BA in Chemistry: Materials and Nanoscience

The Chemistry: Materials and Nanoscience Specialization offers students a broad education in the traditional subdisciplines of chemistry along with an opportunity for in-depth training at the interface of materials chemistry and nanoscience. Students will engage with a wide variety of lecture- and laboratory-based coursework grounded in chemistry and materials science. Students pursuing this degree will have opportunities to engage in independent research projects with faculty from the Department of Chemistry who are leaders in a growing interdisciplinary area vital for many industries and fields including sustainable energy, semiconductors, biopharmaceuticals, solar cells, electronics, materials development, and instrumentation. Students completing a BA in Chemistry: Materials and Nanoscience Specialization will have a deep knowledge of chemistry and real-world skills for employment as materials chemists, process engineers, and instrument specialists; or for pursuing chemistry or materials science graduate programs; or for professional training in law or business. 

Learning Outcomes

Students pursuing degrees based in the Department of Chemistry will learn to:

• Understand fundamental principles of chemistry, including thermodynamics, kinetics, crystallography, and electron band structures, and apply them to predict and evaluate structure-properties relationships of novel materials.
• Design and conduct experiments to synthesize, characterize, and analyze (nano)materials using modern laboratory techniques, instrumentation, and computational approaches while adhering to proper safety protocols.
• Effectively communicate chemistry concepts and research findings to a diverse audience, including materials scientists, engineers, and physicists, through clear written reports and oral presentation.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams to develop innovative solutions for materials and nanoscience development.
• Demonstrate ethical and professional responsibility in the (nano)materials chemistry development.

Requirements

All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements can be satisfied in a number of ways, including coursework in and beyond the major as well as through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Chemistry will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Quantitative Reasoning, Scientific Inquiry, and most of the requirements in Communication and the Intellectual Toolkit. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.

The BA in Chemistry: Materials and Nanoscience Specialization requires 18 courses, including a minimum of 11 chemistry courses (general chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, and inorganic chemistry); 4 courses in mathematics and physics; and up to 3 courses in mechanical, materials science, electrical and computer, and biomedical engineering. 

Core Chemistry Courses

• General Chemistry: CAS CH 109, 112 (or CAS CH 101, 102, 201 or CAS CH 109, 110)
• Organic Chemistry: CAS CH 211, 212 (or CAS CH 203, 214 or CAS CH 203, 204, 220)
• Inorganic Chemistry: CAS CH 232
• Mathematical Methods for Molecular Sciences: CAS CH 225
• Physical Chemistry: CAS CH 351, 352, 354

Required Related Courses

• CAS MA 123, 124 Calculus 1 and 2
• CAS PY 211, 212 General Physics 1 and 2 (or CAS PY 251, 252 Principles of Physics 1 and 2)

Introduction to Materials Science

• ENG ME 306 Introduction to Materials Science

Materials and Nanoscience Breadth Requirement

Choose two from the following:

• CAS CH 550 Materials Chemistry: Hard Materials
• CAS CH 551 Materials Chemistry: Polymer Synthesis and Applications (or ENG MS 504 Polymers and Soft Materials) 
• ENG EK 481 Introduction to Nanotechnology 

Elective Requirement

Choose two from the following list of electives. At least one elective must be a Chemistry Department course.

• CAS BB 421 Biochemistry 1* (or CAS CH 373 Principles of Biochemistry or ENG BE 560 Biomolecular Architecture)
• CAS CH 301 Chemical Synthesis and Analysis
• CAS CH 303 Instrumental Analysis Laboratory
• CAS CH 458 Molecular Kinetics and Dynamics
• CAS CH 455 Introduction to Computational Molecular Science
• CAS CH 461, 462 (or CAS CH 401, 402) Senior (Honors) Research in Chemistry
• ENG BE 437 Nanometer Scale Processes in Living Systems
• ENG EC 400 Engineering Light
• ENG ME 503 Kinetic Processes in Materials
• ENG MS 508 Computational Methods in Materials Science
• ENG MS 539 Intro to Materials Science and Engineering
• ENG MS 577 Electronic Optical and Magnetic Properties of Materials
• ENG MS 782 Advanced Materials Characterization

*Students in the MMEDIC program have the option to complete their GMS-based biochemistry course and CAS BB 527 in place of CAS BB 421.

Honors in the Major Requirements

• CAS CH 401, 402 Honors Research in Chemistry

A minimum of 16 hours per week of experimental or theoretical research within the Chemistry Department focused on materials and nanoscience, or an approved research group outside the Chemistry Department undertaking research at the interface of chemistry with materials and nanoscience. An honors thesis will be submitted at the end of the spring term and defended before a committee of three faculty members. To graduate with Honors in Chemistry, a grade of B or higher is required in CAS CH 401 and CAS CH 402. An oral presentation at the Undergraduate Research Symposium at the end of the spring term is also required.

Prerequisites: 3.0 overall GPA, 3.2 GPA in required major courses, and approval of honors application by the Undergraduate Programs Committee.