Program: Chemistry - Davidson College - Modern Campus Catalog™

Introductory Chemistry Program

Chemistry courses taken in high school will play a role in determining a student’s schedule in chemistry at Davidson. Students who have earned AP credit for Chemistry 115 may begin their study of chemistry with Chemistry 220, 240, or 250. Students with AP credit for both Chemistry 115 and Mathematics 111 or 112 may begin their study with Chemistry 260. Other students should begin with either Chemistry 110 or 115. Chemistry 110 is designed for students who have not completed at least one year of high school chemistry, or who have taken high school chemistry but need a more thorough introduction to the subject. Chemistry 115 is recommended for students who have a good background from high school chemistry.

Major Requirements

The Chemistry curriculum offers, as new American Chemical Society policies recommend, a set of five foundation courses (200-level courses with labs) that cover the five divisions of chemistry–analytical, biological, inorganic, organic, and physical–followed by a selection of five in-depth courses (300- and 400-level courses). Chemistry 115 or its AP equivalent is a prerequisite for all foundation courses. In-depth courses can fall within a single division (e.g. Analytical, Organic, Physical) or span multiple divisions (e.g. Environmental Chemistry).

Prospective chemistry majors should discuss their interest and course planning with a faculty member as soon as they begin considering the major. Physics and mathematics prerequisites are preferably taken in the first and second years. Requirements for the chemistry major are the following:

All five foundation courses: 220/215, 230/261, 240/401, 250/201, and 260/351
Five in-depth courses at the 300-level or higher
- Two must have a laboratory
- One must be a 400-level seminar
- Chemistry 496 may count as a non-laboratory in-depth course
- One science course taken outside the chemistry department may count as a non-laboratory in-depth course with prior approval from the department chair
Supporting and prerequisite courses: Chemistry 115 or AP equivalent; Mathematics 113, 140, or AP equivalent; Physics 220 or 230
Attendance at 10 or more sessions of the chemistry colloquium series during junior and senior years

EMPHASIS IN BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY

Students primarily interested in biological chemistry are advised to take the following courses, which fully satisfy the requirements for a chemistry major:

All five foundation chemistry courses: 220/215, 230/261, 240/401, 250/201, and 260/351
Five in-depth courses at the 300-level or higher
- Chemistry 330 and 430
- Biology 201 or 208 (accepted in place of a non-laboratory in-depth chemistry course with prior approval from the department chair)
- Two additional in-depth electives, one of which must have a laboratory
Supporting and prerequisite courses: Chemistry 115 or AP equivalent; Mathematics 113, 140, or AP equivalent; Physics 220 or 230
Attendance at 10 or more sessions of the chemistry colloquium series during junior and senior years

Honors Requirements

Graduation with Honors may be awarded to a chemistry major who meets the general College criteria (3.2 overall average and at least a 3.5 average in chemistry courses), fulfills the requirements for a chemistry degree, and demonstrates outstanding mastery of Chemistry 498-Thesis Research. Honors candidates are supervised by a faculty adviser and evaluated by a faculty committee from the chemistry department. A colloquium presentation near the end of a senior’s spring semester is the typical final product of this research experience.

American Chemical Society Undergraduate Chemistry Program

Davidson College offers a chemistry degree that is approved by the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society. Students who complete the basic major with five in-depth chemistry courses, including a research experience that covers at least one semester or summer, meet the requirements for an ACS-certified degree. Annual approval by the ACS ensures that Davidson’s Chemistry Department is operating within the commonly accepted standards and best practices among degree-granting institutions of higher learning.

Minor Requirements

The chemistry minor is ideal for students who are pursuing a major in another field but also have a strong interest in the field of chemistry. To graduate with a chemistry minor, students must meet the following requirements:

Completion of Chemistry 115 + any five courses at the 200-level or higher,
- At least five courses counted toward the minor must be taken at Davidson
- None of the six courses may be taken Pass/Fail;
Attendance at six or more chemistry colloquia during junior and senior years.

The chemistry minor is a typical choice of pre-med students and biology majors as both require enough chemistry courses to make a minor an easy leap:

Pre-medical students are required to take at least four chemistry courses (115, 230, 250, and 220 or 240), leaving only two more in-depth courses necessary to achieve a minor;
Biology majors, especially those interested in genetics and molecular biology, take several chemistry courses. With just a few more courses (a total of six are required), a chemistry minor can be earned as well.

Chemistry Courses

Chemistry courses at the 100 level may be taken with no prerequisites. The 200-level courses provide an introduction to the five divisions of chemistry and have at least one chemistry prerequisite. Laboratory fees are charged in all 100- and 200-level courses. In-depth courses in the five divisions are designated with 300-level numbers, and all have 200-level prerequisites. Courses numbered in the 400’s are senior-level seminar/capstone courses and research experiences intended for chemistry majors.