Chemistry B.S.

Contact Information

Dr. Richard Sinden (Department Head)
Department of Chemistry and Applied Biological Sciences
Chemistry/Chemical Engineering 2219
(605) 394-1678
E-mail: Richard.Sinden@sdsmt.edu

Faculty

Professor Bang, Boyles, Fong, and Sinden; Associate Professors DeVeaux, Heglund, Sani, and Zhu; Assistant Professors Kunza and Smirnova; Senior Lecturer Meyer; Lecturers Coble and Filipova; Instructors Christofferson, K. Gilgrease, and Marshall.

Staff

Department of Chemistry and Applied Biological Sciences Senior Secretary, Tara Huber; Chemical and Instrumentation Specialist, Margaret Smallbrock.

Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry and Applied Biological Sciences offers a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry.

The Bachelor of Science in Chemistry degree fulfills the recommendations of the Committee on Professional Training of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society.  Graduates with the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry are certified by ACS as having completed coursework recommended by ACS.  The coursework within the department offers a broad-based and rigorous education which emphasizes a molecular approach to chemical phenomena, an approach central to the heart of any chemical field.  The department offers foundation and in-depth coursework in the five major sub-disciplines of Chemistry: Analytical, Biochemistry, Inorganic, Organic, and Physical Chemistry.  The Bachelor of Science in Chemistry degree requires 120 semester credits.

The department prepares students for careers in the chemical sciences by affording the intellectual, technical, and communications opportunities conducive to the development of future generations of scientists.  The Department of Chemistry and Applied Biological Sciences prides itself in the 2011 opening of a new wing which houses state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and instrumentation available for cutting edge research.  Students find opportunities to work with faculty who hold high caliber, peer-reviewed, externally-funded research grants awarded by federal agencies including the Air Force Research Laboratory, Office of Naval Research, Army Research Office, United States Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, and many other agencies.  This affords students opportunities to present their research at local or national biannual meetings of the American Chemical Society.

For students interested in graduate studies, the faculty of the Department of Chemistry and Applied Biological Sciences participate in several SDSM&T graduate programs including the M.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical and Biological Engineering, M.S. and Ph.D. Materials Engineering and Science, and Ph.D. in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering.  Students opting for a graduate degree in these disciplines have the opportunity to perform cutting-edge research with a dissertation in fundamental and in-depth areas of chemistry while augmenting their chemistry background with coursework specific to their respective graduate program of enrollment.

As chemistry is pervasive in the economy of the United States, graduates of the department find diverse employment opportunities in government, private, and academic sectors, and are highly sought after by employers.  Additionally, the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry degree is an excellent choice as a pre-professional degree option for those students seeking further study in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, materials science, environmental science, patent or environmental law, and education.

Advisors work closely with their assigned students in order to ensure each student completes all degree requirements in a timely manner, meets prerequisites for further education (such as medical or other professional schools), and is knowledgeable about post-graduation options and employment opportunities.

The department also offers a minor in chemistry to SDSM&T students. 

Chemistry Curriculum/Checklist

The following shows the preferred curriculum for the Chemistry B.S. degree.  The sequence of courses taken will depend on the academic preparation of incoming students.  Students should consult with a Chemistry advsior for their individualized course of study.  It is important to note that certain courses have prerequisite requirements.  Moreover, as certain courses are taught every two years, curricula are shown for the junior and senior years for both even and odd year cycles.