Chemistry majors carry out independent research, with a required research project culminating in a senior thesis. The department encourages students to gain laboratory and teaching experience through a variety of work-study options.
Along with pursuing the B.S. in Chemistry, students can serve as laboratory assistants and chemistry tutors. Laboratory assistants prepare chemicals and equipment for experiments and also perform professional functions during the department’s outreach programs.
Students must receive a minimum grade of C in both CHE 150 and CHE 151 before declaring chemistry as their major. A minimum grade of C is also necessary in each required course in order to continue.
Students may take the following to satisfy the core curriculum.
Core Offerings | Campus |
| CHE 120 Chemistry and Society |  |
| CHE 125 An Investigation into Forensic Science | |
| CHE 140 Introduction to Chemistry and Art | |
| CHE 150 General Chemistry I | |
| CHE 175 Principles of General, Organic and Biochemistry | |
| SCI 135 Chemistry in Nutrition and Personal Health | |
Chemistry Major | |
| CHE 150 General Chemistry I | |
| CHE 151 General Chemistry II | |
| CHE 250 Organic Chemistry I | |
| CHE 251 Organic Chemistry II | |
| CHE 260 Analytical Chemistry | |
| CHE 350 Thermodynamics and Kinetics | |
| CHE 351 Quantum Mechanics and Molecular Structure | |
| CHE 450 Seminar in Chemistry | |
| CHE 460 Senior Project | |
Plus any one of | |
| CHE 331 Biochemistry I | |
| CHE 360 Introduction to Industrial Chemistry | |
| CHE 420 Environmental Chemistry OR CHE 440 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry | |
Mathematics | |
| MAT 205 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | |
| MAT 206 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II | |
Physics | |
| PHY 150 General Physics I – Mechanics, Molecular Physics, Heat, Sound | |
| PHY 151 General Physics II – Magnetism, Electricity, Optics, Atomic Physics | |
Adolescence Education
Students wishing to teach chemistry at the secondary level follow the same curriculum as chemistry majors and must complete CHE 350, CHE 351, CHE 460, BIO 150 and BIO 151. Also, to complete the adolescence education program, students must have and maintain a 2.7 GPA in both their major and education courses.
Courses | Campus |
| EDU 115 Educational Psychology | |
| CS 121 Psychology of the Exceptional Child | |
| EDU 234 Sociological and Philosophical Foundations of Education | |
| PSY 220 Adolescent Psychology | |
| EDU 360 Methods in Secondary Education | |
| EDU 361, 363, 364, 365, 366 Special Methods in Secondary Education (in student’s major field) | |
| EDU 473 Supervised Student Teaching | |
Students are also required to perform 100 hours of fieldwork in middle and secondary schools prior to student teaching. Advisement is available throughout the program.
To gain initial certification, students must pass the NYSTCE Liberal Arts and Science Test (LAST), the Assessment of Teaching Skills-Written (ATS-W) and the Content Specialty Test (CST) in their major field, as well as submit fingerprinting documentation and participate in a Child Abuse and a Violence Prevention workshop. Both are offered at the College.
