Overview
Chemistry for the Life Sciences is a three-course, 13-credit chemistry sequence for College of Biological Sciences students.
Students complete chemistry coursework typically found in one full year of general/inorganic chemistry and one full year of organic chemistry over three semesters.
Chemistry for the Life Sciences includes critical chemistry concepts while reducing content less central to the life sciences. The sequence allows students to progress through chemistry content most relevant to careers in the life sciences and health professions and engage in additional advanced coursework.
Chemistry course sequences
Chemistry for the Life Sciences Course Sequence | Chemical Principles Sequence |
|---|---|
|
|
*For students taking the Chemical Principles sequence, most, but not all, CBS majors require CHEM 2302.
^No CBS majors require CHEM 2311.
Students choosing between chemistry sequences
If you are choosing which chemistry sequence to take and feel like you need to enroll in the Chemical Principles sequence, speak with your CBS academic advisor. Students are responsible for researching health professional program prerequisites, as some health professional programs may require one or both of CHEM 2302 and CHEM 2311 as requirements. Talk with a CBS academic advisor when determining whether you need to enroll in these courses.
Chemistry for the Life Sciences course descriptions
- CHEM 1081 & 1065: Chemistry for Life Sciences I and Lab (3 credits lecture, 1 credit lab): Similar to traditional first-semester general chemistry courses, this pairing is paced more quickly, covers content from general chemistry I and moves on to content typically covered in second semester of general chemistry.
- CHEM 1082 & 1086: Chemistry for Life Sciences II and Lab (3 credits lecture, 1 credit lab): These courses complete general chemistry education and begin layering organic chemistry content.
- CHEM 2081 & 2085: Chemistry for Life Sciences III and Lab (3 credits lecture, 2 credits lab): This final semester focuses exclusively on remaining organic chemistry content and its application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Students currently enrolled in Chemistry for the Life Sciences
Can students switch between the two chemistry course sequences?
Students are only able to switch between the two chemistry course sequences after the first course in each sequence (CHEM 1061 or CHEM 1081). After a student completes CHEM 1062 or CHEM 1082, students cannot easily switch between the sequences. The second semester coursework varies significantly between the sequences so the courses are not deemed equivalent. If you have further questions about this, please contact a CBS academic advisor.
If a health professional school indicates they want me to take more chemistry coursework, what are my options for other courses?
If you are instructed by a health professional program to take additional chemistry coursework, University of Minnesota courses for you to consider are listed below. Before registering for one of these courses, students should meet with their CBS academic advisor and ask health professional schools if these courses are acceptable. CBS academic advisors can help determine other options that might be available at the University of Minnesota or another 2- or 4-year institution if these courses are not acceptable.
Additional chemistry coursework options:
- BIOC 3022: Biochemistry for the Life Sciences (3 credits, lecture)
- Chemistry 3101: Introductory Analytical Chemistry Lecture (3 credits, lecture)
- Chemistry 4411: Introduction to Chemical Biology (3 credits, lecture)
- Chemistry 4601: Green Chemistry (3 credits, lecture)
Students transferring into or out of CBS
I am thinking about transferring out of CBS. How will the Chemistry for Life Sciences sequence affect my transfer process?
Contact the university or UMN college you are interested in to ask how the Chemistry for Life Sciences sequence will transfer into their chemistry sequence. Reach out to your CBS academic advisor if you are considering transferring to another institution or within the UMN system.
I am transferring into CBS and have already completed some chemistry courses. Which chemistry sequence will I complete?
The recommended chemistry sequence will depend on where you are in the sequence, your major, and future career goals. Students will work closely at orientation with their CBS academic advisor to determine the best course to take.
Students or alumni applying to health professional programs
Students or alumni preparing to apply to health professional programs need to research health professional programs' prerequisites and contact programs with specific questions about required courses. If programs have questions about the Chemistry for the Life Sciences sequence, use the Letter from Dean Parker and this website to provide more detail about the courses you completed.
Letter from Dean Parker - This letter from Associate Dean Parker provides information about the Chemistry for Life Sciences sequence and explains how the sequence fits into the application prerequisites. Provide this letter to programs that have questions about the course sequence.
Do University of Minnesota health professional programs accept the sequence to fulfill their prerequisites?
The following University of Minnesota programs will accept the Chemistry for the Life Sciences sequence to satisfy their chemistry prerequisites: Medical School (MD, MD/PhD), College of Pharmacy (PharmD), College of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Genetic Counseling (Masters of Genetic Counseling), Physical Therapy (DPT), and Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS).
The University of Minnesota School of Dentistry requires DDS applicants to complete one additional chemistry course to fulfill its prerequisites.
Do health professional programs across the country accept the sequence to fulfill their prerequisites?
Applicants should contact health professional programs before applying to ensure the Chemistry for the Life Sciences sequence will meet the program’s chemistry requirements. Admissions requirements can change from one application cycle to the next, so students need to confirm that the Chemistry for the Life Sciences sequence meets the program’s current requirements.
If a health professional program requires 8 credits of Organic Chemistry or two semesters of Organic Chemistry + Organic Chemistry Lab, it is especially important to contact the program to ensure Chemistry for the Life Sciences will meet the program’s chemistry requirement.
Chemistry for the Life Sciences General FAQs
Why was the sequence created?
In the fall of 2016, the University of Minnesota Department of Chemistry began offering a 3-course, 13-credit Chemistry for the Life Sciences sequence created upon CBS’s request. This three-semester series was developed specifically to prepare students in life sciences with the chemistry knowledge needed to be successful in their life sciences domains, including the health professions. In reducing content that is less central to the life sciences, the sequence allows students to progress through the chemistry content most critical to the life sciences, as well as engage in more advanced coursework earlier in their academic careers.
What does the Chemical Principles chemistry course sequence cover that is different from the Chemistry for the Life Sciences course sequence?
The Chemistry for Life Sciences sequence streamlines topics that are typically covered in both general and organic chemistry, cuts review topics, and eliminates topics less central to the life sciences such as nuclear chemistry, transitional metal and coordination chemistry, and molecular orbital theory.
Does completing the Chemistry for the Life Sciences course sequence versus the Chemical Principles sequence affect my competitiveness for health professional school?
Because competitiveness for health professional school is based on a variety of factors, the specific courses taken to fulfill prerequisites have less of an impact on an applicant’s competitiveness than overall grade trends and entrance exam scores when assessing a candidate’s academic metrics. Academic metrics are only one part of an individual’s competitiveness. CBS career coaches are happy to meet with students to talk about how health professional schools assess competitiveness from a holistic point of view.
Where can I find syllabi for University of Minnesota chemistry courses?
If a health professional program asks for the syllabus for a chemistry course you completed, you can find syllabi for University of Minnesota Chemistry courses here. Please note that you may need to provide the syllabus dated for the semester you took the course. If you are a current student and need a syllabus for a course you already completed, check Canvas. If you are an alum and do not have access to your course syllabi, contact [email protected] for College of Biological Sciences courses.