Houston Christian University Catalog

Chemistry (CHEM) Course Descriptions

  • CHEM 1004 Introductory Chemistry Laboratory

    Prerequisite(s): None
    Corequisite(s): CHEM 1404

    This is the laboratory portion of CHEM 1404.

  • CHEM 1011 Chemistry of our World Laboratory

    Prerequisite(s): None
    Corequisite(s): CHEM 1411

    This is the laboratory portion of CHEM 1411.

  • CHEM 1181 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 1381 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. Laboratory may or may not be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 1404 Introductory Chemistry

    Prerequisite(s): None
    Corequisite(s): CHEM 1004

    This course discusses some of the fundamental concepts in inorganic, organic, and biological chemistry, and explores their social and medicinal relevance. This course includes one semester hour credit for laboratory sessions. This course cannot be applied toward a chemistry major.

  • CHEM 1411 Chemistry of Our World

    Prerequisite(s): None
    Corequisite(s): CHEM 1011

    This course introduces the physical environment of our world with emphasis on scientific laws. Students study the forces of nature and apply scientific principles. Topics include rocks, minerals, the chemical composition of the earth, glaciers, the hydrologic cycle, salt water salinity, as well as selected topics from seismology, cartograpy, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy. The course includes one semester hour credit for laboratory sessions. This course does not count toward the chemistry major or minor.

  • CHEM 2081 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. Laboratory may or may not be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 2115 General Chemistry I Laboratory

    Prerequisite(s): Credit for or concurrent enrollment in CHEM 2315
    Fee(s): Science Laboratory Fee

    This is the laboratory portion of CHEM 2315.

  • CHEM 2116 General Chemistry II Laboratory

    Prerequisite(s): Credit for or concurrent enrollment in CHEM 2316
    Fee(s): Science Laboratory Fee

    This course is the laboratory portion of CHEM 2316.

  • CHEM 2181 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. Laboratory may or may not be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 2281 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. Laboratory may or may not be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 2315 General Chemistry I

    Prerequisite(s): (Math 1313 or higher) or (580 SAT Math) or (26 ACT Math) or (CHEM 1404) or (appropriate math placement score for MATH 1323, MATH 1434, or MATH 1451) and credit for or concurrent enrollment in CHEM 2115

    This course is for science majors. It is an introduction to chemical reactions, the mole concept, properties and states of matter, atomic structure, periodic properties, chemical bonding, and molecular structures.

  • CHEM 2316 General Chemistry II

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 2315 and CHEM 2115 and credit for or concurrent enrollment in CHEM 2116

    This course is a continuation of CHEM 2315 with an emphasis on chemical equilibrium, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and kinetics.

  • CHEM 2381 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. Laboratory may or may not be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 2481 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. Laboratory may or may not be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 3023 Quantitative Analysis Laboratory

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 2316 and CHEM 2116
    Corequisite(s): CHEM 3423

    This course is the laboratory portion of CHEM 3423.

  • CHEM 3043 Modern Analytical Techniques Laboratory

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 3423 and CHEM 3132 and PHYS 2423
    Corequisite(s): CHEM 3443

    This is the laboratory portion of CHEM 3443.

  • CHEM 3131 Organic Chemistry Laboratory I

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 3313 or concurrent enrollment

    This course provides instruction in rudimentary organic laboratory techniques, simple organic syntheses, and basic identification of organic compounds by spectroscopy.

  • CHEM 3132 Organic Chemistry Laboratory II

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 3131 and credit for or concurrent enrollment in CHEM 3333

    This course extends the instruction in organic laboratory techniques, organic synthesis, and the identification of organic compounds by spectroscopy begun in CHEM 3131.

  • CHEM 3151 Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 2316 and CHEM 2116

    Students conduct experiments with the main group elements, the transition metals, organometallic materials, and bioinorganic compounds.

  • CHEM 3181 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. Laboratory may or may not be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 3281 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. Laboratory may or may not be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 3313 Organic Chemistry I

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 2316 and CHEM 2116 and credit for or concurrent enrollment in CHEM 3131

    This is the first lecture course in organic chemistry for science majors. It begins a survey of the structure, reactivity, reactions, reaction mechanisms, and synthesis of compounds containing carbon.

  • CHEM 3333 Organic Chemistry II

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 3313 and credit for or concurrent enrollment in CHEM 3132

    This is the second lecture course in organic chemistry for science majors. It continues the survey of the structure, reactivity, reactions, reaction mechanisms, and synthesis of compounds containing carbon that was begun in CHEM 3313.

  • CHEM 3351 Inorganic Chemistry

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 2316 and CHEM 2116

    This course provides a survey of the chemistry of the main group elements, transition metals, and organometallic compounds in the context of periodic law.

  • CHEM 3381 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. Laboratory may or may not be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 3423 Quantitative Analysis

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 2316 and CHEM 2116
    Corequisite(s): CHEM 3023

    This course is a continuation and extension of CHEM 2315 and 2316 into the study of the basic principles of analytical chemistry, which include stoichiometry, and homogeneous and heterogeneous equilibria. This course includes one semester hour credit for laboratory work on volumetric and gravimetric analysis, statistics, and aspects of instrumental analysis involving spectrophotometry and potentiometry.

  • CHEM 3443 Modern Analytical Techniques

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 2423 and CHEM 3132 and PHYS 2413
    Corequisite(s): CHEM 3043

    This is an introduction to the basic concepts of applied analytical chemistry. It includes an introduction to instrumentation as applied to routine chemical analysis, including spectroscopy, chromatography and electrochemical methods. This course includes one semester hour credit for laboratory sessions.

  • CHEM 3481 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. Laboratory may or may not be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 4014 Introductory Physical Chemistry Laboratory

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 2316 and CHEM 2116 and MATH 1451
    Corequisite(s): CHEM 4414

    This is the laboratory portion of CHEM 4414.

  • CHEM 4081 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. Laboratory may or may not be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 4171 Biochemistry Laboratory

    Prerequisite(s): Completion of or concurrent enrollment in CHEM 4373

    This is an upper level laboratory course which exposes students to the principles and experimental techniques underlying common biochemistry methods such as buffer preparation, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, protein and nucleic acid purification, enzyme kinetics, protein and nucleic acid electrophoresis, and polymerase chain reactions which are widely used in research pertaining to the biochemical sciences.

  • CHEM 4181 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. Laboratory may or may not be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 4281 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. Laboratory may or may not be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 4291 Senior Seminar: Topic Research Project

    Prerequisites: Completion of thirty credit hours of chemistry courses.

    Students conduct a laboratory research project, write a research report, and give an oral presentation to the class.

  • CHEM 4324 Physical Chemistry II

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 4414

    This course is a survey of the fundamental aspects of thermodynamics including the First and Second Laws as well as Gibbs and Helmholtz Energy and their applications. Acids and bases, basic quantum mechanics, spectroscopy, photochemistry reactions, and macromolecules are also discussed. A working knowledge of calculus is necessary.

  • CHEM 4351 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 3131 and CHEM 3132 and CHEM 3313 and CHEM 3333 and CHEM 3351

    This course is an introduction to the structure, bonding, and reactivity of organotransition metal compounds. The focus is on physical organometallic chemistry, with an emphasis on the mechanisms of organometallic transformations and methods for their elucidation. The fundamental reaction types of organotransition metal complexes will be covered including: oxidative addition/reductive elimination, migratory insertion, attack on coordinated ligands, and the reactivity of metallocycles, carbenes, and carbynes. Some applications of organotransition metal complexes in catalysis and in organic chemistry will be featured.

  • CHEM 4361 Advanced Organic Chemistry

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 3131 and CHEM 3132 and CHEM 3313 and CHEM 3333

    Study of advanced topics in organic chemistry.

  • CHEM 4373 Biochemistry

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 3333

    This course is a study of the more important principles of biochemistry, with emphasis placed on the physical and chemical properties of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, the three major components of the living organism.

  • CHEM 4374 Biochemistry II

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 4373

    This course is a study of the principles of gene expression, replication, and metabolic pathways. Emphasis is placed on replication, transcription, translation, and carbohydrate metabolism. Additional topics will include the citric acid cycle, lipid metabolism, electron transport, and oxidative phosphorylation.

  • CHEM 4381 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. Laboratory may or may not be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 4414 Introductory Physical Chemistry

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 2316 and CHEM 2116 and MATH 1451
    Corequisite(s): CHEM 4014

    A survey of the fundamental principles which govern chemical phenomena. Emphasis is placed on gases, basic thermodynamics, solutions, chemical equilibria, phase equilibria, chemical kinetics, and electrochemical phenomena.  A working knowledge of basic calculus is necessary. This course includes one credit hour for laboratory sessions.

  • CHEM 4481 Special Topics

    Prerequisite(s): None

    Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. Laboratory may or may not be included. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • CHEM 5014 Introductory Physical Chemistry Lab

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 2423 and PHYS 2413 and PHYS 2423 and MATH 1452 (or equivalent)
    Corequisite(s): CHEM 5414

    This is the laboratory portion of CHEM 5414.

  • CHEM 5171 Biochemistry Laboratory

    Prerequisite(s): Completion of or concurrent enrollment in CHEM 5373 or CHEM 4373 (or equivalent)

    This is a laboratory course which exposes students to the principles and experimental techniques underlying common biochemistry methods such as buffer preparation, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, protein and nucleic acid purification, enzyme kinetics, protein and nucleic acid electrophoresis, and polymerase chain reactions which are widely used in research pertaining to the biochemical sciences.

  • CHEM 5191 Chemistry Research Project

    Prerequisite(s): Completion of thirty credit hours of chemistry courses (undergraduate or graduate level)

    Students conduct a laboratory research project, write a research report, and give an oral presentation to the class.

  • CHEM 5361 Advanced Organic Chemistry

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 3131 and CHEM 3132 and CHEM 3313 and CHEM 3333 (or equivalent)

    Study of advanced topics in organic chemistry.

  • CHEM 5373 Biochemistry

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 3333 (or equivalent)

    This course is a study of the more important principles of biochemistry, with emphasis placed on the physical and chemical properties of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, the three major components of the living organism.

  • CHEM 5374 Biochemistry II

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 4373 or CHEM 5373 (or equivalent)

    This course is a study of the principles of gene expression, replication, and metabolic pathways. Emphasis is placed on replication, transcription, translation and carbohydrate metabolism. Additional topics will include the citric acid cycle, lipid metabolism, electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation.

  • CHEM 5414 Introduction to Physical Chemistry

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 2423 and PHYS 2413 and PHYS 2423 and MATH 1452 (or equivalent)
    Corequisite(s): CHEM 5014

    A survey of the fundamental principles which govern chemical phenomena. Emphasis is placed on gases, basic thermodynamics, solutions, chemical equilibria, phase equilibria, chemical kinetics and electrochemical phenomena. A working knowledge of basic calculus is necessary. This course includes one credit hour for laboratory sessions.