Academic Information
Course Descriptions - Reed College Catalog
Major Requirements
- Chemistry
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (Interdisciplinary major)
- Chemistry-Physics (Interdisciplinary major)
Transfer Credit
AP Credit
Junior Qualifying Examination
Senior Thesis
- Library Research Guide + Information for Seniors
Dual Degree Programs
Summer Work & Research
Major Requirements for Chemistry
The following courses are required for the chemistry major (this list does not include general college requirements for graduation):
- Chemistry 101 (Molecular Structure and Properties) and 102 (Chemical Reactivity); 201 and 202 (Organic Chemistry); 212 (Introductory Inorganic Chemistry); 311 (Analytical Chemistry); 316 (Physical Chemistry Laboratory), 332 (Statistical Thermodynamics and Chemical Dynamics) and 333 (Quantum Mechanics and Molecular Structure); 470 (Thesis).
- Physics 100 (General Physics I).
- Mathematics 111 (Calculus); 112 (Introduction to Analysis); 211 (Multivariable Calculus I).
Students who complete the necessary courses can qualify for certification by the American Chemical Society. The Society has recently adopted new rules for certification and the consequences have not yet been worked out for our majors. Interested students should consult a faculty member in the department for more information.
Students with special interests in physical and theoretical chemistry should take Math 212 (Multivariable Caculus II), Phys 200 (General Physics II), and Chem 324 (Advanced Mechanistic Organic Chemistry). Students contemplating graduate work in biochemistry or related fields should take Chem 391 (Structural Biochemistry), 392 (Metabolic Biochemistry), and 394 (Biochemical Methods). Students interested in these areas should also consult with an adviser concerning more advanced courses in other fields.
There are many ways for chemistry students to arrange their course schedules. One common pattern for students who begin studying chemistry in their first year looks like this:
Hum 110
Chem 101
Math 111Hum 110
Chem 102
Math 112Chem 201
Math 211
Phys 100
Group A or BChem 202
Chem 212
Phys 100
Group A or B
Students who wait until their second year to begin studying chemistry should consider this pattern:
Chem 101
Math 111
Phys 100
Group A or BChem 102
Math 112
Phys 100
Group A or BChem 201
Chem 311
Math 211
Group A or BChem 202
Chem 212
Group A or B
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Major Requirements for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Interdisciplinary Major)
The biochemistry and molecular biology interdisciplinary major was designed in recognition of the increasing intimacy of the subject matter, objectives, and methodology of biochemistry and a variety of related biological disciplines. It is expected that students will declare this major no later than the end of the sophomore year. Later declarations of a biochemistry and molecular biology major will require special justification and must be accompanied by a petition to the committee.
The following courses are required for the major (this list does not include general college requirements for graduation):
- Biology 101 and 102 (Introductory Biology); 361 (Genetics) or 356 (Genetics and Gene Regulation); and two additional units in biology, both of which must be full lecture-laboratory courses, selected from the following: 322 (Plant Physiology), 351 (Developmental Biology), 358 (Microbiology), 372 (Cellular Biology), and 381 (Animal Physiology).
- Chemistry 101 (Molecular Structure and Properties) and 102 (Chemical Reactivity); 201 and 202 (Organic Chemistry); 311 (Analytical Chemistry); 332 (Statistical Thermodynamics and Chemical Dynamics); and 391/392/394 (Biochemistry sequence).
- Physics 100 (General Physics I).
- Mathematics 111 (Calculus) and 112 (Introduction to Analysis). Mathematics 112 may be substituted by taking Mathematics 141 (Introduction to Probability and Statistics) only after consultation with a member of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Interdisciplinary Committee.
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 470 (Thesis); candidates must submit a brief proposal to the interdisciplinary committee by the end of the second week of the semester in which thesis work is to commence.
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Major Requirements for Chemistry-Physics (Interdisciplinary Major)
The chemistry-physics program is for the student whose intellectual interests or career objectives span these two fields. It provides a richer foundation in physics than does the usual major in chemistry for students anticipating graduate study in chemical physics or theoretical physical chemistry. It also offers experience in theoretical and experimental chemistry beyond the usual major in physics for students interested in molecular and solid-state physics or applied physics. The sequence of courses to satisfy interdisciplinary aims is arranged among the student and the chemistry and physics faculty members who coordinate the program. Candidates must pass the qualifying examinations in both chemistry and physics before registering for thesis.
The following courses are required for the major (this list does not include general college requirements for graduation):
- Chemistry 101 (Molecular Structure and Properties) and 102 (Chemical Reactivity); 201 and 202 (Organic Chemistry) lectures only; Chemistry 212 (Introductory Inorganic Chemistry).
- Physics 100 and 200 (General Physics I and II); 311 (Classical Mechanics I); 321 and 322 (Electrodynamics I and II).
- Mathematics 111 (Calculus); 112 (Introduction to Analysis); 211 (Multivariable Calculus I), 212, 331.
- Chemistry 332 (Statistical Thermodynamics and Chemical Dynamics) or Physics 351 (Thermal Physics).
- Chemistry 333 (Quantum Mechanics and Molecular Structure) or Physics 342 (Quantum Mechanics I).
- Chemistry 311 (Analytical Chemistry) and 316 (Physical Chemistry Laboratory), or Physics 331 (Advanced Laboratory I) and 332 (Advanced Laboratory II).
- Chemistry-Physics 470 (Thesis); the thesis must clearly bridge the two fields.
Students should recognize the hierarchy of prerequisites for many of these courses. Normally, the courses numbered from 100 should be taken in the first year at Reed, and those numbered from 200 should be taken in the second year. Students with an interest in these two fields should consult with both members of the Chemistry-Physics Committee as early as possible to plan a program.
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Transfer Credit
Information about geology courses and group C credit
Students who take courses at other institutions can often transfer this work to Reed for academic credit. Students majoring in chemistry and related fields are generally not encouraged to take summer courses in their major discipline at other institutions, and students considering summer courses should discuss their options with their academic adviser (some routine exceptions to this policy include students who are getting a late start on chemistry or who wish to study abroad).
Most transfer credit requests relate to Chemistry 101/102 ("General Chemistry") and 201/202 (Organic Chemistry). Both Reed courses are two-semester lecture-conference-laboratory courses. Full transfer credit is allowed for these courses only if the transfer course contains lecture and laboratory work of comparable content.
"Comparable content" for the lecture portion of a transfer course can usually be satisfied if the course is intended for chemistry majors at the other institution. Chemistry courses taken at community colleges are problematic in this respect since these colleges do not offer four-year degree programs.
"Comparable content" for the laboratory portion of a transfer course is usually determined by the number of hours spent in lab. The transfer course should require at least 2/3 or more of the scheduled lab hours required by the corresponding Reed course (Chem 101/102 has 78 hours of scheduled lab work and Chem 201/202 has 104 hours of scheduled lab work).
Although Reed's "credit transfer" form asks for the signature of the department chair, Chemistry department policy is to have the appropriate Reed instructor review the transfer request before it goes to the department chair. Requests relating to Chem 101/102 should be reviewed by Drs. Geselbracht and Glasfeld, respectively. Requests relating to Chem 201/202 should be reviewed by Drs. Shusterman and McDougal, respectively. Please bring documentation regarding course content with you (usually one of the following documents will suffice: course syllabus, college catalog, Web URL for course description, textbook name/author + chapters covered).
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AP Credit (updated August 28, 2008)
Students who have earned a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Chemistry exam may receive one unit of college credit.
Students who would like to combine their AP experience with Reed chemistry courses have several options open to them. However, in no case will a student ever receive more than two units of college credit for any combination of AP, Chemistry 101, and Chemistry 102.
Most often, we expect that students planning to continue their education in Chemistry at Reed will complete both Chemistry 101 and 102. At this point, the AP credit will be rescinded (students who complete only 101 will keep their AP credit).
A student who has earned a 5 on the AP exam and who has also earned an A or A- grade in Chemistry 101 may, after consulting with the Chemistry 102 instructor, be excused from Chemistry 102 lecture, but not the lab. Upon successful completion of the 102 lab, this student will receive a total of two units of college credit for AP, 101 lecture and lab, and 102 lab. The student may also enroll in Chemistry 212 (with the instructor's consent) while completing the Chemistry 102 lab.
Occasionally, a student who has earned a 5 on the AP exam, but who has not taken Chemistry 101, may, after consulting with the Chemistry 102 instructor, enroll in Chemistry 102 (lecture and lab). This student will receive a total of two units of college credit for AP and 102, but it is expected that this student will complete Chemistry 101 or its equivalent before enrolling in more advanced chemistry courses, such as Chemistry 201.
Other placement options may be available to students who have earned high scores in IB and foreign chemistry programs, but the exact nature of these options must be worked out on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Chemistry department.
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Junior Qualifying Exam
From the Reed College Catalog...
After declaring their major, students must pass a qualifying examination administered by the major department and/or interdisciplinary committee before being allowed to begin a thesis in the senior year. These examinations are given near the end of the junior year. The objectives of the qualifying examination are to gauge the student's mastery of his or her discipline or related disciplines, to serve as a diagnostic aid in identifying weaknesses in the student's preparation for advanced study or thesis work in that discipline, to assist the student in unifying his or her knowledge of a major field of study, and to assist the major department or interdivisional committee in assessing the effectiveness of its own program. It is possible that a student who does not demonstrate competence in a field may be required to take further work. The review may also identify those who appear to need more time to develop their capabilities for the sustained independent work of the senior thesis. A second failure of the qualifying examination will debar the student from candidacy for a degree in that department, but the student may be encouraged to transfer to another department or division.
The qualifying examination is not meant to qualify only the best students and in actuality does not operate that way. The student's performance in the examination as well as in all previous coursework is discussed in full departmental or divisional meetings to assess the student's readiness to begin work on a thesis.
Different types of qualifying examinations are offered to students majoring in chemistry, biochemistry & molecular biology, and chemistry-physics. Chemistry and chemistry-physics majors must pass an oral examination offered by the Chemistry department (chemistry-physics majors must also pass a junior qual offered by the Physics department). Biochemistry-molecular biology majors, on the other hand, must pass a written examination offered by the biochemistry-molecular biology committee.
Junior qualifying examinations are normally taken towards the end of the junior year. It is also possible to take the qualifying examination at the start of the senior year (students should consult with their academic adviser about when and which examination to take). Announcements regarding the junior qualifying examinations, when they will be offered, and how to sign up for them, are posted during the spring in the Chemistry Building and in campus publications.
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Senior Thesis
Library Research Guide + Information for Seniors
From the Reed College catalog...
The distinctive feature of a student's senior year is the sustained investigation of a carefully defined problem—experimental, critical, or creative—chosen from the major field and considered as one part of an overall senior-year program. The problem is selected, then developed through the year by the student, with the support of the faculty adviser. At the conclusion of the year, the student submits to community scrutiny a thesis describing the problem and its attempted resolution.
The thesis involves substantially more than the writing of a long paper in a course; it requires the development of new knowledge and a wide variety of skills and permits the student to integrate all aspects of his or her academic experience.
The candidate for graduation takes a final comprehensive two-hour oral review under the direction of the major division, department, and/or interdisciplinary committee. The oral examination may cover the work of the student's entire program, but emphasis is on the thesis and major field. The committee of examiners typically includes faculty members from the student's own department and division, a second division, and, on occasion, professionals from outside the college.
If this sounds like a unique educational experience, you are right. The senior thesis requirement is the single most distinctive (and some say "defining") aspect of a Reed education.
Thesis work in chemistry, chemistry-physics, and biochemistry-molecular biology consists of an original scientific research investigation that is carried out for two semesters on a single topic. "Original research" means that research topics are drawn from (or just tantalizingly beyond) the frontiers of knowledge. Students, along with their faculty mentors, learn science by actually doing it, by carving a path into the unknown in the hope of making discoveries that have never been made before. Original research is not easy - reading a textbook is certainly quicker - but original research is the only way to create anything new.
The first step in beginning thesis work is to find a thesis advisor. Senior chemistry majors should discuss research topics with three or more chemistry faculty in the first few days of the fall semester before asking a faculty member to serve as their advisor. (Interdisciplinary majors should consult with their academic adviser, or a member of their interdisciplinary committee, on the best way to identify a thesis adviser.)
It is also possible for students to develop and pursue their own thesis research ideas, or to arrange to carry out research in an off-campus laboratory (e.g., at Portland State University or at the Oregon Health Sciences University). All such "independent" thesis projects must be approved by the Reed Chemistry faculty, and the student must arrange for one Reed chemistry faculty member to act as the "adviser of record".
Another useful step is to read a short article offering 'advice to students at the start of their scientific careers' ("Scientist: Four Golden Lessons" by physicist Steven Weinberg, Nature, 27 Nov 2003, 426, 389).
Recent titles of Senior Theses in Chemistry are listed on the department's Theses web page. Students are also encouraged to explore the "thesis tower" in the College library and read past theses.
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Dual Degree Programs
Reed College does not offer a program in chemical (or any other type of) engineering. However, this does not mean that Reed students are prevented from studying chemical engineering. Most graduate programs in chemical engineering will admit Reed students who graduate with a degree in chemistry. It is also possible for Reed students to earn a degree in chemical engineering by combining three years of study at Reed with two years of study at another cooperating institution. Students who satisfy these requirements earn degrees at both institutions.
More information about dual degree programs can be found at the following web sites (read the section under "Engineering"):
- Dual Degree Programs (Reed College Catalog)
- Dual Degree Programs (web page constructed by the program coordinator)
Students interested in chemical engineering should add Chemistry 101/102 and 201/202 to the required Reed courses listed at these web sites.
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Summer Work & Research
Reed College does not offer summer courses, but we do offer a summer work/research program each year to a limited number of Reed students. The number of students who are offered places in this program depends on the availability of funds (funds for graduating seniors are very limited) and the availability of faculty/staff to supervise student work.
Student workers in the summer of 2004 will be paid for ten weeks of full-time work on a variety of projects, including: collaborative research with faculty, development of course materials (includes development of new laboratory experiments, Web pages, etc.), operation of the nuclear reactor, and restocking of teaching laboratories and related stockroom duties.
Announcements regarding summer employment opportunities, when it will be offered, and how to sign up, are posted during the spring in the Chemistry Building.
Nationally, many universities and laboratories also offer paid summer internships. A few of these organizations will send advertisements to Reed for posting in the Chemistry Building (watch the bulletin boards). Others rely on web-based advertising. A few useful sites:
- NSF-REU (National Science Foundation - Research Experience for Undergraduates) A guide to REU sites around the nation.
- chemstudent.com
- Experiental Programs in Chemistry (EPiC - American Chemical Society)
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (sponsored by Department of Energy)
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