Chemistry (CHEM)
CHEM 5001. Independent Study in Chemistry. 1-3 Hours.
Students engage in individualized, independent study under faculty supervision, pursuing advanced topics in chemistry. Registration is on an individual basis and restricted to students in residence. Variable Credit (1–3).
Prerequisite: Approval of department chair.
CHEM 5100. Chemical Literature & Seminar. 1 Hour.
Students learn to navigate and interpret the chemical literature and prepare and present research-based seminar talks—either on current literature or on their own research—in a format consistent with American Chemical Society standards. Offered Fall and Spring.
CHEM 5361. Physical Organic Chemistry. 3 Hours.
Students analyze how molecular structure influences reactivity and the behavior of reactive intermediates, applying physical organic principles to interpret and predict structure–reactivity relationships.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Chemistry.
CHEM 5362. Organic Reaction Mechanisms. 3 Hours.
Students analyze and apply current models for mechanisms of organic reactions, survey the mechanisms of synthetically important transformations, and integrate familiarity with literature precedent and resources for locating literature examples. Students examine methods for determining reaction mechanisms and apply these approaches to individual reactions.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Chemistry.
CHEM 5367. Chemical Nano Sensing. 3 Hours.
Students learn to set up a conceptual and empirical framework for designing, validating, and using calibrated measurements of chemical abundance within the context of chemical nano sensing. Students employ this framework to examine instruments used to study, and sensors designed to make advantageous use of, nanoscale phenomena in diverse chemical sensing settings.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Chemistry.
CHEM 5368. Analytical Spectroscopy. 3 Hours.
Students examine the theory and applications of selected spectroscopic techniques commonly used in qualitative and quantitative analysis. Topics may include atomic and molecular spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, laser analytical methods, fluorescence, phosphorescence, and chemiluminescence. Students apply these techniques to solve environmental, atmospheric, and bioanalytical problems.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Chemistry.
CHEM 5372. Advanced Biochemistry I. 3 Hours.
Students examine the chemical structure, biological functions, and regulation of proteins, including enzymes, transport proteins, and structural proteins, and analyze protein biosynthesis and recombinant DNA technology.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Chemistry.
CHEM 5373. Drug and Toxin Biochemistry. 3 Hours.
Students examine biotransformations of drugs/toxins, mechanisms of drug interactions with biological systems, and selective toxicity. Students gain insight into the design of therapeutic agents and the destruction of harmful toxins/bacterial invaders in living systems. Attention is also given to how molecular structure is related to solubility and permeability and how to design systems for drug delivery within the human body.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Chemistry .
CHEM 5374. Chemistry of Coordination Compounds. 3 Hours.
Students examine the chemistry of metal-containing compounds, with emphasis on transition metal complexes, and analyze how electronic configurations in various bonding environments influence their chemical and physical properties.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Chemistry.
CHEM 5375. Organometallic Chemistry. 3 Hours.
Students examine organometallic chemistry with emphasis on structure and bonding, and analyze organometallic reaction mechanisms, advances in catalysis, carbene complexes, metathesis reactions, applications to organic synthesis, and cluster compounds.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Chemistry.
CHEM 5381. Advanced Physical and Chemical Thermodynamics. 3 Hours.
Students apply the principles of the three laws of thermodynamics, thermochemistry, and statistical thermodynamics to gases, solutions, mixtures, solids, and interfaces. .
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Chemistry.
CHEM 5382. Symmetry and Spectroscopy. 3 Hours.
Students examine quantum theory and symmetry in depth and apply these principles to interpret and predict spectroscopic data. Students analyze infrared, Raman, and electronic spectroscopic methods with advanced detail.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Chemistry.
CHEM 5385. Selected Topics in Advanced Chemistry. 3 Hours.
Students explore modern developments in a specific subdivision of chemistry—analytical, biochemistry, environmental, inorganic, organic, or physical—selected according to their individual needs and interests. Students may repeat the course for credit as long as each enrollment focuses on a different subdivisional field.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Chemistry.
CHEM 6099. Thesis. 1-3 Hours.
Students complete and successfully defend their Thesis. Students must have Thesis Prospectus approved prior to registering. Variable Credit (1 to 3). Course Equivalents: CHEM 6399 .
CHEM 6398. Graduate Research in Chemistry. 3 Hours.
Students carry out research under the direction of a faculty member.
