Chemistry, BA

This program, offered by the Department of Chemistry , provides a fundamental chemistry background, while affording ample electives for developing a second specialty. The degree is designed for those wishing to work in scientific laboratories, or in fields allied to chemistry such as medicine, education, environmental monitoring, electronics, food processing, sales, pharmaceuticals, safety, literature search, or in a supervisory capacity in businesses dealing with chemical products.

Program Learning Outcomes

Program Roadmaps

The 4-Year Roadmap is available online. Roadmaps should be used in consultation with the catalog and your advisor to identify additional requirements for completing the major (for example, course grade minimums). Associate Degrees (ADT) Pathways are also available online.

Prerequisite Requirements

Refer to the SJSU Course Catalog for specific information regarding course prerequisites.

1. Complete the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

Students must satisfy the specific degree requirements for their undergraduate major and fulfill the following University degree requirements:

Academic (program total units with an average 2.0 GPA - “C” or better)
General Education (GE) (34 Lower Division + 9 Upper Division)
American Institutions (AI) (0-6 units) (may be satisfied in GE Areas 3B, 4, UD 3, UD 4)
Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) (3 units)
Physical Education (PE) (0-2 units)
Units in Residence (30 units, including 24 upper division and 12 in major)
Upper Division Units (40 units, including 12 upper div in major for BA, 18 upper div in major for BS)
Undergraduate Policies & Procedures
Apply for Graduation
Information about the Commencement Ceremony and Conferral of the Degree

Exceptions for University Graduation Requirements including exemptions and waivers, are approved for specific majors and on a case-by-case evaluation only.

Summary of Degree Units

Core Lower Division GE: 18 (10 units may be satisfied by major coursework: Areas 5A, 5B (Intensive Science), 5C, 2)

6 required units of American Institutions/US123 may be satisfied by selecting applicable GE courses in Areas 3B and/or 4

Upper Division GE: 6 (3 units may be satisfied by major coursework: UD Area 3)

Physical Education: 2

GWAR / WID: 0 (3 units satisfied by CHEM 100W )

Major Preparation: 14

Major Requirements: 58

University Electives: 16

Total: 120

2. Major Preparation (14 units)

PHYS 50 and PHYS 51 accepted for Transfers, in lieu of PHYS 2A /PHYS 2B .

MATH 30 - Calculus I 3 unit(s) (GE Area 2 / Formerly Area B4)
PHYS 2A - Fundamentals of Physics 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
PHYS 2B - Fundamentals of Physics 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
PHIL 133 - Ethics in Science 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 3 / Formerly Area V)

3. Major Requirements (58 units)

Core Courses (34 units)

CHEM 1A - General Chemistry 5 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
CHEM 1B - General Chemistry 5 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
CHEM 55 - Quantitative Analysis 2 unit(s)
CHEM 55L - Quantitative Analysis Laboratory 2 unit(s)
CHEM 100W - Writing Workshop: Chemical Communications 3 unit(s) (WID)
CHEM 112A - Organic Chemistry 3 unit(s)
CHEM 112B - Organic Chemistry 3 unit(s)
CHEM 113A - Organic Chemistry Lab 2 unit(s)
CHEM 113B - Organic Chemistry Lab 3 unit(s)
CHEM 120S - Chemical Safety Seminar 1 unit(s)
CHEM 160 - Physical Chemistry 4 unit(s)
CHEM 191 - Undergraduate Seminar 1 unit(s)

Approved Upper Division Chemistry Electives (24 units)

Students must complete at least three Upper Division lab courses, including at least one capstone course.

Elective Lab Courses (4-6 units)

Complete two courses from:

CHEM 131A - Biochemistry Lab 2 unit(s)
CHEM 155 - Instrumental Analysis 4 unit(s)
CHEM 162L - Physical Chemistry Lab 2 unit(s)

Capstone Course (3 units)

Complete one course from:

CHEM 114 - Advanced Organic Chemistry Lab 3 unit(s)
CHEM 131B - Biochemistry Lab II 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 2/5 / Formerly Area R)
CHEM 146 - Physical-Inorganic Techniques 3 unit(s)

Other Upper Division Chemistry Electives (15-17 units)

Complete 15-17 units from the listed courses below or any other 200-level Chemistry course.

Note: A maximum of 4 units of supervisory courses (CHEM 180 ,CHEM 181 ,CHEM 184 ) can be applied toward the degree.

CHEM 105 - Computational Data Analysis in Chemistry 3 unit(s)
CHEM 118 - Special Topics in Organic Chemistry 1 unit(s)
CHEM 121S - Radiation Safety 1-2 unit(s)
CHEM 126 - Introduction to Nuclear Science 3 unit(s)
CHEM 127 - Nuclear Science Lab 3 unit(s)
CHEM 130A - Biochemistry 4 unit(s) (Either CHEM 135 or CHEM 130A may count toward the degree.)
CHEM 130B - Biochemistry 4 unit(s)
CHEM 130C - Biochemistry 3 unit(s)
CHEM 135 - General Biochemistry 4 unit(s) (Either CHEM 135 or CHEM 130A may count toward the degree.)
CHEM 145 - Inorganic Chemistry 3 unit(s)
CHEM 170A - Macromolecular, Supramolecular & Nanoscale Systems 1 unit(s)
CHEM 180 - Individual Studies 1-4 unit(s)
CHEM 181 - Advanced Undergraduate Research 1-4 unit(s)
CHEM 184 - Directed Reading 1-3 unit(s)
CHEM 191 - Undergraduate Seminar 1 unit(s)
Any 200-level CHEM course. (These can be used as chemistry electives with instructor consent to ensure that all prerequisites for the course are met.)

4. University Electives (16 units)

A minor is strongly recommended.

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