Departmental Learning Goals

1. Develop a strong foundation of chemical knowledge, broadly including an understanding of the role of energy in chemical reactions, chemical structure and its relationship to chemical behavior, and the rates of chemical reactions as well as the qualitative and quantitative frameworks used by chemists to use this knowledge base.

Research skills; oral communication skills; quantitative ability; problem solving ability

2. Be able to build a compelling chemical argument, using qualitative and quantitative approaches accepted within the chemical community, in writing and in oral presentations, in formal and informal situations.

Writing skills; oral communication skills; quantitative ability; critical thinking skills

3. Be able to design and execute experiments using the scientific method, including creating falsifiable hypotheses, considerations of reproducibility and the use of appropriate controls

Writing skills; critical thinking skills; problem solving ability

4. Be able to read the literature critically, including: identifying and deconstructing the arguments presented, understanding the strength and limitations of the data presented and the methods used.

Research skills; critical thinking skills

5. Be able to interpret and usefully display visual data, including chemical and biochemical structures, kinetic data, and spectra.

Oral communication skills; critical thinking skills

6. Be able to create models for chemical systems and interpret data drawing on these models.

Research skills; ability to view problems from multiple perspectives; critical thinking skills; problem solving ability

7. Be able to work with standard chemical apparatus safely in a laboratory environment.

Writing skills; research skills

8. Be able to articulate an awareness of real world problems and potential disciplinary approaches to addressing them, including a knowledge of what chemists do in their professional lives, a familiarity with the history of the discipline and current public policy issues.

Ability to view problems from multiple perspectives