FIU DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND
BIOCHEMISTRY
The FIU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers two
undergraduate degrees in chemistry, the Bachelor of Science
(B.S.) and the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). The B.S. degree is
certified by the American Chemical Society, and provides the
necessary background for those students who wish to pursue
graduate study or a career in chemistry. Students also have the
option to pursue the B.S. with Honors degree. The B.A. degree
is designed for students who are preparing for a career in
medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, or other health professions,
secondary science education, or other careers that require a
strong general background in chemistry.
There are also
certificate programs in Environmental Studies and in Forensic
Chemistry that might be of interest to students in both the B.S.
and B.A. degree programs. Students also have the option to a
earn a minor in conjunction with their major in chemistry (see
the Undergraduate Course Catalog for further details on the
above options).
The Department has over 30 full time faculty members
covering all of the major areas of chemistry (analytical
chemistry, biochemistry, environmental chemistry, forensic
chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and
physical chemistry), and including faculty who are
interdisciplinary in their training and research. There are over
250 majors in the department. Laboratories are well-equipped
with modern instrumentation.
Each degree program is divided into two parts; lower division
classes and upper division classes. Students must also satisfy
the University Core Curriculum requirements and the general
requirements for all degree programs in the College of Arts and
Sciences.
The lower division requirements are the same for both B.S. and
B.A. majors except as noted below.
LOWER DIVISION REQUIREMENTS (ALL)
Course
CHM 1045 (General Chemistry 1)
CHM 1045L (General Chemistry 1 Lab)
CHM 1046 (General Chemistry 2)
CHM 1046L (General Chemistry 2 Lab)
CHM 2210 (Organic Chemistry 1)
CHM 2210L (Organic Chemistry 1 Lab)
CHM 2211 (Organic Chemistry 2)
CHM 2211L (Organic Chemistry 2 Lab)
PHY 2048 or 2053(General Physics 1)*
PHY 2048L (General Physics 1 Lab)
PHY 2049 or 2054 (General Physics 2)*
PHY 2049L (General Physics 2 Lab)
MAC 2311 (Calculus 1)
MAC 2312 (Calculus 2)
Hours
3
1
3
1
4
1
3
1
4
1
4
1
4
4
* B.S. majors must take PHY 2048 and 2049 (Physics With
Calculus). B.A. majors may take either PHY 2048 and 2049
(Physics With Calculus), or PHY 2053 and 2054 (Physics
Without Calculus).
UPPER DIVISION REQUIREMENTS
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Course
CHM 3120 (Intro. Analytical Chem.)
CHM 3120L (Intro. Analytical Chem. Lab)
CHM 3410 (Physical Chemistry 1)
CHM 3410L (Physical Chemistry 1 Lab)
CHM 3411 (Physical Chemistry 2)
CHM 3411L (Physical Chemistry 2 Lab)
CHM 4130 (Instrumental Analysis)
CHM 4130L (Instrumental Analysis Lab)
CHM 4220 (Advanced Organic Chemistry)
CHM 4304 (Biological Chemistry 1)
CHM 4610 (Advanced Inorganic Chemistry)
CHM 4610L (Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Lab)
CHM 4910L (Undergraduate Research)
CHM 4930 (Senior Seminar)
CHM/CHS 4xxx (senior chemistry elective)
Hours
3
1
4
1
4
2
3
1
3
3
3
1
3
1
3
One of the following two lab classes
CHM 4230L (Structure Determination Lab)
CHM 4304L (Biological Chemistry 1 Lab)
1
1
One of the following two math classes
MAC 2313 (Multivariable Calculus)
MAP 2302 (Differential Equations)
4
3
NOTES: 1) Students who wish to graduate in four years should
be ready to take Physical Chemistry 1 at the beginning of their
junior year. 2) CHM 4930 (Senior Seminar) should be taken in
the last regular semester (fall or spring) of study. 3) CHM
4911L cannot be used to satisfy the senior chemistry elective
requirement.
BACHELOR OF ARTS
The B.A. program is organized into a standard B.A. degree and
four areas of concentration (biochemistry, environmental
chemistry, forensic chemistry, and chemical education). B.A.
majors have both required and elective upper division courses.
Courses Required for All B.A. Majors
Course
BSC 1010 (General Biology 1)
BSC 1010L (General Biology 1 Lab)
CHM 3120 (Intro. Analytical Chemistry)
CHM 3120L (Intro. Analytical Chemistry Lab)
CHM 3400 (Fundamentals of Physical Chem.)
CHM 3400L (Fundamentals of Physical Chem. Lab)
CHM 4304 (Biological Chemistry 1)
CHM 4304L (Biological Chemistry 1 Lab)
CHM 4930 (Senior Seminar)
Hours
3
1
3
1
3
1
3
1
1
NOTES: 1) CHM 4930 (Senior Seminar) should be taken in the
last regular semester (fall or spring) of study.
Elective Courses
There is a Forensic Science Certificate Program that might be
of interest to students in the forensic chemistry concentration
(see the Undergraduate Course Catalog for further details).
List 1 Elective. One course from the following:
Course
BSC 1011/1011L (General Biology 2/Lab)
CCJ 3024 (Overview of Criminal Justice)
EVR 3011 (Environmental Resources)
EVR 3013/3013L (Ecology of South Florida/Lab)
EVR 4211/4211L (Water Resources/Lab)
EVR 4312 (Energy Resources)
EVR 4231 (Air Resources)
EVR 4592/4592L (Soils and Ecosystems/Lab)
GLY 3202/3202L (Earth Materials/Lab)
GLY 4822 (Introduction to Hydrogeology)
OCE 3014 (Oceanography)
Hours
4
3
3
4
4
3
3
4
5
3
3
List 2 Electives. Two lecture courses from the following, one
of which must include the corresponding lab.
Course
CHM 3411 (Physical Chemistry 2)
CHM 3411L (Physical Chemistry 2 Lab)
CHM 3610 (Fundamentals of Inorganic Chemistry)
CHM 4130 (Instrumental Analysis)
CHM 4130L (Instrumental Analysis Lab)
CHM 4220 (Advanced Organic Chemistry)
CHM 4230L (Structure Determination Lab)
CHM 4300 (Bio-organic Chemistry)
CHM 4307 (Biological Chemistry 2)
CHM 4307L (Biological Chemistry 2 Lab)
CHM 4610L (Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Lab)
Hours
4
2
3
3
1
3
1
3
3
1
1
NOTES: 1) CHM 4230L (Structure Determination Lab) can be
used as the lab for either CHM 4220 (Advanced Organic
Chemistry) or CHM 4300 (Bio-Organic Chemistry).
Senior elective. One additional CHM/CHS 4xxx class. CHM
4910L or CHM 4911L cannot be used to satisfy the senior
chemistry elective requirement.
Chemical Education Concentration – Admission into the
chemical education concentration requires completion of all of
the general education requirements, a minimum of 60 credit
hours of classes, and a minimum GPA of 2.50. Required upper
division classes include all of the courses required for other
tracks, along with CHM 3945 (Chemical Education Seminar),
and CHS 4702 (Inquiry Instruction Workshop). The list 1
elective class should be BSC 1011/1011L. Students are
required to satisfy the list 2 elective requirements, but they are
not required to take an additional senior elective class.
Students are also required to take an additional 23 hours of
education classes. Further details concerning this program can
be found in the Undergraduate Course Catalog.
ADDITIONAL DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
(ALL MAJORS)
Both B.A. and B.S. majors are required to take a nationallynormed exit examination during their last semester of study.
This exam is given in conjunction with CHM 4930 (Senior
Seminar).
All chemistry majors must also satisfy the requirements for all
majors in the College of Arts and Sciences. These include the
following: 1) A minimum of 120 credit hours of classes, 2) A
minimum of 48 credit hours of upper division (3xxx or higher)
classes, 3) At least 9 of the last 60 credit hours must be elective
credit not required for the major, at least 6 of which must be
courses outside the major department, 4) At least half of the
upper division credit hours required for the major must be
taken at FIU, 5) A grade of C or higher for all courses required
for the major, 6) Satisfaction of the college foreign language
requirement. See the Undergraduate Course Catalog for further
details concerning the above requirements.
Students are advised to run a PDA (Panther Degree Audit) on a
regular basis to ensure progress towards their degree.
Requirements for B.A. Concentrations
RESOURCES
Biochemistry Concentration – BC 1011 and BSC 1011L should
be selected as the list 1 elective. Either CHM 4300 and CHM
4230L, or CHM 4307 and CHM 4307L should be selected as
one of the list 2 elective lecture classes and the list 2 elective
lab.
The senior level chemistry elective should be a
biomedically related class.
Environmental Chemistry Concentration – The list 1 elective
should be an environmentally related course. CHM 4130 and
CHM 4130L should be selected as one of the list 2 elective
lecture classes and the list 2 elective lab. The senior level
chemistry elective should be an environmentally related class.
There is an Environmental Studies Certificate Program that
might be of interest to students in the environmental chemistry
concentration (see the Undergraduate Course Catalog for
further details).
Forensic Chemistry Concentration – CCJ 3024 is suggested as
the list 1 elective course. CHM 4130 and CHM 4130L should
be selected as one of the list 2 elective lecture classes and the
list 2 elective lab. The senior level chemistry elective should
be a course related to forensic chemistry.
Chemistry Office (MMC) – CP-304, 305-348-2606
Advisors (Chemistry) –
Dr. Jeff Joens (MMC), CP-331, 305-348-3121
joensj@fiu.edu (web page: www.joenschem.com)
Dr. Milagros Delgado (BBC), AC1-382A,
delgadom@fiu.edu
General advising (College of Arts and Sciences) –
MMC, ECS-411, 305-348-2978
BBC, AC1-318A, 305-919-5859
Pre-health advising –
Dr. John Landrum, DM-331, 305-348-0515
Forensic chemistry certificate program and advising –
Dr. Tony DeCaprio, 305-348-6211
adecapr@fiu.edu
Department webpage: casgroup.fiu.edu/chemistry/
Current undergraduate catalog: www.catalog.fiu.edu
College of Arts and Sciences webpage: www.cas.fiu.edu/
Revised 1/2012