Secondary Education
Chemistry Major / Minor
Department of Chemistry
EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
program (for medical, dental, or pharmacy
school), or fields such as technical writing,
patent law, or industrial health and safety.
Although not the ideal preparation, it can be
used to acquire a position as a technician
within the chemical, or a related, field.
Major or Minor?
Career Opportunities
MAJOR: Successful completion of this
course of studies,
in the context of
other program
requirements,
qualifies you for
recommendation
for certification
for the Michigan Department of Education
Secondary Provisional Certificate endorsed in
chemistry, certification code DC. This
program also meets all of the requirements of
the National Science Teachers Association.
Further, you will have the same
coursework as a General Chemistry major,
enabling you to pursue an alternate career in
industrial, environmental, and government
chemistry laboratories as well as in healthrelated fields such as medicine and dentistry.
You also may incorporate your knowledge of
chemistry with other fields and assume
responsibilities in technical writing, patent
law, or industrial health and safety.
MINOR: Besides having sufficient chemistry
background to teach secondary chemistry, a
minor in Chemistry provides a foundation of
basic chemical knowledge on which to build.
It can support a career track in another science
(biology, physics, geology), a pre-professional
This is seldom an easy question to answer
without knowing the specifics of your interests
and career objectives. The best thing to do is
to sit down one-on-one with a faculty adviser.
The contact information for our advising
coordinator is on the back of this pamphlet.
Chemistry majors and minors have most of
their lower-level courses in common. So you
may not need to make a decision until after
your second year. Chemistry majors will take
more advanced courses, including those
having greater math and physics prerequisites.
Which Organic Should I Take?
Chemistry majors are required to take the
300-level organic sequence. So, if you think
you might want to major in Chemistry, take
the 300-level sequence to keep your options
open. This is especially important if you think
you might wish to go to graduate school for an
advanced degree in Chemistry (or Biology). If
you are unsure, discuss this with an adviser.
Scholarships
Each year, the Chemistry Department
awards a number of scholarships to chemistry
majors at every academic level. Our website
www.emich.edu/chemistry/scholarships
contains additional information and links to
other College and University scholarships.
Departmental Points of Interest
• Research. Many general chemistry
majors embark on their own scientific research
projects and work with faculty members.
There are research courses for which you can
sign up, and projects can extend for more than
one semester. You may even co-author an
article to be published in a scientific journal or
be a presenter at an international conference.
• Facilities. Between 2009 and 2012, the
Mark Jefferson building was expanded and
completely renovated. The finished Science
Complex features interactive, technologicallymodern classrooms, state-of-the-art teaching
and research labs, and dedicated student
study/interaction areas. The completed
Science Complex received LEED® Gold
certification. Pictures of our facilities are
available on our department website:
www.emich.edu/chemistry/facilities.
• Honors Courses. Even before EMU had
an Honors program, the department has
offered Honors sections of popular courses.
Every year, these include General Chemistry I
and II, Organic Chemistry I, Organic
Chemistry Lab, and Introduction to Analytical
Chemistry.
• Chemistry Club. You also may join the
Chemistry Club, the oldest student
organization on campus. In the past, the group
has organized trips to the Dow Chemical
research labs, the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital
clinical research labs, and the Ypsilanti Water
Treatment Plant. Student members also have
assisted at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
for National Chemistry Week, organized
picnics, and raised money for undergraduate
research projects.
Faculty
All of the program’s faculty have earned
doctoral degrees, published articles, and been
speakers at professional conferences.
Faculty members are approachable: We all
took our jobs because we enjoy helping
students, and an open door usually means we
can be interrupted. These same approachable
faculty members—not teaching assistants—
will teach all your chemistry courses.
Recommended Course Sequence:
1
Year Term Courses
2
Fall
CHEM 121/122 (General Chemistry I)
Winter CHEM 123/124 (General Chemistry II)
Fall
Other Departmental Programs:
4
Fall
CHEM 351 or 451 (Biochemistry)a
3
Winter CHEM 406 or electiveb
Fall
CHEM 325 or electiveb
Winter
a. Choose either CHEM 351 OR CHEM 451.
b. Students taking CHEM 351 (451) need a total of
three (four) credits of electives chosen from 300- and
400-level chemistry courses, excluding CHEM 312,
315, and 407. Nonscience majors are required to
take both CHEM 325 and CHEM 406 as the electives.
Fall
CHEM 121/122 (General Chemistry I)
Winter CHEM 123/124 (General Chemistry II)
Fall
CHEM 281 (Intro Analytical Chemistry)
CHEM 371 (Organic Chemistry I)
Winter
CHEM 372 (Organic Chemistry II)
CHEM 373 (Organic Chemistry lab)
Fall
MATH 120 (Calculus I)a
PHY 221 (Mechanics Heat & Sound)b
2
CHEM 270 (Organic Chemistry)
CHEM 271 (Organic Chemistry Lab)
Winter CHEM 281 (Intro Analytical Chemistry)
3
General Chemistry:
This major prepares students for entry level
technical positions in chemical industry and
related careers in business, patent law, or
industrial health and safety. It may also be
selected by students for careers in health fields
such as medicine, dentistry and pharmacy.
Professional Chemistry:
This program, which meets American
Chemical Society requirements, prepares
students for careers as professional chemists.
Graduates are prepared to enter technical
positions in industry and governmental research,
or to undertake graduate study in chemistry.
General Biochemistry:
This major prepares students for entry level
technical positions in biochemistry, particularly
in the pharmaceutical industry. It is often
selected by students in pre-medical, pre-dental
and pre-pharmacy programs.
Professional Biochemistry:
This program prepares students for graduate
study or a research career in biochemistry,
particularly the pharmaceutical industry. It is
often selected by students in pre-medical and
pre-dental programs.
Year Term Courses
Chemistry Teaching Minor:
1
Chemistry Teaching Major
4
CHEM 381 (Instrumentation)
Winter CHEM 406 (Nature of Science)
PHY 222 (Electricity & Light)b
CHEM 361 (Fund. Physical Chemistry)
CHEM 351 or 451 (Biochemistry)
CHEM electivea,c
Fall
Winter
a. May be taken in other semesters, as long as
prerequisites are met.
b. PHY 223/224 can be substituted for PHY 221/222
for students who have completed MATH 120 & 121.
c. Choose 2 (3) credits from 300- and 400-level
chemistry courses if you took CHEM 351 (451).
Chem Teaching Minor (with Extra Organic):
Year
1
2
3
4
Term Courses
Fall
CHEM 121/122 (General Chemistry I)
Winter CHEM 123/124 (General Chemistry II)
Fall
CHEM 371 (Organic Chemistry I)
Winter
CHEM 372 (Organic Chemistry II)
CHEM 373 (Organic Chemistry lab)
Fall
CHEM 281 (Intro Analytical Chemistry)
Winter
CHEM 351 (Biochemistry)a
CHEM 406 (if necessary) or electiveb
Fall
CHEM 451 (Biochemistry I)
CHEM 325 (if necessary)b
a
Want to learn more?
For more information contact:
734.487.0106
Email:
chem_ug_advising@emich.edu
Dr. Kolopajlo is the adviser for Chemistry
Secondary Education
Email: lkolopajl@emich.edu
Winter
a. Choose either CHEM 351 OR CHEM 451.
b. Science majors opting for CHEM 451 need to choose
1 credit of elective from 300- and 400-level chemistry
courses, excluding CHEM 312, 315, and 407.
Nonscience majors are required to take both CHEM 325
and CHEM 406 as electives.
Visit us on the Web:
www.emich.edu/chemistry
1-26-16