Chemistry | Biochemistry

Students can choose the Standard Chemistry specialization, which is comparable to that offered in any major university, or the Biochemistry specialization, which is designed to give more flexibility to students wanting to pursue courses with biological focus. The department encourages students in either specialization to include undergraduate research with one of the department's internationally recognized faculty as a component of the undergraduate experience. Undergraduate research will frequently result in journal publications and/or presentations at scientific meetings.

Bachelor of Science

The CLAS Bachelor of Science in chemistry offers two specializations. 

Bachelor of Science | Standard Chemistry

Intended for students who wish to gain a broad foundation in all five subdisciplines of chemistry (analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry). This track prepares students for graduate study in any area of chemistry.

Bachelor of Science | Biochemistry

Intended for students to wish to pursue chemistry with a biological focus. This track offers flexibility in upper-level electives ranging from biology focused coursework to more traditional chemistry focused coursework.

Requirements for the Majors

The Chemistry major requires a total of 55-60 credits including 25-30 credits of foundation coursework and 30 credits of major coursework.

The Biochemistry major requires a total of 62-69 credits including 29-34 credits of foundation coursework and 33-35 credits of major coursework.

Required coursework will depend upon the program chosen. Coursework for each specialization can be found below under Critical Tracking and Model Semester Plan.

For either specialization, all required courses must be completed within two attempts with minimum grades of C.

RECOMMENDED COURSEWORK

The chemistry program at the University of Florida is approved by the American Chemistry Society (ACS). Students completing a baccalaureate degree in the standard Chemistry track may enhance their undergraduate experience by completing an ACS-certified degree. The ACS-certified degree is comprised of foundational coursework from each of the five subdisciplines of chemistry (analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, physical, and organic), as well as additional in-depth courses and laboratory experiences. 

The following coursework and lab experiences are necessary to satisfy the requirements for ACS certification:

• Completion of all coursework for the standard Chemistry track
• CHM 3218 (4 credits)
• CHM 3610L (2 credits)
• An additional 4000-level CHM lecture course (2-3 credits)
• An additional 4000-level CHM laboratory course or CHM 4910 (2-3 credits)

Placement

For placement into the appropriate first course in chemistry, please refer to the Academic Advising section or consult a chemistry advisor. All students should complete their chemistry studies at the same institution.
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More information about introductory courses can be found on the chemistry courses page in the catalog.
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Minors and Certificates

UFTeach Program

There is a severe shortage of qualified high school chemistry teachers in Florida and nationwide. Students interested in becoming part of this high-demand profession should see a chemistry advisor about the UFTeach program. UFTeach students complete the UFTeach minor in science teaching with their BS in Chemistry and have the coursework and preparation for professional teacher certification in Florida when they graduate.
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Chemistry is the study of matter: the structure and properties of matter, the transformations from one form of matter to another, and the energy transformations associated with these transformations.

Before Graduating Students Must

• Achieve at least 50% on the Diagnostic of Undergraduate Chemistry Knowledge (DUCK) exam.
• Obtain minimum grades of C in laboratory courses:

  Course List

  Code	Title	Credits
  CHM 2211	Organic Chemistry 2	3
  CHM 3120L	Analytical Chemistry Laboratory	1
  CHM 4130L	Instrumental Analysis Laboratory	2
  CHM 4411L	Physical Chemistry Laboratory	2
  or CHM 4413L	Biophysical Chemistry Laboratory

• Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by the chemistry faculty.

Students in the Major Will Learn to

Student Learning Outcomes | SLOs

Content

1.  
   • Standard Chemistry
     Explain and apply facts, theories and concepts in
     1. physical
     2. organic
     3. inorganic
     4. analytical chemistry
   • Biochemistry
     Explain and apply facts, theories and concepts in
     1. physical
     2. organic
     3. inorganic
     4. analytical chemistry
     5. biochemistry
2.  
   • Standard Chemistry
     Demonstrate and safely apply laboratory skills in
     1. synthetic
     2. quantitative
     3. instrumental methods as scientific approaches to gathering and verifying knowledge
   • Biochemistry
     Apply laboratory skills in
     1. synthetic
     2. quantitative
     3. instrumental
     4. biochemical methods as scientific approaches to gathering and verifying knowledge

Critical Thinking

3. Standard Chemistry and Biochemistry
   Interpret, evaluate, explain and critically assess theories and experimental results in chemistry or biochemistry.

Communication

4. Standard Chemistry and Biochemistry
   Collect, analyze and articulate results clearly and effectively in both oral and written formats.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

Standard Chemistry

Academic Learning Compact Chemistry

Courses	SLO 1-A	SLO 1-B	SLO 1-C	SLO 1-D	SLO 2-A	SLO 2-B	SLO 2-C	SLO 2-D	SLO 3	SLO 4
CHM 2045 and CHM 2046	I		I	I
CHM 2211L					I, A					I
CHM 2212 and CHM 2213		I
CHM 3120 and CHM 4130				R
CHM 3120L						I, A	I			I
CHM 3610			R
CHM 4130L						R	R, A		I	R, A
CHM 4411 and CHM 4412	R
CHM 4411L						R	R		R	R, A
DUCK Exam	A	A	A	A

Biochemistry

Academic Learning Compact Biochemistry

Courses	SLO 1-A	SLO 1-B	SLO 1-C	SLO 1-D	SLO 1-E	SLO 2-A	SLO 2-B	SLO 2-C	SLO 2-D	SLO 3	SLO 4
CHM 2045 and CHM 2046	I		I	I
CHM 2211L						I, A					I
CHM 2212 and CHM 2213		I
CHM 3120				R
CHM 3120L							I, A	I			I
CHM 3218					I
CHM 3400	R
CHM 3610			R
CHM 4300L									I
CHM 4413L							R	R		R	R, A
DUCK Exam	A	A	A	A

Assessment Types for Both Specializations

• Oral tests or reports
• Written reports
• Lab practicals

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