University Catalog > College of Science > Chemistry and Biochemistry

Chemistry and Biochemistry

• Faculty
• Course Work
• Undergraduate Programs
  • Chemistry, BA
    • Concentration in Biochemistry
  • Chemistry, BS
    • Concentration in Biochemistry
    • Concentration in Chemistry Education
    • Writing-Intensive Requirement
  • Honors Program in Chemistry
  • Minor in Chemistry
  • Certificate in Environmental Chemistry
  • Premedical, Predental, and Preveterinary Students
  • Chemistry Club
  • Teacher Licensure
  • Chemistry, Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Degree
• Graduate Programs
  • Chemistry, MS
    • Admission Requirements
    • Degree Requirements
    • Thesis Option, Chemistry
    • Nonthesis Option, Chemistry
    • Concentration in Biochemistry, Thesis Option
    • Concentration in Biochemistry, Nonthesis Option
  • Physical Sciences, PhD

Phone: 703-993-1070
Web: chemistry.gmu.edu

Faculty

Professors:Blaisten-Barojas, Cozzens, Davies, Foster (chair), Mose, Mushrush

Associate professors: Chen, Davis (associate chair), Hatton, Honeychuck, Hussam, Schreifels, Slayden, Weatherspoon

Assistant professors: Bishop, Born, Kort

Course Work

This department offers all course work designated CHEM in the “Course Descriptions” chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

Chemistry, BA

This program, when coordinated with the necessary courses in education, meets requirements for teacher licensure (see below). It also meets requirements for entrance to medical and other professional schools.

In addition to satisfying the university-wide general education requirements and requirements for the BA degree in COS, students majoring in chemistry must complete the following. (Through the course work below, chemistry majors satisfy the university-wide general education requirements in natural science and quantitative reasoning.)

• 37 credits of chemistry: CHEM 211, 212, 313, 314, 315, 318, 321, 331, 332, 336, and 337; and 5 credits of electives in chemistry
• 11 credits of math: MATH 113, 114, and 213
• 8 to 12 credits of physics: PHYS 243-246 (8 credits), or PHYS 160, 260-263 (12 credits)

Concentration in Biochemistry

This program is for students interested in studying chemistry at its interface with the biological sciences. Those interested in health science careers can obtain an excellent science background through this concentration.

In addition to satisfying the university-wide general education requirements and requirements for the BA degree in COS, students majoring in chemistry with a concentration in biochemistry must complete the following. (Through the course work below, majors satisfy the university-wide general education requirements in natural science and quantitative reasoning.)

• 37 credits of chemistry: CHEM 211, 212, 313, 314, 315, 318, 321, 333, 334, 446, 463, 465
• 11 credits of math and statistics: MATH 113, 114; STAT 250
• 8 credits of physics: PHYS 243-246
• 4 credits of biology BIOL 213

Chemistry, BS

This program is approved by the American Chemical Society; upon completion, students are certified to the society. Students planning professional careers in chemistry should choose this degree.

In addition to satisfying university-wide general education requirements for the BS degree, students majoring in chemistry must complete the following with a minimum GPA of 2.00. No more than two courses with a grade of D (1.00) may be applied to the major. (Through the course work below, chemistry majors satisfy the university-wide requirements in natural science and quantitative reasoning.)

• 52 credits of chemistry: CHEM 211, 212, 313, 314, 315, 318, 321, 331, 332, 336, 337, 350, 422, 423, 441, 445, and 463; and 3 credits of electives in chemistry
• 14 credits of math: MATH 113, 114, 213, 214
• 8 to 12 credits of physics: PHYS 243-246 (8 credits), or PHYS 160, 260-263 (12 credits)

Concentration in Biochemistry

Students planning professional careers in biochemistry, the pharmaceutical industry, medicine, biotechnology, or related fields with a chemistry emphasis should choose this program instead of the traditional BS in chemistry. This concentration provides students with a focus on biochemistry while retaining a strong chemistry foundation. Students are allowed to tailor the concentration to their interests with 9 credits of electives.

In addition to satisfying university-wide general education requirements for the BS degree, students majoring in chemistry with a concentration in biochemistry must complete the following with a minimum GPA of 2.00. No more than two courses with a grade of D (1.00) may be applied to the major. (Through the course work below, they satisfy the university-wide requirements in natural science and quantitative reasoning.)

• 45 credits of chemistry courses: CHEM 211, 212, 313, 314, 315, 318, 321, 331 or 333, 332 or 334, 336, 350, 446, 463, 464, 465
• 8 credits of math: MATH 113, 114
• 8 to 12 credits of physics: PHYS 243-246 or PHYS 160, 260-263.
• 8 credits of biology: BIOL 213, 305, 306
• 9 credits of approved science electives chosen from chemistry or biology courses at the 302-level or above. Courses from other disciplines may be submitted as electives, subject to approval of the coordinator.

Concentration in Chemistry Education

Those interested in teaching high school chemistry should choose this major. This degree is approved by the American Chemical Society, and leads to state licensure to teach in Virginia upon completion of the degree.

In addition to satisfying the university-wide general education requirements for the BS degree, students majoring in chemistry education must present the following:

• 41 credits of chemistry courses: CHEM 211, 212, 313, 314, 315, 321, 331 or 333, 350, 446, 463, 470, 336 or 465, upper-level chemistry elective
• 11 credits of math: MATH 113, 114; STAT 250
• 8 to 12 credits of physics: PHYS 243 - 246, or PHYS 160, 260-263
• 8 credits of other general science: BIOL 103 or 213, and GEOL 101
• 21 credits of education courses: EDUC 422, 472; EDCI 473, 483, 491; EDRD 419

The course work above satisfies university-wide requirements in natural science and quantitative reasoning.

During the sophomore year, students should contact the Graduate School of Education and arrange to attend an information session, and take the PRAXIS I and II exams.

Writing-Intensive Requirement

Mason requires all students to complete at least one course designated as writing intensive in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students majoring in chemistry fulfill this requirement by successfully completing CHEM 336, 337, or 465.

Honors Program in Chemistry

Chemistry majors who have completed prerequisites for CHEM 455 and 456 Honors Research in Chemistry, and who have maintained an overall GPA of at least 3.00 in mathematics and science courses, are eligible to enter the departmental honors program. To graduate with honors in chemistry, a student is required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 in mathematics and science courses, and successfully complete the two semesters of CHEM 455 and 456 with a minimum GPA of 3.50.

Minor in Chemistry

The department offers a minor in chemistry. The program requires 16 credits of chemistry at the 300 level or above with a minimum GPA of 2.00. For policies governing all minors, see the Academic Policies chapter of this catalog.

Certificate in Environmental Chemistry

The department offers an undergraduate certificate program in environmental chemistry. The program consists of 35 credits of course work dealing directly with environmental studies. To receive the certificate, students must hold a baccalaureate degree in any major, or be earning one from Mason at the time they receive the certificate. Substitutions from the following list of required courses are allowed but require permission from the environmental chemistry certificate director: BIOL 377; CHEM 313, 314, 315, 318, 321, 331 or 333, 505, 554; EVPP 301, 454; STAT 344. To optimize employment and graduate school opportunities, students are encouraged to take additional courses in natural science, computer science, and environmental law.

Premedical, Predental, and Preveterinary Students

Students planning medical, dental, or veterinary careers may meet the requirements of these professional schools by majoring in chemistry. Students should consult with the premedical advisor for chemistry.

Chemistry Club

The Chemistry Club provides a social and informational network for students. It serves the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry by sponsoring informational programs, and allowing students to work at university events.

Teacher Licensure

Students who wish to become teachers should consult the CEHD chapter and attend an information session early in their undergraduate career. For more information, call 703-993-2892, e-mail gseadmit@gmu.edu, or go to gse.gmu.edu.

Chemistry, Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Degree

A five-year bachelor’s/accelerated master’s degree program leads to a research-based MS degree following satisfactory completion of 144 credits. It allows academically strong undergraduates with a commitment to research to obtain BS and MS degrees within five academic years plus the summer of the last year. On completion of this program, students will be exceptionally well prepared for entry into a professional school or a PhD program in chemistry or a related discipline. Well-prepared students can enter this program after completing 90 credits, and can enroll in graduate courses when they have successfully completed prerequisites. This flexibility makes it possible for students to complete some of their graduate classes during their junior and senior years. Consult the department for details on the program.

Graduate Programs

The department offers an MS in chemistry with a research project (thesis option), or an all-course-work program (nonthesis option). Within the MS, students may pursue a concentration in biochemistry. The PhD in all branches of chemistry is available through the degrees in environmental science and policy, bioscience, and physical sciences, while an area of concentration in computational chemistry is available through the PhD in computational sciences and informatics program offered in conjunction with the Department of Computational and Data Sciences.

Chemistry, MS

The MS in chemistry provides advanced training for recent college graduates, professionals in teaching, and technical workers in research organizations who have an interest in chemistry or biochemistry.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to degree status, students must have a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biochemistry, or a related field from an accredited institution, and must meet general admission requirements for graduate study. Admission is based on a departmental evaluation of the applicant’s background as evidenced by transcripts and letters of recommendation. Applicants who received a bachelor’s degree more than five years before the application date must submit a resume.

Degree Requirements

To receive a MS in chemistry, students must complete 30 credits of graduate work. The thesis option is for students planning to pursue a doctoral degree or a career in the chemical, biochemical, or pharmaceutical industry. The thesis is based on research that must be preapproved by the thesis or advisory committee, which is appointed during the first semester of registration in CHEM 799. Students who select the thesis option complete 6 credits of 799, and present a seminar followed by an oral defense. Students in this option are expected to choose a laboratory advisor during their first semester in the program, and begin working on their thesis project no later than the second semester.

The nonthesis option is for those seeking to go on to professional school, teach chemistry in secondary schools, or pursue other careers in which advanced work in chemistry is necessary or advantageous. Students selecting this option are not required to complete a laboratory-based thesis. Instead, they are required to take an additional elective in chemistry (or biochemistry) and either complete a research project or gain teaching experience in undergraduate chemistry labs, as described below.

Core courses may be taken as electives beyond the stated credit requirement for each option. CHEM 500 and 501 may not be applied toward the MS degree. CHEM 502 through 510 may be applied toward the MS degree only with prior written approval of the department.

Thesis Option, Chemistry

This program is specifically designed for students who wish to pursue a doctoral degree or a career in the chemical industry. Students must complete the following requirements:

• CHEM 633
• 9 credits from the different core areas of chemistry (analytical, biochemical, environmental, inorganic, and organic). Classes that fulfill this requirement are specifically designated in the catalog as core classes.
• 3 credits of electives within chemistry. Eligible classes must have a CHEM designation.
• 6 credits of electives within chemistry or related fields. Classes used to fulfill this requirement need to be approved by the Graduate Committee prior to registration.
• 3 credits of CHEM 690, graduate seminar.
• 6 credits of CHEM 799, thesis research.

Nonthesis Option, Chemistry

This program is specifically designed for students seeking to go on to professional school, teach chemistry in secondary schools, or pursue other careers in which advanced work in chemistry is necessary or advantageous. Students must complete the following requirements:

• CHEM 633
• 9 credits from the different core areas of chemistry (analytical, biochemical, environmental, inorganic, and organic). Classes that fulfill this requirement are specifically designated in the catalog as core classes.
• 6 credits of electives within chemistry. Eligible classes must have a CHEM designation.
• 6 credits of electives within chemistry or related fields. Classes used to fulfill this requirement need to be approved by the Graduate Committee prior to registration.
• 3 credits of CHEM 690, graduate seminar
• 3 credits of CHEM 670/Chem 579 (see below)

Any combination of CHEM 670 and CHEM 579 may be used to fulfill the 3-credit requirement listed above. CHEM 579 may be used to fulfill these requirements only with prior written approval of the department, and must be used to complete a laboratory- or library-based research project or enhance the teaching skills of the student.

Concentration in Biochemistry, Thesis Option

This program is specifically designed for students who wish to pursue a doctoral degree or a career in the biochemical or pharmaceutical industry. Students must complete the following requirements:

• 9 credits from the different core areas of chemistry (analytical, biochemical, environmental, inorganic, and organic). Classes which fulfill this requirement are specifically designated in the catalog as core classes.
• 6 credits of electives in biochemistry. A list of approved biochemistry electives may be obtained from the department.
• 3 credits of electives within chemistry. Eligible classes must have a CHEM designation.
• CHEM 531 or 633. The specific requirement for each student will be made by the departmental graduate admissions committee at the time of acceptance into the program.
• 3 credits of CHEM 690, graduate seminar
• 6 credits of CHEM 799, thesis research

Concentration in Biochemistry, Nonthesis Option

This program is specifically designed for students seeking to go on to professional school, teach biochemistry in secondary schools, or pursue other careers in which advanced work in biochemistry is necessary or advantageous. Students must complete the following requirements:

• 9 credits from the different core areas of chemistry (analytical, biochemical, environmental, inorganic, and organic). Classes that fulfill this requirement are specifically designated in the catalog as core classes.
• 9 credits of electives in biochemistry. A list of approved biochemistry electives may be obtained from the department.
• 3 credits of electives within chemistry. Eligible classes must have a CHEM designation.
• CHEM 531 or 633. The specific requirement for each student will be made by the departmental graduate admissions committee at the time of acceptance into the program.
• 3 credits of CHEM 690, graduate seminar.
• 3 credits of CHEM 670/Chem 579 (see below)

Any combination of CHEM 670 and 579 may be used to fulfill the 3-credit requirement listed above. CHEM 579 may be used to fulfill these requirements only with prior written approval of the department, and must be used to complete a laboratory- or library-based research project or to enhance the teaching skills of the student.

Physical Sciences, PhD

The department participates in the PhD in physical sciences administered by the Department of Physics and Astronomy.