Overview

The Department of Chemistry is an active part of the College of Arts and Sciences. It offers major programs designed to furnish a thorough foundation in the various areas of chemistry leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). The Department is included on the list of departments approved by the American Chemical Society (ACS). The Bachelor of Science program is designed to meet the standards set by the Committee on Professional Training of the American Chemical Society, and students who complete the B.S. program in chemistry will be certified to the ACS upon graduation.

The B.A. program in chemistry provides a solid background in chemistry for those intending careers in related areas. It is particularly recommended to pre-professional and business-oriented students. The B.S. program in chemistry involves a heavier concentration in science and, usually, an introduction to independent research. The completion of this program serves as an excellent foundation for graduate study, or as preparation for an immediate career in chemistry. A Bachelor of Science Joint Major in Chemistry-Biology is offered as an ideal program for students interested in medical, dental, or veterinary careers, or in graduate studies in biologically or biochemically-oriented interdisciplinary programs. In addition, "contract majors" may be designed in cooperation with a faculty advisory committee to include courses from any combination of fields which fit the goal of the individual student and the requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.

A notable feature of all these programs is that students with an aptitude and desire to do laboratory research have the opportunity to work with a faculty member during their undergraduate training using a wide array of instrumentation. Students at all academic levels have been actively engaged in research programs in the Department of Chemisty, and have presented their work at local and national professional meetings.

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The B.S. program is for students who intend to pursue careers in chemistry. With its heavier concentration in science and mathematics, it prepares a student for positions in chemical industry or for graduate study in specialized areas of chemistry. Required courses are as follows:

This program provides heavy involvement in both the named disciplines and is designed mainly for students planning careers in biochemistry, one of the health professions (medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine etc.), or who plan to do graduate work in biochemistry or biology. Students are advised to consider concentrating in one or both fields by completing, in addition to the core program, the requirement for a baccalaureate degree in at least one of the disciplines, as described under B. Program Options.

A. Requirements for the Major

B. Program Options

The B.A. program is primarily for students who have a special interest in chemistry but who intend to pursue careers in such related fields as medicine, dentistry, education, business, or law. Required courses are as follows:

Secondary school students who have studied chemistry in the Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board will be considered for advanced placement in the chemistry curriculum. A score of 5, 4, or 3 on the Advanced Placement Test will automatically qualify the student for advanced placement and credit. Choosing a starting point in the curriculum is determined in conjunction with the student's academic advisor in the normal course of the orientation process, normally in the beginning of the summer before the first semester of study.

Students who score 2 or less, or who have not taken the Advanced Placement Test, may petition the Department of Chemistry for advanced placement. Each of these requests will be considered individually by the chemistry faculty. Further testing may be required. A rapid and binding decision will be made as to whether advanced placement, credit, both, or neither will be allowed for each petition received.

The cooperative education program with industry (the "Co-op Program," for short) is an option available to chemistry majors seeking the bachelor's degree providing them with practical work experience in the chemical industry as an adjunct to their classroom work.

A. Description

Students normally enter the program after completing freshman chemistry (CH 110-111), organic chemistry (CH 230-231), and quantitative analysis (CH 226). To complete the degree requirements in four years, one should take certain courses during the summer (or, in exceptional cases, heavier course loads during the regular semesters). Certain chemistry courses should also be taken during the evening in the co-op terms. The scheduling of late afternoon and evening courses allows this to be done without difficulty and the cooperating companies are generous in allowing students to leave early to attend such courses. It is important that the chemistry courses through physical chemistry be taken in the proper sequence, beginning in the freshman year with CH 110-111. Failure to do so could cause delays in graduation. One mechanism which allows earlier entry into the co-op work experience is to take CH 110-111 during the summer before the freshman year (or to take an advanced placement course in high school).

Three credits are given for satisfactory completion of each work experience. A total of six co-op credits may be counted towards the 120 credits required for the baccalaureate degree. The Department may, where appropriate, allow the substitution of the second co-op experience for three credits of advanced laboratory in accordance with guidelines established by the American Chemical Society.

Students may spend all their industrial terms at the same industry location or they may gain broader experience by working at different locations. In some instances students may be "paired" at the same company, one in industry and the other on campus, in alternating schedules.

B. Eligibility

To enter the co-op program, students must satisfy each of the following:

C. Industrial Experiences

The University maintains co-op affiliations with a variety of Connecticut companies, but we can expand to include other states if there is sufficient demand. We try our best to provide work experiences near the student's home if this is desired, but we cannot guarantee a choice of location, nor can we guarantee a co-op position as company policies frequently change, particularly as the state of the economy changes. At the present time, however, we do not have a lack of positions.

Many of these companies are relatively close to the campus and the University allows students to live in dormitories (when space is available) during their industry terms, a distinct advantage to those living some distance away.

D. Advantages of the Program

While the major advantage to the student is the opportunity to combine academic theory with practical work experience, one can cite such additional benefits as:

1.	Students can off-set a major portion of their university educational costs through salary earned during the industrial terms
2.	Students will become familiar with the realities of industrial employment.
3.	The transition to full employment will be smoother.
4.	Students who return to the same location for their industrial terms build up seniority which would carry over in the event they are hired on a full-time basis upon completion of the degree.
5.	Students with co-op experience are in greater demand and generally start at higher salaries than students without co-op experience.

E. Contact

Prospective students are welcome to visit the campus to discuss the Co-op Program in more detail. For information contact Dr. Harry J. Workman ( telephone: (860)768-4537, e-mail: workman@hartford.edu).

If you have already earned a bachelor's degree and you want to earn a certification in chemistry, there are two certificate programs offered in the Department of Chemistry. The courses are generally offered in the early and late evening.

Chemistry

Advanced Chemical Measurement