Chemistry Minor

The Chemistry minor at Fordham University provides students with a strong foundation in the chemical sciences that complements a wide range of majors and career interests. The program includes coursework in key areas such as inorganic, organic, analytical, physical, and biochemistry, equipping students with fundamental knowledge and problem-solving skills relevant to fields including health professions, environmental science, engineering, and business. Students may also have opportunities to engage in faculty-mentored research, gaining hands-on experience and exposure to contemporary areas of chemistry. The minor is designed to enhance interdisciplinary study and prepare students for careers or further education that benefit from a solid background in chemistry.

Students pursuing a Chemistry minor who are majoring in Biological Sciences, Natural Science, or Environmental Science take six courses beyond General Chemistry II (corequisite labs not counted). 

Students pursuing a Chemistry minor in all other majors take General Chemistry I and II (lecture, lab, and recitation components), Organic Chemistry I and II (lecture, lab, and recitation components), plus two lecture courses at the 3000 or 4000 level (subject to prerequisites). Students majoring in General Science are advised that they cannot double-count courses and may only count courses beyond General Chemistry II towards the minor if it is not simultaneously used to satisfy their major elective requirements.

The requirements for the Chemistry minor for students majoring in Biological Sciences, Natural Science, or Environmental Science are as follows:

¹

Research courses (CHEM 1990 Introduction to Research; CHEM 3990 Directed Research; and CHEM 4990 Independent Research) and the seminar course (CHEM 4030 Chemistry Seminar do not count toward the four additional courses required by the minor.

The requirements for the Chemistry minor for all other students are as follows:

¹

Research courses (CHEM 1990 Introduction to Research; CHEM 3990 Directed Research; and CHEM 4990 Independent Research) and the seminar course (CHEM 4030 Chemistry Seminar do not count toward the two additional courses required by the minor.

²

Students majoring in General Science are advised that they cannot double-count courses and may only count courses beyond General Chemistry II towards the minor if it is not simultaneously used to satisfy their major elective requirements.

General Advice

Grading: A minimum grade of C- must be obtained (in both lecture and lab) in order for courses to count toward minor requirements. 

Advising: Students interested in the minor are encouraged to meet with chemistry faculty for guidance when registering for courses. 

Research: Students are encouraged to pursue research projects with faculty members in the department for academic credit. These courses do not count toward major or minor requirements. Enrollment in research courses requires approval by the faculty supervisor. First-year students can enroll in CHEM 1990 Introduction to Research. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors can enroll in CHEM 3990 Directed Research. Juniors and seniors pursuing independent research can enroll in CHEM 4990 Independent Research.

Seminar: It is recommended (but not required) that minors enroll in CHEM 4030 Chemistry Seminar. Through our seminar series, visiting faculty share cutting-edge research in chemistry, connecting majors with current innovations and perspectives across the discipline.

Learning Goals

Our American Chemical Society certified curriculum provides students with the necessary skill-sets, and prepares them for a range of STEM-related careers. The breadth and depth of courses, and research opportunities offered will prepare students for their applications to top-tier professional schools, including medical schools, graduate school programs, or to entry-level industrial positions. Students will learn how to apply their acquired knowledge in chemistry to a wide range of areas in a variety of chemistry related fields.

This preparation takes the form of the following learning goals:

1. Students will gain knowledge and proficiency in the core concepts of Chemistry. Students will understand the fundamental basis for the structure and reactivity of atoms, molecules and non-molecular solids. Our curriculum will introduce students to all the branches of chemistry: Organic, Inorganic, Physical, Analytical and Biochemistry.
2. Students will acquire problem-solving and critical-thinking skills that will prepare them to work independently on research questions by drawing upon experimental, theoretical, and computational evidence. Students will apply research methods, for design, data analysis, and interpretation. This is achieved through pedagogically engaging, discovery-based laboratory courses as well as research courses (offered in all 4 years of study) in which the students work directly with individual faculty.
3. Students will learn to utilize chemical knowledge learned in their course work to real world applications in pharmacology, medicine and the environment.
4. Students will receive hands-on training with operating and interpreting data from high-tech analytical instrumentation. The opportunities for hands-on experience on the department’s bevy of modern instrumentation, either via independent research or within the framework of laboratory courses, will prepare students for scientific future careers.
5. Students will gain experience in the computational methods of chemistry, ranging from ab initio calculations of electronic structure to molecular dynamics simulations, and learn how these compliment experimental data. Our curriculum will initiate students to "computational thinking," including chemical and materials informatics, applications of data science to chemistry, and first-principles simulation methods.
6. Students will acquire scientific literacy skills, particularly reading, writing, and presenting scientific communications. Through classwork and presentations at regional and national conferences, students will be prepared to communicate research findings to chemist and non-chemist audiences. Students will learn to utilize library resources and critically read scientific literature. Students will also have the opportunity to hone their writing skills through research grant applications and writing initial drafts of peer-reviewed publications.
7. Students will be able to work safely in a laboratory setting and have hands-on experience with common laboratory equipment and glassware in organic, analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, and physical chemistry laboratories. As a graduate of the chemistry department, students will be ready to safely work in industrial and academic research settings.

Availability

The minor in Chemistry is available at Fordham College at Rose Hill. Students in Fordham's School of Professional and Continuing Studies may minor in Chemistry only if they receive the approval of their advising dean and/or department, and if their schedules are sufficiently flexible to permit them to take day courses at the Rose Hill campus.