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Chemistry and Biochemistry

Professional accreditation by the American Chemical Society

Wayne Bosma,
Graduate Program Coordinator

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers four graduate programs, the BS/MS in Chemistry or Biochemistry and the MS in Chemistry or Biochemistry.  The BS/MSprograms, commonly referred to as 4:1 programs, are integrated, accelerated, and research intensive programs that provide opportunities for students to begin a MS while completing requirements for the BS  The MS programs are designed to meet the needs of the full-time graduate student or the chemist who wishes to pursue graduate studies on a part-time basis. The department encourages practicing chemists to pursue an MS degree without interrupting their employment. Both programs are designed to provide a broad experience in the chemical or biochemical sciences by enhancing the student’s academic and laboratory skills and strengthening critical writing and presentation skills. The programs provide a solid foundation for immediate employment or further education.

Typical course sequencing schedules for all departmental majors may be found on the department’s website, >http://www.bradley.edu/las/chm/.

BS/MS in Chemistry or Biochemistry

BS/MS Admission Requirements (Undergraduate)
Students may apply to the program after completing CHM 252; to be admitted, the student must have achieved an overall GPA of 2.50, an average GPA of 2.75 in chemistry courses, and a C or better in all chemistry, mathematics, biology, and physics courses.

BS/MS Admission Requirements (Graduate)
To earn graduate status within the BS/MS program, students must have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work, a cumulative GPA of 2.75 in undergraduate chemistry courses, and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in graduate courses.  For both BS/MS options, up to nine hours of graduate credit, taken during the final year of the bachelor's degree, can be dual counted for the combined degrees.  If this option is selected, a minimum of 146 hours, 31 of which must be at the graduate level, must be earned. The Graduate Record Examination is not required for admission to this program.

Programmatic Requirements and Procedures

  • Program participants are expected to engage in full-time research experiences during the summers after their third, fourth, and fifth years.
  • Students must identify a research mentor/thesis advisor and begin their undergraduate research no later than the summer after their third year.
  • At the beginning of the fourth year, the student’s thesis committee shall be constituted.  The committee members shall be chosen in consultation with the student, the thesis advisor, and the graduate coordinator.  The committee shall include the thesis advisor (who serves as chair and who is a non-voting member of the committee) and at least three other members.  The majority of the members must be from the Bradley University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and there must be an odd number of voting members.
  • The student must submit written progress reports to the thesis committee and the graduate coordinator no fewer than three times per year.
  • Before completion of the fourth year, the student must present a seminar (CHM 580, 1 credit) summarizing the literature relevant to the thesis project, any preliminary results, and an outline of the proposed research.  Following the seminar, the student must meet with the thesis committee to discuss the presentation and the research plan.
  • A Graduate Program of Study must be approved by the graduate coordinator by April 1 of the student’s fourth year of study.  
  • All matriculated graduate students are required to be registered for at least one course per semester, or have an approved Leave of Absence, for each fall/spring/summer semester from the semester of matriculation through the semester in which the degree is completed.
  • Upon completion of the thesis, the student must present the work in a research seminar (CHM 680, 1 credit) and successfully defend the thesis to the thesis committee.  The voting members of the thesis committee shall determine the research seminar grade and when a thesis has satisfactorily met all standards.

BS/MS Common Curriculum Requirements
Students in the BS/MS programs must successfully complete the Chemistry and Biochemistry Common Curriculum Requirements.  For CHM 110/116 and CHM 252/256, a grade of C or higher must be earned before continuing on to the next course in these sequences.  

  • CHM 110 General Chemistry I - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 111 General Chemistry I Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 116 General Chemistry II - 4 hrs.
  • CHM 117 General Chemistry II Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 252 Organic Chemistry I - 4 hrs.
  • CHM 253 Organic Chemistry Laboratory I - 1 hr.
  • CHM 256 Organic Chemistry II - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 257 Organic Chemistry Laboratory II - 1 hr.
  • CHM 292 Chemical Informatics - 1 hr.
  • CHM 326 Analytical Chemistry - 4 hrs.
  • CHM 360 Biochemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 470 Physical Chemistry I - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 380 Junior Seminar in Chemistry and Biochemistry - 0 hrs.
    (Must receive two grades of S)
  • One semester of biology (BIO 151), one year of college level physics (PHY 110, 201 or PHY 107, 108) and calculus (MTH 121, 122 or MTH 115, 116) are also required of all majors.  The specific PHY and MTH sequences taken are a function of the BS/MS program selected.

BS/MS-Chemistry

Students completing this degree option will receive an American Chemical Society Certified Degree.  The BS degree will be awarded once the candidate has met the All-University Degree Requirements and completed the BS Chemistry degree requirements outlined below.

BS Requirements for BS/MSChemistry

  • CHM 361 Biochemistry Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 471 Physical Chemistry Laboratory I - 1 hr.
  • CHM 476 Physical Chemistry II - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 436 Inorganic Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 437 Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 499 Directed Studies in Chemistry and Biochemistry - 2 hrs.
  • CHM 520 Instrumental Analysis - 4 hrs.
  • CHM 580 Literature Seminar in Chemistry and Biochemistry - 1 hr.
  • A minimum of five additional hours in chemistry numbered 500 or above, excluding CHM 522.  (No more than three of the five credit hours may be laboratory work.) - 5 hrs.

Total hours in the major required for the degree: 69-70

MS Requirements for BS/MSChemistry

A minimum of 31 hours of course work at the 500-600 level is required, including:

  • CHM 599 Research - 8 hrs.
  • CHM 680 Research Seminar in Chemistry and Biochemistry - 1 hr.
  • CHM 699 Thesis - 1 hr.

The remaining graduate credits may include chemistry courses from the list of electives below. A maximum of three hours of topics courses and a maximum of six credit hours from graduate courses in cognate fields may be applied. Cognate courses must be approved, prior to enrollment, by the research mentor, department chair, and graduate coordinator.

Graduate Chemistry Electives

  • CHM 500 Chemical Topics - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 512 Molecular Modeling - 1 hr.
  • CHM 514 Chemical Group Theory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 516 Environmental Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 526 Advanced Analytical Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 528 Topics in Analytical Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 532 Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 538 Topics in Inorganic Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 540 Materials Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 541 Materials Chemistry Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 548 Topics in Materials Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 550 Industrial Organic Chemistry - 1 hr.
  • CHM 552 Physical Organic Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 554 Organic Spectroscopy - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 555 Organic Spectroscopy Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 558 Topics in Organic Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 562 Protein Structure and Function - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 564  Biochemical Literature  - 1–2 hrs.
  • CHM 566 Intermediary Metabolism - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 568 Topics in Biochemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 577 Physical Chemistry Laboratory II - 1 hr.
  • CHM 578 Topics in Physical Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 584 Readings in Chemistry or Biochemistry - 1–3 hrs.

Total hours required for the BS/MS degrees in chemistry major:  91–92 hrs

BS/MS-Biochemistry

The BS degree will be awarded once the candidate has met the All-University Degree Requirements and completed the BS Biochemistry Common Curriculum Requirements (CHM 480 is not required) and the following:

BS Requirements for BS/MSBiochemistry

  • CHM 361 Biochemistry Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 471 Physical Chemistry Laboratory I - 1 hr.
  • CHM 499 Directed Studies in Chemistry - 2 hrs.
  • CHM 520 Instrumental Analysis - 4 hrs.
  • CHM 562 Protein Structure and Function - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 566 Intermediary Metabolism - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 580 Literature Seminar in Chemistry and Biochemistry - 1 hr.
  • BIO 310 Genetics - 4 hrs.
  • BIO 464 Cell Biology - 4 hrs.

Total hours required for the major: 72

MS Requirements for BS/MSBiochemistry

  • CHM 536 Inorganic Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 599 Research - 8 hrs.
  • CHM 680 Research Seminar in Chemistry and Biochemistry - 1 hr.
  • CHM 699 Thesis - 1 hr.

The remaining nine credits may be selected from the lists of biochemistry and chemistry electives below, with no less than four of the credits coming from the biochemistry list.

Graduate Biochemistry Electives

  • CHM 564  Biochemical Literature - 1–2 hrs.
  • CHM 568 Topics in Biochemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • BIO  503  Molecular Genetics - 3 hrs.
  • BIO  509 Human Genetics - 3 hrs.
  • BIO  568 Cell/Molecular Immunology - 3 hrs.

Chemistry Graduate Electives

  • CHM 500 Chemical Topics - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 512 Molecular Modeling - 1 hr.
  • CHM 514 Chemical Group Theory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 516 Environmental Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 526 Advanced Analytical Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 528 Topics in Analytical Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 532 Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 537 Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 538 Topics in Inorganic Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 540 Materials Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 541 Materials Chemistry Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 548 Topics in Materials Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 550 Industrial Organic Chemistry - 1 hr.
  • CHM 552 Physical Organic Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 554 Organic Spectroscopy - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 555 Organic Spectroscopy Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 558 Topics in Organic Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 576 Physical Chemistry II - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 577 Physical Chemistry Laboratory II - 1 hr.
  • CHM 578 Topics in Physical Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 584 Readings in Chemistry or Biochemistry - 1–3 hrs.

Total hours required for the BCBM major:  94

MS Degree (Chemistry or Biochemistry)

General MS Admission Requirements

Candidates for graduate teaching assistantships must have a personal interview with the chemistry graduate coordinator; international applicants may satisfy this requirement by telephone.  A maximum of six credits may be transferred into the program from an accredited graduate program. In addition to the admission requirements of the Graduate School, the applicant shall have a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biochemistry or a related field and have completed one year each of college-level calculus and physics. The student must have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work, a cumulative GPA of 2.75 in undergraduate chemistry courses, and a C or better in each of the following courses and their accompanying labs: general chemistry, organic chemistry (two semesters), and analytical chemistry (one semester).  Students lacking any of these courses may be admitted to the program conditionally, with full acceptance being granted after all deficiencies are completed; these courses will not apply to the MS degree.

General MS Program Requirements:

  • Candidates for the MS degrees must complete a minimum of 31 graduate credits in chemistry and related subjects.
  • Program participants are expected to engage in full-time research experiences during the summers.
  • Students must identify a research mentor and begin their research in the first semester in which they are enrolled.  If the research mentor is from the graduate faculty of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, the mentor also serves as the thesis advisor.
  • If approved by the department chair and the graduate coordinator, the student may conduct research with a scientist (off campus or on campus) who is not a member of the department’s faculty.  In that case, a member of the department’s graduate faculty must serve as the thesis advisor.   
  • During the first semester of study, the student’s thesis committee shall be constituted.  The committee shall be composed of at least four members, chosen in consultation with the student, the thesis advisor, and the graduate coordinator.  The committee shall include the thesis advisor (who serves as chair and who is non-voting) and at least three other members. 
  • However, if a research mentor directed the student’s research, the research mentor is an ex officio, non-voting member of the committee and the thesis advisor becomes a voting committee member.  The majority of the members must be from the Bradley University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and there must be an odd number of voting members.
  • The student must submit written progress reports to the thesis committee and the graduate coordinator no fewer than three times per year.
  • Before completing three credit hours of research, the student must present a seminar (CHM 580, one credit) summarizing the literature relevant to the thesis project, any preliminary results, and an outline of the proposed research. Following the seminar, the student must meet with the thesis committee to discuss the presentation and the research plan.
  • A Graduate Program of Study must be approved by the department’s graduate coordinator by October 1 of the student’s first year of study.
  • All graduate students are required to be registered for at least one course per semester, or have an approved Leave of Absence, for each fall/spring/summer semester from the semester of matriculation through the semester in which the degree is completed.
  • Upon completion of the thesis, the student must present the work in a research seminar (CHM 680, one credit) and successfully defend the thesis to the thesis committee. The voting members of the thesis committee shall determine the research seminar grade and when a thesis has satisfactorily met all standards.

MS Chemistry

  • Students must have completed (C or better) one semester of physical chemistry, with laboratory, at the undergraduate level.
  • Students must complete the required courses listed below.  The graduate coordinator will review the transcript of each student to ensure that students do not repeat courses they have already completed (C or better) at the undergraduate level.

Required Courses

  • CHM 536 Inorganic Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 576 Physical Chemistry II - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 580 Literature Seminar in Chemistry and Biochemistry - 1 hr.
  • CHM 599 Research - 8 total hrs.
  • CHM 680 Research Seminar in Chemistry and Biochemistry - 1 hr.
  • CHM 699 Thesis - 1 hr.

The remaining credit hours can be selected from the list of chemistry electives below, with a maximum of 3 hours of Topics courses and a maximum of 6 graduate credit hours permitted from cognate fields. Cognate courses must be approved, prior to enrollment, by the thesis advisor, department chair, and graduate coordinator.

Electives

  • CHM 500 Chemical Topics - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 512 Molecular Modeling - 1 hr.
  • CHM 514 Chemical Group Theory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 516 Environmental Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 520 Instrumental Analysis - 4 hrs.
  • CHM 526 Advanced Analytical Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 528 Topics in Analytical Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 532 Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 537 Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 538 Topics in Inorganic Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 540 Materials Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 541 Materials Chemistry Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 548 Topics in Materials Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 550 Industrial Organic Chemistry - 1 hr.
  • CHM 552 Physical Organic Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 554 Organic Spectroscopy - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 555 Organic Spectroscopy Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 558 Topics in Organic Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 562 Protein Structure and Function - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 566 Intermediary Metabolism - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 568 Topics in Biochemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 577 Physical Chemistry Laboratory II - 1 hr.
  • CHM 578 Topics in Physical Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 584 Readings in Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.

MS Biochemistry

  • Students must have completed a one semester course (C or better) in biochemistry (with laboratory) at the undergraduate level.
  • Students must complete the required courses listed below. The graduate coordinator will review the transcript of each student to ensure that students do not repeat courses they have already completed (C or better) at the undergraduate level.

Required Courses

  • CHM 536 Inorganic Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 562 Protein Structure and Function - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 566 Intermediary Metabolism - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 570 Physical Chemistry I - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 580 Literature Seminar in Chemistry and Biochemistry - 1 hr.
  • CHM 599 Research - 8 total hrs.
  • CHM 680 Research Seminar in Chemistry and Biochemistry - 1 hr.
  • CHM 699 Thesis - 1 hr.
  • BIO  564 Advanced Molecular Biology - 3 hrs.

The remaining credits may be selected from the lists of biochemistry and chemistry electives below, with no less than half of those credits coming from the biochemistry list. A maximum of four hours of topics courses, including CHM 564, and a maximum six graduate credit hours from cognate fields may be applied. Cognate courses must be approved, prior to enrollment, by the thesis advisor, department chair, and graduate coordinator.

Biochemistry Electives

  • CHM 564  Biochemical Literature - 1-2 hrs.
  • CHM 568 Topics in Biochemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • BIO  575 Endocrinology - 3 hrs.
  • BIO  509 Human Genetics - 3 hrs.
  • BIO  568 Cell and Molecular Immunology - 3–4 hrs.
  • BIO  570 Neurobiology - 3 hrs.
  • PHY  545 Biophysics - 3 hrs.

Chemistry Electives

  • CHM 500 Chemical Topics - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 512 Molecular Modeling - 1 hr.
  • CHM 514 Chemical Group Theory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 516 Environmental Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 520 Instrumental Analysis - 4 hrs.
  • CHM 526 Advanced Analytical Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 528 Topics in Analytical Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 532 Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 537 Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 538 Topics in Inorganic Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 540 Materials Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 541 Materials Chemistry Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 548 Topics in Materials Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 550 Industrial Organic Chemistry - 1 hr.
  • CHM 552 Physical Organic Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 554 Organic Spectroscopy - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 555 Organic Spectroscopy Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 558 Topics in Organic Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 571 Physical Chemistry Laboratory I - 1 hr.
  • CHM 576 Physical Chemistry II - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 577 Physical Chemistry Laboratory II - 1 hr.
  • CHM 578 Topics in Physical Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.
  • CHM 584 Readings in Chemistry - 1–3 hrs.

This is the official catalog for the 2011-2012 academic year. This catalog serves as a contract between a student and Bradley University. Should changes in a program of study become necessary prior to the next academic year every effort will be made to keep students advised of any such changes via the Dean of the College or Chair of the Department concerned, the Registrar's Office, u.Achieve degree audit system, and the Schedule of Classes. It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of the current program and graduation requirements for particular degree programs.