B.S. in Chemistry (ACS Certified)

A major in Chemistry leading to the ACS-certified B.S. degree consists of a minimum of 46 semester hours of chemistry, including CHEM 1251, 1251L, 1252, 1252L (or 1253L), 2131, 2131L, 2132, 2132L (or 2136L), 3111, 3141, 3141L, 3142, 3142L, 3695, 4111, 4121, 4133, 4165, 4695, 4696, and two semesters of 4900. Related work in mathematics and physics must include MATH 1241, 1242, PHYS 2101, 2101L, 2102, and 2102L, and two additional math courses selected from MATH 2241, 2242, 2164, 2171, STAT 3128, or a course approved by the Chemistry Department.

B.S. in Chemistry (non-certified)

Students who wish to pursue the non-certified B.S. degree (minimum of 45 semester hours in chemistry) replace CHEM 4165 with a minimum of two credit hours of 4000-level chemistry courses that must be approved by the Department.

Students majoring in chemistry who are planning future studies in medicine, dentistry, or other allied health professions are urged to consult as early as possible with UNC Charlotte’s Pre-Health Advisor, Dr. Elizabeth Hanie, in addition to consulting with their academic advisor(s) for their major(s).

Download the degree checklist to keep track of the progress in your major.

Chemistry Courses

Course
(credit hours)		 When course is offered When you should take this coursea Prerequisites (P)
or Corequisites (C)

CHEM 1251 (3)
General Chemistry I

Fall, Spring,
Summer I

Fall, Year 1

P: MATH 1100 with a grade of C or better (or equivalent test score) or
CHEM 1200 (recommended for students who have not had chemistry in high school) with a grade of C or above.

CHEM 1251L (1)
(1251 Laboratory)

Fall, Spring,
Summer I

Fall, Year 1

P or C: CHEM 1251

CHEM 1252 (3)
General Chemistry II

Fall, Spring,
Summer II

Spring, Year 1

P: CHEM 1251 with a C or better

CHEM 1252L (1)
(1252 Laboratory)

Fall, Spring,
Summer II

Spring, Year 1

P: CHEM 1251 with a C or better and 1251L
P or C: CHEM 1252

CHEM 2131 (3)
Organic Chemistry I

Fall, Spring,
Summer I

Fall, Year 2

P: CHEM 1251 & 1252, each with C or better

CHEM 2131L (1)
(2131 Laboratory)

Fall, Spring,
Summer I

Fall, Year 2

P: CHEM 1251, 1251L, 1252, 1252L, each with
C or better
P or C: CHEM 2131 with C or better

CHEM 2132 (3)
Organic Chemistry II

Fall, Spring,
Summer II

Spring, Year 2

P: CHEM 2131 with C or better

CHEM 2132L (1)
(2132 Laboratory)
(see note below)b

Fall, Spring,
Summer II

Spring, Year 2

P: CHEM 2131L with C or better
P or C: CHEM 2132

CHEM 3111 (4)
Quantitative Analysis

Fall

Fall, Year 2 (preferred)c
or Fall, Year 3

P: CHEM 1252 and 1252L, each with C or better

CHEM 3141 (3)
Physical Chemistry I

Fall

Fall, Year 3

P: CHEM 1252, 1252L with C or better; MATH
1241 and 1242; PHYS 2102 and 2102L
P or C: MATH 2241,
2242, 2164, 2171, STAT 3128, or a Department-
approved mathematics course

CHEM 3141L (1)
(3141 Laboratory )

Fall

Fall, Year 3

P or C: CHEM 3141

CHEM 3142 (3)
Physical Chemistry II

Spring

Spring, Year 3

P: CHEM 1252, 1252L with C or better; MATH
1241 and 1242; PHYS 2102 and 2102L
P or C: MATH 2241,
2242, 2164, 2171, STAT
3128, or a Department-
approved mathematics course

CHEM 3142L (1)
(3142 Laboratory)

Spring

Spring, Year 3

P: CHEM 3141L with C or better
P or C: CHEM 3142

CHEM 3695 (1)
Chemistry Seminar

Fall, Spring

Fall or Spring,

Year 3

None

CHEM 4111 (4)
Instrumental Analysis

Spring

Spring, Year 3

or Year 4

P: CHEM 3111, 3141,
and 3141L, all
with C or better

CHEM 4121 (4)
Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

Fall

Fall, Year 4

P: CHEM 3142,
3142L with C or
better

CHEM 4133 (2)
Methods of Organic
Structure Determination

Spring

Spring, Year 3

or Year 4

P: CHEM 2132,
2132L (or 2136L)
with C or better

CHEM 4165 (3)
Principles of Biochemistry I

Fall

Fall, Year 3 or Year 4 (if pursuing the ACS-certified degree)d

P: CHEM 2132 with
C or better

CHEM 4695 (1)
Chemistry Seminar

Fall, Spring

Fall, Year 4

P: CHEM 3695 and
senior standing

CHEM 4696 (1)
Chemistry Seminar

Fall, Spring

Spring, Year 4

P: CHEM 3695, 4695,
and senior standing

CHEM 4900 (1-4)
Directed Undergraduate Research
(Two semesters required)

Fall, Spring, Summer

Usually both semesters of senior year
(but see
note below).e

P: Consent of the
instructor
overseeing the
research

a Students are urged to plan their schedules in consultation with their academic advisors.
b CHEM 2136L may be taken in lieu of CHEM 2132L (requires permission of the Department).
c Material learned previously in CHEM 3111 significantly helps students enrolled in CHEM 3141 laboratory.

d CHEM 4165 is only required of students seeking a degree accredited by the American Chemical Society. Students who wish to pursue the non-certified B.S. degree (minimum of 45 semester hours in chemistry) replace CHEM 4165 with a minimum of two credit hours of 4000-level chemistry courses that must be approved by the Department.

e Chemistry majors are encouraged to participate in undergraduate research as early as possible.
Two semesters are required for the B.S. degree, but many students elect to participate in research for additional semesters.

Mathematics Courses

Course
(credit hours)		 When course is offered When you should take this course Prerequisites (P)
or Corequisites (C)

MATH 1241 (3)
Calculus I

Fall, Spring, Summer

Preferably during Year 1 or Year 2

P: Appropriate score on the Mathematics Placement Test, MATH 1103 with a grade of C or better, or placement by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Math 1242 (3)
Calculus II

Fall, Spring, Summer

Preferably during Year 1 or Year 2

P: MATH 1241 with a grade of C or better

Choose two of the following courses

MATH 2241 (3)
Calculus III

Fall, Spring, Summer

Preferably during years 2 or 3

P: MATH 1242 with C or better

MATH 2242 (3)
Calculus IV

Fall, Spring

Preferably during years 2 or 3

P: MATH 2241 with C or better

MATH 2164 (3)
Matrices and Linear Algebra

Fall, Spring, Summer

Preferably during years 2 or 3

P: MATH 1120 or 1241 with C or better

MATH 2171 (3)
Differential Equations

Fall, Spring, Summer

Preferably during years 2 or 3

P: MATH 1242 with C or better

STAT 3128 (3)
Probability and Statistics for Engineers

Fall, Spring,
Summer

Preferably during years 2 or 3

P: MATH 2241

Physics Courses

Course
(credit hours)		 When course is offered When you should take this course Prerequisites (P)
or Corequisites (C)

PHYS 2101 (3)
Physics for Science and Engineering I

Fall, Spring, Summer

Preferably during Year 1 or Year 2

P: MATH 1241 with C or better
P or C: MATH 1242

PHYS 2101L (1)
(2101 Laboratory)f

Fall, Spring, Summer

Preferably during Year 1 or Year 2

P or C: PHYS 2101

PHYS 2102 (3)
Physics for Science and Engineering II

Fall, Spring, Summer

Preferably during Year 1 or Year 2

P: PHYS 2101 and MATH 1242, both with C or better

PHYS 2102L (1)
(2102 Laboratory)g

Fall, Spring, Summer

Preferably during Year 1 or Year 2

P: PHYS 2101L
P or C: PHYS 2102

*Note: PHYS 1101 and 1102 do not satisfy the Physics requirements for any of the B.S. degrees in Chemistry.

f If a student has completed PHYS 1101L with a grade of C or better in a previous semester, the student is exempted from taking PHYS 2101L.

g If a student has completed PHYS 1102L with a grade of C or better in a previous semester, the student is exempted from taking PHYS 2102L.

Download Sample Course Schedule to get an idea of which courses you’ll take during your college career. Note that this is not a strict schedule, this is merely a guide.