Chemistry at Aquinas College

Chemistry Minor

Minor Requirements: Twenty-five (25) semester hours.

  • At least twelve (12) semester hours must be taken at Aquinas.
  • Minors are required to attend six (6) seminars sponsored by the Chemistry Department.
  • An internship or research experience in Chemistry is strongly recommended.
  • A GPA of 2.0 must be maintained and no more than one C- is permitted.
AQUINAS REQUIREMENTS
CY111 General Chemistry I 4.0
CY112 General Chemistry II 4.0
CY211 Organic Chemistry I 4.0
CY212 Organic Chemistry II 4.0
CY215 Quantitative Analysis 4.0
CS152 Spreadsheets 1.0
At least four (4) semester hours from the following:
CY311 Physical Chemistry I 4.0
CY312 Physical Chemistry II 4.0
CY315 Advanced Organic Chemistry 4.0
CY325 Biochemistry 4.0
CY336 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry 4.0
CY346 Instrumental Methods of Analysis (WI) 4.0
CY398 Readings in Chemistry 1.0
CY399 Independent Project 1-3

Courses

  • CS152 Spreadsheets (1)

    This hands-on lab course covers basic spreadsheet functions such as simple formulas, formatting, and print layout using Microsoft Excel. Course projects introduce skills using a variety of formulas and basic functions, charts, and absolute addressing. This course would be beneficial to any students with a desire to analyze numerical data, manage finances, perform simple statistics, or generate charts and graphs.

  • CY111 General Chemistry (4) NL

    A first college course in chemistry designed primarily for science majors. Topics include atomic structure, chemical bonding, molecular structure, properties of gases, solids, and liquids, stoichiometry, and thermochemistry. Three (3) hours of lecture and one 3-hour laboratory period per week. Prerequisites: CY100 or high school chemistry; math placement score of 18 or higher, co-registration in MS114, or completion of MS114 with a C or better. High school physics strongly recommended.

  • CY112 General Chemistry (4)

    A continuation of CY111. Topics include coordination chemistry, descriptive inorganic and organic chemistry, electrochemistry, equilibria, kinetics, and thermodynamics. Three (3) hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory period per week. Prerequisites: CY111 and CS152 with grades of C- or better. Co-enrollment in CY112 and CS152 is allowed with approval of the chemistry department chairperson. This course is not accepted for the Natural World Physical Science requirement.

  • CY211 Organic Chemistry (4)

    This is the first semester of a year-long course in organic chemistry for science majors. Topics include bonding, reaction mechanisms, structure, stereochemistry, and synthesis and reactions of aliphatic hydrocarbons and their derivatives. The correlation of molecular structure to physical properties and instrumentation is introduced. Three (3) hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory period per week. Prerequisite: CY112, with a grade of C- or better, or its equivalent. This course is not accepted for the Natural World Physical Science requirement.

  • CY212 Organic Chemistry (4)

    Continuation of CY211. Topics include carbonyl compounds and reactions, aromatic hydrocarbons, the application of instrumental methods (e.g. UV-vis, IR, NMR, MS) in the identification of the molecular structure, heterocyclic compounds. Multistep synthesis will be introduced. Three (3) hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory period per week. Prerequisite: CY211, with a grade of C– or better, or its equivalent. This course is not accepted for the Natural World Physical Science requirement.

  • CY215 Quantitative Analysis (4) QR

    A first course in chemical analysis. Topics include gravimetric and volumetric methods, statistical applications, ionic equilibria, chromatography, and spectroscopy. Two (2) hours of lecture and two three-hour laboratory periods per week. Prerequisite: CY112 (or equivalent) with a grade of C– or better. This course is not accepted for the Natural World Physical Science requirement.

  • CY311/312 Physical Chemistry I and II (4/4)

    A two-semester course in the theoretical principles of chemistry. Topics include thermodynamics, kinetic theory of gases, phase equilibria, electrochemistry, kinetics, and quantum chemistry. Three (3) hours lecture and one three-hour laboratory period per week each semester. CY 311 offered fall of even-numbered years, CY 312 offered spring of odd-numbered years. Prerequisites for CY311: CY112 and MS122 with grades of C- or better. PC213 is also required but may be taken as a co-enrollment. Prerequisites for CY312: CY311 with a grade of C- or better. PC214 is also required but may be taken as a co-enrollment. This course is not accepted for the Natural World Physical Science requirement.

  • CY315 Advanced Organic Chemistry (4)

    An advanced course in organic chemistry. Topics will include qualitative organic analysis in both traditional and spectroscopic methods, reaction mechanisms and conditions, molecular structure, orbital symmetry, retrograde synthesis, and multistep synthesis. In the laboratory, classical and instrumental methods will be used to identify compounds. Three (3) hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory period per week. Offered fall semester in odd-numbered years. Prerequisite: CY212, with a grade of C- or better, or its equivalent. This course is not accepted for the Natural World Physical Science requirement.

  • CY325 Biochemistry (4)

    A first course in biochemistry for science majors. Topics include biomolecules, enzymes and their mechanisms of action, biological energetics, nucleic acids (their structure and function), and carbohydrate, protein, and lipid metabolism. Three (3) hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory period per week. Prerequisite: CY212, with a grade of C- or better, or its equivalent. This course is not accepted for the Natural World Physical Science requirement.

  • CY336 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (4)

    Principles of inorganic chemistry with emphasis on periodicity, molecular orbital theory, bonding, solid structure, acid/base, reduction/oxidation reactions, and systematic chemistry of the elements. Coordination chemistry and organometallic chemistry will also be discussed. The laboratory will focus on the synthesis and characterization of inorganic compounds. Three (3) hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory period per week. Offered spring semester of even-numbered years. Prerequisite: CY112 with a grade of C- or better. This course is not accepted for the Natural World Physical Science requirement.

  • CY346 Instrumental Methods of Analysis (4) WI

    An introduction to instrumental methods both theoretical and practical. Topics include spectroscopic methods (UV/Visible, IR, Raman, AA, AE, NMR), electrochemical methods (potentiometry and voltammetry), chromatographic methods (GC and HPLC), radiomethods, and thermal methods. Two (2) hours of lecture and two three-hour laboratory periods per week. Prerequisite: CY215 with a grade of C- or better. This course is not accepted for the Natural World Physical Science requirement.

  • CY398 Readings in Chemistry (1–3)

    Individually-negotiated program of readings primarily directed towards literature searches in chemistry. An independent study contract must be filed with the Registrar. Prerequisite: approval of the instructor and the department chairperson. This course is not accepted for the Natural World Physical Science requirement.

  • CY399 Independent Projects (1–3)

    Individually-negotiated projects. An independent study contract must be filed with the Registrar. Prerequisite: approval of the instructor and the department chairperson. This course is not accepted for the Natural World Physical Science requirement.