Chemistry Major

The major is recommended for students planning careers in chemistry. It is suitable preparation for graduate study in chemistry or medical school and for work as a professional chemist. The curriculum includes related courses in mathematics and physics as well as core courses and a concentration in chemistry. 

Students must also complete the Undergraduate Registration Requirement and the degree requirements of their home school.

NOTE: This Catalog describes Weinberg College BA requirements that pertain to students who matriculated at Northwestern after spring quarter 2023. Refer to the Archives if you are following BA requirements described in the 2018-2019 through 2022-2023 editions.

Course Title
Department Courses (16.7–18.04 units)
14.7–16.04 core units providing a solid basis in chemistry
CHEM 110-0
CHEM 131-0
CHEM 141-0
CHEM 132-0
CHEM 142-0
Quantitative Problem Solving in Chemistry
and Fundamentals of Chemistry I
and Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory I
and Fundamentals of Chemistry II
and Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory II
or CHEM 151-0
CHEM 161-0
CHEM 152-0
CHEM 162-0
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry Laboratory I
and General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry Laboratory II
or CHEM 171-0
CHEM 181-0
CHEM 172-0
CHEM 182-0
Advanced General Inorganic Chemistry
and Advanced General Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory
and Advanced General Physical Chemistry
and Advanced General Physical Chemistry Laboratory
CHEM 220-0Introductory Instrumental Analysis
CHEM 217-1
CHEM 237-1
CHEM 217-2
CHEM 237-2
CHEM 217-3
CHEM 235-3
Accelerated Organic Chemistry I
and Accelerated Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
and Accelerated Organic Chemistry II
and Accelerated Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
and Accelerated Organic Chemistry III
and Organic Chemistry Lab III
Students who complete the non-majors organic sequence CHEM 215-1, CHEM 215-2, and CHEM 215-3 with associated labs, and decide later to major in chemistry, are permitted to use these courses in place of CHEM 217-1, CHEM 217-2, and CHEM 217-3 and associated labs.
CHEM 333-0Inorganic Chemistry
CHEM 342-1
CHEM 342-2
CHEM 342-3
Thermodynamics
and Quantum Mechanics and Spectroscopy
and Kinetics and Statistical Thermodynamics
CHEM 350-1
CHEM 350-2
CHEM 350-3
Advanced Laboratory 1
and Advanced Laboratory 2
and Advanced Laboratory 3
2 courses from one of these concentration areas:
Related Courses (Units depend on mathematics courses taken.)
BIOL_SCI 301-0Principles of Biochemistry
or BIOL_SCI 241-0 Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology for ISP - 2
MATH 220-1
MATH 220-2
Single-Variable Differential Calculus
and Single-Variable Integral Calculus
or MATH 218-1
MATH 218-2
MATH 218-3
Single-Variable Calculus with Precalculus
and Single-Variable Calculus with Precalculus
and Single-Variable Calculus with Precalculus
MATH 230-1
MATH 230-2
Multivariable Differential Calculus
and Multivariable Integral Calculus
or MATH 281-1
MATH 281-2
Accelerated Mathematics for ISP: First Year
and Accelerated Mathematics for ISP: First Year
or MATH 285-2
MATH 285-3
Accelerated Mathematics for MMSS: First Year
and Accelerated Mathematics for MMSS: First Year
or MATH 290-2
MATH 290-3
MENU: Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus
and MENU: Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus
or MATH 291-2
MATH 291-3
MENU: Intensive Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus
and MENU: Intensive Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus
PHYSICS 125-1
PHYSICS 125-2
PHYSICS 125-3
PHYSICS 126-1
PHYSICS 126-2
PHYSICS 126-3
General Physics ISP
and General Physics for ISP
and General Physics for ISP
and Physics Laboratory for ISP
and Physics Laboratory for ISP
and Physics Laboratory for ISP
or PHYSICS 135-1
PHYSICS 135-2
PHYSICS 135-3
PHYSICS 136-1
PHYSICS 136-2
PHYSICS 136-3
General Physics
and General Physics
and General Physics
and General Physics Laboratory
and General Physics Laboratory
and General Physics Laboratory
or PHYSICS 140-1
PHYSICS 140-2
PHYSICS 140-3
PHYSICS 136-1
PHYSICS 136-2
PHYSICS 136-3
Fundamentals of Physics
and Fundamentals of Physics
and Fundamentals of Physics
and General Physics Laboratory
and General Physics Laboratory
and General Physics Laboratory

Concentration Courses

  • Areas of concentration draw upon courses within the department as well as in other depart­ments.
  • Concentration courses are typically taken during the final year of undergraduate study.
  • The concentration areas, along with eligible courses, are:

Biochemistry

Course Title
CHEM 305-0Chemistry of Life Processes
CHEM 314-0Principles of Chemical Biology
CHEM 316-0Medicinal Chemistry: the Organic Chemistry of Drug Design and Action
CHEM 432-0X-Ray Crystallography
BIOL_SCI 361-0Protein Structure and Function

Environmental Chemistry

Course Title
CHEM 306-0Environmental Chemistry
CHEM 393-0Green Chemistry
CHEM 445-0Advanced Physical & Analytical Chemistry 1
CIV_ENV 260-0Environmental Systems and Processes
CIV_ENV 314-0Organic Geochemistry
CIV_ENV 365-0Environmental Laboratory
CIV_ENV 367-0Chemical Processes in Aquatic Systems
1

Only applicable when class topic is "Chemistry of Alternate Energy"

Inorganic Chemistry

Course Title
CHEM 302-0Principles of Inorganic Chemistry
CHEM 411-0Organic Spectroscopy
CHEM 432-0X-Ray Crystallography
CHEM 433-0Structural Inorganic Chemistry
CHEM 434-0Inorganic Chemistry
CHEM 435-0Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry

Course Title
CHEM 309-0Polymer Chemistry
CHEM 313-0Advanced Organic Chemistry 1. Advanced concepts of organic reactivity and selectivity in synthesis.
CHEM 314-0Principles of Chemical Biology
CHEM 316-0Medicinal Chemistry: the Organic Chemistry of Drug Design and Action
CHEM 319-0Advanced Organic Synthesis - Concepts and Applications
CHEM 410-0Physical Organic Chemistry
CHEM 411-0Organic Spectroscopy
CHEM 412-0Organometallic Reaction Mechanisms
CHEM 415-0Advanced Organic Chemistry

Physical Chemistry

Course Title
CHEM 442-1Quantum Chemistry
CHEM 442-2Quantum Chemistry
CHEM 443-0Kinetics and Spectroscopy
CHEM 444-0Elementary Statistical Mechanics
CHEM 445-0Advanced Physical & Analytical Chemistry
CHEM 448-0Computational Chemistry

Materials/Nanotechnology

Course Title
CHEM 307-0Supramolecular Design of Materials and Nanostructures 1
or MAT_SCI 336-0 Synthetic Design of New Materials
CHEM 308-0Design, Synthesis, and Applications of Nanomaterials
CHEM 309-0Polymer Chemistry
MAT_SCI 201-0Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering Principles
MAT_SCI 301-0Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering Principles
MAT_SCI 331-0Soft Materials
MAT_SCI 370-0Biomaterials
1

Students may not count both CHEM 307-0 and MAT_SCI 336-0 toward their Chemistry major.

Self-designed Concentration

If the concentrations above do not meet their interests, students may design a concen­tration with approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Chemistry. A concentration may consist of 2 courses from the areas above or with a common theme.

Honors in Chemistry

Majors who have done outstanding work in the classroom and research laboratory may be eligible for graduation with honors in chemistry. Students who intend to submit a senior thesis should send an e-mail message (including the name of the research adviser) to the director of undergraduate studies by fall of senior year. To be eligible for honors, a student must meet minimum GPA requirements, engage in original research during at least two quarters of CHEM 399-0 Independent Study, and write a senior thesis on this research. The CHEM 399-0 credits are not required for and do not count toward the chemistry major.

Students whose theses and grades meet department criteria are recommended to the college for graduation with honors. For more information consult the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Chemistry and see Honors in the Major.