Selecting Your First Chemistry Course

Students who do not have AP, IB, or A-level credit for chemistry should take Chem 107 in the first semester and Chem 108 in the second semester.

Students who have fulfilled the AP, IB, or A-level requirements may place out of Chem 107 and/or Chem 108, whether they choose to use their credit or not. The requirements for AP, IB, and A-levels are found here. Due to the content covered in high school courses, we typically recommend that students with credit take Chem 107 and use their credit for Chem 108. However, students who feel they have a very strong background in chemistry may take Separation Science/Analytical Chemistry (Chem 212) in the fall and/or Inorganic Chemistry (Chem 215) in the winter of their first year. First-year students may not take Organic Chemistry (Chem 217/218).

Pre-health students: Most post-graduate health sciences programs (medical school, dental school, veterinary school, etc.) require two semesters of college chemistry with a lab in addition to a year of organic chemistry. Since AP, IB, and A-level credit may not be used to meet this requirement, students with incoming credit should consider this carefully when deciding whether to take Chem 107/108.  Both Inorganic Chemistry and Separation Science/Analytical Chemistry have an associated lab.

Students with questions about which course to take should contact the Chair or one of the instructors of Chem 107 for guidance in determining which course to take.

Options for students with incoming credit:

Fall SemesterWinter Semester
Option 1: Do not use credit Take Chem 107Chem 108
Option 2: Use credit for one semester Take Chem 107Chem 215
Option 3*:  Use credit for one semester Take Chem 107No chemistry course
Option 4: Use credit for two semesters Take Chem 212Chem 212 or no chemistry course

*Option 3 will not fulfill pre-health requirements. Another chemistry course with a lab must be taken at a later date.