About the Chemistry Department

"Chemistry is the science of molecules (up to a hundred years ago one would have said "substances" or "compounds") and their transformations. ... Chemists make molecules. They do other things, to be sure− they study the properties of these molecules; they analyze as we have seen, they form theories as to why molecules are stable, why they have the shapes and colors that they do; they study mechanisms, trying to find out how molecules react. But at the heart of their science is the molecule that is made, either by a natural process or a human being."

--Roald Hoffman, recipient of the 1981 Nobel Prize in Chemistry (shared with K. Fukui) The Same and Not the Same, Columbia University Press: New York, 1995, Chapter 19, p. 90, and Chapter 20, p. 95.

The Chemistry Program at CSUCI is based on a Big Ideas approach to the discipline. Students learn how to apply these ideas to their analyses of concepts and problems. In addition to implementing these fundamental concepts across the curriculum, students learn how to improve their analytical thinking, oral and written communication, and problem solving skills as individuals and in teams. Writing skills are developed in all upper-division Chemistry courses. Student Learning Outcomes for the program are developed by students at each stage of the Chemistry curriculum culminating in a capstone experience.

The Chemistry Program objectives include the following:

• To provide students with a strong undergraduate educational preparation in Chemistry and Biochemistry that is founded on the “Big Ideas” in Chemistry.
• To enhance students’ problem-solving, analytical, oral communication, and written communication skills across the Chemistry curriculum.
• To encourage team problem-solving and collaboration
• To develop students’ ability to read and understand primary literature
• To provide students with hands-on exposure to laboratory research through internships and independent research.
• To prepare students for further study in graduate or professional schools, or for employment in a variety of public and private organizations.

The required courses in Chemistry Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Chemistry degrees provide breadth across the sub-disciplines of Analytical, Inorganic, Organic, and Physical Chemistry. The culmination of the degrees involve a capstone colloquium in conjunction with a service learning project, internship, or independent research experience.