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Department of Chemistry

Description of Graduate Chemistry Courses

Courses in Chemistry [CHEM]
Graduate standing and permission of department are prerequisites for graduate courses in chemistry. The 5000-level courses also have the same prerequisites as listed for the corresponding 4000-level courses in the undergraduate catalog. Laboratory sections are listed separately and usually have course numbers ending in “1”

5100 Organic Spectroscopy.
Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 3220 or equivalent. Theory of and practice in the interpretation of mass, infrared, Raman, ultraviolet-visible, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra. Offered every other spring.

5330/ 5340 Physical Chemistry Fundamentals.

Four credits each. Modern physical chemistry including current theories of atomic and molecular structures, chemical thermodynamics, electrochemistry, chemical kinetics, and related theoretical topics. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period (5331/5341). Offered every year.

5350/ 5360 Physical Chemistry.

Four credits each. Quantitative principles of chemistry involving extensive use of calculus. Major topics include thermodynamics, phase changes, chemical equilibria, electrochemistry, reaction kinetics, quantum chemistry, molecular structure, and statistical mechanics. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period (5351/5361). Offered every year.

5400 Inorganic Chemistry.

Three credits. Basic concepts and theories of inorganic chemistry and how these are used to predict and understand the physical and chemical properties of compounds of the elements other than carbon. Inorganic compounds in the air, water, earth, and in the laboratory, and in biochemistry, geochemistry, and industrial materials and processes. Offered on sufficient demand.

5500 Biochemistry I.

Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 3220 or consent of instructor. The chemical properties of biological molecules such as amino acids, proteins, enzymes, and carbohydrates. Chemical basis of enzyme catalysis and reactions of carbohydrate metabolism. Offered every fall.

5600 Introduction to Environmental Chemistry.

Three credits.  Introduces major environmental issues including climate change, water quality, air pollution, landfills, hazardous wastes, fossil fuels, and alternative energy. Explores the quality of the environment and the changes in the environment due to contamination. Offered every fall.

5630 Detection of Chemical Pollutants.
Four credits. Theory and practice of analytical chemistry methods used in pollution measurement. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period. Offered every other spring.

5700 Polymers, an Introduction.

Three credits. Structure, properties, and applications of polymers. Offered every other fall.

5730 Advanced Physical Chemistry.

Four credits. Modern chemical concepts and computations applied to quantum chemistry, molecular spectroscopy, and statistical thermodynamics. Three lectures and one three-hour calculation laboratory period (5731). Offered on sufficient demand.

6100 Intermediate Organic Chemistry.

Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 3020 or 2030 or equivalent. Concepts and modern theories of organic chemistry: stereochemistry of reactions, mechanistic interpretation of organic reactions, and multistep synthesis. Offered every fall.

6110 Topics in Organic Chemistry.

Three to six credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6100. A selection of modern topics. Offered every other spring.

6200 Topics in Analytical Chemistry.

Three to six credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 4230 or 6230. Selected topics of major interest in chemical analysis. Offered every other fall.

6230 Intermediate Analytical Chemistry.

Four credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 2230 or equivalent. Selected instrumental methods of analysis including but not limited to gas and liquid chromatography methods; ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectroscopic methods; and flame emission and atomic absorption spectrometry. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period (6231). Offered every spring.

6300 Intermediate Physical Chemistry.

Three credits. Key concepts from classical thermodynamics, quantum theory, and chemically relevant spectroscopies. Statistical thermodynamics introduced. Offered every spring.

6400 Intermediate Inorganic Chemistry.

Three credits. Concepts of inorganic chemistry needed for effective teaching of general chemistry and for safe and effective use of inorganic chemicals and materials in industrial and academic laboratories; atomic theory, principles of inorganic reactivity in acid-base; precipitation, complexation, and oxidation-reduction reactions; crystal and ligand field theory; symmetry; molecular orbital theory; organometallic chemistry. Offered every fall.

6410 Transition Metal and Theoretical Inorganic Chemistry.
Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 5400 or consent of instructor. The chemistry of transition metal complexes, organometallic compounds, and of related compounds, their practical applications, and modern theoretical treatments of this chemistry. Offered on sufficient demand.

6420 Topics in Inorganic Chemistry.

Three to six credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6400. Selected topics of current interest in inorganic chemistry such as organo-metallic chemistry, inorganic materials science, and kinetics and mechanisms of inorganic reactions. Offered every other spring.

6480/ 6490 Laboratory in Inorganic Chemistry.

One credit each. Pre- requisite or corequisite: CHEM 6400 (for 6480), CHEM 6420 or CHEM 5700 (for 6490), or consent of instructor.

6480 Inorganic Synthetic Methods.
 Offered every other fall.

6490 Physical Methods in Inorganic Chemistry.
 Offered every other fall.

6500 Intermediate Biochemistry.

Three credits. The chemistry and metabolism of biological compounds such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. Offered on sufficient demand.

6510 Biochemistry II.

Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 5500. The structure of lipids, amino acids, nucleotides, and nucleic acids and their metabolism at a molecular level. Emphasis on understanding the chemical basis of biological phenomena. Offered every spring.

6520 Topics in Biochemistry.

Three to six credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6500 or 6510 or consent of instructor. Selected topics of particular interest in biochemistry. Offered every other fall.

6530 Biochemical Techniques.

Two credits. Prerequisite/corequisite: CHEM 6500 or 6510 or consent of instructor. Laboratory in biochemical techniques with emphasis on protein purification, enzyme kinetics, carbohydrate and lipid analysis, and manipulation of DNA. Offered every spring.

6610 Environmental Chemistry.

Three credits. Fundamental chemical principles applied to the fate and behavior of contaminants in soil-water environments. Explores important toxins and explains their movement and occurrence in ecosystems based on chemical and physical parameters. Topics will include pesticides, dioxin, mercury, and bioaccumulation.

6640 Thesis Research.
One to six credits per semester. Selection of a research problem, review of pertinent literature, collection and analysis of data, and composition of thesis. Once enrolled, student should register for at least one credit hour of master’s research each semester until completion. S/U grading. Offered every term.

6720 Topics in Physical Chemistry.

Three to six credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6300. Advanced theories of, latest literature in, and unsolved problems of a particular research area in physical chemistry selected by the professor. Offered every other fall.

6780 Polymer and Materials Chemistry Laboratory
Two credit hours.  Prerequisite:  CHEM 6100 or previous undergraduate organic chemistry knowledge; corequisite:  CHEM 5700; CHEM 5330/CHEM 5331 strongly recommended.  Laboratory experiments introduce synthesis techniques, kinetics, characterization, engineering, and application of polymers and other modern materials.  Six hours of laboratory.

6800 Chemistry Seminar.
One credit. Required of graduate students specializing in chemistry. Scientific articles reviewed and reports on individual research projects presented. Offered every fall and spring.

6870 Chemistry Research.

Three credits. Original laboratory problem that will furnish material for a thesis. Offered every fall.

7110 Advanced Topics in Organic Chemistry.

Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6100. Applications and advanced concepts in physical organic chemistry, including those used in teaching organic chemistry. Topics include classical and modern approaches in physical organic chemistry including MO theory, conformational analysis, stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms, structure and solvent effects, pericyclic reactions, and theories of acidity/basicity. Offered every other spring.

7200 Advanced Chemical Separations and Chemical Equilibrium.

Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6230 or equivalent including a course in quantitative chemical analysis. Advances in theories and applications of analytical chemistry for students familiar with laboratory techniques and chemical instrumentation. Special attention given to chemical equilibrium as it applies to the practice and teaching of chemical separations. Offered every other fall.

7210 Problems in Modern Chemical Laboratory Procedures.
Three credits. Newly developed laboratory techniques and procedures which the student had not previously had the opportunity to learn. Offered on sufficient demand.

7220 Independent Study of Instrumental Analysis.

Three credits. Developing skill in using selected sophisticated instruments. Offered on sufficient demand.

7420 Advanced Topics in Inorganic Chemistry.

Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6400. Applications and advanced concepts of inorganic chemistry; methods of teaching these concepts. Inorganic materials such as metals, superconductors, zeolites, and fullerenes; organometallic compounds, halides, hydrides, and oxides of elements; inorganic reaction mechanisms; bioinorganic chemistry; electronic states and term symbols. Modern methods of teaching inorganic content in general chemistry courses. Offered every other spring.

7510 Advanced Biochemistry.

Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6500 or consent of instructor. Advanced subjects in biochemistry including current techniques in structure/activity relationships of biomolecules, regulation and control of metabolic pathways, bioenergetics, enzymology, control of transcription and translation, regulation of gene expression, and biochemistry of inherited disease. Offered every other fall.

7640 Dissertation Research.

One to six credits. Selection of a research problem, review of pertinent literature, collection and analysis of data, and composition of dissertation. Once enrolled, student should register for at least one credit hour of doctoral research each semester until completion. S/U grading. Offered every term.

7700 Topics in Theoretical Chemistry.

Three to six credits. Bonding, stereochemistry, empirical and semi-empirical parameters, state functions, spectroscopic interpretation, and reaction mechanisms. Offered on sufficient demand.

7710 Topics in Applied Chemistry.
Three to six credits. Some important and current practical applications. Offered on sufficient demand.

7720 Advanced Topics in Physical Chemistry.

Three credits. Prerequisite: CHEM 6300. Theoretical basis and application of the principal methods used for experimental molecular structure determination. Computational methods of structure prediction and interpretation of data. Searching and retrieving structural information from structural databases. Offered every other fall.

7800/ 7810 Chemistry Internship.
Three credits each. Prerequisite: Permission of department. Admission based on recommendations and performance in teaching. Offered every term.

7820 Seminar in Chemical Education.

One credit. Areas and ideas associated with chemical education. Readings from current literature or seminal texts on given topics which may include the role of laboratory in chemical education, current research in science education, trends in chemical education, research techniques in chemical education, and the historical development of chemistry. Offered online. May be taken up to three times for credit. Offered every fall.

7900 Teaching and Learning in Chemistry.

Three credits. Areas and ideas associated with chemical education. Readings from the current literature or seminal texts on misconceptions in chemistry, theories of learning, and theories of teaching. Offered summer only.

7910 Instructional Technology in the Science Classroom.

Three credits. Explores concepts and applications associated with the use of computer- and other technology-based instructional materials in the science classroom. Readings from current literature or seminal texts on theoretical issues; practical applications associated with the use of technology in teaching scientific concepts. Offered summer only.

Courses in Physical Science [PSCI]

Graduate standing and consent of instructor are prerequisites for graduate courses in physical science.

5030 Experimental Physical Science.

Four credits. Basic concepts, laws, and principles of astronomy, chemistry, geology, and physics with particular emphasis on the utilization of equipment available or easily improvised in actual school situations to illustrate these concepts, laws, and principles. Offered every term.

5080 Problems in Physical Science.

Four credits. A problem from chemistry, physics, or other physical science appropriate to the student’s background and interest. Offered on sufficient demand. May be repeated for a total of eight credits with departmental approval.6020 Investigations in Physical Science.
One, two, or three credits. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Topics from astronomy to chemistry and physics, with special emphasis on the development of hands-on activities, determination of content cognitive demand, development of appropriate assessment instruments/implementation plans, and implementation of these across the pre-college curriculum. For practicing pre-college science teachers and school administrators. Consult the listed instructor for costs and specific credits. Does not apply toward chemistry graduate degrees. Offered on sufficient demand. May be repeated for a total of six credits with departmental approval.

Contact Us

Phone:(615)898-2956
Fax:(615)494-7693
Mail:Dr. Richard Nagorski, Professor and Chair
Department of Chemistry
Middle Tennessee State University
P.O. Box 68
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
Email:chem@mtsu.edu