Inside Chemistry

Requirements for The Interdisciplinary Major in the Sciences with Primary Emphasis in Chemistry

The "Interdisciplinary Major in the Sciences" provides a general pattern that students can use to tailor a major from courses in Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and Geology. One discipline needs to be declared as a "primary" discipline, and another as "secondary." While most students who declare such a major with chemistry as their primary discipline have biology as a secondary interest, some do Chemistry/Geology or Chemistry/Physics combinations. This interdisciplinary major, with primary emphasis either in chemistry or in biology, has been particularly popular among Lawrence's pre-medical students. Because of the long and cumbersome name of this major option, it is usually informally referred to as "Chem/Bio" or "Chem/Geo" or, if the primary emphasis is in biology and the secondary emphasis in chemistry, "Bio/Chem."

Requirements for the Interdisciplinary Major in the Sciences, with Primary Emphasis in Chemistry:

• Introductory Courses:
  • Principles of Chemistry: CHEM 115 & 116, or
    Accelerated General Chemistry: CHEM 119,
    or the equivalent;
  • Two terms of Physics, normally PHYS 150,160
  • Two introductory courses in one of:
    • Biology (usually BIOL 110 Principles of Biology, and 140 General Zoology); OR
    • Geology (usually GEOL 101 Introductory Geology, and 210 History of the Earth and Life)
• Intermediate and Advanced Courses: At least 10 courses, all numbered 200 or above, in Chemistry, Biology, Physics, or Geology:
  • at least 5 of these must be in Chemistry, and
  • at least 3 must be in the discipline of secondary emphasis.
• At least one course credit (6 units) earned in the Chemistry Seminar series of courses (Chemistry 380, 480, 680).

Last updated September 2006

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