Loyola University Chicago

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Undergraduate Course Descriptions

Mathematics Preparedness for Chemistry

Students intending to register for a chemistry course will need a background in mathematics that is commensurate with the computational requirements of the chemistry course. Evidence of math preparedness is obtained from results of the ACT/SAT and of a Mathematics Placement Assessment (MPA) administered by the College in conjunction with the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Students who are found to be mathematically under prepared are required to pass the appropriate course or sequence of courses in mathematics with a grade of "C-" or better before they register for a chemistry course. More information regarding
placement by ACT/SAT and the MPA can be found at http://www.luc.edu/math/placement/.

Chemistry Curriculum

On this journey toward your major degree, we begin with a set of courses designed to provide you with multiple opportunities to build robust foundational knowledge and skills in chemistry.

With such knowledge and skills, you should be prepared to further excel in upper-level coursework that specializes your work in the specific major you have chosen.

LUC Chemistry is taking a modern, integrated approach to foundational coursework.

  • Aligns with the latest American Chemical Society (ACS) and American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) standards & guidelines
  • Themes: structure-activity relationships; culture and practice of science; energy; polymers, proteins, and macromolecules; sustainability; chemical synthesis, purification, characterization, and analysis.

All first-year students will begin the Chemistry sequence in the updated curriculum with CHEM 160+161 (replacing CHEM 101+111).

For more information about the updates, please see: Foundational Chemistry Curriculum

160. Chemical Structure and Properties (3)
Pre-requisite: MATH 117 or equivalent.
Lecture and discussion course designed to create foundational knowledge and proficiency in essential chemistry concepts and skills. Topics include atomic structure, periodic properties, bonding and properties of molecules, solid states, interactions and connections of light and matter, quantum and molecular mechanics models of atoms and molecules.
161. Chemical Structure and Properties Laboratory (1)
Pre-requisite: MATH 117 or equivalent. Laboratory course designed to create foundational knowledge and proficiency in essential chemistry lab skills including developing the knowledge and use of PPE, MSDS, and Chemical labels, basic statistical analysis and graphing, proper usage of  common laboratory equipment and instrumentation, and keeping a laboratory notebook and writing reports.
171. General Chemistry for Engineering Science Majors
Pre-requisite MATH 118 or Math Placement Test; Co-requisite CHEM 173; Restricted to Engineering Science Students. A good background in high school chemistry is recommendation. This course is designed to acquaint students in engineering science with fundamental concepts of chemistry as well as their applications in the field of engineering. Students will survey topics in atomic structure, periodicity, chemical bonding, chemical reactions and reaction stoichiometry, gases, chemical thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, and electrochemistry. A good background in high school chemistry is recommendation. 
173. General Chemistry Lab for Engineering Science Majors
Prerequisite: MATH 118 or equivalent.  Co-req: CHEM 173. Enrollment is restricted to declared ENGR majors. A good background in high school chemistry is recommendation. This lab course is a companion course to CHEM 171 General Chemistry for Engineering Science and is designed to support the development of chemistry concepts within the following topics: atomic structure, periodicity, chemical bonding, chemical reactions and reaction stoichiometry, gases, chemical thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, and electrochemistry.
180. Chemical Reactivity I (3)
Pre-requisite: CHEM 160 and MATH 118 or equivalent. Lecture and discussion course designed to create foundational knowledge and proficiency in essential chemistry concepts and skills. Topics include acids and bases, buffers, chemical equilibrium, molecular thermodynamics and kinetics, nucleophilic substitutions, elimination reactions, carbonyl compounds and reactions with applications to biochemical pathways.
181. Chemical Reactivity I Lab (1)
Pre-requisites: CHEM 160, CHEM 161, and MATH 118 or equivalent. Laboratory course designed to utilize experiments to illustrate the relationships between the structures of compounds and their resulting properties Topics include identification of compounds using chromatography, mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, and NMR, separation methods.  Additional skills in analytical reasoning and information literacy will also be developed.
195. Foundational Concepts (1)
Prerequisite: Departmental consent required; students will complete an agreement form at the beginning of the semester. Foundational Chemistry seminar/topics course, 1-3 credit hours. Chemical topics vary by section and are selected from the CHEM 100- and/or 200-level Departmental curriculum.
240. Chemical Reactivity II (3)
Pre-requisite: CHEM 180 and CHEM 181. Bioinformatics majors; Pre-requisite: CHEM 180.
Lecture and discussion course designed to create foundational knowledge and proficiency in essential chemistry concepts and skills. Topics include the reactivity of: alkenes, arenes, alkynes, and polyfunctional organic molecules. These topics will expand and enhance the ability to use chemical principles to explain natural phenomena.
241. Chemical Reactivity II Laboratory (1)
Pre-requisite:  CHEM 180 and CHEM 181. Laboratory course designed to teach students how to perform chemical synthesis reactions and to evaluate and report the results.
242. Chemical Synthesis Laboratory (2)
Pre-requisites:  CHEM 180 and CHEM 181. Laboratory course designed to teach students how to perform chemical synthesis reactions and to evaluate and report the results.
260. Quantitative Methods in Chemistry (3)
Pre-requisites:  CHEM 180, CHEM 181 and MATH 131 (or MATH 161). BIOI-BS majors, Pre-requisite: CHEM 180 and MATH 131 (or MATH 161). Lecture and discussion course designed to create foundational knowledge and proficiency in essential chemistry concepts and skills. Topics include quantitative description of gases, liquids, and solutions, kinetics of chemical reactions, chemical equilibria, acids and bases, the thermodynamics of chemical reactions, electrochemistry, and spectroscopy.
261. Quantitative Methods in Chemistry Laboratory (1)
Pre-requisites:  CHEM 180 and CHEM 181 and MATH 131 (or MATH 161). Laboratory course designed for non-majors. The course provides students continued laboratory and chemical safety topics, scientific writing, peer review, and importance of articulating lab results in content. It will teach students how to perform chemical analysis using a variety of techniques including titration, kinetics, and spectrophotometry.
272. Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (2)
Pre-requisites:  CHEM 180, CHEM 181, and MATH 131 (or MATH 161). This course continues exposure to laboratory and chemical safety topics, scientific writing, and articulating experiment results. The course utilizes hands-on lab experiments to teach a variety of analytical methods for quantifying a diverse set of chemical species. Data analysis, calibration methods, peer review are also of focus.
280. Environmental & Chemical Analysis (3)
Pre-requisites:  CHEM 240 and CHEM 260. Pre- or Co-requisite: CHEM 272. Lecture and discussion course designed to create foundational knowledge and proficiency in essential chemistry concepts and skills. Topics include the chemical analytical process, sample preparation, quantitative analysis, and data evaluation and validation. These topics will expand and enhance the ability to use chemical principles to analyze various types of environmental samples.
300. Undergraduate Research. (1, 2, or 3)
Prerequisites: prior consultation with the instructor and a completed agreement form. Directed study involving a contractual arrangement between student and instructor for accomplishing a defined research task. Agreement forms may be obtained from the department office, and the completed form (signed by the student, instructor, and chairperson) must be deposited in the chemistry department office before the student can register for this course.
301. Physical Chemistry I. (3)
Prerequisites: CHEM 240 and 260 or CHEM 222, or CHEM 224; PHYS 112 or 122, and MATH 162, 263A or the equivalent. Lecture and discussion. Mathematical and physical aspects of the behavior of chemical systems, classical and statistical thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, and the properties of matter. Offered in fall semester.
302. Physical Chemistry II. (3)
Prerequisite: CHEM 240 and 260 or CHEM 222 or 224; PHYS 112 or 122, and MATH 162, 263A or the equivalent. Lecture and discussion. This course covers principles of quantum mechanics with the applications to chemical properties and spectroscopy of atoms and molecules. Offered in spring semester.
303. Physical Chemistry Laboratory. (2)
pre-or Co-requisite: CHEM 302. Laboratory course to experimentally illustrate the principles of physical chemistry and to acquaint the student with laboratory methods. Offered in spring semester.
305. Physical Biochemistry for the Biological Sciences. (3)
Prerequisites: CHEM 240 and 260 or CHEM 222 or 224 and PHYS 112, and MATH 132 (or equivalent). Lecture course covering principles and biological applications of thermodynamics, kinetics, quantum mechanics and molecular spectroscopy. Restricted to Biochemistry and Forensics Majors. Offered in fall semester.
306. Physical Biochemistry Laboratory. (1)
Prerequisites: CHEM 305. This laboratory course will introduce apparatus, and analysis used in experimental physical chemistry for biochemistry students. Offered in spring semester.
307. Inorganic Chemistry. (3)
Prerequisite: CHEM 240, 242 and 260 or CHEM 222 (or 224 and 226). Lecture course covering atomic structure, chemical bonding, and transition metal, solid state, organometallic and bioinorganic chemistry. This course is restricted to Biochemistry majors. Offered in spring semester.
314. Instrumental Analysis Lecture and Lab. (4)
Prerequisites: CHEM 272 and 280, or CHEM 212, 214, 222 (or 224 and 226), and PHYS 112 (or PHYS 122). This course discusses and demonstrates how instrumental techniques such as atomic spectroscopy, molecular spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and chemical separations can be used to identify the chemical composition of the sample. Offered in spring semester.
323. Medicinal Chemistry. (3)
Prerequisites: CHEM 361 or 370
This course examines how medicinal chemists design and synthesize drug candidates to meet FDA requirements of efficacy and safety, and how a testing strategy measures efficacy vs. toxicity comprising the therapeutic index. Topics include drug-receptor/enzyme binding, PK, ADME, patenting of IP, and the ethical aspects of pharmaceuticals.
340. Advanced Inorganic Chemistry. (3)
Prerequisite: CHEM 302. Lecture only. Modern theories of atomic and molecular structure as applied to inorganic chemistry. Offered in fall semester.
341. Advanced Inorganic Laboratory. (1)
Co-requisite: CHEM 340 or Instructor permission. A laboratory course designed to experimentally illustrate the topics and techniques met in modern inorganic chemistry. Offered in spring semester.
361. Survey in Biochemistry. (3)
Prerequisite: CHEM 240 and (260 co-req) or CHEM 222 or 224. Lecture. Structural-functional relationships of proteins, nucleic acids and cell membranes; and metabolic pathways. Credits earned in CHEM 361 do not count towards Bachelors Degrees in either Chemistry or Biochemistry.
365. Proteomics. (3)
Prerequisite: CHEM 361 or 370. Proteomics describes and deciphers the protein structures that are the result of biochemical interactions encoded in a genome. To understand these processes, proteins have to be identified, sequenced, categorized, and classified with respect to their function and interaction in a protein network. This course will teach students how to characterize functional protein networks, examine their dynamic alteration during physiological and pathological processes. The course will also cover techniques to analyze and identify proteins using protein databases and study protein to protein interactions in the discover of drugs for diseases.
370. Biochemistry I. (3)
Prerequisites: CHEM 240, 242 and 260 or CHEM 222 (or 224 and 226). Lecture. This is the first part of a two-semester Biochemistry series that emphasizes important biochemical concepts on the structure and function of proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates, lipids and cell membranes as well as on the bioenergetic and regulatory principles behind the central and carbohydrate pathways. This course is restricted to Biochemistry, Chemistry BS and Chemistry BA majors. Offered in fall semester.
371. Biochemistry II. (3)
Prerequisites: CHEM 370. Lecture. This is the second part of a two-semester Biochemistry lecture series that emphasizes important biochemical concepts on lipid, amino acid and nucleotide metabolic pathways as well as the structure and function of nucleic acids. Special topics on sensory systems, motility, immunology and drug development will also be discussed. This course is restricted to Biochemistry majors. Offered in spring semester.
372. Biochemistry Laboratory I. (2)
Prerequisites: CHEM 240 and 242 or CHEM 212, 214, 222 (or 224 & 226), and 370. This laboratory is designed to simulate a research experience and to teach basic techniques utilized in a biochemistry laboratory. The course theme involves a comparative investigation of the enzyme glyceraidehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) from various animal sources. All procedures required in lab will be found by the student in the library and proposed to the instructor(s) as a pre-lab exercise. Each two-student team will be working on GAPDH from either an aquatic or land animal source, e.g., trout, tuna, port beef or chicken. This course is restricted to Biochemistry majors. Offered in fall semester.
373. Biochemistry Laboratory II. (2)
Prerequisites: CHEM 372. This laboratory course is designed to simulate a research project in which molecular biology techniques and biochemistry are integrated. Those techniques are used as important tools to help solve questions in enzyme structure and function. The course theme involves an investigation on the relationship between protein structure and function of the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (ADP-Glc PPase) from Escherichia coli. All procedure required in lab will be found by the student in the library and proposed to the instructor(s) as a pre-lab exercise. Each two-student team will be working on a specific ADP-Glc PPase that has been previously obtained in a recombinant form. Their genes will be provided in a plasmid form. This course is restricted to Biochemistry majors. Offered in spring semester.
380. Chemistry Seminar. (1)
Prerequisite: CHEM 240 or CHEM 222 (or 224). A weekly seminar course. The talks vary over the entire range of chemistry and are generally given by outside speakers.
385. Advanced Enzyme Kinetics and Mechanisms. (3)
Prerequisite: CHEM 370. Lecture. The major theme in this course will be topics that are related to modern enzymology. Restricted to Biochemistry majors.
386. The Chemistry of Enzymes. (3)
Prerequisite: CHEM 370. Lecture. The course describes the chemical strategies employed by enzymes to accelerate reactions combined with an examination of the specialized methods employed to study enzyme chemistry. The course is lecture based with concurrent problems sets. This course is restricted to Biochemistry majors.
387. Plant Biochemistry
Prerequisite: CHEM 370. Lecture. The major themes in this course will be about topics that are related to plant biochemistry and metabolism. The structure of the course will involve lectures for each topic, with discussion with the students. Students will learn how plants and photosynthetic organisms acquire and process energy. Plant metabolism will constitute a central part of the course, focusing on the main differences from other living organisms. A solid understanding of plant metabolism will inspire the student to think about all the possibilities that plant biochemistry and biotechnology offer to solve critical problems, such as malnutrition, global climate change, drug discovery, and infectious diseases. This course is restricted to Biochemistry majors.
388. Biophysical Chemistry. (3)
Prerequisite: CHEM 370. Lecture. Survey of experimental methods for the physicochemical characterization of biomolecules. Topics include electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, calorimetry, optical spectroscopy, NMR, and X-ray crystallography. 
395. Special Topics in Chemistry. (1-3)
Prerequisite: Satisfactory progress toward completion of the core of chemistry courses, and junior or senior status. Specific titles and contents vary from semester to semester.
396. Special Topics in Biochemistry. (3)
Prerequisite: Satisfactory progress toward completion of the core chemistry courses, and Junior or Senior status. Restricted to BIOCHEM and CHEM majors. Course content and prerequisites vary from semester to semester and include advanced topics in biochemistry.

Older 100- and 200-level courses, see above for Updates to the Chemistry Curriculum

101. General Chemistry A. (3)
Prerequisite: A satisfactory performance on the Loyola math proficiency test; or completion of MATH 117 with a grade of C- or better. Lecture and discussion. The course deals with the development of basic chemical principles. Topics include atomic and molecular structures, states of matter, energetics and stoichiometry of reactions. For non chemistry majors and students in the B.A. Chemistry program. Recommended to co-enroll in CHEM 111.
102. General Chemistry B. (3)
Prerequisites: CHEM 101 (or CHEM 105) and completion of MATH 118 or higher with a grade of C- or better. Lecture and discussion. This lecture and discussion course is a continuation of 101 and includes topics on equilibrium systems, chemical thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and descriptive chemistry. Recommended to co-enroll in CHEM 112.
105. Chemical Principles. (4)
Prerequisites: A satisfactory performance on the Loyola math proficiency test; successful completion of a year of high school chemistry or the equivalent, or completion of MATH 117 with a grade of C- or better. A lecture, discussion and laboratory course for majors. Topics consist of stoichiometry, states of matter, chemical equilibrium, acid/base chemistry and kinetics. The laboratory experimentally illustrates the topics covered. Offered in fall semester.
106. Basic Inorganic Chemistry. (4)
Prerequisite: CHEM 105 and completion of MATH 118 or higher with a grade of C- or better. A lecture, discussion and laboratory course for majors that is a continuation of 105. Topics include atomic and molecular structure, periodic properties, and the chemistry of the transition elements. Laboratory involves the techniques and procedures of inorganic synthesis and analysis. Offered in spring semester.
111. General Chemistry Laboratory A. (1)
Prerequisite: MATH 117. This laboratory course experimentally illustrates the topics covered in the lecture (101). Recommended to co-enroll in CHEM 101.
112. General Chemistry Laboratory B. (1)
Prerequisites: CHEM 101 and 111 (or 105) and MATH 118 (or equivalent). This laboratory course experimentally illustrates the topics covered in the lecture (102). Recommended to co-enroll in CHEM 102.
212. Elementary Quantitative Analysis. (3)
Prerequisites: CHEM 102 and 112 (or 106) and MATH 118 (or equivalent).
Selected topics in quantitative analysis.
214. Elementary Quantitative Analysis Laboratory. (1)
Pre or Co-requisites: CHEM 212.
Selected topics in quantitative analysis lab. CHEM 212 PRE/CO-REQUISITE IS STRICTLY ENFORCED.
221. Organic Chemistry I. (4)
Prerequisite: CHEM 106. Lecture, discussion and laboratory. An intensive course for chemistry majors using a mechanistic approach. Topics include organic nomenclature, chemical and physical properties and reactions of several classes of aliphatic compounds, stereochemistry and introduction to spectroscopy. Offered in fall semester.
222. Organic Chemistry II. (4)
Prerequisite: CHEM 221. Lecture, discussion and laboratory. Continuation of 221. Nomenclature, properties, reactions and syntheses of further classes of aliphatic and aromatic compounds, carbohydrates and other polyfunctional substances; spectroscopy. Offered in spring semester.
223. Organic Chemistry A. (3)
Prerequisites: CHEM 102 (or 106) and MATH 118 (or equivalent). Lecture and discussion. First semester of a two semester sequence for non-chemistry majors. A survey of topics including stereochemistry; spectroscopy; and fundamental concepts of organic chemistry. Nomenclature, properties and syntheses of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, alkyl halides, alcohols and ethers. Recommended to co-enroll in CHEM 225 (if lab required for major).
224. Organic Chemistry B. (3)
Prerequisite: CHEM 223 or equivalent. Lecture and discussion. Continuation of 223; for non-chemistry majors. Organic chemistry of carbonyl compounds, amines, carboxylic acids and their derivatives, carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. Recommended to co-enroll in CHEM 226 (if lab required for major).
225. Organic Chemistry Laboratory A. (1)
Prerequisite: CHEM 102 and 112 (or 106) and MATH 118 (or equivalent). A laboratory course designed to experimentally illustrate the topics correspondingly covered in 223. The experiments acquaint students with the laboratory practices and techniques of organic chemistry and several involve preparation of known organic compounds. For non-chemistry majors. Recommended to co-enroll in CHEM 223 (if lab required for major).
226. Organic Chemistry Laboratory B. (1)
Prerequisite: CHEM 223 and 225 (or 221). A laboratory course to experimentally illustrate certain topics covered in 224. The major portion of the laboratory work involves the identification of several relatively simple organic compounds. For non chemistry majors. Recommended to co-enroll in CHEM 224 (if lab required for major).