Santa Clara University

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY

Professors Emeriti: Lawrence C. Nathan, Robert J. Pfeiffer
Associate Professor Emeritus: Michael A. Sweeney
Professors: John C. Gilbert (Department Chair), Patrick E. Hoggard (Fletcher Jones Professor), W. Atom Yee
Associate Professors: Linda S. Brunauer, Michael R. Carrasco, Brian J. McNelis, Amy M. Shachter
Assistant Professors: Thorsteinn Adalsteinsson, Amelia Fuller (Clare Boothe Luce Professor), Steven W. Suljak, Korin E. Wheeler
Senior Lecturer: Steven L. Fedder

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers three baccalaureate degrees: the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, the Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, and the Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry. The curriculum is accredited by the American Chemical Society, the professional organization for chemistry. The program prepares students for further work in chemistry or biochemistry, either in graduate school or as professional chemists. In addition, a chemistry or biochemistry degree is excellent preparation for careers in medicine, dentistry, law, engineering, business, and teaching. A minor in chemistry is also available.

All Bachelor of Science degrees provide graduates with the background necessary to begin a career in chemistry or biochemistry at industrial and governmental laboratories, for admission to institutions offering graduate degrees in chemistry and biochemistry, and to medical and dental schools as well as other professional programs in the health professions. The chemistry major provides equal training in all the disciplines in chemistry, and the biochemistry major combines training in chemistry with additional coursework in cell and molecular biology. The Bachelor of Science-ACS certified degrees meet all recommended standards for chemists and biochemists as mandated by the American Chemical Society.

The Bachelor of Arts degree allows students the most freedom in choosing electives, and therefore is an excellent program for pre-medical or pre-teaching students. Students with a strong interest in the liberal arts or who wish to pursue subjects outside the standard science curriculum will benefit from this degree. The Bachelor of Arts degree can be effectively combined with a pre-law or business curriculum to provide excellent preparation for law or business careers in the technology sector.

Undergraduate research is a critical component of our degrees and most of our majors conduct research in collaboration with faculty mentors. Research in the department has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund, the Dreyfus Foundation, and the Research Corporation. Majors in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, and public health science participate in faculty research projects through CHEM 182, 183, and 184. In addition, advanced students have opportunities for part-time employment assisting faculty in laboratory and related teaching activities.

The chemistry and biochemistry curricula are designed to be flexible in the sequence of upper-division coursework so as to allow students to participate in study-abroad programs. Students interested in study abroad should meet with a faculty advisor to plan the junior and senior year courses as early as possible in their academic careers.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR

In addition to fulfilling University Core Curriculum requirements for the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degrees, students majoring in chemistry and biochemistry must complete the following departmental requirements for each degree option:

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

• CHEM 11, 12, 13, 15, 31, 32, 33
• CHEM 102, 111, 141, 151, 152, 154
• Three upper-division chemistry electives
• Four quarters of CHEM 115
• MATH 11, 12, 13
• PHYS 31, 32, 33 or PHYS 11, 12, 13

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry – ACS Certified

• CHEM 11, 12, 13, 15, 31, 32, 33
• CHEM 102, 111, 141, 150, 151, 152, 154
• CHEM 183, 184
• Two upper-division chemistry electives
• Four quarters of CHEM 115
• MATH 11, 12, 13
• PHYS 31, 32, 33

Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry

• CHEM 11, 12, 13, 15, 31, 32, 33
• CHEM 101, 111, 141, 142, 143, 150, 151 or 152
• Two additional upper-division chemistry electives; BIOL 110, 113, 174, or 176 may be taken to satisfy one of these two electives
• Four quarters of CHEM 115
• MATH 11, 12, 13
• PHYS 31, 32, 33 or PHYS 11, 12, 13
• BIOL 21, 24, 25, 175

Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry – ACS Certified

• CHEM 11, 12, 13, 15, 31, 32, 33
• CHEM 101, 111, 141, 142, 143, 150, 151 or 152, 154
• CHEM 183, 184
• Two additional upper-division chemistry electives; BIOL 110, 113, 174, or 176 may be taken to satisfy one of these two electives
• Four quarters of CHEM 115
• MATH 11, 12, 13
• PHYS 31, 32, 33
• BIOL 21, 24, 25, 175

Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry

• CHEM 11, 12, 13, 15, 31, 32, 33
• CHEM 101 or 102, 111, 141, 150, 151 or 152
• Two additional upper-division chemistry electives
• Upper-division lab requirement: 30 hours, which can be satisfied by CHEM 102, 143, 154, or one unit of CHEM 182
• Four quarters of CHEM 115
• MATH 11, 12, 13
• PHYS 31, 32, 33; or PHYS 11, 12, 13

Electives for all degrees can be fulfilled by taking any upper-division chemistry or biochemistry class of three units or more, including CHEM 183 and 184.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR

Students must fulfill the following requirements for a minor in chemistry:

• CHEM 11, 12, 13, 31, 32, and 33
• Twelve units of upper-division chemistry courses

PREPARATION IN CHEMISTRY FOR ADMISSION TO TEACHER TRAINING CREDENTIAL PROGRAMS

The State of California requires that students seeking a credential to teach chemistry in California secondary schools must pass the California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET), a subject area competency examination. The secondary teaching credential requires the completion of an approved credential program that can be completed as a fifth year of study and student teaching, or through an undergraduate summer program and internship. Students who are contemplating secondary school teaching in chemistry should consult with the coordinator in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry as early as possible.

LOWER and UPPER DIVISION COURSE LISTINGS AVAILABLE in the Undergraduate Bulletin (PDF)