
   The credits earned in certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.
3. The following requirements for the major:

   a.	The following courses outside the Department of Chemistry (51 to 60 credits):
   	(1)	One of the following courses (3 to 5 credits):
   		BS	161	Cell and Molecular Biology			3
   		BS	162	Organismal and Population Biology			3
   		BS	181H	Honors Cell and Molecular Biology			3
   		BS	182H	Honors Organismal and Population Biology			3
   		ENT	205	Pests, Society and Environment			3
   		IBIO	150	Integrating Biology: From DNA to Populations			3
   		LB	144	Biology I: Organismal Biology			4
   		LB	145	Biology II: Cellular and Molecular Biology			5
   		MMG	141	Introductory Human Genetics			3
   		MMG	201	Fundamentals to Microbiology			3
   		PLB	105	Plant Biology			3
   		PSL	250	Introductory Physiology			4
   	(2)	The following course (4 credits):
   		CMSE	201	Computational Modeling and Data Analysis I			4
   	(3)	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   		LB	118	Calculus I			4
   		MTH	132	Calculus I			3
   		MTH	152H	Honors Calculus I			3
   	(4)	One of the following courses (4 credits):
   		LB	119	Calculus II			4
   		MTH	133	Calculus II			4
   		MTH	153H	Honors Calculus II			4
   	(5)	One of the following courses (4 credits):
   		LB	220	Calculus III			4
   		MTH	234	Multivariable Calculus			4
   		MTH	254H	Honors Multivariable Calculus			4
   	(6)	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   		MTH	235	Differential Equations			3
   		MTH	340	Ordinary Differential Equations I			3
   		MTH	347H	Honors Ordinary Differential Equations			3
   	(7)	One of the following sets of courses (4 to 7 credits):
   		(a)	MTH	299	Transitions		4
   			MTH	309	Linear Algebra I		3
   		(b)	MTH	299	Transitions		4
   			MTH	314	Matrix Algebra with Computational Applications		3
   		(c)	MTH	317H	Honors Linear Algebra		4
   	(8)	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   		MTH	310	Abstract Algebra I and Number Theory			3
   		MTH	320	Analysis I			3
   		MTH	327H	Honors Introduction to Analysis			3
   		MTH	415	Applied Linear Algebra			3
   		MTH	418H	Honors Algebra I			3
   		MTH	441	Ordinary Differential Equations II			3
   		MTH	442	Partial Differential Equations			3
   		MTH	451	Numerical Analysis I			3
   	(9)	One of the following groups of courses (8 or 10 credits):
   		(a)	PHY	183	Physics for Scientists and Engineers I		4
   			PHY	184	Physics for Scientists and Engineers II		4
   			PHY	191	Physics Laboratory for Scientists I		1
   			PHY	192	Physics Laboratory for Scientists II		1
   		(b)	PHY	191	Physics Laboratory for Scientists I		1
   			PHY	192	Physics Laboratory for Scientists II		1
   			PHY	193H	Honors Physics I - Mechanics		4
   			PHY	294H	Honors Physics II - Electromagnetism		4
   		(c)	LB	273	Physics I		4
   			LB	274	Physics II		4
   		(d)	PHY	173	Studio Physics for Scientists and Engineers I		5
   			PHY	174	Studio Physics for Scientists and Engineers II		5
   	(10)	All of the following courses (12 credits):
   		PHY	215	Thermodynamics and Modern Physics			3
   		PHY	321	Classical Mechanics I			3
   		PHY	471	Quantum Physics I			3
   		PHY	481	Electricity and Magnetism I			3
   	(11)	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   		PHY	410	Thermal and Statistical Physics			3
   		PHY	415	Methods of Theoretical Physics			4
   		PHY	422	Classical Mechanics II			3
   		PHY	431	Optics I			3
   		PHY	472	Quantum Physics II			3
   		PHY	480	Computational Physics			3
   		PHY	482	Electricity and Magnetism II			3
   		PHY	491	Introduction to Condensed Matter Physics			3
   		PHY	492	Introduction to Nuclear Physics			3
   		PHY	493	Introduction to Elementary Particle Physics			3
   b.	The following courses in the Department of Chemistry (29 to 31 credits):
   	(1)	One of the following pairs of courses (7 or 8 credits):
   		(a)	CEM	151	General and Descriptive Chemistry		4
   			CEM	152	Principles of Chemistry		3
   		(b)	CEM	181H	Honors Chemistry I		4
   			CEM	182H	Honors Chemistry II		4
   		(c)	LB	171	Principles of Chemistry I		4
   			LB	172	Principles of Chemistry II		3
   	(2)	One of the following groups of courses (5 credits):
   		(a)	CEM	161	Chemistry Laboratory I		1
   			CEM	162	Chemistry Laboratory II		1
   			CEM	262	Quantitative Analysis		3
   		(b)	CEM	185H	Honors Chemistry Laboratory I		2
   			CEM	262	Quantitative Analysis		3
   		(c)	CEM	262	Quantitative Analysis		3
   			LB	171L	Introductory Chemistry Laboratory I		1
   			LB	172L	Principles of Chemistry II - Reactivity Laboratory		1
   	(3)	One  of the following pairs of courses (6 credits):
   		(a)	CEM	251	Organic Chemistry I		3
   			CEM	252	Organic Chemistry II		3
   		(b)	CEM	351	Organic Chemistry I		3
   			CEM	352	Organic Chemistry II		3
   	(4)	One of the following courses (2 or 3 credits):
   		CEM	333	Instrumental Methods and Applications			3
   		CEM	395	Analytical/Physical Laboratory			2
   		CEM	495	Molecular Spectroscopy			3
   	(5)	All of the following courses (7 credits):
   		CEM	444	Chemical Safety			1
   		CEM	483	Quantum Chemistry			3
   		CEM	484	Molecular Thermodynamics			3
   	(6)	The following capstone course (2 credits):
   		CEM	499	Chemical Physics Seminar			2
   		The completion of Chemistry 499 fulfills the department's capstone requirement. Two enrollments in Chemistry 499 are required, 1 credit per enrollment.