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General Information
At the Undergraduate level, the Department offers three distinct majors
leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in:
The course requirements for all three majors provide the basic chemistry,
math and physics background needed for all students in the chemical
sciences and in closely related sciences such as forensic science,
but additional specific chemistry, biochemistry and biology courses
tailor the degree for each major.
Each of the three majors can effectively serve as the basis for advanced training
in graduate school or for professional degrees in medicine
(Pre-Med)
or law (Pre-Law). All three
majors, as well as the Teacher Certification
Program, are briefly described below, with links provided to more detailed
information. The Career
Opportunities link provides additional information about careers in the
chemical sciences and related areas.
Although each of the three majors is designed to prepare students
for a somewhat different final goal, the first two years at USP are
identical in all three curricula so that students can easily switch
from one curriculum to the other as they learn more about their interests.
All three curricula provide a solid foundation in organic and inorganic
chemistry in the first two years, along with supporting courses in
biology, mathematics, and physics. Even in these early courses, students
have the advantage of relatively small classes.
During the course of the entire four-year curriculum, students will
receive training in all five major areas of chemistry (analytical,
biochemical, inorganic, organic and physical) and computer technology
is incorporated throughout all three curricula. Undergraduates who
enroll in appropriate chemistry electives will meet the rigorous standards
for American Chemical Society Certification.
Regardless of curricula, all students are encouraged to become involved
in the local Student Affiliate Section of the American Chemical Society
and to carry out an Undergraduate
Research project under the guidance of a faculty member in the
Department. Undergraduate research gives the student the opportunity
to explore one area of biochemistry or chemistry in depth and take
advantage of the more sophisticated instrumentation available. The
independent nature of undergraduate research is recognized as being
a valuable experience by industrial and government employers, as well
as by graduate and professional schools.
It should also be noted that USP has an excellent record of placement
of its graduates in graduate and professional schools, as well as
in medical, industrial, and governmental laboratories.
Core vs. GenEd Curriculum
Fundamental to this University's educational philosophy is the curricular
content of the academic programs. In order to achieve a balance between
depth, specialized study and exposure to a diversity of ideas, perspectives,
and modes of thinking, all undergraduate programs include a common
intellectual experience for students. Due to the introduction of a
new program designed to accomplish this in Fall 2007, students will
need to follow either the Core
Curriculum, or the new GenEd
Curriculum (effective Fall 2007), depending on their date of enrollment.
The Core Curriculum is required of the following students:
(1) All students who entered USP prior to Fall 2007.
(2) All students who entered USP in Fall 2007 with at least one
year of transfer credit.
All other students will be required to follow the new GenEd Curriculum
It is critical that students check with their advisors during this
transition period between the Core and GenEd curricula to ensure that
all graduation requirements are met.
Programs of Study
Biochemistry
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The
Biochemistry Major is most appropriate for those students that
are confident in their desire to apply chemistry to biological
systems. The degree program is designed to prepare students
for
- Biochemically related
careers in industry, academia, or government at the BS level.
- Entry into graduate
school to obtain an advanced degree in biochemistry.
- Entry into professional
programs such as medicine and patent law.
The Biochemistry
Curriculum is comprehensive, combining appropriate courses
from both biology and chemistry, but remains flexible in order
to accommodate students with a strong interest in molecular
biology, or the whole organism, as well as students with an
interest in the physical chemistry that underlies the behavior
of biological systems.
Students may focus on learning more about the biological side
of biochemistry, by enrolling in electives such as microbiology
or virology, or enroll in courses such as instrumental analysis
that provide the skills needed to utilize sophisticated instrumentation
to investigate complex biological phenomena.
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Chemistry
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The Chemistry
Major is a program designed to prepare students for:
- Chemically related
careers in industry, academia, or government at the BS level.
- Entry into graduate
school to obtain an advanced degree in chemistry.
- Entry into professional
programs such as medicine and patent law.
This major is most appropriate
for students who enjoy chemistry and related sciences, but who
either have no special interest in biology, are interested in chemical
synthesis (i.e., making new molecules), or who want to leave their
undergraduate degree program as flexible as possible, waiting to specialize
in graduate school.
The Chemistry Curriculum provides
more of an opportunity to take advanced chemistry courses, such as Chemical
Synthesis, Applied Spectroscopy or Computer-Aided Drug Design.
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Pharmaceutical Chemistry
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The
Pharmaceutical Chemistry Major is designed primarily for students interested
in the application of analytical chemistry to drug development at the BS level
in the pharmaceutical industry or in government agencies such as the FDA.
The Pharmaceutical Chemistry Curriculum
includes the courses Introduction to Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Analysis, and
Structure/Activity Relationships, which are designed to provide a background
especially useful for chemists that choose employment directly after
obtaining their BS degree, as opposed to going to graduate school first.
Although this program is not designed for students interested in continuing their
education in graduate school, this program will provide a good background for those
students interested in advanced degrees in pharmaceutical chemistry, medicinal
chemistry or pharmaceutics if appropriate electives are taken.
This degree will also serve as preparation for advanced training in medecine and law.
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Teaching Certification
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The Science
Teaching Certification Program allows students to combine
a degree in Chemistry with the teaching
credentials needed to be certified to teach General Science and Chemistry
at the high school level.
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