Web Catalog Information Subject to Change
The web version of the ESF Catalog is updated as needed throughout the year. To view the version officially associated with a particular date of entry to the College, please refer to the appropriate catalog of record.
FCH 110 Survey of Chemical Principles (3)
Three hours of lecture per week. An introduction to chemistry organized around physical and chemical properties of matter. Emphasizes the atomic structure of elements, bonds in chemical compounds, atomic ratios in molecules as the basis for the stoichiometry of reactions, ionic and organic compounds, chemical reactivity, kinetics and thermodynamics. Fall.
FCH 111 Survey of Chemical Principles Laboratory (1)
FCH 111. Survey of Chemical Principles Laboratory. (1) Three hours of laboratory per week. Basic and applied laboratory techniques will be emphasized through experiments dealing with: the density of solids and liquids, stoichiometry, calorimetry, chemical reactivity, gas laws, kinetics,acid/base chemistry, and organic chemistry. (Fall)
Prerequisite(s): none Corequisite: FCH110
FCH 132 Orientation Seminar: Chemistry (1)
One hour of lecture and discussion per week. Introduction to campus resources available to ensure academic success. Introduction to chemistry as a field of inquiry. Introduction to laboratory safety. Fall.
FCH 150 General Chemistry I (3)
Three hours of lecture per week. This first semester general chemistry course is organized around the physical and chemical properties of matter. It introduces the atomic structure of elements, the kinds of bonds in chemical compounds, how atomic ratios in molecules form the basis for the stoichiometry of reactions, begins a treatment of thermodynamics and discusses the principles of chemical reactivity. Fall.
Prerequisite(s): APM 104 (may be taken concurrently) or equivalent (ex. Precalculus).
FCH 151 General Chemistry Laboratory I (1)
Three hours of laboratory per week. Basic laboratory techniques will be emphasized through experiments dealing with the density of solids and liquids, atomic ratios and mass combining ratios, atomic structure and the periodic table, calorimetry, chemical reactivity, geometric structure of molecules, formation of coordination compounds, and paper chromatography. Fall.
Corequisite: FCH 150.
FCH 152 General Chemistry II (3)
Three hours of lecture. The second course in general chemistry continues the development of chemical reactivity by focusing on chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium. Aqueous phase processes are emphasized and are applied to precipitation and solubility equilibria, acid/base dissociation phenomena, and fundamental electrochemical reactions. Spring.
Prerequisite: FCH 150 and APM 104 (or equivalent (minimum Precalculus)).
FCH 153 General Chemistry Laboratory II (1)
Three hours of laboratory per week. Concepts of chemical kinetics and equilibrium processes will be reinforced through experiments in titrimetric analyses, determinations of Ka and Ksp values, investigation of rate constants and reaction orders, buffer preparations, oxidation/reduction reactions and qualitative analyses. Spring.
Prerequisites: FCH 150, FCH 151. Co-requisite: FCH 152.
FCH 210 Elements of Organic Chemistry (4)
Three hours of lecture and four hours of laboratory per week including pre-laboratory instruction. Nomenclature, preparation, and important reactions of functional groups and classes of organic compounds including examples relevant to biology. Isomerism and stereochemistry topics of biomolecules. Quantitative study of weak acids and weak bases. Laboratory techniques include compound manipulations, extractions, distillations, chromatography, synthesis, and calculation of yields. Spring.
Prerequisite: One year of General Chemistry.
FCH 221 Organic Chemistry I (3)
Three hours of lecture per week. The structure, properties and fundamental reactivity of organic compounds will be studied with emphasis on the reaction mechanisms and stereochemistry. In combination with FCH 223, this course provides a full survey of common classes of carbon compounds. Fall.
Prerequisite: FCH 150, FCH 151, FCH 152, FCH 153.
FCH 222 Organic Chemistry Laboratory I (1)
Four hours of laboratory including pre-laboratory instruction per week. Laboratory safety. Melting and boiling points, distillation, recrystallization, thin-layer and column chromatography, isolation of natural products, organic synthesis and spectroscopy. Fall.
Co-requisite: FCH 221.
FCH 223 Organic Chemistry II (3)
Three hours of lecture per week. The structure, properties and fundamental reactivity of organic compounds will be studied with emphasis on the reaction mechanisms and stereochemistry. In combination with FCH 221, this course provides a full survey of common classes of carbon compounds. Spring.
Prerequisite: FCH 221.
FCH 224 Organic Chemistry Laboratory II (1)
Four hours of laboratory including pre-laboratory instruction per week. Continuation of FCH 222. Simple physical and instrumental techniques applied to organic chemistry. Gas chromatography, polarimetry, spectroscopy. Introduction to classical literature synthesis. Topics from natural products chemistry including chemical ecology, biomimetic synthesis, and the synthesis of an anticancer drug from birch bark. Spring.
Prerequisite: FCH 222. Co-requisite: FCH 223.
FCH 232 Career Skills for Chemists (1)
One hour of lecture per week. The objective of this course is to introduce a variety of important skills required for student success and, ultimately, career development as a practicing chemist. These skills include: Information literacy (library literature searching), communication (writing, presenting), ethics in science and academic integrity, finding employment and internships (resume and letter writing, interviewing skills). In addition, student will learn more about the B.S. Chemistry curriculum to set the stage for their choice of an "option" (Biochem, Polymer Chem, Environmental Chem. or ACS certified option) within the Chemistry Major. Fall
FCH 290 Chemistry Teaching Assistant Experience for Undergraduates (1 - 3)
Undergraduate students will gain experience with the management, evaluation and assessment of undergraduate courses in chemistry. Assistants will assist the instructor with course activities and mentor students on how to succeed in the respective course. Teaching Assistant responsibilities vary by section and instructor. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite(s): Consent of Instructor.
FCH 296 Special Topics in Chemistry (1 - 3)
Experimental, interdisciplinary or special course work at the freshman or sophomore levels. Subject matter and course format vary from semester to semester or offering on the basis of needs and objectives of the course. Fall and Spring.
FCH 325 Organic Chemistry III (4)
Two hours of lecture, one six-hour laboratory per week. Classical and recent literature synthesis or organic compounds, employing advanced techniques. Fall.
Prerequisite: Two semesters of elementary organic chemistry.
FCH 360 Physical Chemistry I (3)
Three hours of lecture per week. An introduction to the properties of gases and liquids, the laws of thermodynamics, phases, phase transitions, solutions and colligative properties, electrochemistry, and reaction equilibria. Fall.
Prerequisite(s): MAT 295 and 296, and PHY 211 and 212, or their equivalents.
FCH 361 Physical Chemistry II (3)
Three hours of lecture per week. Includes discussion on principles of quantum mechanics, chemical kinetics, and basic spectroscopy. Spring.
Prerequisite: FCH 360.
FCH 380 Analytical Chemistry I: Gravimetric, Titrimetric and Potentiometric Analysis (3)
Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week. Equilibrium concepts and practical implementations of precipitation, complexation, acid-base and oxidation-reduction processes in quantitative chemical analysis. Fall.
Prerequisites: One year of General Chemistry (I, II) plus the associated lab courses
FCH 381 Analytical Chemistry II: Spectroscopic, Chromatographic and Electroanalytical Instrumental Technique (3)
Two hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory per week. Theory and practice of technology applications to UV/VIS, AAS, AES, XES, ASV, GLC and HPLC. Spring.
Prerequisites: Two years of undergraduate chemistry and FCH 380, FCH 361 taken concurrently or permission of instructor.
FCH 384 Spectrometric Identification of Organic Compounds (1 - 2)
Two hours of lecture and discussion per week. The first-half semester (1 credit) will deal with common classes of organic compounds; the second-half semester (1 credit) will deal with more complex structures. The use of complementary information from mass, infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance and ultraviolet spectrometry will be applied to identification of organic natural products. Fall.
Prerequisites: One year of Organic Chemistry.
FCH 390 Drugs from the Wild (3)
Three hours of lecture and discussion per week. This course is designed to give students a comprehensive understanding of the variety of medicinal agents available from natural sources. Economic and societal aspects will be explored as well as scientific ones. In addition to curative agents, discussions will include toxic substances, folk medicinal (including herbal) preparations, and the so-called "recreational drugs." Fall, odd years.
Prerequisites: Introductory courses in chemistry and biology.
FCH 399 Introduction to Atmospheric Sciences (3)
Three hours of lecture and discussions per week. Atmospheric composition, mass and structure; solar radiation and the global energy budget; atmospheric moisture budget, cloud and precipitation; photolysis, gas-phase oxidation, aqueous chemistry, and gas-to-particle conversion; physical and chemical mechanisms driving environment phenomena such as acid rain, the greenhouse effect, the ozone hole, remote and urban air pollution, and haze.
Prerequisite(s): General physics I, 1 year each of general chemistry and calculus. Co-requisite(s): General physics II.
FCH 410 Inorganic Chemistry (3)
Three hours of lecture per week. An introduction to the bonding, structure and reactivity of transition metals and main group elements. Topics will include but are not limited to covalent molecular structures, coordination chemistry, organometallic chemistry, catalysis, bioinorganic chemistry and solid state materials. Spring, even years.
Prerequisite: One year of general chemistry, one year of organic chemistry.
FCH 440 Introduction to Chemical Ecology (3)
Three hours of lecture with discussion per week. Centers on chemical signals among organisms from microbes to man as they affect ecology, physiology and behavior; and as they can be utilized for agriculture, pest management and animal husbandry. Spring.
Prerequisites: Biology (one year), and organic chemistry (one year). Note: Credit will not be granted for both FCH 440 and EFB 412.
FCH 495 Introduction to Professional Chemistry (1)
The professional chemist’s relationship with industry, government and universities. Employment opportunities for the chemist, professional organizations and unions will be discussed. The selection of a senior research topic and a literature survey will be required. Fall.
Prerequisite: Senior status.
FCH 496 Special Problems in Chemistry (1 - 3)
An opportunity for a special problem, technique development, independent or unstructured study in an area related to the chemical profession. The work may be technical, professional, or interdisciplinary. Advisors outside this department may be solicited. A brief proposal must be presented for approval with specific arrangements outlined including faculty advisor and objectives of the study. A written report will be expected. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite: Upper-division status.
FCH 498 Introduction to Research (5)
Eighteen hours per week of laboratory and library research and report writing. Solution of a selected research problem using special laboratory techniques. A written report on data, procedures, results and conclusions. Fall and Spring.
FCH 510 Environmental Chemistry I (3)
Three hours of lecture per week. Introduction to the processes that control chemical behavior in aquatic environments, including precipitation, dissolution, gas exchange, acid-base, oxidation-reduction, complexation and adsorption reactions. Emphasis will be on explanation and prediction of chemical behavior. Examples will be from the areas of fresh and marine waters, groundwater, wastewater, and geo-chemistry. Spring.
Prerequisites: An introductory course in physical chemistry is required.
FCH 511 Atmospheric Chemistry (3)
Three hours of lecture/discussion per week. Graduate-level course in atmospheric chemistry. Atmospheric structure and composition. Catalytic cycles of ozone destruction and formation. Kinetic analysis of atmospheric reactions in gas and aqueous phase. Aerosols. Global climate change. Oxidation of sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides. Fall.
Prerequisite: One year of undergraduate chemistry or permission of instructor.
FCH 515 Methods of Environmental Chemical Analysis (3)
One hour of lecture and six hours of laboratory per week. An introduction to sampling, analytical and quality control procedures necessary to obtain reliable water quality data. All analyses will be performed on a single aquatic system with the purpose of developing a final report characterizing the water quality of that system. Fall.
Prerequisite: A course in quantitative chemical analysis.
FCH 520 Marine Biogeochemistry (3)
FCH520 – Marine Biogeochemistry (3). Three hours of lecture per week. Advanced level course for seniors and graduate students. Biogeochemistry of major ocean systems including coastal and pelagic environments. Chemical, biological, and geological approaches to understanding the functioning of the ocean will be covered.
Fall (Even years only) Prerequisite(s): FCH 150, 152; EFB 101, 103; APM 205, 206 or equivalent.
FCH 524 Topics in Natural Products Chemistry (3)
Three hours of lecture and discussion per week. A course intended to introduce the student to various types of secondary metabolites including several of past and current interest because of their pronounced biological activities. Modes of chemical reactivity and means of structure determination and syntheses are covered. Spring.
FCH 525 Oceanography (3)
FCH 525. Oceanography (3). Three lecture hours per week. Advanced-level course intended for seniors and entry-level graduate students. The four main oceanographic disciplines will be covered including physical, chemical, biological and geological oceanography. This course will highlight the interdisciplinary nature of oceanography and its importance in earth system dynamics such as energy and climate. Spring.
Prerequisite(s): FCH 150, 152; EFB 101, 103; PHY211, 212 or equivalent
FCH 530 Biochemistry I (3)
Three hours of lecture per week. General biochemistry with emphasis on cellular constituents and metabolic reactions. The chemical, physical and biological properties of amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates and their intermediary metabolism will be discussed. The chemistry of enzymes, energy transfers and biological oxidations will also be covered. Fall.
Prerequisite: One year of organic chemistry.
FCH 531 Biochemistry Laboratory (3)
One hour lecture and six hours of laboratory per week on the basic techniques used in biochemical research with an emphasis on proteins and enzymes. Techniques include spectrometry, chromatography, electrophoresis, amino acid analysis, coupled assays, and the isolation and characterization of enzymes. Fall.
Prerequisite: One semester of quantitative analysis with laboratory. Co-requisite: FCH 530 or permission of instructor.
FCH 532 Biochemistry II (3)
Three hours of lecture per week. Topics discussed are biosynthesis and degradation of amino acids and nucleic acids, protein biosynthesis, and an introduction to molecular biology. Spring.
Prerequisites: FCH 530 and its pre- and co-requisites.
FCH 550 Polymer Science: Synthesis and Mechanisms (3)
Three hours of lecture per week. Introduction to the synthesis of polymers and the mechanism of polymerization processes. Addition homopolymerization and copolymerization by radical, ionic, and coordination type catalysts. Synthesis of block and graft copolymers. Stepwise polymerization, network formation and gelation. Structure of polymers and steroregular polymerization. Degradation of polymers, reactions on polymers, polyelectrolytes. Three hours of lecture. Spring.
Prerequisites: One year of organic chemistry and one year of physical chemistry.
FCH 551 Polymer Techniques (3)
Two hours of lecture/discussion and four hours of laboratory per week; laboratory reports, final exam. Twelve experiments covering the main topics of polymer synthesis (four weeks), molecular weight determination (four weeks), and characterization (four weeks) are selected from areas such as the following: free-radical solution, bulk and emulsion polymerizations; ionic and condensation polymerizations, copolymerization and reactivity ratio determination; osmometry, viscometry, light scattering, gel permeation chromatography, polarized light microscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic mechanical analysis, stress-strain analysis; nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy. The lecture component will include discussions of the laboratory activities as well as related topics such as the preparation of monomers, safe handling methods for monomers, polymers, solvents, catalysts, etc. Fall.
Prerequisites: One year of organic and one year of physical chemistry, or permission of instructor. Co-registration in FCH 552 is recommended.
FCH 552 Polymer Science: Properties and Technology (3)
Three hours of lecture per week. Introduction to physical chemistry, physics, processing and technology of synthetic polymers. Polymer solutions, including molecular weight determinations and chain statistics. Polymer solid states, including rubber elasticity, visco-elasticity, the glassy state and the crystalline state. Properties, processing, and technology of films, fibers, elastomers, and foams. Fall.
Prerequisites: One year of organic chemistry and one year of physical chemistry.
FCH 560 Chromatography and Related Separation Sciences (3)
Three hours of lecture and discussion per week. A course designed to give the student a thorough understanding of analytical and isolation chemistry by modern chromatographic, distributive and molecular sieving techniques. The chemistry of the systems discussed will be stressed as well as the important physical aspects. Spring of even years.
Prerequisites: Two semesters each of organic and general chemistry.
FCH 571 Wood Chemistry I: General Wood Chemistry (2)
Two hours of lecture per week. Introduction to carbohydrate chemistry. Chemistry of cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin. Cellulose derivatives. Distribution of polysaccharides and lignin in wood. Wood extractives. Chemistry of bark. Formation of heartwood. Wood as a chemical raw material. Fall.
Prerequisite: One or two semesters of a three-credit undergraduate course in organic chemistry.
FCH 620 Chemical Kinetics (3)
Three hours of lecture/discussion per week. Graduate course in chemical kinetics. Building rate laws and analyzing experimental data. Transition state and RRKM theories. Kinetics in the aqueous phase and on surfaces. Kinetic modeling of complex reaction systems. Analysis of published papers in chemical kinetics. Spring of alternating years.
Prerequisites: 1 year undergraduate physical chemistry
FCH 630 Plant Biochemistry (3)
Three hours of lecture and discussion per week. Includes the biochemistry of photosynthetic electron transport and phosphorylation, photosynthetic carbon fixation, photorespiration, nitrogen fixation, nitrate reduction, photochrome, and plant hormones. The economic, ecological and environmental aspects of plant biochemistry will also be discussed. Spring.
Prerequisites: FCH 530, FCH 532.
FCH 650 Statistical Physics and Chemistry of Macromolecules (3)
Three hours of lecture per week. Topics to be discussed are chain statistics, polymer thermodynamics, scaling theory, colloidal particles, viscoelasticity and the glass transition. Spring, even years.
Prerequisites: FCH 360 and FCH 552 or equivalent; consent of instructor.
FCH 898 Professional Experience/Synthesis (1 - 6)
A supervised, documented professional work experience in the Master of Professional Studies degree program. Fall, Spring, or Summer.
Pre- or co-requisite(s): Matriculation in Department of Chemistry MPS degree program. Department chair approval required.