Chemistry

Chemistry is often called the central science because of the pivotal role it plays in the biological and physical sciences, as well as in engineering, agriculture, medicine, and allied health disciplines. Bachelor's degree chemists choose from diverse paths for their short-term and lifetime careers, including graduate study in a variety of programs, rewarding employment in industry or government laboratories, professional or law school, or much-needed teaching in high schools.

About this Program

To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.

Department Information

The Department of Chemistry is a comprehensive department granting bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees with specialization in all areas including biochemistry, nanochemistry, analytical, inorganic, organic, physical, polymer, synthetic, and theoretical chemistry. The University of Florida ranks in the top five chemistry departments nationally in PhD production and is among the top 20 in bachelor’s graduates.
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CONTACT

Email | 352.392.0541 (tel) | 352.392.8758 (fax)

P.O. Box 117200
214 LEIGH HALL
GAINESVILLE FL 32611-7200
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Curriculum

Students can choose the Chemistry specialization, which is comparable to that offered in any major university, or the Biochemistry specialization, which is designed to give more flexibility to students wanting to pursue courses with biological focus. The department encourages students in either specialization to include undergraduate research with one of the department's internationally recognized faculty as a component of the undergraduate experience. Undergraduate research will frequently result in journal publications and/or presentations at scientific meetings.

Coursework for the Major

For either specialization (chemistry or biochemistry), all required courses must be completed within two attempts with minimum grades of C. Any foreign language acceptable to the college can be taken with this minimum program and language courses can be taken S/U. ENC 3254 is suggested to fulfill part of the university Writing Requirement.

Required Coursework

Required coursework will depend upon the program chosen. Coursework for each specialization can be found below under Critical Tracking and Model Semester Plan.

Recommended Coursework

The Chemistry program at the University of Florida is approved by the American Chemistry Society (ACS). Students completing a baccalaureate degree in the standard Chemistry specialization may enhance their undergraduate experience by completing an ACS-certified degree. The ACS-certified degree is comprised of foundational coursework from each of the five subdisciplines of Chemistry (analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, physical, and organic), as well as additional in-depth courses and laboratory experiences. 

The following coursework and lab experiences are necessary to satisfy the requirements for ACS certification:

  • Completion of all coursework for the standard Chemistry specialization
  • CHM 3218 (4 credits)
  • CHM 3610L (2 credits)
  • An additional 4000-level CHM lecture course (2-3 credits)
  • An additional 4000-level CHM laboratory course or CHM 4910 (2-3 credits)

Course Details

Introduction to General Chemistry

CHM 1025, a two-credit course, is offered for students who need to strengthen their understanding of basic concepts of atomic structure and stoichiometry before beginning the general chemistry sequence:

CHM 2045
2045L
General Chemistry 1
and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory
4
CHM 2046
2046L
General Chemistry 2
and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory
4

A placement exam is offered via ONE.UF and the score achieved determines whether CHM 1025 or CHM 2045 is the appropriate first course in chemistry.

Chemistry

The following general chemistry offerings are available:

  • CHM 1030/CHM 1031 is a terminal sequence for non-science students that presents Chemistry from a medical and nursing perspective
  • CHM 1020 is a terminal general education course that explores Chemistry in terms of society
  • CHM 2045/CHM 2045L and CHM 2046/CHM 2046L is the standard general chemistry sequence and is an acceptable preprofessional requirement for many science and engineering majors. Students are presumed to have good backgrounds in high school chemistry and mathematics (through MAC 1147) and are expected to pass the placement exam offered via ONE.UF before registering for CHM 2045.
  • CHM 2095/CHM 2045L and CHM 2096/CHM 2046L is an alternative general chemistry sequence especially designed for engineering majors
  • CHM 2047/CHM 2047L is a one-semester program for entering first-year students with strong backgrounds in Chemistry, normally reflected by high AP or IB chemistry test scores. This program enables students to move more quickly into advanced work.
  • CHM 2051 is offered as an alternative to CHM 2046 for students who have done particularly well in CHM 2045.
  • CHM 2054L is a 2-credit, inquiry-based lab focusing on major concepts in Chemistry and their application to quantitative life-sciences research. This course is equivalent to CHM 2045L and (CHM 2046L or CHM 2047L).

Placement

For placement into the appropriate first course in chemistry, please refer to the Academic Advising section of this catalog or consult a Chemistry advisor. All students should complete their general Chemistry studies at the same institution.
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Minors and/or Certificates

UFTeach Program

There is a severe shortage of qualified high school chemistry teachers in Florida and nationwide. Students interested in becoming part of this high-demand profession should see a chemistry advisor about the UFTeach program. UFTeach students complete the UFTeach minor in science teaching with their BS in Chemistry and have the coursework and preparation for professional teacher certification in Florida when they graduate.
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Chemistry

The chemistry major requires 65-70 credits, including the following coursework. With approval, this may include equivalent transfer coursework.

Required Foundation Coursework
Select one option:5-8
Option A
General Chemistry 1
and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory
General Chemistry 2
and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory
Option B
Honors General Chemistry 1 for Majors
and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory
Honors General Chemistry 2
and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory
Option C
One-Semester General Chemistry
and One-Semester General Chemistry Laboratory 1
MAC 2311Analytic Geometry and Calculus 14
MAC 2312Analytic Geometry and Calculus 24
MAC 2313Analytic Geometry and Calculus 34
Select one option:8-10
Option A
Physics with Calculus 1
and Laboratory for Physics with Calculus 1
Physics with Calculus 2
and Laboratory for Physics with Calculus 2
Option B
Physics 1
and Laboratory for Physics 1
Physics 2
and Laboratory for Physics 2
Required Core Coursework
Select one option:8
Option A
Organic Chemistry 1 for Majors
Organic Chemistry 2 for Majors
Organic Chemistry Laboratory
Option B
Organic Chemistry 1
Organic Chemistry 2
Organic Chemistry Laboratory
CHM 3120
3120L
Introduction to Analytical Chemistry
and Analytical Chemistry Laboratory
4
CHM 4130
4130L
Instrumental Analysis
and Instrumental Analysis Laboratory
5
CHM 3610Inorganic Chemistry3
CHM 4411
CHM 4412
Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics and Kinetics
and Physical Chemistry: Chemical Bonding and Spectroscopy
8
CHM 4411LPhysical Chemistry Laboratory2
Elementary Differential Equations (encouraged)
Total Credits55-60

CHM 2095/CHM 2095L and CHM 2096/CHM 2096L can substitute for CHM 2045/CHM 2045L and CHM 2046/CHM 2046L for students who switched majors from engineering

Required Exit Exam

Students must also complete the exit exam (Diagnostic of Undergraduate Chemistry Knowledge) with a minimum score of 30 out of 60.

The required courses in the Chemistry major are generally offered every Fall and Spring. Because of budgetary and other restrictions, Summer schedules cannot be predetermined and required courses generally are offered in Summer C (12 weeks).

Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for progress toward each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.

For degree requirements outside of the major, refer to CLAS Degree Requirements: Structure of a CLAS Degree.

Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.

Semester 1

  • Complete one CHM course and one MAC course
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

  • 2.75 critical-tracking GPA and any additional CHM courses
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 5

Semester 6

Semester 7

  • Complete 2 of the remaining CHM 3XXX/4XXX required courses
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 8

  • Complete all of the remaining 3XXX/4XXX required courses
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Students are expected to complete the Writing Requirement while in the process of taking the courses below. Students are also expected to complete the General Education International (GE-N) and Diversity (GE-D) requirements concurrently with another General Education requirement (typically, GE-C, H, or S).

MAC 2312, MAC 2313, PHY 2049, PHY 2049L, PHY 2054, and PHY 2054L count towards 3000 level or above electives outside of the major.

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed above in the Critical Tracking criteria.

This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
Quest 1 (Gen Ed Humanities) 3
CHM 2045
2045L
General Chemistry 1
and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
4
MAC 2311 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Mathematics) 4
State Core Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
 Credits14
Semester Two
CHM 2046
2046L
General Chemistry 2
and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
4
Gen Ed Biological Sciences 3
MAC 2312 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 2 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Mathematics) 4
State Core Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement 3
State Core Gen Ed Humanities 3
 Credits17
Semester Three
CHM 2212 Organic Chemistry 1 for Majors (Critical Tracking) 3
MAC 2313 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 3 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Mathematics) 4
Select one: 3-4
Physics with Calculus 1 (Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Physics 1 (Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Select one: 1
Laboratory for Physics with Calculus 1 (Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Laboratory for Physics 1 (Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Quest 2 course (Gen Ed Biological, Physical, or Social and Behavioral Sciences) 3
 Credits14-15
Semester Four
CHM 2213
CHM 2211L
Organic Chemistry 2 for Majors
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory (Critical Tracking)
5
Select one: 3-4
Physics with Calculus 2 (Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Physics 2 (Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Select one: 1
Laboratory for Physics with Calculus 2 (Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Laboratory for Physics 2 (Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Foreign language 4-5
Elective 1
 Credits14-16
Semester Five
CHM 3120
3120L
Introduction to Analytical Chemistry
and Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (Critical Tracking) 1
4
Gen Ed Biological Sciences (or Elective if Quest 2 course in Semester 3 is GE-B) 3
Gen Ed Humanities 3
Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences (or Elective if Quest 2 in Semester 3 is GE-S) 3
Foreign language 3-5
 Credits16-18
Semester Six
CHM 4130
4130L
Instrumental Analysis
and Instrumental Analysis Laboratory
5
CHM 4411 Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics and Kinetics 4
Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement 3
Elective (or foreign language if 4-3-3 option) 3
 Credits15
Semester Seven
CHM 3610 Inorganic Chemistry 3
CHM 4411L Physical Chemistry Laboratory 2
CHM 4412 Physical Chemistry: Chemical Bonding and Spectroscopy 4
Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
Elective 3
 Credits15
Semester Eight
Electives (3000 level or above, not in department) 6
Electives 9
 Credits15
 Total Credits120
1

Take CHM 3120/CHM 3120L after CHM 2046/CHM 2046L, but no later than the first semester of the third year.


Chemistry is the study of matter: the structure and properties of matter, the transformations from one form of matter to another, and the energy transformations associated with these transformations.

Before Graduating Students Must

  • Achieve at least 50% on the Diagnostic of Undergraduate Chemistry Knowledge (DUCK) exam.
  • Obtain minimum grades of C in laboratory courses:
    CHM 2211Organic Chemistry 23
    CHM 3120LAnalytical Chemistry Laboratory1
    CHM 4130LInstrumental Analysis Laboratory2
    CHM 4411LPhysical Chemistry Laboratory2
    or CHM 4413L Biophysical Chemistry Laboratory
  • Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by the chemistry faculty.

Students in the Major Will Learn to

Student Learning Outcomes | SLOs

Content

  1.  
    • Standard Chemistry
      Explain and apply facts, theories and concepts in
      1. physical
      2. organic
      3. inorganic
      4. analytical chemistry
    • Biochemistry
      Explain and apply facts, theories and concepts in
      1. physical
      2. organic
      3. inorganic
      4. analytical chemistry
      5. biochemistry
  2.  
    • Standard Chemistry
      Demonstrate and safely apply laboratory skills in
      1. synthetic
      2. quantitative
      3. instrumental methods as scientific approaches to gathering and verifying knowledge
    • Biochemistry
      Apply laboratory skills in
      1. synthetic
      2. quantitative
      3. instrumental
      4. biochemical methods as scientific approaches to gathering and verifying knowledge

Critical Thinking

  1. Standard Chemistry and Biochemistry
    Interpret, evaluate, explain and critically assess theories and experimental results in chemistry or biochemistry.

Communication

  1. Standard Chemistry and Biochemistry
    Collect, analyze and articulate results clearly and effectively in both oral and written formats.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

Standard Chemistry

Courses SLO 1-A SLO 1-B SLO 1-C SLO 1-D SLO 2-A SLO 2-B SLO 2-C SLO 2-D SLO 3 SLO 4
CHM 2045 and CHM 2046 I I I
CHM 2211L I, A I
CHM 2212 and CHM 2213 I
CHM 3120 and CHM 4130 R
CHM 3120L I, A I I
CHM 3610 R
CHM 4130L R R, A I R, A
CHM 4411 and CHM 4412 R
CHM 4411L R R R R, A
DUCK Exam A A A A

Biochemistry

Courses SLO 1-A SLO 1-B SLO 1-C SLO 1-D SLO 1-E SLO 2-A SLO 2-B SLO 2-C SLO 2-D SLO 3 SLO 4
CHM 2045 and CHM 2046 I I I
CHM 2211L I, A I
CHM 2212 and CHM 2213 I
CHM 3120 R
CHM 3120L I, A I I
CHM 3218 I
CHM 3400 R
CHM 3610 R
CHM 4300L I
CHM 4413L R R R R, A
DUCK Exam A A A A

Assessment Types for Both Specializations

  • Oral tests or reports
  • Written reports
  • Lab practicals