Department of Chemistry
Course Descriptions
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Not all chemistry courses are offered every year.
Check the UCCS Schedule of Courses
for offerings available each semester.
CHEM 100-3. Chemistry in the Modern World. Lecture. A brief introduction to chemical principles and a study of their application to biochemical materials and processes, consumer chemistry, energy problems, air and water pollution and toxic chemicals. This course may be taken with or without the lab course CHEM 110. Counts toward fulfillment of the LAS natural science area requirement. Prer., none. Frequency: Every semester.
CHEM 101-4. Introduction to Chemistry. Lecture and Lab. This is a first-semester course in chemistry with an emphasis on principles and practical applications. The course is designed for two groups of individuals. Paramedical majors and nursing students comprise one of these groups. The second group will be made up of students who are required to take CHEM 103 but who have not had a high school chemistry course or who have inadequate backgrounds. Students who have not taken algebra in high school or college should take an algebra course before taking CHEM 101. The course covers measurement, matter, atoms, bonding, energy, phases of matter, acid-base and redox reactions, solutions, equilibria, electrolytes, inorganic and nuclear reactions. Counts towards fulfillment of LAS natural science area requirement. Prer., one year high school algebra. Frequency: Every semester.
CHEM 102-4. Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry. Lecture and Lab. This is the second part of a one-year course and should be taken after completion of CHEM 101. Students who are required to take CHEM 103-106 should not take both 101 and 102. The course includes a survey of organic functional group and biochemical reactions. A large emphasis is placed on structure and function of organic and biomolecules. Prer., CHEM 101 with a grade of C or higher. Frequency: Every semester.
CHEM 103-5. General Chemistry I. Lecture and Lab. A first college-level chemistry course for students with adequate high school chemistry. Emphasis on the structure and composition of matter: elements and compounds, atoms and molecules, and states of matter including solutions. Students having marginal mathematics backgrounds are advised to solidify their mathematics proficiencies before taking this course. To proceed to CHEM 106 a grade of C in CHEM 103 is necessary. Counts towards fulfillment of the LAS natural science area requirement. Prer., one year high school chemistry, two years high school math and a score of at least 14 on the algebra test. Students who have never taken chemistry and who scored at least 14 on the algebra test should take CHEM 115, Preparation for College Chemistry. Frequency: Every semester.
CHEM 106-5. General Chemistry II. Lecture and Lab. This is the second course of the General Chemistry sequence. Emphasis is on acid-base and solution chemistry, equilibria, kinetics, redox chemistry, transition metal chemistry, nuclear chemistry and organic chemistry. Counts towards fulfillment of the LAS natural science area requirement. Prer., CHEM 103 with a grade of C or higher. Frequency: Every semester.
CHEM 108-1. Introduction to Chemistry Laboratory Research. Lab. Research methodology in chemistry is introduced by conducting an investigation involving the synthesis and determination of the physical and chemical properties of a series of metal coordination compounds of acetylacetone and its analogs. Prer., concurrent registration in CHEM 106. Frequency: Spring semester.
CHEM 110-1. Chemistry in the Modern World Laboratory. Lab. When taken along with CHEM 100, these courses count toward fulfillment of the LAS natural science requirement and lab requirement. Experiments have been chosen that illustrate the principles discussed in the lecture. Prer., concurrent registration in CHEM 100 or prior completion of CHEM 100. Frequency: Every semester.
CHEM 115-4. Preparatory Chemistry. Lecture and lab. Preparatory chemistry lecture for students who have not taken high school chemistry. Prepares students for general chemistry (CHEM 103-106). Credited is granted only if no other college chemistry credits have been earned. Does not count towards the LAS natural science area requirement. Prerequisites: One year high school algebra or concurrent enrollment or completion of MATH 104. Frequency: Every semester.
CHEM 121-3. Introduction to Physical Science. Lecture. An integrated presentation of the basic concepts of physics and chemistry for non-science majors. Topics include motion, heat, sound, light, atomic and molecular structure, chemical reactions, acids and bases, and radioactivity. Counts towards fulfillment of the LAS natural science area requirement. Prer., two years of high school mathematics. Meets with PES 121.
CHEM 124-1. Physical Science Laboratory. Lab. A laboratory to accompany CHEM/PES 121. Includes experiments on mechanics, heat, sound, light, electricity, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, acid-based chemistry, and reaction kinetics. Counts towards fulfillment of the LAS natural science requirement.
CHEM 151-3. Environmental Science. Lecture. Introduction into atomic molecular structure and to biological structure and function. Environmental contaminants in air and their reactions, water quality and its analysis, wastewater treatment, the ecology of natural systems and genetic adaptation. The course deals with worldwide environmental issues in a scientific context. Counts towards fulfillment of the LAS natural science area requirement. Meets with BIOL 151. Frequency: Every semester.
CHEM 153-1. Environmental Science Laboratory. Lab. This lab is designed to accompany BIOL 151 and CHEM 151. Counts towards fulfillment of the LAS natural science area requirement. Frequency: Every semester.
CHEM 301-3. Materials Science. Lecture. An introductory development of the physical and chemical properties of materials, including metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, and composite materials. Intended for science and engineering students. Prer., CHEM 106, PES 111, and MATH 135 with a grade of C or higher. Frequency: Usually offered every other year.
CHEM 330-3. Organic Chemistry. Lecture. For biology majors and non-chemistry majors taking only one semester of organic chemistry. This is a survey of organic nomenclature, structure, preparations, and reactions. The course includes bioorganic topics, such as carbohydrates, peptides, and proteins, as well as general introduction to important functional groups. The lab covers common techniques and preparative experiments. Prer., CHEM 106 with a grade of C or higher. Frequency: Fall semester. (Refer to CHEM 340 for the accompanying laboratory course.)
CHEM 331-3. Organic Chemistry I. Lecture. For all students who need a full-year organic sequence. (Required for B.S. and B.A. majors.) Topics include structure and reactions of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes and alkyl halides, organic nomenclature, stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms and kinetics. Prer., CHEM 106 with a grade of C or higher and concurrent registration in CHEM 333 or CHEM 337. Frequency: Fall and spring semesters.
CHEM 332-3. Organic Chemistry II. Lecture. For all students who need a full-year organic sequence. (Required for B.S. and B.A. majors.) Topics include structure and reactions of alcohols, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones, amines, aromatic compounds, heterocycles, sugars and amino acids. Emphasis is on organic syntheses and reaction mechanisms. Prer., CHEM 331 and CHEM 333 or CHEM 337 with grades of C or higher and concurrent registration in CHEM 334 or CHEM 338. Frequency: Fall and spring semesters.
CHEM 333-2. Organic Chemistry Laboratory I. Lecture and Lab. For biochemistry option and non-chemistry majors. Instruction in experimental techniques of modern organic chemistry including microscale techniques. Emphasis is also on reactions of alkenes, alkynes, alkyl halides and on stereochemical modeling. Prer., CHEM 106 with a grade of C or higher and concurrent registration in CHEM 331. Students must register for Lecture and Lab. Frequency: Fall and spring semesters.
CHEM 334-2. Organic Chemistry Laboratory II. Lecture and Lab. For biochemistry option and non-chemistry majors. Emphasis is on spectroscopic techniques and on syntheses of alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids and their derivatives. Prer., CHEM 331 and 333 with grades of C or higher and concurrent enrollment or completion of CHEM 332. Students must register for Lecture and Lab. Frequency: Fall and spring semesters.
CHEM 337-2. Practical Organic Chemistry I. Lab. An introduction to organic laboratory methods for chemistry majors. Prer., CHEM 106 with a grade of C or higher and concurrent registration in CHEM 331. Frequency: Fall and spring semesters.
CHEM 338-2. Practical Organic Chemistry II. Lab. An introduction to organic synthetic and spectroscopic methods for chemistry majors. Prer., CHEM 331 and 337 with grades of C or higher and concurrent enrollment or completion of CHEM 332. Frequency: Fall and spring semesters.
CHEM 340-2. Organic Chemistry Laboratory. Lecture and Lab. For biology majors and non-chemistry majors. Lab section to accompany CHEM 330. Instruction in experimental techniques, organic synthesis, analysis, and spectroscopy. Prer or coreq. CHEM 330. Frequency: Fall semester.
CHEM 341-3. Environmental Chemistry. Lecture. An in-depth survey and discussion of problems of the environment from a chemical point of view. Air, water, land, pollution, and their effect on the ecology of living organisms. Prer., CHEM 106 with a grade of C or higher. Frequency: Usually offered every other year.
CHEM 388-3. Forensic Chemistry. Lecture. The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the various elements of clinical chemistry and forensic toxicology. The alteration of clinical chemistry parameters including acid/base balance, carbohydrate metabolism, renal and hepatic function due to drug use/abuse is discussed. The concepts of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics are presented. Chemical reaction mechanisms associated with drug metabolism and the analytical techniques to identify, confirm, and quantitate licit and illicit drugs in biological specimens are emphasized. Effects on neurotransmission are introduced. Prer., CHEM 103, 106, 331, and 332 with grades of C or higher.
CHEM 395-3. Cooperative Education in Chemistry. Lab. Students arrange a program with appropriate faculty members through the auspices of local government or industrial facilities. The program will generally require independent laboratory and/or literature work, resulting in a report or series of reports. Frequency: Every semester.
CHEM 401-3. Inorganic Chemistry I . Lecture. An introduction to the physical inorganic concepts of modern inorganic chemistry. Topics include atomic structure and periodic properties, ionic and covalent bonding, and a survey of inorganic main group reactions. Prer., CHEM 332, CHEM 417, and either CHEM 450 or 451 with grades of C or higher. Frequency: Fall semester.
CHEM 402-4. Inorganic Chemistry Lab. Lab. A detailed study of structure, characterization and synthesis of transition metal complexes. Laboratory demonstrates appropriate examples of synthesis and characterization techniques. Prer., CHEM 401 and 451 with grades of C or higher. Frequency: Spring semester.
CHEM 405-1 to 4. Topics in Chemistry. Lecture. Examination of selected topics in chemistry in lecture, seminar and/or laboratory format. Topic will change according to the interest of the instructor and students. Students may repeat the course for credit when the topic changes. Consult the Schedule of Courses for topic.
CHEM 411-3. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Lecture and Lab. Theory and practice of advanced techniques in NMR spectroscopy including complex spectra, double resonance, paramagnetic systems, and rate processes. Frequency: Every third or fourth year.
CHEM 417-4. Analytical Chemistry I. Lecture and Lab. Emphasis is on chemical equilibrium, quantitative analyses by means of titration, spectrophotometry, electrode potentials, and analytical separation techniques. Prer., CHEM 106 with a grade of C or higher. Frequency: Fall semester.
CHEM 418-3. Analytical Chemistry II. Lecture. Emphasis is on instrumental methods of analysis, including spectral, electrochemical, and separations methods. Prer., PES 112, CHEM 417 with grades of C or higher, and concurrent enrollment in or completion of CHEM 452 with a grade of C or higher. Concurrent enrollment in CHEM 420 required. Frequency: Spring semester.
CHEM 420-2. Practical Instrumental Analysis. Lab. Laboratory work in instrumental methods of analysis, including spectrochemical, electroanalytical, and chromatographic techniques. Prer., CHEM 417 and 452 with grades of C or higher. Coreq., CHEM 418. Frequency: Spring semester.
CHEM 450-3. Biophysical Chemistry. Lecture. Covers physical chemistry topics such as thermodynamics, chemical equilibrium and kinetics, illustrating these topics with important biological processes. In addition, an introduction to quantum theory will be presented with an emphasis on its application to biochemical problems. Prer., BIOL 121, CHEM 332, CHEM 334, MATH 135, PES 102, PES 215. Frequency: Fall semester.
CHEM 451-3. Physical Chemistry I. Lecture. The application of thermodynamics to phase changes, chemical reactions, and electrochemical cells. The rates and mechanics of chemical reactions. Prer., PES 112, 115, CHEM 332, and MATH 136 with grades of C or higher. Frequency: Fall semester.
CHEM 452-3. Physical Chemistry II. Lecture. The application of quantum mechanics to atomic and molecular structure and spectra. The applications of statistical mechanics of thermodynamic properties. Transition state theory of reaction rate. Prer., CHEM 451 with a grade of C or higher. Frequency: Spring semester.
CHEM 454-1. Experimental Physical Chemistry. Lab. Error analysis and experiments in thermodynamics and kinetics. Prer., CHEM 417 and CHEM 451 with grades of C or higher. Coreq., CHEM 452. Meets with CHEM 455.
CHEM 455-2. Experimental Physical Chemistry. Lab. Instruction in the experimental techniques of modern physical chemistry with emphasis on experiments illustrating the fundamental principles of chemical thermodynamics, quantum chemistry, and chemical kinetics for B.S. Chemistry majors. Prer., CHEM 417 and CHEM 451 with grades of C or higher. Meets in part with CHEM 454. Frequency: Spring semester.
CHEM 456-3. Surface Chemistry. Lecture. A study of the physical chemistry of surfaces and interfaces. Topics will include interfacial tension, wetting, monolayers, adsorption, heterogeneous catalysis, surface diffusion, kinetics of phase transformations, electrocapillarity, and the characterization of solid surfaces. Prer., CHEM 452 (for chemistry majors); or PES 213 and either PES 340 or 342 (for physics and engineering majors) with grades of C or higher. Meets with CHEM 556.
CHEM 481-3. General Biochemistry. Lecture. Topics include structure, conformation, and structure and functions of properties of proteins; enzymes; mechanisms and kinetics; intermediary metabolism; carbohydrates; lipids; energetics, and amino acids; energetics and metabolic control; and photosynthesis. Meets with CHEM 581, BIOL 481, BIOL 581. Prer., BIOL 302 and CHEM 332. Frequency: Fall semester.
CHEM 482-4. Biochemistry II. Lecture. Continuation of CHEM 481. Topics include control of metabolic flex through transcriptional and post transcriptional mechanisms, macromolecules; nucleic acids, metabolism of nitrogen-containing compounds; biosynthesis and function of macromolecules including DNA, RNA, and proteins; biochemistry of subcellular systems, and special topics. Meets with CHEM 582, BIOL 482, BIOL 582. Prer., CHEM 481. Frequency: Spring semester.
CHEM 483-3. Biochemistry Principles. Lecture. A comprehensive one-semester introduction to cells, proteins, and catalysis; metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and nitrogen compounds; and storage and utilization of genetic information. Prer., BIOL 121 and CHEM 330 or 332. Frequency: Spring semester.
CHEM 484-3. Molecular Biology. Lecture. Detailed examination of replication, recombination, transposition, transcription, and translation in prokaryotes, and eukaryotes at the molecular level. Meets with CHEM 584, BIOL 484, BIOL 584. Prer., BIOL 383. Frequency: Fall semester.
CHEM 486-3. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory. Lab. Designed to provide laboratory skills and techniques. Experiments are selected to demonstrate principles and application of current techniques and the use of instrumentation. Spectrophotometry, enzymology, centrifugation, and electrophoresis are stressed. Meets with CHEM 586, BIOL 486, and BIOL 586. Prer., one semester of biochemistry, or one semester of cell biology and one semester of organic chemistry. Frequency: Fall semester.
CHEM 495-1. Chemistry Seminar I. A capstone course. A course designed to familiarize students with the chemical literature and to allow for 10-30 minute presentations. Prer., CHEM 332 and either CHEM 417 or CHEM 451. Frequency: Fall semester.
CHEM 496-1. Chemistry Seminar II. A course designed to familiarize students with the chemical literature and to allow for formal presentations. Prer., CHEM 495. Frequency: Spring semester.
CHEM 511-3. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Lecture and Lab. Theory and practice of advanced techniques in NMR spectroscopy including complex spectra, double resonance, paramagnetic systems, rate process, and one and two-dimensional pulse methods. Meets with CHEM 411. Frequency: Every third or fourth year.
CHEM 517-3. Electrochemistry. Lecture. Electrochemical methods of analysis, analytical instrumentation. Topics will include redox thermodynamics and kinetics, electrochemical techniques and modern applications. Prer., physical chemistry with a grade of C or higher or consent of instructor. Frequency: Every other year.
CHEM 518-3. Chromatography and Analytical Separations. Lecture and Lab. Analytical separation processes, with special reference to theory and practice of liquid and gas chromatography. Analysis methods include mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Prer., undergraduate physical chemistry and instrumental methods of analysis. Frequency: Every third or fourth year.
CHEM 531-3. Advanced Organic Chemistry I. Lecture. Survey of organic chemistry including mechanistic and synthetic organic chemistry. Prer., one year of organic chemistry with a grade of C or higher. Frequency: Usually offered every other year.
CHEM 532-3. Advanced Organic Chemistry II. Lecture. Modern concepts of physical organic chemistry and their use in interpreting data in terms of mechanisms of organic reactions and reactivities of organic compounds. Prer., one year of organic chemistry and CHEM 451 with grades of C or higher. Frequency: Usually offered every other year.
CHEM 556-3. Surface Chemistry. Lecture. A study of the physical chemistry of surfaces and interfaces. Topics include interfacial tension, wetting monolayers, adsorption, heterogeneous catalysis, surface diffusion, kinetics of phase transformations, electrocapillarity, and the characterization of solid surfaces. Prer., CHEM 452 (for chemistry majors) or PES 213 and PES 342 (for physics and engineering majors) with grades of C or higher.
CHEM 581-3. Advanced General Biochemistry. Lecture. Topics include structure, conformation, and structure and functions of properties of proteins; enzymes; mechanisms and kinetics; intermediary metabolism; carbohydrates, lipids; and amino acids; energetics and metabolic control; and photosynthesis. Prer., organic chemistry or consent of instructor. Meets with CHEM 481, BIOL 481, BIOL 581. Frequency: Fall semester.
CHEM 582-4. Biochemistry II. Lecture. Continuation of CHEM 581. Topics include control of metabolic flex through transcriptional and post transcriptional mechanisms, macromolecules; nucleic acids, metabolism of nitrogen-containing compounds; biosynthesis and function of macromolecules including DNA,. RNA, and proteins; biochemistry of subcellular systems and special topics. Prer., organic chemistry. Meets with Chem482, BIOL 482, BIOL 582. Frequency: Spring semester.
CHEM 584-3. Molecular Biology. Lecture. Detailed examination of replication, recombination, transposition, transcription, and translation in prokaryotes, and eukaryotes at the molecular level. Meets with CHEM 484, BIOL 484, BIOL 584. Prer., BIOL 383. Frequency: Fall semester.
CHEM 586-3. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory. Lab. Designed to provide laboratory skills and techniques. Experiments are selected to demonstrate principles and application of current techniques and the use of instrumentation. Spectrophotometry, enzymology, centrifugation, and electrophoresis are stressed. Meets with CHEM 486, BIOL 486, and BIOL 586. Prer., one semester of biochemistry, or one semester of cell biology and one semester of organic chemistry. Frequency: Fall semester.
CHEM 700-1 to 6. Masters Thesis.
CHEM 940-1 to 3. Independent Study in Chemistry. Undergraduate. Consent of instructor required. For upper-division students.
CHEM 950-1 to 3. Independent Study in Chemistry. Graduate.
CHEM 999-0. Candidate for Degree.
Not all chemistry courses are offered every year.
Check the UCCS Schedule of Courses
for offerings available each semester.