Requirements

Chemistry

608 Altschul Hall  
854-8460

Requirements for the Major

Two majors are offered by the department: chemistry and biochemistry.

A student interested in chemistry or biochemistry should consult any member of the department during her first year. In the first year she should take Chemistry BC 2001, BC 3328, and BC 3230 and start or continue the study of calculus. It is then possible for her to fulfill the basic requirements for the major in three years and to take advanced courses in the senior year. After completing the undergraduate curriculum, students are encouraged to undertake research projects and to take graduate courses at Columbia.

Qualified seniors are invited to participate in the senior honors program in which they carry out a year-long research project leading to a thesis.

Research experience is strongly recommended.  Interested students should consult with individual faculty members about the research problems currently being investigated.

Chemistry

Courses required for the chemistry major are:

• CHEM BC 2001 General Chemistry I
• CHEM BC 3328, 3230 Organic Chemistry I with Laboratory
• CHEM BC 3231 Organic Chemistry II
• CHEM BC 3335 Modern Techniques of Organic Chemistry Laboratory
• CHEM BC 3340 Quantitative and Instrumental Techniques Laboratory
• CHEM BC 3252 Thermodynamics and Kinetics
• CHEM BC 3253 Quantum Chemistry
• CHEM BC 3271 Inorganic Chemistry
• CHEM BC 3365, 3368 Integrated Chemistry Laboratory
• MATHEMATICS Calculus I and II in any sequence (I and III also accepted)*
• PHYS BC 2001, 2002 Calculus-based Physics with Laboratory

Elective: one of

• CHEM BC 3254 Advanced Physical Chemistry
• or CHEM BC 3282 Biological Chemistry
• or CHEM BC 3280 Advanced Organic Chemistry
• or CHEM G 4103 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

Senior requirement: Senior Honors Thesis (CHEM BC 3901x-3902y, by invitation of the department) or Guided Research at Barnard (CHEM BC 3597 or CHEM BC 3599) or elsewhere (CHEM BC 3598) or Senior Colloquium (CHEM BC 3590y, or CHEM C3920x,y).

Recommended: Calculus III.

*For students entering Barnard in Fall 2010 and later:
Two semesters after entering college, including Calculus I and II in any sequence (I and III are also accepted). Students having advanced placement credit for one or two semesters of calculus will fulfill this requirement with additional mathematics, statistics, or computer science courses.

A list of major requirements, several possible course sequences, and information about the senior requirement can be obtained from any member of the department.

Biochemistry

Courses required for the biochemistry major are:

• CHEM BC 2001 General Chemistry I
• CHEM BC 3328, 3230 Organic Chemistry I with Laboratory
• CHEM BC 3231 Organic Chemistry II
• CHEM BC 3333 Modern Techniques of Organic Chemistry Laboratory
• CHEM BC 3338 Quantitative and Instrumental Techniques Laboratory
• CHEM BC 3252 Thermodynamics and Kinetics
• CHEM BC 3253 Quantum Chemistry
• MATHEMATICS Calculus I and II in any sequence (I and III also accepted)*
• PHYS BC 2001, 2002 Calculus-based Physics with Laboratory
• BIOL BC 1500, 1502 Introductory Biology with at least one semester of Laboratory (BIOL BC 1501 or 1503)
• CHEM BC 3282 Biological Chemistry
• BIOL BC 2100 Molecular and Mendelian Genetics
• CHEM BC 3355 Biochemistry Laboratory Techniques (5 credits)
• or CHEM BC 3357 Biochemistry Laboratory Techniques (3 credits)
• and BIOL BC 3303 Laboratory in Molecular Biology

An elective course from a list of approved Biology and Chemistry courses.

Senior requirement: Senior Honors Thesis (CHEM BC 3901x-3902y, by invitation of the department) or Guided Research at Barnard (CHEM BC 3597 or CHEM BC 3599) or elsewhere (CHEM BC 3598) or Senior Colloquium (CHEM BC 3590y or CHEM C3920x,y).

*For students entering Barnard in Fall 2010 and later:
Two semesters after entering college, including Calculus I and II in any sequence (I and III are also accepted). Students having advanced placement credit for one or two semesters of calculus will fulfill this requirement with additional mathematics, statistics, or computer science courses.

A list of major requirements, including possible elective courses, and information about the senior requirement may be obtained from any member of the department.

Requirements for the Minor

Courses required for the Chemistry minor are: CHEM BC 2001, BC 3328, BC 3230, BC 3231, BC 3333, BC 3338, and one of BC 3232, BC 3252, BC 3271, or BC 3282.  Students whose major requires in excess of 40 points, including CHEM BC 2001, BC 3328, and/or BC 3230, may count up to two of these courses towards the Chemistry minor with a petition from the Chemistry Department Chair.  There is no minor in Biochemistry.