Chemistry and Biochemistry

Course Sequence Recommendations

Students planning a major in chemistry or biochemistry should complete Chemistry 010, 011 and 022 during their first year at Swarthmore. During the sophomore year students can take 032 and 038 or 042 and 052 if the physics and mathematics requirements for physical chemistry have been completed. In addition, students planning a major in Biochemistry should complete Biology 001 in their first two years at Swarthmore.

In the last two years, chemistry and biochemistry majors have some flexibility about the sequencing of the remaining requirements for the major. However, students should note that completion of Chemistry 010, 011, 022 and one semester of a 40-level or 50-level course constitute a minimum set of prerequisites for enrollment in any Chemistry and Biochemistry Department 100-level course. In addition, individual 100-level courses carry additional prerequisites so students should plan ahead accordingly.  Courses taken during the first semester of the first year are all CR/NC.  Starting with the Class of 2025, after the first semester, only one course with a recorded grade of CR can be used to fulfill the requirements of a Chemistry or Biochemistry major. 100-level Seminars and Research credit (94/96/180) may not be taken CR/NC.

Requirements

Ancillary Requirements from Other Departments

Prerequisite for CHEM 042, 043 and 052:  PHYS 003/003L and PHYS 004/004L (or 007, 008), MATH 025 (or MATH 026).

Prerequisite for CHEM 052:  MATH 034 (or equivalent).

As noted above, for the minimum Chemistry major, students are required to take either CHEM 65 OR a 100-level seminar.   All Honors majors must take both.  All those pursuing graduate work are strongly encouraged to take both.   

Acceptance Criteria

All applications are reviewed by the entire department. We consider grades in all college-level courses in chemistry, biology, mathematics, and physics. Decisions will not normally be made until two chemistry courses are completed and significant progress has been made towards meeting the physics and mathematics prerequisite requirements for enrollment in physical chemistry. An element in a student’s acceptance as a major is the considered judgment of the faculty that includes the student’s potential for satisfactory performance in advanced course work and their fulfillment of the comprehensive requirement.

Requirements

The course minor in chemistry has the following requirements:

1. The minor consists of five chemistry credits, plus any prerequisites necessary. Two courses must be numbered 040 or higher. Research credits (094, 096, 180) may not be used to fulfill the requirements for the minor.
2. At least four of the five credits must be earned at Swarthmore College.
3. The minor will not be titled anything other than “chemistry.” For example, there will be no minor in “organic chemistry” or “physical chemistry,” etc.
4. Courses taken during the first semester of the first year are all CR/NC.  Starting with the Class of 2025, after the first semester, only one course with a recorded grade of CR can be used to fulfill the requirements of a Chemistry minor. 100-level Seminars and Research credit (94/96/180) may not be taken CR/NC.

Acceptance Criteria

Applications are reviewed by the entire department, and decisions are made on the basis of the considered judgment of the faculty, that includes the student’s potential for satisfactory performance in advanced course work.

Requirements

An Honors preparation in Chemistry consists of three seminars - two in Chemistry (see item 1, below) and one in a minor - and a research thesis (see item 2, below). If, after following the procedures for applying for research in the department, an on-campus research mentor cannot be found, an Honors candidate should consult with the department’s class adviser to explore alternate means of meeting the requirement.

1. Honors chemistry majors must take at least two seminars. These seminars (and their associated prerequisites) will serve as two of the honors preparations in the major.
2. Honors majors must take CHEM 065 in addition to the 100-level seminar requirements.
3. Honors chemistry majors are expected to write a senior research thesis under the supervision of an on-campus research mentor. The thesis represents the third honors preparation. Preparation for a Research Thesis within an Honors Program consists of enrollment in two credits of CHEM 180 during the senior year, as well as two accompanying semesters of the Thesis Workship (CHEM 199). Except under extraordinary circumstances, students presenting a thesis for external examination will also spend the summer between their junior and senior years on campus initiating their research project.

The Honors Exams for Majors and Preparations

The fields offered by the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department for examination by external examiners as part of the Honors Program are the topics of the 100-level seminars. The department will offer at least two of these preparations (seminars) during each academic year.

All fields in chemistry (except the Research Thesis) will be examined in three hour written examinations prepared by External Examiners. The Honors Research Thesis will be examined orally by the External Examiner chosen in that field. Honors oral exams for other preparations will be conducted by individual Examiners as well.

Acceptance Criteria

Applications are reviewed by the entire department, and decisions are made on the basis of the considered judgment of the faculty, that includes the student’s potential for satisfactory performance in advanced course work. To be admitted as a major in the Honors Program, a student must present a minimum of two courses in chemistry taken at Swarthmore College. In addition, the department looks for indications that the student will participate actively in seminars and can successfully work in an independent manner. To be eligible, the GPA in chemistry courses required for the major must be 3.0 or higher. A student previously accepted into the Honors Program but not maintaining this GPA in chemistry courses will be asked to withdraw from the Honors Program.

Requirements

The honors minor in chemistry parallels the course minor, except that the program for an honors minor must include a seminar. The seminar serves as the basis of the honors preparation.

The Honors Exam for Minors and Preparations

All of the fields available to majors are available for students wishing to minor in chemistry, with the exception of the Research Thesis. All minors must meet the same prerequisite requirements for seminars established by the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department majors.

Acceptance Criteria

Applications are reviewed by the entire department, and decisions are made on the basis of the considered judgment of the faculty, that includes the student’s potential for satisfactory performance in advanced course work. To be admitted as a minor in the Honors Program in chemistry, a student must present a minimum of two courses in chemistry taken at Swarthmore College. In addition, the department looks for indications that the student will participate actively in seminars and can successfully work in an independent manner. To be eligible, the GPA in chemistry courses required for the minor must be 3.0 or higher. A student previously accepted into the Honors Program but not maintaining this GPA in chemistry courses will be asked to withdraw from the Honors Program.

Requirements

Biochemistry majors must also complete either (1) two intermediate-level biology courses (with labs) or (2) an intermediate-level Biology course (with lab) and a 100-level Biology seminar.

The intermediate level Biology classes for Biochemistry majors can be any Biology course numbered 010-039.  Please note the biology prerequisites for these courses and plan accordingly.

100-level seminars in the Biology Department have at least one intermediate level course (numbered 10-39) as a prerequisite; the particular prerequisites for seminars vary and should be considered during selection of intermediate level courses.

Ancillary Requirements from Other Departments

Prerequisites for CHEM 042:  PHYS 003/003L and PHYS 004/004L (or 007,008);  MATH 25 (or 26).

Acceptance Criteria

Acceptance criteria are the same as for chemistry majors.

Acceptance Criteria and Requirements for Honors Major in Biochemistry

Acceptance criteria for the honors major in biochemistry are the same as for the honors major in chemistry.

The honors biochemistry major has the same set of requirements as the course biochemistry major, plus the requirement of four honors preparations in at least two departments must also be met, as follows:

1. CHEM 108, 110, 112, 118 or 120.
2. One 100-level seminar from the Biology Department.
3. A two-credit biochemically oriented Research Thesis carried out under the supervision of faculty from the Chemistry and/or Biology Departments.
4. One additional 100-level seminar from either the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department or from the Biology Department.

Requirements

The Chemistry and Educational Studies course major includes one semester of general chemistry, two semesters of organic chemistry, a semester of biochemistry, and one semester of physical chemistry. Two more Chemistry courses of the student’s choosing are required, one of which must be numbered 40 or higher. A thesis in Chemistry pedagogy is required as well as 5 credits in Educational Studies.  Secondary Chemistry Teacher Certification can also be earned with additional coursework including student teaching, as described on the Educational Studies website.

Ancillary Requirements from Other Departments

Prerequisites for physical chemistry (CHEM 042): PHYS 003/003L and PHYS 004/004L (or 007,008); MATH 25 (or 26).

Acceptance Criteria

The same as for chemistry majors, except that the faculty of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department and Educational Studies are both actively involved in the decision.

Acceptance Criteria and Requirements for Honors Major in Education and Chemistry

Acceptance criteria for the honors major in Chemistry and Educational Studies are the same as for the honors major in chemistry, except that the faculty of both Chemistry and Biochemistry Department and Educational Studies are both actively involved in the decision.

The Honors Chemistry and Educational Studies major has the same set of requirements as the course major, plus the requirement of four Honors Preparations determined through discussion between both departments.

Chemistry

The senior comprehensive requirement consists of two components.

The first component revolves around the department’s Colloquium Series. During the academic year, speakers from other institutions visit our campus and present colloquia about their research. Each speaker recommends a small amount of published background material, which students read in preparation for the visit. These materials also serve as the basis for journal club, during which student facilitators lead the senior majors in a discussion of the background material and the relevant chemistry concepts. All senior majors are required to (1) attend journal club meetings, (2) read the provided literature, (3) serve as a facilitator for at least one journal club meeting, and (4) attend the actual colloquium presentations.

The department offers two routes for satisfying the second component of the comprehensive requirement:

a. Completion of a two-credit research thesis. A two-credit thesis involves 2 semesters of either CHEM 096 or 180 taken during the senior year plus enrollment in two semesters of CHEM 199 (non-credit) Thesis Writing Workshop also during the senior year.  

b. Senior majors who do not write a research thesis must write a series of short reflections throughout the academic year. These reflections are based on the presentations given by speakers in the department’s Colloquium Series and the associated literature
readings. The following regulations will govern the reflections:

1. The department will provide a minimum of 6 opportunities to write reflections each academic year.
2. The department will provide guidelines on the reflection format and students will have one week to submit their reflection following the colloquium presentation.
3. Satisfactory performance on 4 reflections constitutes completion of this component of the comprehensive requirement.
    

Finally, all students must complete at least one safety training session before the beginning of their senior year. Safety training will be organized through the Department’s Scientific Instrumentation Specialist.

Biochemistry

The comprehensive requirement for biochemistry majors is the same as for chemistry majors.

Academic Year Opportunities

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers three ways for students to engage in supervised research for academic credit, during the academic year:

1. CHEM 094 (research project). Students may enroll in this course for either a half credit or a full credit. A half credit implies a time commitment of 5-7 hours per week, while a full credit implies a time commitment of 10-15 hours per week.
2. CHEM 096 (research thesis). A full year (two credits) of CHEM 096 corresponds to a research thesis for course majors.
3. CHEM 180 (honors research thesis). A full year (two credits) of CHEM 180 corresponds to a research thesis for honors majors.
4. Enrollment in CHEM 096 and 180 must be accompanied by concurrent enrollment in the non-credit CHEM 199 (Thesis Writing Workshop).

All students who enroll for at least one full credit of research during an academic year are required to participate in the department’s Colloquium Series and present a poster sometime during the academic year.

Research Conducted in Other Departments

Students writing a research thesis to satisfy the comprehensive requirement for a Chemistry or Biochemistry major can, upon approval of the Chemistry and Biochemistry department, carry out their research with a faculty member in another department, such as biology, physics and astronomy, or engineering.  In general, such students have two options for how to register for courses corresponding to the thesis:

Option 1: Use the appropriate chemistry courses (two credits of CHEM 096 for a course thesis, or two credits of CHEM 180 for an honors thesis).

Option 2: Use the course designations appropriate to the department in which the research is conducted. For research conducted with a biology faculty member, for instance, a student might enroll in one credit of BIOL 180 and one credit of BIOL 199 over the course of the senior year. The thesis must ultimately consist of at least two full credits.

Seminars

Students should note that completion of CHEM 010/, 011, 022, and one semester of a 40-level or 50-level course constitute a minimum set of prerequisites for enrollment in any Chemistry and Biochemistry Department seminar. In unusual circumstances, the department will consider whether completion of work of comparable sophistication in another department can substitute for the requirement that a 40-level or 50-level chemistry course be completed prior to enrollment in a seminar. Individual seminars carry additional prerequisites, as listed here.

• CHEM 104. Topics in Organic Chemistry
• CHEM 110. Topics in Biophysical Chemistry
• CHEM 112. DNA Nanotechnology
• CHEM 1XX. CHEM 1XX

Student Research

All students who enroll in one or more research courses during the academic year are required to participate in the department’s colloquium series and present the results of their work at a poster session during the academic year.

• CHEM 094. Research Project
• CHEM 096. Research Thesis
• CHEM 180. Honors Thesis- Research
• CHEM 199. Senior Thesis Workshop