Courses

Spring 2024 Offerings Course Info on SIS

The list below includes descriptions of all undergraduate and graduate courses offered by the Department of Chemistry, though some courses may be taught more often than others.

Visit the undergraduate and graduate pages for course requirements for specific programs. For up-to-date information on course offerings, schedules, room locations and registration, please visit the Student Information System (SIS).

Undergraduate Only (CHEM 0001-0092)

0001 General Chemistry I with Lab. Atomic and molecular structure, chemical nomenclature, intermolecular forces and states of matter, the relation of structure and bonding to physical and chemical properties of matter, patterns of chemical reactions, stoichiometry, thermochemistry, and properties of solutions. Three lectures, one laboratory, one recitation. Only one of Chemistry 1, 11, or 16, may be counted for credit.

0002 General Chemistry II with Lab. Chemical kinetics and thermodynamics, physical and chemical equilibria, aqueous equilibria (acid-base, precipitation, and complex formation), electrochemistry, introduction to organic chemistry (families of organic compounds, basic stereochemistry and nomenclature). Additional topics may include environmental, nuclear, coordination chemistry; chemistry of selected elements; and introduction to biological chemistry. Three lectures, one laboratory, one recitation. Prerequisite: Chemistry 1, 11, 16, or consent. Only one of Chemistry 2 or 12 may be counted for credit.

0003 Frontiers in Chemistry. Introduction to chemical research. Discussion of current research in chemistry and related fields; suited for introductory chemistry students. Weekly presentations by different Tufts faculty members and guests.  Pass-Fail grading. Prerequisite: concurrent or prior enrollment in Chemistry 1 or 11.

0004 Frontiers in Chemistry. Introduction to chemical research. Discussion of current research in chemistry and related fields; suited for introductory chemistry students. Weekly presentations by different Tufts faculty members and guests. Pass-Fail grading. Prerequisite: concurrent or prior enrollment in Chemistry 2 or 12.

0006 From the Big Bang to Humankind. Course will explore the origins of the Universe, the formation of Earth and its structure, the chemistry of life, the development of complex organisms, and the development of modern humans. Students will learn the evidence for the various ideas presented, the scientific method used by scientists, and how the community of scientists evaluates the evidence. This course does not fulfill pre-medical requirements for a lab-based chemistry course.

0008 Environmental Chemistry. An introductory course designed primarily to give non-science majors an appreciation of basic chemical principles underlying the causes of and possible solutions to current environmental problems. The concept of equilibrium in complex systems; thermodynamic limits and kinetic realities. Case studies from current literature. Prerequisite: High-school chemistry. Spring 2000 and alternate years.

0011, Expanded General Chemistry I with Lab. Topics are the same as in Chemistry 1, but some concepts are covered in greater detail and mathematical depth, while other topics (including stoichiometry, unit conversion, elemental analysis, and simple combustion and precipitation reactions) are only briefly reviewed. For interested students who seek to engage deeply with chemical thinking. Three 75 min lectures; required co-enrollment in Chemistry 3 (Frontiers in Chemistry), one laboratory, one recitation. Recommendations: familiarity with solving problems on the following topics: stoichiometry, periodic trends and fundamental properties of elements, simple acid-base chemistry. A self-assessment for determining readiness for Chemistry 11 can be found on the Chemistry Department website; Prerequisite: Mathematics 32 (may be taken concurrently). Only one of Chemistry 1, 11, or 16 may be counted for credit.

0012 Expanded General Chemistry II with Lab. Topics covered are the same as in Chemistry 2, but are discussed in greater detail and mathematical depth. For interested students who seek to engage deeply with chemical thinking. Three 75 min lectures; required co-enrollment in Chemistry 4 (Frontiers in Chemistry), one laboratory, one recitation.  Prerequisites: Chemistry 1 or Chemistry 11. Only one of Chemistry 2 or 12 may be counted for credit.

0016 Chemistry of Materials. An introductory course investigating the fundamentals and principles of chemistry through exploration of modern materials, e.g., thin films, superconductors, ultrasmall structures, modern electronics and photonics. Topics include atomic and molecular structure, intermolecular forces, ionic and covalent bonding. This one-semester course may be used in conjunction with Chemistry 2 to fulfill the basic chemistry requirement for a chemistry major. Three lectures, one recitation, one laboratory. Prerequisite: Good background in mathematics. Only one of Chemistry 1, 11, or 16 may be counted for credit. 

0031 Physical Chemistry I. Introduction to the principles of modern physical chemistry: elementary wave mechanics, atomic structure, and chemical bonding, elementary statistical thermodynamics, and the thermodynamic basis for phase behavior, chemical reactivity and equilibrium in gases and liquid solutions. Prerequisites: Chemistry 2 or 12, Mathematics 34 or equivalent, and Physics 2 or 12, or consent. Physics may be taken concurrently. 

0032 Physical Chemistry II. Applications of the principles of modern physical chemistry to problems in chemical bonding, atomic and molecular structure, spectroscopy, and chemical kinetics. Prerequisites: Chemistry 2 or 12, Mathematics 34 or equivalent, and Physics 2 or 12, or consent. Physics may be taken concurrently. Spring.  

0033 Physical Chemistry Lab. Experiments investigate the quantum behavior of atoms and molecules, thermodynamics, and equilibria. Prerequisites: Chemistry 31 or concurrent registration.

0034 Physical Chemistry Lab. Spectroscopic, kinetic, and advanced physical chemistry experiments. Prerequisites: Chemistry 32 or concurrent registration.

0042 Quantitative Analysis. Introduction to the methods and scientific basis of quantitative analysis including, sampling, error & statistical analyses, data treatment & presentation, basic concepts and operation of chromatographic, electroanalytical, and spectroscopic instrumentation. For chemistry majors, as well as students enrolled in Earth sciences, environmental studies, or engineering. The course will provide students in chemistry or any related discipline with the necessary foundation, understanding, and basic tools for doing good science and operating common analytical instrumentation. Two lectures, two laboratories. One and one-half courses. Prerequisites: Chemistry 2 or 12. Spring. 

0043 Bioanalytical Chemistry. Introduction to the fundamental concepts of characterization, separation, detection, identification, and quantification of analytes in complex biological samples with an emphasis on experimental design and methods in data interpretation and error analysis. Alternative to CHEM 0042 (Quantitative Analysis) designed for students majoring in biochemistry or with interests in biotechnology, chemical biology, and biomedical engineering. Prerequisites: CHEM 2 or CHEM 12, Concurrent registration with CHEM 45 required. Three lectures, one recitation.

0045 Bioanalytical Chemistry Lab. Hands-on laboratory experiments emphasizing the use of modern instrumentation, experimental methodology, and data analysis to investigate the concepts in Chemistry 43. One laboratory, one lecture. Requires same term enrollment in Chem 43.

0050 Survey of Organic Chemistry. One semester survey of organic chemistry. Topics include structure and bonding in organic molecules, spectroscopy, stereochemistry, reactivity, synthesis, polymer chemistry, and bioorganic chemistry. Will not fulfill the organic chemistry requirement for chemistry majors, premedical, pre-dental, or pre-veterinary students. May not be taken for credit in conjunction with Chemistry 51 or 52. Students needing a laboratory should register for Chemistry 53. Three lectures. Prerequisite: Chemistry 2 or 12.

0051 Organic Chemistry I. Structure, bonding, conformational analysis, functional groups, and stereochemistry. Organic reactions, synthesis, and mechanisms including acid/base reactions, nucleophilic substitution and elimination, reactions of alcohols, ethers, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids and their derivatives, and amines. Tools for structure determination including nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy. Two 75-minute lectures, one recitation. One course. (Note: The laboratory course, CHEM 53, is normally taken concurrently with CHEM 51.) Prerequisites: CHEM 2 or 12.

0052 Organic Chemistry II. Continuation of CHEM 51. Structure, properties, and reactions of alkenes, alkynes, conjugated unsaturated systems and aromatic compounds. Radical reactions. Mechanisms, retrosynthetic analysis and synthetic strategy. Additional topics such as the chemistry of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, and nucleic acids. Two 75-minute lectures, one recitation. One course. (Note: The laboratory course, CHEM 54, is normally taken concurrently with CHEM 52.) Prerequisites: CHEM 51

0053 Organic Chemistry Laboratory I. Experiments based on topics in Chemistry 51. One laboratory, one lecture. One-half course. Co-requisite or prerequisite: Chemistry 50 or 51. Fall.

0054 Organic Chemistry Laboratory II. Experiments based on topics in Chemistry 52. One laboratory, one lecture. One-half course. Prerequisite: Chemistry 53. Co-requisite or prerequisite: Chemistry 52. Spring.

0055 Advanced Synthesis Laboratory. Introduction to advanced laboratory techniques in synthetic organic and inorganic chemistry. Emphasis on synthetic methods that involve organometallics, catalysts, and enzymes. Techniques include inert atmosphere manipulations, chromatography, and spectroscopic analysis. Nine hours of laboratory. Prerequisites: Chemistry 52 and 54.

0061 Inorganic Chemistry. Chemistry illustrative of the kinds of bonding in inorganic compounds, including discussions of ionic, covalent, electron-deficient, and coordination compounds. Three lectures. Prerequisites: Chemistry 31 and 52. Only one of Chemistry 61 or 161 may be taken for credit.  Fall.

0063 Inorganic and Synthetic Chemistry Laboratory. Experiments include those based on topics in Chemistry 61. Techniques in synthesis, spectroscopy, and reactivity studies. Applications of inorganic compounds in synthesis, catalysis, materials sciences, and biology. One laboratory, one lecture, one-half course. Prerequisites Chemistry 61 or 161. Fall

0081 Research I. (Previously CHEM 91) Training in the methods of chemical research. Frequent conferences and library assignments. Open to qualified advanced students. Requires at least fifteen hours per week of laboratory and/or other research work in chemistry during the fall or spring semesters, or 35-40 hours per week during the summer sessions. Pass-fail grading. 

0082 Research II. (Previously CHEM 92) Continued training in the methods of research. Requires at least fifteen hours per week of laboratory and/or other research work in chemistry during the fall or spring semesters, or 35-40 hours per week during the summer sessions. Students write a report of research accomplished. Recommendations: CHEM 81 and permission of instructor.

0083-0088 Research III-VIII. Continued training in the methods of research. Requires at least fifteen hours per week of laboratory and/or other research work in chemistry during the fall or spring semesters, or 35-40 hours per week during the summer sessions. Students write a report of research accomplished. Recommendations: permission of instructor. Courses must be taken in numerical order, starting with CHEM 81. One-credit courses.

0094 Science & the Human Experience. For non-chemistry majors - does not count towards the chemistry undergraduate major.

Undergraduate & Graduate (CHEM 0131-0199)

0131 Chemical Thermodynamics. A detailed application of the laws of thermodynamics to chemical and phase equilibria. Thermodynamics of solutions and solids. Introductory statistical thermodynamics. Three lectures. Prerequisites: Chemistry 31 and Mathematics 42, or consent. Spring 2021 and alternate years.

0132 Chemical Kinetics and Dynamics. Study of chemical reaction rates in the gas phase and solution. Topics include kinetic models, experimental methods, molecular reaction dynamics, kinetic theory of gases, potential energy surfaces, and transition state theory. Prerequisite: Chemistry 32 or consent. Fall 2021 and alternate years. 

0133 Quantum Mechanics. Covers Schrödinger equation and basic quantized systems, statistical interpretation and uncertainty, perturbation theory, scattering, symmetries and invariance, approximation methods, energy calculations. Prerequisite: Chemistry 32; Mathematics 51 recommended. Fall.

0134 Statistical Mechanics. Fermi-Dirac, Bose-Einstein, and Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics. Ensembles, most probable distribution, and fluctuations. Calculation of chemical potential from molecular constants; determination of equilibrium in gas-phase reaction systems; transport properties; simple theories of solids, liquids, and solution. Prerequisite: Chemistry 32; Mathematics 51 recommended. 

0135 Biophysical Chemistry. Thermodynamics of biochemical systems, biochemical and biological dynamics, biochemical spectroscopy and structure determination, statistical thermodynamics and transport properties, electrochemistry in the biological context, and membrane biophysics. Three lectures. Prerequisites: Chemistry 52 and 31.

0136 Spectroscopy and Molecular Structure. Electronic, vibrational, and rotational energy levels of molecules, and transitions between these levels. Molecular symmetry. Time dependence and symmetry requirements of spectroscopic transitions. Born-Oppenheimer approximation, Franck-Condon principle, potential surfaces, other spectroscopic methods. Prerequisite: Chemistry 133 or consent. Spring 2013 and alternate years.

0138 Atomic Scale Structure and Properties of Surfaces. Foundational concepts relevant to surface and interfacial chemistry, with a focus on solid surfaces. Topics include surface and adsorbate structure (both geometric and electronic), adsorbate bonding motifs (including chemisorption and physisorption), thermodynamics, kinetics and dynamics of adsorption and reaction, heterogeneous catalysis, and impacts of surface modification on reactivity. Prerequisite: Chemistry 31 or instructor's consent.

0139 Chemistry of Complex Interfaces, Catalysts, and Devices. Application of scientific principles to understand the preparation, characterization of and mechanistic operation of important interfacial chemical processes. Topics include controlled surface preparation and characterization, self-assembly, lithography, and molecular beam, chemical vapor, and atomic layer deposition methods and their application to single molecule studies, heterogeneous catalysis, self-assembly, two-dimensional device operation, and design and function in nanoscience. Characterization methods include optical and electron-based surface spectroscopies, beam and desorption-based methods, scanning probe and other surface microscopies.

0141 Instrumental Analysis. Theory, operation, and application of principal instruments used in chemical analysis and research. Selected special topics such as molecular, atomic, and mass spectroscopies; electrochemistry; and chromatography are included. Designed to acquaint the student with modern laboratory techniques used in all areas of chemistry. Students will select an analytical project of their choosing (with instructor approval) incorporating analytical metrics of precision, accuracy, selectivity, and sensitivity as well as develop experiments and questions that relate theory to experimental data. Recommendations: Chemistry 31, 42 or 43, and 51, or consent. Fall.

0142 Advanced Analytical Methods. Student-led case studies of modern analytical instrumentation and its application to chemically-related problems in a broad variety of research areas such as environmental, materials, biomedical, and others. Course requires in-depth oral and written presentations based on recently published literature. Recommendations: Chemistry 42, 43, or 141, or equivalent taken elsewhere, or permission of instructor. Enrollment limited to 9 students. Spring.

0144 Spectroscopic Methods of Analysis. Spectroscopic analytical techniques, including principles and applications of spectroscopic measurements, fundamental interaction of radiation and matter, emission spectroscopy, atomic absorption, UV-visible fluorescence, Fourier transform IR, X-ray techniques, mass spectroscopy, and surface techniques such as AES, ESCA, and SIMS. Three lectures. Recommendations: Chemistry 42, 43, or 141, or consent.

0145 Separation Science. Basic separation theory, practice, and instrumentation in gas, liquid, and other chromatographies, membrane and affinity separations, extraction techniques, electrophoresis, and separations based on phase equilibria. Three lectures. Recommendations: Chemistry 42, 43, or 141, or consent.

0150 Mechanistic Reasoning in Organic Chemistry. Mechanistic Reasoning in Organic Chemistry. Advanced organic chemistry focusing on interactive problem-solving, reaction mechanism, and the prediction of reaction outcomes. Thermodynamic and kinetic reaction control, polar and pericyclic reaction mechanisms, and mechanistic reasoning. Prerequisite: CHEM 0052 or graduate standing.

0151 Physical Organic Chemistry. Advanced organic chemistry with emphasis on structure and reaction mechanisms, uses of kinetics and other physical methods, and dynamic interaction between current theoretical concepts and experiments. CHEM 0151 is independent from CHEM 0150, but for students who plan to take both, CHEM 0150 is recommended as the first course in the sequence. Prerequisite: CHEM 0052 or graduate standing.

0152 Advanced Organic Synthesis. Techniques and strategies for the synthesis of complex molecules. Mechanism and scope of new bond-forming methods and functional group transformations. Can be taken independently, concurrently, or in sequence with CHEM 0150. Prerequisite: CHEM 0052 or graduate standing.

0155 Organic Spectroscopy. Applications of NMR, IR, UV, and mass spectrometry to the identification of organic compounds. Three class meetings. Prerequisite: Chemistry 52.

0157 Molecular Medicine. Molecular mechanism and structural analysis of compounds useful in human medicine. Introduces the biochemistry of a system relevant to a particular disease indication, then focuses on the detailed interaction of chemo(bio)therapeutic agents with the biological system. Material drawn principally from the primary literature. Topics may include antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal agents; anti-cancer compounds; and molecules affecting immunity, inflammation, metabolic syndrome, and neurodegenerative conditions. Prerequisites: BIO 0013 and CHEM 0052.Recommendations:  BIO 13 and CHEM 52.

0161 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry. Atomic and molecular structure. Symmetry operations and symmetry point groups. Chemical bonding in inorganic and coordination compounds. Types of inorganic reactions and their mechanisms. Reactivity of major classes of inorganic compounds. Descriptive chemistry of selected main-group elements. More rigorous than Chemistry 61. May receive credit for only one of Chemistry 61 or 161. Prerequisites: Chemistry 32 and 52. Fall.

0162 Chemistry of Transition Elements. Descriptive and theoretical chemistry of transition elements; structure, bonding, reactivity, and spectroscopic properties of metal complexes. Prerequisite: Chemistry 61 or 161. Spring 2015 and alternate years. Members of the Department

0163 Diffraction Methods of Structure Determination. Introduction to structure determination methods that give detailed information on atomic arrangements in crystalline solids. Emphasis on single-crystal X-ray diffraction, with some attention to neutron diffraction, and powder methods. Space group symmetry, structure factors, methods of structure solution, and measures of structure accuracy. Prerequisite: consent.

0164 Bioinorganic Chemistry. The role of metal ions in living organisms; understanding and modeling. Metal ion transport and storage, biocoordination chemistry of ion pumps. Metal ion folding and cross-linking of biomolecules. Small molecule (oxygen, nitrogen) binding and activation. Hydrolytic and redox metalloenzymes. Structure-function relationships in metalloenzyme mimics. Bioinorganic chemistry and drug design. Prerequisite: Chemistry 61 or 161, or consent. Fall 2016 and alternate years.

0165 Physical Methods in Inorganic Chemistry. Spectroscopic methods in inorganic and coordination chemistry: UV-Vis, infrared, Raman, electron paramagnetic resonance, nuclear quadrupole resonance, Mossbauer spectroscopy. Multinuclear NMR, NMR of paramagnetic compounds. Magnetism applications of different methods to electronic structure determination and to studies on complexation in solution. X-ray crystallography. Prerequisite: Chemistry 61 or 161, or consent. Spring

0166 Organometallic Chemistry. Chemistry of transition metal complexes featuring metal-carbon bonds. Emphasis on reactivities and applications. Overarching principles, structure and bonding, classes of ligands, fundamental transformations, and catalytic reaction mechanisms. Prerequisite: Chemistry 61 or 161, or instructor permission.

0170 Scientific Writing. A writing laboratory based on scientific material encountered in current chemical research, with a focus on the writing and preparation of scientific manuscripts. One-half course. Prerequisite: consent.

0171 Organic Chemistry of Living Systems: Biochemistry. Structure and function of proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. Mechanisms and molecular function of binding proteins, enzymes, and membrane transporters. In-depth explorations of metabolic pathways and regulation with connections to physiology and human disease. Prerequisites: Chemistry 51 or two semesters of organic chemistry taken elsewhere. Recommended Biology 13. Spring.

0172 Advanced Biochemistry. Understanding human health and disease at the molecular level. Synthesis and breakdown of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, nucleic acids, and proteins. Molecular understanding of human metabolism and cellular signaling. Special topics in modern biomedical science.
Prerequisite: Chemistry 171. Fall.

0176 Chemical Biology. Chemical biology is the application of novel chemical matter to answer biological questions. Covers diverse topics including bioorthogonal chemistry, proximity-inducing small molecules, molecular evolution, and genetic code expansion. Readings cover current trends in the field and issues of justice, equity, and representation in science and academia. Prerequisites: Biology 13 and Chemistry 51. Chem 171 highly recommended.

0193 Special Topics - Machine Learning and Molecular Dynamics for Biophysics. This course is an introduction to machine learning (ML), molecular dynamics (MD), and their application to solve biophysical problems. The course will cover the basics of ML and MD, and their application to important biophysical problems such as protein structure prediction, protein folding, protein design and computational drug design, among others. Prerequisites: Chemistry 31, Chemistry 51, Math 70, and basic programming skills. Spring 2025. 3 credits.

0194 Special Topics in Physical Chemistry. Guided individual study of an approved topic. Credit as arranged. Members of the Department.

0195 Senior Thesis I. Intensive research investigation, to be combined with Chemistry 0199, leading to a written thesis and oral defense. At least 20 hours per week of research work is required. An application for admission to the chemistry thesis program must be made during the sixth or at the start of the seventh semester, by 9/30 of the senior year. The thesis committee must have at least two faculty members from the Chemistry Department. Must enroll in the Honors Thesis Program. See more information on the timeline and requirements here: https://chem.tufts.edu/current-students/undergraduate-programs/senior-thesis Fall.

Prerequisites: (1) A senior in good academic standing, (2) major in chemistry, ACS certified chemistry, biochemistry, or chemical physics, (3) on the Dean’s List at least twice by the senior year, or have a waiver from the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Education, (4) at least one summer or semester of research prior to the senior year (one year of prior research is common), and (5) must submit the Application for Admission to the Chemistry Thesis Program form and obtain department approval by 9/30 of the senior year. 

Graduate Only (CHEM 0237-0502)

0237 Special Topics in Physical Chemistry. Selected topics of contemporary interest in physical chemistry. Three lectures. Prerequisite: consent. Two courses

0238 Special Topics in Physical Chemistry. Selected topics of contemporary interest in physical chemistry. 

0247 Special Topics in Analytical Chemistry.  Selected topics of contemporary interest in analytical and instrumental chemistry. Three lectures. Prerequisite: consent. Two courses.

0248 Special Topics in Analytical Chemistry. Selected topics of contemporary interest in analytical and instrumental chemistry. Three lectures. Prerequisite: consent. Two courses.

0257, 0258 Special Topics in Organic Chemistry - Carbohydrate Chemistry. Complex carbohydrates are ubiquitous across all kingdoms of life.  In attrition to metabolism, they play important roles in a variety of biological processes including, but not limited to, cell-cell recognition, pathogen infection, and immunology.  At present, the only way to obtain pure carbohydrates is through synthesis.  This course covers both classical and modern approaches to complex carbohydrate synthesis and their application to therapeutic development. Spring 2025. 3 credits.

0267, 0268 Special Topics in Inorganic Chemistry. Selected topics of contemporary interest in inorganic chemistry. Three lectures. Prerequisite: consent. Two courses.

0281, 0282 Seminar in Chemistry. Discussion of specialized problems and current chemical research. Prerequisite: open to qualified advanced students in chemistry. Credit as arranged. Required for all first year graduate students.  Invited Speakers

0291, 0292 Professional Skills in Chemical Research. Topics will include: joining a research group, scientific writing, public speaking, study topic and original proposal success, literature management, thesis preparation, research group specific safety, shipping of chemicals, public communication, careers in science, involvement the local scientific community, and outreach. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor

0293, 0294 Special Topics. Guided individual study of an approved topic. Credit as arranged.

0295, 0296 Graduate Research MS. Guided research on a topic that has been approved as a suitable subject for a master's thesis. Credit as arranged.

0297, 0298 Graduate Research. Guided research on a topic suitable for a doctoral dissertation. Credit as arranged.

0401PT Master's Continuation, Part-time.

0402FT Master's Continuation, Full-time.

0501PT Doctoral Continuation, Part-time.

0502FT Doctoral Continuation, Full-time.