Course Costs

Course Credits Description

CHEM 101: The Wide, Wild World of Chemistry

(no longer offered)

3 An introduction to chemistry and its role in society for the non-science major. Chemical concepts will be presented in a non-mathematical way focusing on their implication for current scientific inquiry. Topics include forensics, explosives, green chemistry, nuclear energy, batteries, chemistry in the kitchen, and scientific ethics.
CHEM 105: Principles of Chemistry I 3 Atomic structure; thermochemistry; periodicity, bonding and molecular structure; intermolecular forces; properties of solids; liquids, gases and solutions.
Prereq: One year of high school chemistry.
CHEM 106: Principles of Chemistry II 3 Thermodynamics, chemical equilibrium; acid/base chemistry; oxidation and reduction; kinetics; spectros-copy; introduction to nuclear, organic, inorganic, and polymer chemistry.
Prereq: CHEM 105 or CHEM 111.
CHEM 111: Principles of Chemistry for Engineers 4 A first course in University Chemistry emphasizing chemistry of materials for engineering students. Atomic theory and quantitative relationships; gas laws and kinetic theory; solutions, acid-base properties and pH; thermodynamics and equilibrium; kinetics, catalysis, and mechanisms; molecular structure and bonding.
Prereq: One year of high school chemistry or permission of department.
CHEM 113: Principles of Chemistry Laboratory 2 A one semester laboratory based on quantitative chemical measurements. Experiments include analysis, synthesis and characterization, thermochemistry and chemical kinetics. Computer analysis of data is a key part of all experiments.
Coreq: CHEM 105, CHEM 106, CHEM 111, or ENGR 145.
CHEM 119: Concepts for a Molecular View of Biology I 3 The first semester of a two-course sequence in elementary inorganic, organic, and biochemistry, intended for nursing students or non-majors. Topics include: atomic theory, the periodic table, chemical bonds, molecular geometry, ideal gas laws, equilibrium and reaction rates, acids and bases, nuclear chemistry, and nomenclature and reactions of organic compounds (including alkyl, aryl, alcohol, carbonyl, and amino compounds). Problems involving numeric computation are emphasized. This course is not open to students with credit for CHEM 105 or CHEM 111.
CHEM 121: Concepts for a Molecular View of Biology II 3 The second course of a two-semester sequence in elementary inorganic, organic, and biochemistry, intended for nursing students or non-majors. Topics include: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, enzyme kinetics, metabolic pathways and bioenergetics, DNA and RNA, methods of molecular biology, and nutrition. Applications to human physiology and medicine emphasized. This course is not open to students with credit for CHEM 223 or CHEM 323.
Prereq: CHEM 119.
CHEM 223: Introductory Organic Chemistry I 3 Introductory course for engineering students and science majors. Develops themes of structure and bonding along with elementary reaction mechanisms. Includes extensive treatment of hydrocarbons, alkyl halides, alcohols, and ethers as well as an introduction to spectroscopy.
Prereq: CHEM 106 or ENGR 145.
CHEM 224: Introductory Organic Chemistry II 3 Continues and extends themes of structure and bonding from CHEM 223 and continues spectroscopy and more complex reaction mechanisms. Includes extensive treatment of aromatic rings, carbonyl compounds, amines, and selected special topics.
Prereq: CHEM 223 or CHEM 323.
CHEM 233: Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory I 2 An introductory organic laboratory course emphasizing microscale operations. Synthesis and purification of organic compounds, isolation of natural products, and systematic identification of organic compounds by physical and chemical methods.
Prereq: CHEM 113 and CHEM 106 or ENGR 145. Coreq: CHEM 223 or CHEM 323.
CHEM 234: Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory II 2 A continuation of CHEM 233, involving multi-step organic synthesis, peptide synthesis, product purification and analysis using sophisticated analytical techniques such as chromatography and magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Prereq: CHEM 233.
CHEM 290: Chemical Laboratory Methods for Engineers 3 Techniques of chemical synthesis, analysis, and characterization. Uses students’ backgrounds in general and organic chemistry, but requires no background in chemical laboratory operations.
Coreq: CHEM 223 or CHEM 323.
CHEM 301: Introductory Physical Chemistry I 3 First of a two-semester sequence covering principles and applications of physical chemistry, intended for chemistry and chemical engineering majors and other students having primary interests in biochemical, biological or life-science areas. States and properties of matter. Thermodynamics and its application to chemical and biochemical systems. Chemical equilibrium. Electrochemistry.
Prereq: CHEM 106 and one year each of physics and calculus, preferably including partial derivatives.
CHEM 302: Introductory Physical Chemistry II 3 Continuation of CHEM 301. Chemical kinetics and catalysis. Introductory quantum chemistry. Spectroscopy. Statistical thermodynamics.
Prereq: CHEM 301 or CHEM 335.
CHEM 304: Quantitative Analytical Chemistry 2 A one-semester laboratory course involving quantitative chemical measurements, error analysis and advanced concepts in ionic equilibria. Electrogravimetic and volumetric analysis; separation techniques; metal complexation. Basic chemical instrumentation.
Prereq: CHEM 106, CHEM 113, & CHEM 114 or CHEM 234. Coreq: CHEM 310.
CHEM 305: Introductory Physical Chemistry Laboratory 3 A one-semester laboratory course focusing on the principles and quantitative characterization of chemical and biochemical systems. Experiments include chemical equilibrium, kinetics, electrochemistry, spectroscopy and the use of computers for the statistical analysis of experimental data. Seminar discussions and disciplinary writing of results.
Prereq: CHEM 304 and CHEM 301 or CHEM 335. Coreq: CHEM 302 or CHEM 336. Approved SAGES Departmental Seminar.
CHEM 306: Biochemistry Laboratory 3 A one-semester laboratory and lecture course developed to introduce students to a variety of chemical biology laboratory themes including buffering, identification of amino acids, immunoassay, ligand binding, cellular fractionation, enzyme isolation and purification, proteomics, and enzyme kinetics. Techniques include titration, various forms of chromatography, colorimetric assays, electrophoresis, high performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry.
Prereq: CHEM 233.
Recommended preparation: CHEM 328/428.
CHEM 310: Instrumental Analytical Chemistry 3 Principles and applications of analytical instrumentation including optical spectroscopy (UV-vis, IR, Ra-man), photoelectron and ion bombardment spectrometry, NMR and magnetic resonance imaging.
Prereq: CHEM 301 and 302 or CHEM 335 and 336, or equivalent. Coreq: CHEM 304.
CHEM 311: Inorganic Chemistry I 3 Fundamentals of inorganic chemistry. Topics include molecular structure, molecular shape and symmetry, structure of solids, d-metal complexes, oxidation and reduction, and acids and bases.
Prereq: CHEM 301 or CHEM 335 (may be taken concurrently).

CHEM 312: Inorganic Chemistry II

(no longer offered)

3 Continuation of CHEM 311. Fundamentals of inorganic chemistry. Topics include electronic spectra of complexes, structures and properties of solids, organometallic compounds, and descriptive chemistry of representative elements.
Prereq: CHEM 311.
CHEM 315: Principles of Instrumental Analysis 3 A one semester lecture course in chemical instrumentation including measurement basics, atomic and molecular spectroscopy, electroanalytical chemistry, and separation methods. Offered as CHEM 315 and CHEM 415.
Prereq: (CHEM 301 and CHEM 302) or (CHEM 335 and CHEM 336). Coreq: CHEM 304.
CHEM 316: Frontiers of Inorganic Chemistry 3 This course deals with five topics in inorganic chemistry of current interest. The topics are: ways in which inorganic chemistry can increase the quality of the environment, methods by which inorganic chemistry can lead to sustainable processes in a developed industrial society, advances in bioinorganic and medicinal inorganic chemistry of clinical importance, modern inorganic materials with unusual and valuable property sets, and representative industrial inorganic research and production processes. It is to be team taught. Offered as CHEM 316 and CHEM 416.
CHEM 322: Laboratory Methods in Organic Chemistry 3 Experimental approach to the synthesis, purification and characterization of organic compounds. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and infrared (IR) spectroscopies; chromatographic techniques.
Prereq: CHEM 304 or CHEM 223 or CHEM 323. Coreq: CHEM 224 or CHEM 324.
CHEM 323: Organic Chemistry I 3 An enriched course for the sufficiently able and interested student who wishes a deeper and broader appreciation of theory and practice of organic chemistry. Focuses on relationships between molecular structure and chemical reactivity, and stresses the development of sophisticated problem-solving skills in the context of organic reaction mechanisms and multi-step synthesis. Homolytic and heterolytic substitution, elimination, oxidation and reduction reactions; topics in stereochemistry and spcctroscopy. Recommended for chemistry, biochemistry, and related majors.
Prereq: CHEM 106 or ENGR 145.
CHEM 324: Organic Chemistry II 3 Continuation of CHEM 323. Introduces the chemistry of carbonyl, aromatic and amino functional groups, and develops the concepts of conjugation and resonance, molecular orbital theory and pericyclic reactions.
Prereq: CHEM 223 or CHEM 323.
CHEM 325: Physical Methods for Determining Organic Structure 3 Structure determination of organic compounds using mass spectrometry and modern instrumental techniques such as infrared, ultraviolet, visible, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Prereq: Two semesters of organic chemistry.
CHEM 328: Introductory Biochemistry I 3 .A survey of biochemistry with a strong emphasis on the chemical logic underlying the structure, function, and evolution of biomolecules. Amino acids and protein structure, purification, and analysis. DNA, RNA, genes, and genomes. DNA replication, repair, and recombination. RNA synthesis and processing. Protein synthesis and turnover, control of gene expression. Hemoglobin. Drug development. Enzyme kinetics, catalytic and regulatory strategies. Carbohydrates.
Offered as CHEM 328 and CHEM 428.
Prereq: CHEM 224 or CHEM 323.
CHEM 329: Chemical Aspects of Living Systems 3 A series of special topics in the chemistry of biological processes at the level of chemical structure and molecular mechanisms. Topics will be chosen from the following: Nature of enzymatic rate enhancements. Coenzyme chemistry. Biosynthesis. Enzymatic and nonenzymatic fatty acid metabolism. Bioenergetics: mitochondrial and photosynthetic electron transport and vision. Neurotransmitters and hormone action. Receptors and signal transduction. Factors affecting biological activity and drug design. Xenobiotic metabolism. Carcinogcnesis and DNA repair.
Prereq: Two semesters of organic chemistry. One semester of physical chemistry recommended.
CHEM 331: Laboratory Methods in Inorganic Chemistry 3 Synthesis, separation techniques, physical properties, and analysis. Advanced techniques of chemical synthesis, leading the student to the preparation of interesting inorganic and organometalhc compounds.
Prereq: CHEM 322.
CHEM 332: Laboratory Methods in Physical Chemistry 3 Modern techniques of physicochemical measurement, including kinetics, spectroscopy, and electrochemistry and the use of statistical methods for the analysis of experimental data. Seminar discussions and disciplinary writing of results.
Coreq: CHEM 336. Approved SAGES Departmental Seminar.
CHEM 333: Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Development 3 This course provides an overview on how principles in chemistry and biology are integrated to facilitate drug development. Primary emphasis will be placed on the development of organic molecules as drugs and metabolic enzymes as drug targets. Subjects pertinent to the introduction of medicinal chemistry, evaluation of drug efficacies in vitro and in vivo, and drug metabolism will be covered. Offered as CHEM 333 and CHEM 433.
Prereq: CHEM 223 or CHEM 323 and BIOL 215. Coreq: CHEM 224 or CHEM 324.
CHEM 335: Physical Chemistry I 3 First of a two-semester sequence of physical chemistry for chemistry majors and others with career goals in the physical sciences or engineering. States of matter. Kinetic theory of gases. Transport phenomena. Chemical thermodynamics and its application to chemical systems. Equilibrium. Ionic solutions and electrochemistry. Introduction to chemical kinetics.
Prereq: CHEM 106 plus one year each of physics and calculus, including partial derivatives.
CHEM 336: Physical Chemistry II 3 Continuation of CHEM 335. Reaction kinetics and catalysis. Reaction dynamics. Chemical quantum mechanics. Statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. Spectroscopy (including optical spectroscopies, magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry).
Prereq: CHEM 335.
CHEM 337: Quantum Mechanics I 3 Introduction to quantization, measurement and the Schrodinger equation; angular momentum and states of molecules. Perturbation theory, spectroscopy and chemical bonding. Variational theory and calculations of molecular properties. Offered as CHEM 337 and CHEM 446.
Prereq: CHEM 336.
CHEM 339: Bioinorganic Chemistry 3 An introduction to metal ions in biology and medicine. Topics of emphasis include metalloenzymes, inorganic elements in pharmaceuticals, and physical methods of characterization in biology. Course material will be presented through a seminar format, and will involve extensive class participation, student presentations, and literature research reports. Offered as CHEM 339 and CHEM 439.
Prereq: CHEM 224 or CHEM 324.
CHEM 340: Solar Energy Conversion 3 This is a multidisciplinary course from a chemist’s point of view. This course teaches the background necessary to read and understand the scientific literature on solar energy conversion, and includes some basic device physics, materials chemistry and chemistry. Topics provide an overview of the field and includes: Global energy perspective, principles of photovoltaics, crystalline solar cells, thin-film solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, organic solar cells (with emphasis on polymer-based solar cells), photoelectrochemical cells and artificial photosynthesis for fuel production, and semiconductor nanostructures and quantum dots for solar energy conversion. The course includes three laboratories and a demo using state-of-the-art equipment, as well as presentations of recent research articles by the graduate students. It is recommended that students have experience with thermodynamics. The following CWRU courses would meet this expectation: CHEM 301, CHEM 335, ENGR 225 or PHYS 313. Offered as CHEM 340 and CHEM 440.
Prereq: CHEM 106 or ENGR 145.
CHEM 341: Functional Nanomaterials 3 This course is designed to introduce important concepts on the fundamental physical and chemical properties of technologically important nanometer scale materials. The course will cover an overview of the scientific principles pertaining to new properties at the nanoscale; synthesis and characterization tools; and existing and emerging applications of nanomaterials. It will center on current research developments on major classes of functional nanomaterials, including plasmonic nanoparticles, quantum dots, nanomagnets, carbon nanotubes, nanocatalysts and hybrid inorganic/organic nanostructures. In addition an emphasis will be placed on understanding the broader societal, economical and environmental impact of the scientific and technological advances brought forward by nanotechnology. Offered as CHEM 341 and CHEM 441.
CHEM 342: Computational Chemistry 3 An introduction to computational methods in electronic structure. Molecular mechanics, semiempirical molecular orbital calculations, ab initio, post Hartree-Fock, density-functional theories, and hybrid approaches will be addressed. Continuum solvation calculations will be considered, time permitting. Offered as CHEM 342 and CHEM 442.
Prereq: CHEM 223 or CHEM 323.
CHEM 395: Chemistry Colloquium Series 1 Course content provided by Thursday chemistry department colloquia (or Frontiers in Chemistry lectures). Discussion sessions review previous lectures and lay foundation for forthcoming lectures.

CHEM 397: Undergraduate Research

Course information

1-6 Independent research project within a research group in the chemistry department; arrangements should be made with the faculty member selected. Open to all chemistry majors and other qualified students; required for honors in chemistry. A written report is required each semester.
Prereq: Consent of department.

CHEM 398: Undergraduate Research/Senior Capstone Project

Course information

3-6 Independent project within a research group in the chemistry department or, by approval, within a research group in another Case department. Arrangements should be made by consultation with the faculty member selected and the Senior Capstone Committee of the chemistry department. Open to all chemistry majors and other qualified students. Satisfies the research requirement for Honors in Chemistry. A written report and public oral presentation is required.
Prereq: Consent of department. Approved SAGES Capstone.