BS in Chemistry

Below is a sample 4-year plan for the American Chemical Society Certified BS degree in Chemistry. To view the list of courses approved to fulfill KU Core Goals, please visit the KU Core website.

This degree plan assumes students will have the equivalent of MATH 103 or MATH 104 prior to freshman year, fall semester.

Freshman
FallHoursSpringHours
Goal 2.1 Written Communication (1 of 2)3Goal 2.1 Written Communication (2 of 2)3
MATH 125 or 145 (Goal 1.2 Quantitative Literacy)4Goal 2.2 Communication3
First Year Seminar or Goal 1.1 Critical Thinking3MATH 126 or 146 (Major Pre-requisite)4
CHEM 170, 130, or 190 (Goal 3 Natural Science, Major Requirement)1,25CHEM 175, 135, or 195 (Major Requirement) 25
CHEM 180 (Major Requirement)20.5 
 15.5 15
Sophomore
FallHoursSpringHours
Goal 3 Arts and Humanities3PHSX 212
PHSX 236 (Major Pre-requisite)
4
PHSX 211
PHSX 216 (Major Pre-requisite)
5CHEM 250 (Major Requirement)23
MATH 127 or 147 (Major Pre-requisite)4CHEM 335 or 385 (Major Requirement)23
CHEM 330 or 380 (Major Requirement)23CHEM 336 (Major Requirement)22
CHEM 331 (Major Requirement)22Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours33
 17 15
Junior
FallHoursSpringHours
CHEM 201 (Major Requirement)21CHEM 535 (Major Requirement)23
CHEM 400 (Major Requirement)23CHEM 537 (Major Requirement)23
CHEM 401 (Major Requirement)22Goal 4.1 US Diversity3
CHEM 530 (Major Requirement)24Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours33
Goal 3 Social Science3Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours33
Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours33 
 16 15
Senior
FallHoursSpringHours
CHEM 695 (Major Requirement)20.5CHEM 635 (Major Requirement) 2,42
CHEM 698 or 699 (Goal 6 Integration & Creativity)42CHEM 636 (Goal 6 Integration & Creativity) 2,43
CHEM 660 (Major Requirement)23CHEM 661 (Major Requirement) 22
BIOL 636 (Major Requirement) 4CHEM 698 or 699 (Goal 6 Integration & Creativity) 41
Goal 4.2 Global Awareness3Goal 5 Social Responsibility & Ethics3
 Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours33
 12.5 14
Total Hours 120
1

CHEM 170 requires eligibility for MATH 115 in order to enroll.

2

Refer to the Course Frequency Chart to see which semesters Chemistry courses are offered (Honors and upper division courses tend to only be offered once per academic year).

3

Hour requirements (incl. 45 jr/sr hrs) are typically met through KU core, degree, major, second area of study and/or elective hours.  Students completing the BGS with a major must choose a secondary area of study.  Individual degree mapping is done in partnership with your advisor.

4

A Goal 6 course is required to fulfill the KU Core. Students can elect to enroll in CHEM 636 Instrumental Methods of Analysis Lab or 3 hours of undergraduate research (CHEM 698 or CHEM 699).  Students who elect to take CHEM 636 must also take the co-requisite course CHEM 635 Instrumental Methods of Analysis. 

Please note:

All students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are required to complete 120 total hours of which 45 hours must be at the Jr/Sr (300+) level.

The same course cannot be used to fulfill more than one KU Core Goal. However, overlap of a KU Core course with a major or degree-specific requirement is allowed. Overlapping is recommended to allow more opportunities to explore other majors and/or minors.