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Chemistry/Biochemistry–Chemistry Major, Bachelor of Science (BS)

This major program provides the normal preparation in chemistry for students planning employment as chemists and considerable chemical background in preparation for careers outside chemistry. It is appropriate for some students who plan to enter professional schools such as dentistry, or public and environmental health.

Note: a computer programming course is strongly recommended–see your chemistry/biochemistry advisor.

Grade Requirements: due to the cumulative nature of chemistry courses, the department strongly recommends that students receive a grade ≥C in all prerequisite chemistry courses.

Required Courses
CHEM 171
171L
CHEM 172
CHEM 172L
CHEM 173
CHEM 173L
GENERAL CHEMISTRY I
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY II
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY III
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY III
15
CHEM 304
304L
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
and QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS LAB
6
CHEM 319MODERN INORGANIC CHEMISTRY4
CHEM 351ORGANIC CHEMISTRY4
CHEM 352ORGANIC CHEMISTRY4
CHEM 353ORGANIC CHEMISTRY3
CHEM 372ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I3
CHEM 373ORGANIC CHEM LABORATORY II3
CHEM 421PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY4
CHEM 422PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY4
CHEM 423PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY3
CHEM 431PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY1
CHEM 432PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY2
CHEM 433PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY2
CHEM 499DIRECTED STUDY (variable credit course)4
Required Supporting Courses
MATH/HONS 161CALCULUS I5
MATH 162CALCULUS II5
MATH 163CALCULUS III5
PHYS 151GENERAL PHYSICS I4
PHYS 152GENERAL PHYSICS II4
PHYS 153GENERAL PHYSICS III4
PHYS 161MECHANICS LABORATORY1
PHYS 162HEAT AND OPTICS LABORATORY1
PHYS 163ELECTRONICS LABORATORY I1
Electives–choose 300- 400-level CHEM courses – see your chemistry/biochemistry advisor10
Required Senior Capstone
CHEM 491SENIOR THESIS4-6
or CHEM 490 ADVANCED INORGANIC CHEMISTRY OR SENIOR CAPSTONE
Total Credits106-108

Plan of Study

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses may be offered in different terms and not all courses are offered every term, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. There may be some courses that have required prerequisites not listed in the plan, review the course descriptions for information. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
CHEM 171
171L (Natural Science BACR 1)
5CHEM 172
172L (Natural Science BACR 2)
5CHEM 173
173L
5
ENGL 1015ENGL 2015MATH 1635
MATH 1615MATH 1625Social Science BACR 115
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
CHEM 304
304L
6CHEM 3194PHYS 1534
PHYS 1514PHYS 1524PHYS 1631
PHYS 1611PHYS 1621Humanities & Arts BACR 215
Humanities & Arts BACR 115Social Science BACR 225Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 16 14 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
CHEM 3514CHEM 3524CHEM 3533
Chemistry Elective22CHEM 3723CHEM 3733
Global Studies - graduation requirement15Chemistry Elective24Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective4Diversity - graduation requirement15Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 15 16 16
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
CHEM 4214CHEM 4224CHEM 4233
CHEM 4311CHEM 4322CHEM 4332
CHEM 4992CHEM 4992CHEM 490 or 491 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)4-6
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Chemistry Elective24
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5  
 17 13 13-15
Total Credits 180-182
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Electives–choose ten credits of 300- 400-level CHEM courses – see your chemistry/biochemistry advisor.

University Competencies and Proficiencies

English 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB


General Education Requirements (GER)
  • Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours 
    • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences


University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List


Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term you expect to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.
Requirements in Degree Works are based on these two catalog years:

  1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Credit Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
  2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Students who earn a BS in Chemistry/Biochemistry–Chemistry from EWU should be able to:​​​
  • demonstrate a broad-based knowledge of major concepts in the areas of inorganic, organic, analytical and physical chemistry;
  • demonstrate sufficient preparation in chemistry to successfully compete in a graduate or professional program or to realize employment in a chemistry- or biochemistry-related career;
  • demonstrate a capacity to use modern instrumentation and classical techniques for the analysis and/or separation of chemicals and an ability to interpret data;
  • demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills and critical thinking skills as related to the field of chemistry;
  • demonstrate knowledge of safe practices in the handling, usage and disposal of chemicals.