Requirements
A student majoring in chemistry is required to take a minimum of 70 credits in the subject and will take courses in the core areas of general chemistry, analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and biochemistry. For transfer students, a minimum of 20 credits in upper-division chemistry courses must be earned at PSU.
In addition to meeting the general University degree requirements, the major in chemistry must meet the following departmental requirements:
Option I: Chemistry
| Ch 221 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| Ch 222 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| Ch 223 | General Chemistry III | 4 |
| Ch 227 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| Ch 228 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| Ch 229 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| Ch 320 | Quantitative Analysis | 4 |
| Ch 321 | Quantitative Analysis Laboratory | 2 |
| Ch 334 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
| Ch 335 | Organic Chemistry II | 4 |
| Ch 336 | Organic Chemistry III | 4 |
| Ch 337 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | 2 |
| Ch 339 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory II (chem majors) | 3 |
| Ch 426 | Instrumental Analysis | 4 |
| Ch 427 | Instrumental Analysis Laboratory | 4 |
| | | |
| Ch 436 | Spectrometric Analysis | 3 |
| | And | |
| Ch 437 | Spectrometric Analysis Laboratory | 1 |
| | or | |
| Ch 411 | Advanced Inorganic Chemistry I | 4 |
| | or | |
| Ch 412 | Advanced Inorganic Chemistry II | 4 |
| | | |
| Ch 440 | Physical Chemistry I | 4 |
| Ch 441 | Physical Chemistry II | 4 |
| Ch 442 | Physical Chemistry III | 4 |
| Ch 443 | Numerical Data Analysis and Modeling in Chemistry | 2 |
| Ch 444 | Physical Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| Ch 4XX | Two approved 400-level chemistry courses | 6-8 |
| | One year of physics with calculus with laboratory | 15 |
| | Calculus through Mth 253 or equivalent | 12 |
Option II: Biochemistry
| Ch 221 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| Ch 222 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| Ch 223 | General Chemistry III | 4 |
| Ch 227 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| Ch 228 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| Ch 229 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| Ch 320 | Quantitative Analysis | 4 |
| Ch 321 | Quantitative Analysis Laboratory | 2 |
| Ch 334 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
| Ch 335 | Organic Chemistry II | 4 |
| Ch 336 | Organic Chemistry III | 4 |
| Ch 337 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | 2 |
| Ch 339 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory II (chem majors) | 3 |
| Ch 440 | Physical Chemistry I | 4 |
| Ch 441 | Physical Chemistry II | 4 |
| Ch 426 | Instrumental Analysis | 4 |
| Ch 427 | Instrumental Analysis Laboratory | 4 |
| Ch 490 | Biochemistry: Structure and Function | 4 |
| Ch 491 | Biochemistry: Enzymology and Metabolism | 4 |
| Ch 492 | Biochemistry: Nucleic Acids and Biological Information Flow | 4 |
| Ch 493 | Biochemistry Laboratory | 3 |
| | Two approved 400-level science electives 6-8 | 6-8 |
| | Calculus through Mth 253 or equivalent | 12 |
| | One year of physics with calculus with laboratory | 15 |
| Bi 211 | Principles of Biology I | 4 |
| Bi 212 | Principles of Biology II | 4 |
| Bi 213 | Principles of Biology III | 4 |
| Bi 214 | Principles of Biology Lab I | 1 |
| Bi 215 | Principles of Biology Lab II | 1 |
| Bi 216 | Principles of Biology Lab III | 1 |
All courses used to satisfy the departmental major requirements, whether taken in the department or elsewhere, including courses from supporting departments (e.g., mathematics, physics, and biology), must be graded C- or above, with a combined GPA of 2.25 or higher, except for those major course requirements offered only on a pass/no pass basis. If an unsatisfactory grade is received in an upper-division course offered in the Department of Chemistry, a student will be allowed to retake the course to improve their grade only once.
A student will be certified by the American Chemical Society and is eligible to become a member of the society after graduation, if the student is following Option I, and if the 400-level chemistry electives include Ch 411, Ch 490 (or Ch 350), and a lab course that includes at least 30 clock hours (including Ch 401 and Ch 406).
The Department of Chemistry has an approved thesis-based Honors Degree program. Interested students should consult the Chemistry website and meet with the departmental Honors adviser for details.