DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
Patrick Moyer, Department Head
The Department of Chemistry and Physics offers four-year curricula in both Chemistry
and Physics. Since the Chemistry Department is approved by the American Chemical Society
(ACS), chemistry graduates may receive diplomas certified by the ACS. Pre-professional
programs in engineering, medicine, dentistry, optometry, and pharmacy are also offered.
Chemistry Safety Policy
Laboratories are an integral part of all curricula in the Department. A copy of the
safety regulations is provided to every student during the first lab class. Any student
who violates the safety policy of the Department is subject to dismissal from the
laboratory and withdrawal from the course in which the violation occurred. Departmental
policy also requires that any student who drops the lecture must also drop the corresponding
laboratory.
Chemistry
Chemistry is the study of the composition and interaction of all substances. Areas
of study range from chemical and instrumental analysis of mixtures to synthesis and
characterization of polymers to molecular modeling to the chemistry of the human body
and to computational chemistry. The degree program in chemistry at Southeastern is
designed to offer the student comprehensive training in modern chemical principles
in preparation for a career in industry or the health professions or for graduate
study in chemistry or related fields. The study of chemistry is also important for
fostering the scientific literacy of students in other disciplines, such as environmental
science, law, education, and business.
A Major in Chemistry will be granted upon satisfactory completion of 45-57 hours of
Chemistry. Candidates for a Major in Chemistry must obtain a minimum grade of “C”
(or better) in the Chemistry core curriculum which includes CHEM 121, CHEM 122, CHEM
251, CHEM 265, CHEM 266, CLAB 123, CLAB 124, CLAB 256, CLAB 267 and CLAB 268.
A Minor in Chemistry may be obtained by completing 20 semester hours of chemistry
with a GPA of 2.0 in those courses. Applicable courses for the minor are as follows:
Chemistry/Chemistry Lab 121/123, 122/124, 221, 251/256, 265/267, 266/268, 271/274,
395/391, 396/392, 452/456, 471/476, 481/485, 482/486.
In order to better meet the needs of the diverse student population, five concentration
areas are offered in chemistry. They differ primarily in the balance between the number
of hours of chemistry and the number of elective hours required. Which one a given
student should choose will depend on his/her career goals. Even if it is not a degree
requirement, all students should consider the benefits of their involvement in supervised
undergraduate research (CLAB 411) sometime during their Junior or Senior years.
Chemistry Progression Policy
Students pursuing the degree of Bachelor of Science in Chemistry must meet both of
the following progression standards:
- Students may not repeat any of the following courses more than once: CHEM 121, CHEM
122, CLAB 123, CLAB 124, and MATH 200.
- Students must successfully complete CHEM 121, CHEM 122, CLAB 123, CLAB 124, and MATH
200 with a grade of "C" or better by the end of the 4th regular semester following
the declaration of a major in chemistry.
Students with exceptional circumstances must have an alternative progression plan
approved by the Department Head. Students who do not meet these standards will not
be allowed to continue in the chemistry major.
Honors Diploma in the Discipline
For information on earning Sophomore Honors Distinction, Upper Division Honors Distinction,
or the Honors Diploma, please consult The University Honors Program section of this
catalog, the Director of the Honors Program, and/or your Department Head.
Physics
The notion that all matter from subatomic particles to galactic clusters obeys a small
set of principles that can be modeled mathematically is the fundamental premise of
physics. The degree program in physics offers comprehensive training in all four major
fields of physics: mechanics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, and quantum
mechanics. When combined with the numerous opportunities for undergraduate research
in physics, the degree program produces students who are well prepared for a career
in industry or for graduate study in physics or engineering.
A major in Physics in the College of Science and Technology will be given upon satisfactory
completion of 46 semester hours of Physics.
A minor in physics will be granted upon satisfactory completion of 20 semester hours
in physics at the 200 level or above, eight hours of which must be Physics 221-223
and Physics 222-224.
Physics Progression Policy
Students pursuing the degree of Bachelor of Science in Physics must meet both of the
following progression standards:
- Students must make successful progress every regular semester in the sequence of courses
starting with the mathematics course determined by the “Placement in Mathematics”
policy and culminating in MATH 200 and PHYS 221/PLAB 223. Students will be permitted
to repeat only one of these courses one time.
- Students must complete PHYS 221 and PLAB 223 by the end of the 4th regular semester
following the declaration of a major in physics.
Students with exceptional circumstances must have an alternative progression plan
approved by the Department Head. Students who do not meet these standards will not
be allowed to continue in the physics major.
Honors Diploma in the Discipline
For information on earning Sophomore Honors Distinction, Upper Division Honors Distinction,
or the Honors Diploma, please consult The University Honors Program section of this
catalog, the Director of the Honors Program, and/or your Department Head.
