BS Chemistry Science and Technology Building, Suite 00 252-28-9700 www.ecu.edu/chem The BS chemistry degree is the more rigorous undergraduate degree, requiring more courses in chemistry, mathematics, and physics. Our BS degree is certified by the American Chemical Society, which means there is a pretty impressive stamp of approval on this degree that graduate and professional schools really notice. Students who earn a BS in chemistry also are equipped with skills that enhance their marketability to a wide variety of employers in technology and science. BA Chemistry The BA chemistry degree is an excellent overview of the chemistry curriculum, and pairs nicely with other majors. See information below about double majoring with biology or biochemistry, or, get creative and double major in chemistry paired with something unexpected! Accelerated Masters 4+ BS/MS PROGRAM Students working toward a BS degree in chemistry have the opportunity to earn an MS degree during their fifth year at ECU. These students are encouraged to begin research projects as undergraduates and take advanced classes that can be used to waive some MS course requirements. As seniors they may be granted early admission to the MS program and would be eligible to receive paid teaching assistantships. To be enrolled in the MS program as a senior, a student must be within 6 credit hours of completing all undergraduate degree requirements. BS Biology / BA Chemistry It is important to know that with just three more chemistry courses (CHEM 2250/5, 450/5, and 850/5), the requirements for the BA in chemistry would be completed. Four levels of foreign language are not required when students have a BS/BA double major and the BS degree is their primary major. BS Biochemistry / BA Chemistry Add CHEM 450 and 45 to be a BS biochemistry/ba chemistry double major. BS Biochemistry / BS Chemistry If the CHEM 950/5 and 960/6 sequence is included as part of the BS biochemistry degree, three additional courses (CHEM 2770/7, 5550/45, and 550/5), along with two one-hour classes (CHEM 20 and 40), would complete the requirements for a BS biochemistry/bs chemistry double major. BS Science Education / BA Chemistry These two programs have such significant overlap that the only additional requirements for getting a BA in Chemistry are PHYS 25 and 26! BS Applied Physics / BS Chemistry DEGREES OFFERED DOUBLE MAJORS If you are interested in both physics and chemistry, advisors can work with you to efficiently pair these two majors so you can enjoy the best of both worlds!
Science and Technology Building, Suite 00 252-28-9700 www.ecu.edu/chem CAREERS IN CHEMISTRY Chemists have many career options open to them in industry, government, and academia. A chemist can: work to protect our environment at a government agency like the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. develop new drugs at a pharmaceutical company like GlaxoSmithKline. become a forensics expert or law enforcement agent in the FBI or Drug Enforcement Agency. create new flavors as a food scientist at a company such as Kraft Foods. discover clean energy sources at a company like ExxonMobil. combine education and research as a professor at a college or university. assure quality of manufacturing at a company like General Electric. help strengthen homeland security by working for a government agency like the Centers for Disease Control or the Department of Defense. North Carolina is a particularly popular state for scientists to live in because of the number of job opportunities in the Research Triangle Park and at the many universities statewide. And where there are many inventive chemists, there tend to be new companies starting up and more jobs being created. Salaries for chemists are competitive, and higher salaries generally correlate with graduate degrees like MS or PhD degrees. A number of our graduates move on to PhD programs in chemistry, most recently to Wake Forest University, Duke University, University of North Carolina, University of California-Riverside, University ity of Maryland, University of New Mexico, and University of Oregon.
Science and Technology Building, Suite 00 252-28-9700 www.ecu.edu/chem Medicine CAREERS IN HEALTHCARE Students who major in chemistry are well-prepared for medical school. The medical school entrance exam (MCAT) tests you on both biological and physical sciences. (Physical sciences include physics and chemistry.) In fact, 50% of physical sciences majors who applied to medical school in 2006 were accepted, as compared to 44% of biological sciences majors and 45% of social sciences majors. (Source: AAMC, 2006 data.) So, it helps to have a strong chemistry background and a challenging major like chemistry to get you ready for the next step to becoming a doctor. There are four medical schools in the state: University of North Carolina, Duke University, Wake Forest University, and East Carolina University (www.ecu.edu/med/). After four years of medical school, new doctors complete a residency, which can last three to six or more years depending on the particular specialty. Dentistry and Pharmacy Dental schools require many of the same prerequisites as medical school (including at least 6 hours of chemistry!), so chemistry is a common major for pre-dental students to choose. Dental school is a four- year program, and at the end you earn a professional degree (DDS or DMD). You can practice as a general dentist immediately after finishing school, or you can do a residency in a specialty like pediatric dentistry or orthodontics. There are two schools of dentistry in the state: University of North Carolina and East Carolina University (www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/dentistry/).
Science and Technology Building, Suite 00 252-28-9700 www.ecu.edu/chem Pharmacy school is a popular destination for chemistry majors, and a lot of pharmaceutical chemistry is taught in pharmacy school. Becoming a pharmacist takes four years after your undergraduate work. The degree earned is a Pharm.D., which is a professional degree. Many pharmacists work at community pharmacies. There are options for pharmacists to do clinical research or to work on medical care teams at hospitals, also, often after completing a specialized residency. There are three pharmacy schools in the state: University of North Carolina (and its satellite campuses in Elizabeth City and Asheville), Campbell University, and Wingate University. Other Health Sciences People who earn chemistry degrees are well-qualified to enter other health-related professions such as: optometrist occupational therapist (www.ecu.edu/ot/) physical therapist (www.ecu.edu/pt/) physician assistant (www.ecu.edu/pa/) These careers require two to three years of graduate school to obtain the appropriate degree. Then, you can be an active member of a team of healthcare professionals providing the best for your patients.
FRESHMAN YEAR MATH 065 Science and Technology Building, Suite 00 252-28-9700 www.ecu.edu/chem BS CHEMISTRY SAMPLE SCHEDULE MATH 085 (or 08) CHEM 50 CHEM 60 CHEM 5 CHEM 6 ENGL 00 ENGL 200 Humanities Social Science Social Science HLTH 000 6 SOPHOMORE YEAR MATH 27 4 MATH 272 Humanities PHYS 250 Social Science PHYS 25 CHEM 2750 CHEM 2760 CHEM 275 CHEM 276 Electives* Fine Arts 7 JUNIOR YEAR MATH 27 4 CHEM 950 CHEM 2250 CHEM 95 CHEM 225 2 CHEM 2770 PHYS 260 4 EXSS 000 PHYS 26 Social Science CHEM 20 5 Electives* SENIOR YEAR CHEM 960 4 CHEM 40 5 () 2 7 (5) CHEM 96 CHEM 550 CHEM 5550 4 CHEM 55 CHEM 45 Fine Arts 2 Electives* 6 Electives* 8 6 5 *Electives must include a minimum of 2 s.h. from BIOL 582(sh), CHEM 2(sh), CHEM 277(sh), CHEM 45X (X=5, 6, or 7 for, 2, or sh), CHEM 20(sh), CHEM 0(sh), or CHEM 599(sh). 4 4 2 5 4 5
Science and Technology Building, Suite 00 252-28-9700 www.ecu.edu/chem BS CHEMISTRY PRE- AND CO-REQUISITES FLOWCHART The order you take chemistry courses in is very important. You cannot take certain courses before having successfully completed others. In the flowchart below, when one course points to another, you have to take the courses in that order. For example, you have to take CHEM 2750 before CHEM 2250. CHEMISTRY MATH PHYSICS Fall Gen Chem I (,) Algebra () CHEM 50/5 MATH 065 Spr Gen Chem II (,) Pre Calc (5) or () CHEM 60/6 MATH 085 or 08 Fall 2 Org Chem I (,) CHEM 2750/5 Calculus I (4) MATH 27 Spr 2 Org Chem II (,) CHEM 2760/6 Calculus II (4) MATH 272 Physics I (4,) PHYS 250/25 Fall Analytical Chem (,2) CHEM 2250/5 Literature () CHEM 20 Calculus III (4) MATH 27 Physics II (4,) PHYS 260/26 Spr Phys Chem I (4,) CHEM 950/5 Biochemistry () CHEM 2770 Fall 4 Spr 4 Inorganic Chem (4,) CHEM 5550, 45 Phys Chem II (4,) 960/6 Inst Analysis (,) CHEM 550/5 Seminar () CHEM 40 Elective labs (0,2) required for BS See catalog Courses in bold outlined boxes are offered only in the semester shown. Example: CHEM 5550 is taught only in the fall semesters!
FRESHMAN YEAR MATH 065 CHEM 50 CHEM 5 ENGL 00 Humanities Social Science SOPHOMORE YEAR MATH 222 (or 27) PHYS 250 PHYS 25 CHEM 2750 CHEM 275 Humanities JUNIOR YEAR Foreign Language 002 CHEM 2250 CHEM 225 Social Science HLTH 000 Electives* SENIOR YEAR Foreign Language 004 CHEM 850 CHEM 85 Electives* Science and Technology Building, Suite 00 252-28-9700 www.ecu.edu/chem BA CHEMISTRY SAMPLE SCHEDULE MATH 22 (or 085) CHEM 60 CHEM 6 ENGL 200 Social Science Electives 6 (4) Elective* (or MATH 272) (4) PHYS 260 PHYS 26 CHEM 2760 CHEM 276 Foreign Language 00 4 (5) 4 (5) Foreign Language 00 CHEM 450 2 CHEM 45 Social Science 2 Fine Arts 2 EXSS 000 Electives* 6 6 Fine Arts 4 Electives* 9 7 (5) 6 (8) *Electives can be decreased by 4 hours if MATH 085, MATH 27 & MATH 272 are taken instead of MATH 22 & MATH 222. 2 5 7
Science and Technology Building, Suite 00 252-28-9700 www.ecu.edu/chem BA CHEMISTRY PRE- AND CO-REQUISITES FLOWCHART The order you take chemistry courses in is very important. You cannot take certain courses before having successfully completed others. In the flowchart below, when one course points to another, you have to take the courses in that order. For example, you have to finish CHEM 50 before CHEM 60. You also have to take CHEM 2750 before CHEM 2250. Math and physics courses need to come early in your college career, too. You need to take MATH 222 and PHYS 260 before CHEM 850, because CHEM 850 is taught assuming you have a good math and physics foundation already. CHEMISTRY MATH PHYSICS Fall Gen Chem I (,) CHEM 50/5 Algebra () MATH 065 Gen Physics I (,) PHYS 250/5 Spr Gen Chem II (,) Calc Life Sci I () CHEM 60/6 MATH 22 Gen Physics II (,) PHYS 260/6 Fall 2 Org Chem I (,) CHEM 2750/5 Calc Life Sci II () MATH 222 Spr 2 Org Chem II (,) CHEM 2760/6 Fall Analytical Chem (,2) CHEM 2250/5 Spr Inorganic Chem (,) CHEM 450/5 Fall 4 Physical Chem (4,) CHEM 850/5 Spr 4