BA with a Major in Chemistry

Degree Requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete university, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of Chemistry degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.

Summary of Requirements
Required Prerequisite and Collateral Courses16
Major Requirements36-40
General Education and Electives to reach Minimum Total Hours64-68
Total Hours120

General Education

See General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on meeting these requirements. Students should consult the course lists below and their advisors to determine which courses are counted toward the General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline requirements.

Required Prerequisite and Collateral Courses

Required Courses
MATH 180Calculus I a,b4
MATH 181Calculus II a4
Select one of the following sequences in physics:8
General Physics I (Mechanics) a,c
General Physics II (Electricity and Magnetism) a,c
OR
Introductory Physics for Life Sciences I a
Introductory Physics for Life Sciences II a
Total Hours16
a

This course is approved for the Analyzing the Natural World General Education category.

b

MATH 180 fulfills the LAS Quantitative Reasoning requirement.

c

PHYS 141 and PHYS 142 are recommended.

Major Requirements

Required Courses
Select one of the following sequences in general and analytical chemistry:10-14
Matter and Energy a
Foundations of Chemical Inquiry I a,b
Chemical Dynamics a
Foundations of Chemical Inquiry II a,c
Analytical Chemistry
OR
Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry I d
Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry II d
CHEM 232Structure and Function3
CHEM 233Synthesis Techniques Laboratory2
CHEM 234Chemical Synthesis3
Select one of the following sequences in physical chemistry:9
Physical Chemistry I
Physical Chemistry Laboratory e
Physical Chemistry II
OR
Physical Chemistry for Biochemists I
Physical Chemistry Laboratory e
Physical Chemistry for Biochemists II
CHEM 314Inorganic Chemistry4
Advanced chemistry electives at the 200 level or above5
Total Hours36-40
a

Each of the following pairs will be considered one course in meeting the LAS General Education requirements: CHEM 122/CHEM 123; CHEM 124/CHEM 125.

b

If not taken concurrently with CHEM 122, CHEM 123 should be taken within one semester of CHEM 122.

c

If not taken concurrently with CHEM 124, CHEM 125 should be taken within one semester of CHEM 124.

d

CHEM 116 and CHEM 118 are recommended for chemistry majors.

e

CHEM 343 fulfills the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement.

Recommended Plan of Study

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
ENGL 160 Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts 3
MATH 180 Calculus I 4
Select one of the following: 5
Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry I a  
Matter and Energy
and Foundations of Chemical Inquiry I
 
General Education Requirement course 3
 Hours15
Spring Semester
ENGL 161 Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research 3
MATH 181 Calculus II 4
Select one of the following: 3-5
Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry II b  
Chemical Dynamics
and Foundations of Chemical Inquiry II
 
Structure and Function  
General Education Requirement course 3-5
 Hours13-17
Second Year
Fall Semester
Select one of the following: 3-5
Chemical Dynamics
and Foundations of Chemical Inquiry II
 
Structure and Function  
CHEM 233 Synthesis Techniques Laboratory 2
Select one of the following: 4
General Physics I (Mechanics)  
Introductory Physics for Life Sciences I  
Foreign Language 4
 Hours13-15
Spring Semester
CHEM 234 Chemical Synthesis 3
Select one of the following: 4
General Physics II (Electricity and Magnetism)  
Introductory Physics for Life Sciences II  
Foreign Language 4
General Education Requirement course 3
 Hours14
Third Year
Fall Semester
CHEM 222 Analytical Chemistry c 4
CHEM 314 Inorganic Chemistry 4
Foreign Language 4
Electives 5
 Hours17
Spring Semester
Select one of the following: 3
Physical Chemistry for Biochemists I d  
Physical Chemistry II b  
Foreign Language 4
General Education Requirement course 3
General Education Requirement course 3
Electives 3
 Hours16
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
CHEM 343 Physical Chemistry Laboratory e 3
Select one of the following: 3
Physical Chemistry I a  
Physical Chemistry for Biochemists II d  
Electives 9
 Hours15
Spring Semester
Chemistry Elective 5
Electives 10
 Hours15
 Total Hours120
a

CHEM 116 and CHEM 342 are offered fall semester only. CHEM 342 requires calculus-based physics (PHYS 141, PHYS 142) as a prerequisite and Calculus III (MATH 210) as a corequisite).

b

CHEM 118 and CHEM 346 are offered spring semester only.

c

Students who take CHEM 116 and CHEM 118 to fulfill the general chemistry requirement do not need to take CHEM 222.

d
CHEM 340 and CHEM 344 are offered in the fall and spring semesters.
e

CHEM 343 satisfies the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement.