Advising

STUDENT ADVISING

Upon or prior to declaration of major, student must meet with one of the following Chemistry Department Undergraduate Advisors to declare a major or minor in Chemistry:

Students must fill out the “Declaration of Major or Minor Form.” These forms are available in the Chemistry Department office located in Bernard Brommel Hall, room 214H. To obtain a copy of the form, please contact the office manager Lynn Payer at (773) 442-5670 or l-payer@neiu.edu. After declaring a major or minor, students should obtain approval for major or minor courses from the department advisor before beginning their study. 

Transfer students majoring in Chemistry are expected to contact their department advisor immediately so that their transfer credits may be evaluated and an appropriate program of study developed. Transfer students must take a minimum of 12 credit hours in Chemistry, including three 300-level Chemistry courses at Northeastern Illinois University. Transfer credit within the major will be given for grades of “C” or better.

At the end of the junior year, students should check deadlines for filing graduation application forms. Students are responsible for meeting all University and department graduation requirements. Two semesters prior to graduation, students are required to fill out major forms that must be approved by an advisor.

REGISTRATION FOR CHEMISTrY COURSES

Students may register online for Chemistry courses for which prerequisites have been met during advance and late registration. If a prerequisite was taken elsewhere, registration authorization will be required from the faculty or student advisor before he/she can register. It is important that transfer students who have not had their courses evaluated by the Chemistry Department advisor do so prior to registering. Note that a student may advance register for a course while enrolled in the prerequisite course, but must complete the prerequisite with a “C” or better to remain registered.

Chemistry courses are designed to be taken in sequence. Students will not be permitted to register for courses if they do not have credit for the required prerequisites. 

Undergraduate students are encouraged to participate in research programs with faculty members and may take CHEM-305 Independent Study in Chemistry, 3 cr., and CHEM-399 Research in Chemistry, 3 cr. for that purpose. Internship with local chemical industries and laboratories are also encouraged through CHEM-365, Internship in Chemistry II, 6 cr. Please consult with the undergraduate advisor concerning these courses.

Students should also be aware of the University requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

REQUIRED COURSES FOR BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CHEMISTRY

Electives: 6-8 cr. hours for a total of 43-45 cr. hours.

Two electives chosen from the following:

*CHEM-260, General Chemistry I Seminar, and CHEM-261, General Chemistry II Seminar are strongly recommended to be taken concurrently with CHEM-211 and CHEM-212, respectively.

**CHEM-262, Organic Chemistry I Seminar, and CHEM-263, Organic Chemistry II Seminar are strongly recommended to be taken concurrently with CHEM-231 and CHEM-232, respectively.

***CHEM-360, Physical Chemistry I Seminar, and CHEM-361, Physical Chemistry II Seminar are strongly recommended to be taken concurrently with CHEM-311 and CHEM-312 respectively.

Cognate Courses:

*PHYS 206 and PHYS 207 are strongly recommended for all Chemistry majors and required for those in the A.C.S. approved program.

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN CHEMISTRY CONCENTRATION

Graduating majors may receive a certificate stating that they have completed the program which meets the ACS standards for Professional Training if they fulfill the following requirements:

• Take PHYS-206 as prerequisite for CHEM-311.
• Take PHYIS-207 as prerequisite for CHEM-312.
• Take CHEM-311 and CHEM-312 during the junior year.
• CHEM-316, CHEM-330, CHEM-331, CHEM-347 and CHEM-348 are required.
• Two additional 300-level electives must then be selected.

Completion of this program requires a minimum of 50 cr. in Chemistry with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 and no Chemistry grades below C in any required course.

TRANSFER OF COLLEGE CREDIT FOR STUDENTS WITH FOREIGN CREDENTIALS – CHEMISTRY POLICY

Courses from foreign colleges and universities must have been completed at the appropriate level in order to be eligible for transfer credit consideration. An evaluation of transfer credits is prepared by the University’s Admissions Office for all transfer students admitted to Northeastern. This evaluation statement should be presented to the Chemistry advisor at the time the student declares their major.

Students should request a department-level evaluation as soon as possible after being admitted to the University. Courses accepted by the University do not necessarily meet specific program requirements for the bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. Coursework transferred for credit in the Chemistry major is subject to approval by the Chemistry advisors.

Students with foreign credentials must take a minimum of the following six courses in order to earn a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry:

Additional coursework may be required in Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics.

RECOMMENDED COURSE SCHEDULE SUGGESTIONS FOR BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CHEMISTRY

Below is a program suggestion that can lead to a four-year graduation. According to the proposed program, Chemistry majors must take both general education courses and required Chemistry courses once in their freshman year. Students enrolling in general education courses only in their first two years will put them at least two years behind. In addition, it will take at least another year for students who have to take three math development courses (MATH-090, MATH-091, and MATH-092) and three reading development courses (READ-115, READ-116, and READ-117). In other words, it takes them a total of at least seven years to finish.

Freshman year:

Sophomore year:

 *University Physics I & II are strongly recommended and required for those in the ACS program

Junior year:

Senior year:

Important Information:

1. Chemistry courses must be taken in proper sequence. Students should not register for courses for which they do not have the required prerequisites. Grades of “C” or better are required in all Chemistry courses counted toward the major. 
2. The minimum requirement for a degree in Chemistry requires 21 or 22 hours at the 300 level. Any extra hours do not need to be in Chemistry.
3. Juniors and seniors are encouraged to contact faculty members regarding independent study or research projects. However, registration in independent study requires mutual consent of both the students and faculty member.
4. Chemistry majors who are planning to attend graduate school should take the following courses as part of their undergraduate program: CHEM-330 Instrumental Analysis: Spectroscopy; CHEM-331 Instrumental Analysis: Quantitative Methods; CHEM-316 Inorganic Chemistry; and CHEM-347 Advanced Organic Chemistry: Polyfunctional Compound and CHEM-348 Advanced Organic Chemistry: Bio-organic Compounds. These courses are also recommended by the American Chemical Society for students planning careers in industry. However, students should take as many of these courses as possible in order to become successfully in the job market.

SUGGESTED COURSES FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE INTENDED TO PURSUE THEIR CAREER IN THE ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES FIELDS

Students preparing for careers in chemistry may consider admission into a pharmacy, medicine and dentistry. The undergraduate courses required for admission into these health profession careers vary significantly from one institution to the next. However, the following are the expected courses for the standardized admission tests (PCAT, MCAT and DAT):

      Pre-Pharmacy                                                                                                Pre-Medicine

Pre-Dentistry

Allied health science fields look very strongly at your knowledge of general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics because they do not have these subjects in their curriculum, but they expect you to know these subjects well prior to admission. In addition, at the allied health science fields, Chemistry majors do well or better than majors in other fields.

MINOR IN CHEMISTRY

Required Courses:                                                                                                      

Any substitutions require written approval by the Chemistry advisor. Transfer students must take a minimum nine credit hours in Chemistry at Northeastern to complete Chemistry minor. These courses must be approved by the Chemistry advisor.

GRADUATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CHEMISTRY MAJORS

In order to file for graduation, you must:

1. Be an officially declared Chemistry major.
2. Obtain an application for graduation from the Office of Enrollment Services.
3. Obtain an Academic Course Record for the major from the Chemistry Department office, and an Academic Course Record form for the minor from your minor department, if you have a minor.
4. Make an appointment with the Chemistry Department advisor. Bring the completed form along with a copy of your transfer evaluation (if you are a transfer student).
5. If you have a minor, complete the Academic Course Record form for your minor and have it approved by the advisor in your minor department.
6. Turn in the originals of the Application for Graduation, questionnaire, and Academic Course Record forms for the major (and minor, if applicable) at the Enrollment Services counter.

Filing deadlines for graduation are generally:

For exact deadlines, please contact the Office of Enrollment Services.

Transfer of Credit Guides

The Transfer Guides for the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) and Triton College provide programmatic information for students transferring from these colleges to the Chemistry Department at NEIU. These guides suggest specific community college courses that meet prerequisites for the major or will be accepted into the major at NEIU. They also provide contact information, basic information about the major, admission and degree requirements, general education requirements and transfer policies. 

1. Transfer of Credit Guides for the City of Chicago Colleges:

General Education Requirements

Three options are available to students who plan to complete their General Education requirements at CCC

• Associate of Arts or Associate of Science: Students who transfer with an approved Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) Model Associate of Arts or Sciences degree will have met NEIU’s general education requirements. For information regarding completing an Associate of Arts or Sciences at CCC, including assistance with course selection, please visit Advising Services at CCC. More information is available at the CCC website or by calling (773) 265-5343.
• Completion of the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI): Students who transfer after completing the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) will have met their general education requirements. For information regarding the Illinois Articulation Initiative, including courses at CCC that fulfill general education requirements, please visit the iTransfer website.
• Transfer Course Lists for CCC: Students may choose to meet their general education requirements by selecting courses from NEIU’s Transfer Course Equivalency Guides. When choosing this option, please use the following NEIU general education guide: 

1. College of Lake County

General Education Requirements

Three options are available to students who plan to complete their General Education requirements at CLC.

• Associate of Arts or Associate of Science: Students who transfer with an approved Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) Model Associate of Arts or Sciences degree will have met NEIU’s general education requirements. For information regarding completing an Associate of Arts or Sciences at CLC, including assistance with course selection, please visit the Counseling, Admissions, and Transfer Center at CLC. More information is available at the CLC website or by calling (847) 543-2060.
• Completion of the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI): Students who transfer after completing the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) will have met their general education requirements. For information regarding the Illinois Articulation Initiative, including courses at CLC that fulfill general education requirements, please visit the iTransfer website.
• Transfer Course Lists for CLC: Students may choose to meet their general education requirements by selecting courses from NEIU’s Transfer Course Equivalency Guides. When choosing this option, please use the following NEIU general education guide:

3. Transfer of Credit Guides for Triton College:

General Education Requirements

Three options are available to students who plan to complete their general education requirements at Triton.

• Associate of Arts or Associate of Sciences: Students who transfer with an approved Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) Model Associate of Arts or Sciences degree will have met NEIU’s general education requirements. For information regarding completing an Associate of Arts or Sciences at Triton, including assistance with course selection, please visit the Counseling Department at Triton. More information is available at the Triton website or by calling (708) 456-0300, extension 3588.
• Completion of the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI): Students who transfer after completing the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) will have met their general education requirements. For information regarding the Illinois Articulation Initiative, including courses at Triton that fulfill general education requirements, please visit the iTransfer website.
• Transfer Course Lists for Triton: Students may choose to meet their general education requirements by selecting courses from NEIU’s Transfer Course Equivalency Guides. When choosing this option, please use the following NEIU general education guide: 

4. Transfer of Credit Guides for Oakton Community College:

General Education Requirements

Three options are available to students who plan to complete their general education requirements at Oakton Community College.

• Associate of Arts or Associate of Science: Students who transfer with an approved Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) Model Associate of Arts or Sciences degree will have met NEIU’s general education requirements. For information regarding completing an Associate of Arts or Sciences at Oakton Community College, including assistance with course selection, please visit Advising Services at Oakton Community College. More information is available at the Oakton website or by calling (847) 635-1741 (Des Plaines campus) or (847) 635-1400 (Skokie campus).
• Completion of the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI): Students who transfer after completing the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) will have met their general education requirements. For information regarding the Illinois Articulation Initiative, including courses at Oakton Community College that fulfill general education requirements, please visit the iTransfer website.
• Transfer Course Lists for Oakton Community College: Students may choose to meet their general Education requirements by selecting courses from NEIU’s Transfer Course Equivalency Guides. When choosing this option, please use the following NEIU general education guide: 

5. Transfer of Credit Guides for Harper College:

General Education Requirements

Three options are available to students who plan to complete their general education requirements at Harper College.

• Associate of Arts or Associate of Science: Students who transfer with an approved Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) Model Associate of Arts or Sciences degree will have met NEIU’s general education requirements. For information regarding completion of an Associate of Arts or Sciences at Harper College, including assistance with course selection, please visit the Academic Advising and Counseling Center. More information is available at the Harper website or by calling (847) 925-6393.
• Completion of the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI): Students who transfer after completing the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) will have met their general education requirements. For information regarding the Illinois Articulation Initiative, including courses at Harper College that fulfill general education requirements, please visit the iTransfer website.
• Transfer Course Lists for Harper College: Students may choose to meet their general education requirements by selecting courses from NEIU’s Transfer Course Equivalency Guide. When choosing this option, please use the following NEIU general education guide: 

1. Transfer of credit guides for Morton College

General Education Requirements

Three options are available to students who plan to complete their general education requirements at Morton College.

• Associate of Arts or Associate of Science: Students who transfer with an approved Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) Model Associate of Arts or Sciences degree will have met NEIU’s general education requirements. For information regarding completing an Associate of Arts or Sciences at Morton, including assistance with course selection, please visit the Academic Advising Center. More information is available at the Morton website or by calling (708) 656-8000, extension 250.
• Completion of the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI): Students who transfer after completing the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) will have met their general education requirements. For information regarding the Illinois Articulation Initiative, including courses at Morton College that fulfill general education requirements, please visit the iTransfer website.
• Transfer Course Lists for Morton College: Students may choose to meet their general education requirements by selecting courses from NEIU’s Transfer Course Equivalency Guides. When choosing this option, please use the following NEIU general education guide: 

FOUR YEARS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES ROTATION PLAN

FOR ACADEMIC YEARS 2012 – 2015

Chemistry majors should adopt this rotation plan when preparing their course schedule. Note that Chemistry and Society, General Chemistry I & II and Organic Chemistry I & II are offered day time and evening in fall, spring and summer terms. Quantitative Analysis is offered daytime or evening in each semester. Courses offered at El Centro and at Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies are specified.

Please note: “D” refers to courses offered between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. “E” refers to courses offered between 4:15 and 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. F, S and SU refer to fall, spring and summer semesters, respectively.

This rotation plan will be fully adopted for the required major courses. However, it could be slightly modified in terms of elective ones. For example, when new courses are introduced or scheduled ones are cancelled due to low enrollment.

COURSES OFFERED IN FALL, SPRING AND SUMMER SEMESTERS 

CHEM-103      Chemistry & Society [F & S (D&E), SU (D)]

CHEM-103      Chemistry & Society [F & S (D), SU (E)] at El Centro

CHEM-211      General chemistry I [F & S (D&E), SU (D)]

CHEM-212      General chemistry II [F & S (D&E), SU (D)]

CHEM-213      Quantitative analysis (WIP) [F (D), S (E), SU (E)]

CHEM-231      Organic chemistry I [F & S (D&E), SU (D)]

CHEM-232      Organic chemistry II [F & S (D&E), SU (D)]

CHEM-260      General chemistry I seminar [F, S & SU (D)]

CHEM-261      General chemistry II seminal [F, S & SU (D)]

CHEM-262      Organic chemistry I seminar [F, S & SU (D)]

CHEM-263      Organic chemistry II seminar [F, S & SU (D)]   

CHEM-305      Independent study in chemistry

CHEM-365      Internship in chemistry I

CHEM-366      Internship in chemistry II

CHEM-390      Seminar in Chemistry          

CHEM-399      Undergraduate research                                 

COURSES OFFERED IN FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS

CHEM-110      Chemical Concepts (D)

CHEM-391      Chemistry capstone seminar (E)

COURSES OFFERED ONLY IN FALL SEMESTER

CHEM-103      Chemistry and Society (D) at Center for Inner City Studies

CHEM-311      Physical chemistry I (E)

CHEM-320      Chemical aspects of environmental chemistry (E)

CHEM-331      Instrumental analysis: Quantitative methods (E)

CHEM-347      Advanced organic chemistry: polyfunctional compounds (E)

CHEM-360      Physical chemistry I seminar (E)

COURSES OFFERED ONLY IN SPRING SEMESTER

CHEM 312      Physical chemistry II (E)

CHEM-319      Industrial aspects of environmental chemistry (E)

CHEM-330      Instrumental analysis: Spectroscopy (E)

CHEM-361      Physical chemistry II seminar (E)

CHEM-348      Advanced organic chemistry: Bio-organic compounds (E)

COURSES OFFERED ONLY IN SUMMER SEMESTER

CHEM-316      Inorganic chemistry (E)

CHEM 306L    ST: Experiments & Field Work in Environmental Chemistry (D)

COURSES IN ROTATION:

Academic Year 2012-2013

Courses expected to be offer in Fall 2012

CHEM-353      Principles of Pharmacology (E)

Courses expected to be offered in Spring 2013               

CHEM-349      Organic synthesis (E)

Academic Year 2013-2014

Courses expected to be offered in Fall 2013        

CHEM 350      Principles of Toxicology (E)

 Courses expected to be offered in Spring 2014

             CHEM 211      General Chemistry I (D) at El Centro

             CHEM 306      ST: Principles of Medicinal Chemistry (E) 

             CHEM 357      Chemical Kinetics (E)

Academic Year 2014-2015

Courses expected to be offered in Fall 2014

            CHEM 211      General Chemistry I (D) at El Centro

            CHEM 212      General Chemistry II (D) at El Centro

CHEM-353      Principles of Pharmacology (E)

Courses expected to be offered in Spring 2015

            CHEM 211      General Chemistry I (D) at El Centro

            CHEM 212      General Chemistry II (D) at El Centro

CHEM-349      Organic synthesis (E)

Academic Year 2015-2016

Courses expected to be offered in Fall 2015

            CHEM 211      General Chemistry I (D,E) at El Centro

            CHEM 212      General Chemistry II (D,E) at El Centro

CHEM 350      Principles of Toxicology (E)

Courses expected to be offered in Spring 2016

            CHEM 211      General Chemistry I (D,E) at El Centro

            CHEM 212      General Chemistry II (D,E) at El Centro

CHEM 306      Principles of Medicinal Chemistry (E)

CHEM 357      Chemical Kinetics (E)