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DEPARTMENT OFFICE
Physical Sciences 616
Phone: (323) 343-2300
E-mail: chmbioc@calstatela.edu
Website: www.calstatela.edu/dept/chem/index.htm

Consult the departmental web page at www.calstatela.edu/dept/chem/index.htm for the e-mail addresses and telephone numbers of the current department chair, undergraduate adviser and graduate adviser.

Undergraduate Studies Chemistry and biochemistry provide understanding of molecular structure and reactivity and thus are central for the study of physical and biological phenomena. The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers three undergraduate degrees: the Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, the Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and the Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry. The department participates in the B.S. in Natural Sciences degree program through its Chemistry Option. The department also offers a minor in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology.

Students who earn the B.S. degree in chemistry or biochemistry are prepared to enter careers in chemical, material science, pharmaceutical, biochemical and molecular life sciences industries; careers in government and academic laboratories; and to pursue advanced education in graduate and professional schools. The B.A. in Chemistry provides a liberal education with a major in chemistry and is designed to suit the needs of those who plan to go into non-laboratory careers where a chemistry background is useful. Students pursuing a B.S. degree in Biochemistry or a B.A. degree in Chemistry may qualify for entrance into health professional schools such as medical, dental, pharmacy, etc. by selecting appropriate elective courses within their program while those students pursuing a B.S. degree in Chemistry may qualify for entrance into these professional schools by taking several additional courses. The Chemistry Option in the B.S. in Natural Science is designed for students who plan to be high school Chemistry teachers.
Undergraduates in all of these degree programs are encouraged to broaden their educational experience by participating in a research project under the direction of one of the department’s faculty members. The department has a strong tradition of involving undergraduates in research and these students are often provided financial support through research grants.

Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (BINF minor). The BINF minor provides a deep understanding of bioinformatics software programs and databases that are utilized to make discoveries in molecular life sciences. The BINF minor teaches students how to create software programs that analyze molecular life science data. Students who earn a BINF minor are prepared for fields for more advanced studies in bioinformatics, systems biology, genomics, and computational biology. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries offer career opportunities for those with advanced BINF training. The BINF minor provides preparation for students to pursue graduate and professional schools.

Graduate Studies The Master of Science degree programs prepare students for supervisory positions in industry, teaching positions in community colleges, or more advanced study toward the Ph.D. degree in chemistry, biochemistry, or molecular life sciences. The M.S. Chemistry degree program includes three options: the thesis option, the Biochemistry option and the Comprehensive Examination option. The thesis option and the Biochemistry option provide extensive research training, and are recommended for those students who wish to pursue a career as a laboratory scientist or to continue their education in a doctoral program. The Comprehensive Examination option is intended for persons in industry or government who need to develop a more current understanding of chemistry and for other specific areas of chemical application in which an advanced degree is beneficial. The Comprehensive Examination option is not recommended for students who wish to continue to a doctoral program in chemistry, nor for those who intend to upgrade their laboratory research capabilities significantly.

The Faculty

Professors: Yong Ba, Krishna Foster, Raymond E. Garcia, Frank A. Gomez, Scott D. Grover (Chair), Carlos G. Gutiérrez, Jamil Momand, Scott L. Nickolaisen, Matthias Selke, Wayne R. Tikkanen, Linda M. Tunstad, Robert L. Vellanoweth, Feimeng Zhou.
Associate Professors: Alison McCurdy, James Rudd.
Assistant Professors: Xin Wen.
Emeriti: Costello L. Brown, Joseph Casanova, Jr., Douglas L. Currell, Phoebe K. Dea, Lloyd N. Ferguson, Anthony Fratiello, Harold Goldwhite, Richard T. Keys, Hendrik Keyzer, Anthony Moye, Thomas P. Onak, Donald R. Paulson, Stanley H. Pine.

Undergraduate Degrees

Students who expect to earn a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or Biochemistry in the minimum time should include courses in chemistry, physics, geometry, trigonometry, and algebra (two years) in their high school preparation.

It should also be noted that the chemistry programs are tightly structured and that students should begin calculus and physics sequences at the earliest possible time in order to complete the degree in four years.

For Chemistry and Biochemistry majors, only courses with a grade of C- or higher in the major program are credited toward the degree. Successful completion of the major requires a minimum C (2.0) overall grade point average in required courses and a minimum C (2.0) grade point average in upper division required courses and electives. Students who have taken community college organic chemistry have the option of earning credit by examination in CHEM 301A , 301B , and/or 301C .

Departmental Honors Program

A departmental honors program in Chemistry is offered for students who possess a minimum B (3.0) grade point average in all college work and in chemistry, averaged separately, and who are recommended in writing by two members of the faculty.

The program is designed to encourage independent study and to provide an introduction to research. The traditional curriculum is enriched by the selection of electives that provide depth in areas outside the field of chemistry.

Honor students are assisted by an honors adviser in planning their programs. Enrollment in CHEM 196  and 396  and a written thesis are required parts of the program. Diplomas and transcripts of honors program graduates are designated: “Graduated with Departmental Honors in Chemistry.”

The Credential Program

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry participates in the interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science degree program in Natural Science, which has been approved for the Single Subject credential in Science. The Chemistry Option in this program is described in the section of the catalog dealing with the Natural Science degree. In addition, holders of a Single Subject credential issued by the state of California may complete the supplementary authorization program described below.

Programs for this Department:

Undergraduate Major

• Biochemistry, B.S. 
• Chemistry, B.A. 
• Chemistry, B.S. 

Minor
• Minor in Bioinformatics 
Graduate Major

• Chemistry, M.S. 
Credential

• Chemistry and Biochemistry Credential Program 
• Chemistry Credential Program 
 

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