About the Minor
Chemistry is often known as "the central science" because of the key position it occupies in modern science and engineering. Most phenomena in the biological and earth sciences can be described in terms of the chemical and physical behavior of atoms and molecules, and chemical principles also underlie much progress in medicine and engineering. For these reasons, chemistry is a natural and useful minor for students majoring in other science and engineering disciplines. The Chemical Sciences minor allows students to pursue interests in chemistry in some depth without requiring the breadth of course work and extensive laboratory time required for the Chemical Sciences major.
Learning Outcomes
Students are able to describe the major concepts and theoretical principles in chemistry. They can identify the central ideas underlying the principal subfields of chemistry — analytical, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry — as well as the broader interdisciplinary subfields of biological, environmental and materials chemistry. Students are able to operate modern chemical instrumentation, perform chemical syntheses and carry out other essential chemical experiments with strict adherence to sound laboratory techniques as well as good safety and hygiene practices. They know how to use modern web-based methods to effectively search the scientific literature.