Getting Started In Chemistry Courses
Which course or TRACK is best for you? The information presented here is intended to help you make sure you are enrolled in the first year General Chemistry course which is best for you.

CH 101, 102 Science & Society (4,4).
These courses explore current issues in science in a non-mathematical format affording students with no prior course work in chemistry and/or science an opportunity to understand the content. The course covers such topics as the identification of chemicals used in daily life, nuclear energy and radiation, ozone depletion, the green house effect, the chemistry of photography, electricity and batteries, petroleum as a disappearing energy source, water and keeping it clean, acid rain and smog, the good and bad of plastics, cosmetics, how drugs and medicine affect our bodies, the ability of the world to produce food, nutrition, the human genome project, cancer, and the chemistry of AIDS. This course is intended for non-science majors. It is taught in a lecture-discussion format and is graded on written assignments, quizzes, and a final exam. The prerequisite for CH 102 is completion of CH 101 or high school chemistry or one term of college chemistry.  

CH 111 Introduction To Chemical Principles (4).
An introductory course for the exploration of chemical concepts designed for students planning to enter the biological "applications" track of courses in biology, for majors in psychology and students interested in environmental studies, as well as some students interested in certain health care professions. Concepts of matter, atoms, molecules, and atomic structure, how and why atoms interact (covalent and ionic bonding; polar, covalent and multiple bonds), molecular shapes and properties, writing chemical equations, the conservation of matter in chemical reactions, oxidation and reduction reactions, the energetics of chemical reactions, pH and acid-base chemistry, buffers, water, and solutions and equilibrium will be presented. Also of interest will be biological molecules and organic functional groups. The approach will be to offer the material at a level between the current offerings of Science & Society (CH 101, 102) and General Chemistry (CH 221, 222, 223). This course will be accepted as minimum requirement for students in the environmental studies program and the emerging "applications" track in biology. No prior study of chemistry is required. This course may not be used towards a major in chemistry.  

General Chemistry
There are two separate "TRACKS" of General Chemistry offered, all of which lead toward organic chemistry, the next sequence or the second year course in chemistry. Each track covers the same fundamentals of chemistry, but with different approaches and textbooks tailored for different backgrounds of high school chemistry and math.

TRACK I - CH 224H, 225H, 226H, General Chemistry (4,4,4). This sequence of courses is best suited for students who have taken high school chemistry and physics, and is appropriate for students who come to the University with AP credits in chemistry Concurrent (or previous) calculus is required beginning no later than the winter term. This Track I sequence is recommended for potential chemistry and biochemistry majors, HONORS COLLEGE students, and other first- or second-year students who are considering careers in the sciences. The smaller class size offers a more personal and interactive setting. The laboratory sequence for Track I is CH 237, 238, 239.

TRACK II - CH 221, 222, 223 General Chemistry (4,4,4). This sequence is the regular university chemistry for students who have taken high school chemistry, and is the appropriate track for most students. Students majoring in chemistry and biochemistry may enroll in this sequence. Calculus is not required, but many first-year students in Track II are also enrolled in calculus. Grading is based upon weekly assignments, quizzes, midterm exams and a final exam. The minimum requirement for mathematics is concurrent enrollment in MATH 111. Concurrent enrollment in the CH 227, 228, 229 laboratory sequence is recommended, but not required.

The format for the courses includes lectures and small class discussions. Grading is based upon weekly assignments, quizzes, midterm exams and a final exam. The prerequisite and/or co-requisite for CH 211 are MATH 95 or MATH 111. Students will find that grade distributions between Tracks III and II tend to be comparable. The laboratory option of students in Track III is CH 227, 228, 229.

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