Bachelor of Science: Chemistry

University Requirements

General Education

UMKC Essentials is the university-wide curriculum that all undergraduate students will complete. The 30-credit hour program includes a First Year Experience course; three critical thinking courses in the areas of Arts & Humanities, Natural & Physical Sciences, and Social & Behavioral Sciences; a Culture and Diversity course; a Civic & Urban Engagement course; two courses in Written Composition and one course in Oral Communication; and a Math Pathway course. Transfer students entering UMKC will elect from the UMKC Essentials General Education Program or the Missouri Core 42 General Education Curriculum.  Academic advisors will meet with incoming transfer students to determine which option best serves the student’s educational needs. More information about General Education may be found here: https://catalog.umkc.edu/undergraduate-academic-regulations-information/general-education-requirements/

Constitution Course 

Every undergraduate student must take a course covering the United States Constitution and the Missouri State Constitution before graduation. Course options are included in the program requirements section below.

Exit Examinations

Information on exit examinations is available in the Undergraduate Academic Regulations and Information section of the catalog.

Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination

In accordance with Missouri Senate Bill 807 (section 170.013.1), 'any student entering a public institution of higher education for the first time after July 2019 who is pursuing an associate's or bachelor's degree from such institution shall successfully pass an examination on the provisions and principles of American civics with a score of seventy percent or greater as a condition of graduation from such institution'.  To satisfy this requirement at UMKC, students access the exam through the Canvas site. This requirement will be listed in the degree audit system as, 'Take State Mandated Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination', and listed on the transcript as 'Missouri Civics Examination'.   

Mission

The BS in Chemistry is designed to offer comprehensive preparation in all major areas of chemistry (including general, organic, analytical, physical, inorganic and biochemistry). Graduates with a BS in Chemistry will have the core chemistry knowledge, analytical capacity, and laboratory skills necessary for collaborative work in hard science environments. This is achieved through hands-on laboratory and instrumentation training and rigorous coursework. The degree provides a foundation for those interested in pursuing careers in the pharmaceutical, government, industrial and academic sectors, as well as for those who wish to pursue studies towards advanced degrees (MS or Ph.D.) in various areas of chemistry and molecular sciences.

Program Goals

The goals of the Chemistry BS program are to produce graduates who:

  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the basic areas of chemistry and a set of problem-solving skills sufficient to allow students to pursue advanced chemistry degrees or succeed as chemists in an industrial setting.
  • Demonstrate a breadth of knowledge of experimental techniques, instrumentation, and laboratory safety.
  • Demonstrate professionalism, including the ability to work in teams, communicate effectively, and apply basic ethical principles.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from this program will:

  • Apply chemical concepts to solving theoretical and practical problems.
  • Follow general laboratory practice guidelines and demonstrate proper laboratory safety measures.
  • Read, analyze, interpret, and cite the chemical literature, and clearly and accurately communicate scientific information in an ethical manner.
  • Analyze and solve scientific problems, both individually and as part of a team.

Students graduating with a baccalaureate degree in chemistry will be prepared for entry into professional schools (e.g., medical, dental, pharmaceutical, or veterinary), graduate programs, or chemical industries.

Program Requirements

UMKC Essentials

First Semester Experience Course (GEFSE)3
Written Communication:
ENGLISH 110Introduction to Academic Prose3
ENGLISH 225English II: Intermediate Academic Prose3
Oral Communication (choose one of the following):3
Fundamentals of Effective Speaking and Listening
Introduction to Communication
Argumentation And Debate (offered via dual credit only)
Interpersonal Communication
Math Pathway (satisfied in major requirements below)
Critical Thinking in Arts & Humanities (GECRT-AH)3
Critical Thinking in Natural & Physical Sciences (GECRT-SC)3
Critical Thinking in Social & Behavioral Sciences (GECRT-SS)3
Culture & Diversity Course (GECDV)3
Civic & Urban Engagement Course (GECUE)3
Total Credits27

Constitution Course Requirement

Section 170.011.1 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, 2015, states that all candidates for a degree issued by a college or university in the state of Missouri must have “satisfactorily passed an examination on the provisions and principles of the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Missouri, and in American history and American institutions.” 

Courses at UMKC that satisfy this state requirement are:

Choose one of the following:3
The Supreme Court And The Criminal Process
U.S. History to 1877
U.S. History Since 1877
Honors American Government
American Government
Total Credits3

There are a few other ways this requirement can be satisfied for students transferring to UMKC:

  • Take an equivalent course from the list above at a regionally accredited institution.
  • Earn credit for one of the above courses through AP, IB, or CLEP.
  • Take a course that directly satisfies the Missouri Constitution Requirement at another Missouri institution.
  • Have a previous bachelors degree (or higher) from a regionally accredited institution.
  • Have an Associate of Arts degree from a regionally accredited institution.
  • Complete the 42 Hour Core at a Missouri institution and have it listed on the official transcript.

Major Requirements

The Chemistry Department bachelor of science degree is certified by the American Chemical Society (ACS) and requires the 44 credit hours in chemistry listed below, specifically the 2 credit hours of CHEM 382, 3 credit hours of CHEM 367 or LS-BIOC 341, CHEM 471, and an upper division elective which may be chosen from selected departments1

Students must successfully complete the major requirements below with at least 12 hours of the noted upper division (300+) course requirements completed at UMKC.

  • All majors must receive a C- or better in all chemistry courses with an overall chemistry GPA of 2.0 for graduation.
  • A minimum grade of C- is required for all prerequisite courses (including physics and mathematics courses). In exceptional cases, students may receive written consent by submitting a petition to the Chemistry Undergraduate Curriculum Committee which has to be approved to waive this requirement.
  • Each chemistry major must be advised by an Advisor every semester.
  • Students must maintain academic standing as determined by the academic unit. Please see https://catalog.umkc.edu/colleges-schools/sbc/chemistry/#undergraduatetext for more information.
General Chemistry
CHEM 211General Chemistry I4
or MOTRCHEM 150 MOTR Chemistry I
CHEM 211LExperimental General Chemistry I1
CHEM 212R
CHEM 212LR
General Chemistry II
and Experimental General Chemistry II
5
Organic Chemistry
CHEM 321
321L
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
4
CHEM 322R
CHEM 322L
Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
4
Analytical Chemistry
CHEM 341WIAnalytical Chemistry I: Quantitative Analysis4
or CHEM 341 Analytical Chemistry I: Quantitative Analysis
CHEM 442RAnalytical Chemistry II: Instrumental Analysis3
Physical Chemistry
CHEM 431Physical Chemistry I3
CHEM 432Physical Chemistry II3
CHEM 437WIExperimental Physical Chemistry I3
or CHEM 437 Experimental Physical Chemistry I
Chemical Literature
CHEM 410Chemical Literature1
Inorganic Chemistry
CHEM 451RInorganic Chemistry3
Advanced Work
One of the following: 13
CHEM 387, CHEM 392, CHEM 399, or any 400-level CHEM course
MATH course higher than 250 with 220 as a prerequisite
300- or 400- level BIOLOGY Course
300- or 400- level PHYSICS Course
400- level STAT Course
Math
MATH 120Precalculus (satisfies Math Pathway)5
MATH 210Calculus I4
MATH 220Calculus II4
MATH 250Calculus III4
Engineering Physics
PHYSICS 240Physics For Scientists and Engineers I5
or PHYSICS 210 General Physics I
PHYSICS 250Physics For Scientists and Engineers II5
or PHYSICS 220 General Physics II
ACS Requirements 1
CHEM 382Inorganic And Organic Synthesis2
CHEM 367Bioorganic Chemistry3
or BIOLOGY 441 Biochemistry
CHEM 471Introduction To Polymer Chemistry3
Total Credits76

General Electives

Students must take elective credit hours to meet the minimum credit hour requirement for their degree, including at least 36 credit hours of coursework at the 300-level or above. The minimum required by the university is 120 credit hours, of which at least 30 credit hours must be taken at UMKC, but some degree programs require more.

General Electives14

Minimum GPA: 2.0

Total Credit Hours: 120

Tools for Planning and Fulfilling Academic Requirements

UMKC's Major Maps are detailed, semester by semester plans that lead a student to complete all degree requirements within four years.  Plans include benchmarks and critical courses by term that assist a student’s evaluation of progress and major “fit”.  In order to ensure that the appropriate courses are taken, students are encouraged to consult with the undergraduate advisor for this major. Please see the tab above to view the major map for this program.

UMKC’s Transfer Guides provide detailed guidance on recommended transfer coursework, plans of study, transfer timelines, and transfer contact information. To ensure a seamless transfer experience, students are encouraged to work with both their community college advisor and a UMKC advisor when planning their coursework.

UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Audit’ degree audit system provides an individual evaluation of all degree requirements (General Education, Degree Specific, Major Specific, etc.) for students' officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study.  This evaluation is used to certify all graduation requirements.

UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Plans’ degree planning tool enables students to develop a personalized semester by semester plan of study towards completion of degree requirements for student’s officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study. Update and edit your full plan to degree completion each term and confirm accuracy each semester with your Academic Advisor(s).