CHEMISTRY MAJOR
Introduction
Studying chemistry is a way to meet the opportunities and challenges of our modern technological age. Chemists use everything from test tubes to state-of-the-art instruments to answer nature's basic questions about the composition of matter, and to discover ways to improve upon nature such as developing new products, discovery of new drugs, monitoring and protecting the environment, and the like.
Contact Information
Undergraduate Advisers: Stephan Tsonchev, Ph.D. & Thomas R. Weaver, Ph.D.
Website: http://orion.neiu.edu/~chemdept/
About
We prepare our students for a broad range of careers. Our graduates go on to Ph.D. granting institutions in chemistry, Iaw schools, medical schools, dental schools, pharmacy schools, careers in forensics, jobs in research and development, and analytical services. More industrial chemists are employed in the Chicagoland area than almost anywhere else in the country.
Major Requirements
A basic core of 35 chemistry credit hours consists of:
Plus two electives from the following list:
Supporting Courses:
Courses necessary for ACS standards for Professional Training are in bold. Students must take core courses and Physical Chemistry I and II must be taken during the junior year and physics during the sophomore year. An additional two 300-level electives are also necessary. (For more information on ACS see the statement under the heading of Other.)
Please see your academic advisor before registering for courses.
- General Chemistry I and II
- Quantitative Analysis
- Organic Chemistry I and II
- One of the Instrumental Analysis courses, Spectroscopy or Quantitative Methods
- Physical Chemistry I and II
- Chemistry Capstone Seminar
Plus two electives from the following list:
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Industrial Chemistry
- Chemical Aspects of Environmental Chemistry
- Industrial Aspects of Environmental Chemistry
- Instrumental Analysis: Spectroscopy
- Instrumental Analysis: Quantitative Methods
- Identification of Organic Compounds
- Advanced Organic Chemistry: Polyfunctional Compounds
- Advanced Organic Chemistry: Bio-Organic Compounds
- Organic Synthesis Chemical Kinetics
Supporting Courses:
- Calculus I and II
- Physics Lab I and II
- College Physics I or University Physics I
- College Physics II or University Physics II
Courses necessary for ACS standards for Professional Training are in bold. Students must take core courses and Physical Chemistry I and II must be taken during the junior year and physics during the sophomore year. An additional two 300-level electives are also necessary. (For more information on ACS see the statement under the heading of Other.)
Please see your academic advisor before registering for courses.
Minor Requirements
The following courses are necessary for a minor in Chemistry:
- General Chemistry I and II
- Quantitative Analysis
- Organic Chemistry I and II
Additional Requirements
1. General Education Program: All undergraduate students must complete the General Education Program requirements consisting of 39 semester hours in the following distribution areas:
2. University Requirements:
3. Residency: The last 30 consecutive credit hours must be taken at Northeastern, unless permission is received from the Office of Enrollment Services.
- Behavioral/Social Sciences (12 hours)
- Natural Sciences (9 hours)
- Mathematics (3 hours; grade of "C" or higher at college level)
- Humanities (9 hours)
- Fine Arts (6 hours)
2. University Requirements:
- English Composition I (grade of "C" or higher);
- Constitution (includes Illinois State Constitution);
- lmproving Human Relations (consult the schedule of classes or catalog for listing of courses);
- English Competency Examination.
3. Residency: The last 30 consecutive credit hours must be taken at Northeastern, unless permission is received from the Office of Enrollment Services.
4. Upper Division: Students must complete a minimum of 24 semester hours at the 300 level and -18 semester hours at the 200 or 300 level.
5. Grade Point Average: To be eligible to graduate, a student must have a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA (overall "C" average). Some academic programs and departments have other specific grade requirements. Check with your academic advisor.
Other
In 1985, Northeastern Illinois University was added to the American Chemical Society's Approved List of baccalaureate chemistry programs in colleges and universities. This means the curriculum meets nationally recognized standards for the professional training of chemists. Students completing this track will take 10-12 additional hours and will earn an American Chemical Society certificate. A bachelor's degree in chemistry is excellent preparation for a wide variety of careers in industry and national laboratories, health and medical sciences, and the rapidly growing fields of environmental science and biotechnology. It will provide an excellent background toward advanced degrees and to those seeking teaching positions as well.