Skip to Content

Chemistry

Courselist

CHEM E-1a General Chemistry I
Fall term (11918)
Gregg Tucci, PhD, Senior Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University.
Thursdays beginning Sept. 1, 6-9 pm. Required weekly discussion sections and laboratories to be arranged at the first class meeting.
Course tuition: undergraduate credit $1,150.
Limited enrollment.
CHEM E-1a and CHEM E-1b are intended for premedical students and science majors. CHEM E-1a is an introduction to the structure and properties of atoms and molecules; chemical reactions and stoichiometry; quantum mechanics of light and particles, including the quantum structure of the periodic table; chemical bonding and photochemistry; coordination chemistry; properties of gases, liquids, and solutions; energy relationships in chemistry; and thermochemistry. Students may not wear contact lenses in the labs and safety glasses are required. Prerequisites: mathematics through high school algebra; considerable fluency in elementary mathematics. Previous study of chemistry is not required but is extremely helpful. Students with no previous background in chemistry should become acquainted with the material beforehand and be prepared to make extra efforts. A review of elementary algebra, particularly word problems, is highly recommended. (4 credits)
CHEM E-1b General Chemistry II
Spring term (20020)
Gregg Tucci, PhD, Senior Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University.
Thursdays beginning Jan. 26, 6-9 pm. Required weekly discussion sections and laboratories to be arranged at the first class meeting.
Course tuition: undergraduate credit $1,150.
Limited enrollment.
CHEM E-1a and CHEM E-1b are intended for premedical students and science majors. CHEM E-1b is a continuation of CHEM E-1a. Topics include thermodynamics and electrochemistry; rates and mechanisms of chemical reactions; phase transitions, structure, and bonding in solids; acids and bases; buffers and titrations; and environmental chemistry. Students may not wear contact lenses in the labs and safety glasses are required. Prerequisite: CHEM E-1a with a grade of B– or higher, or the equivalent. Students interested in taking CHEM E-1b without having taken CHEM E-1a should e-mail the instructor with a detailed syllabus and grade report from their previous general chemistry course. (4 credits)
CHEM E-2a Organic Chemistry I
Fall term (10025)
Sirinya Matchacheep, PhD, Preceptor in Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University.
Brandon David Conley, MA, Teaching Assistant in Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University.
Thursdays beginning Sept. 1, 6-9 pm. Required sections to be arranged.
Course tuition: undergraduate credit $1,150.
Limited enrollment.
Organic chemistry is at the heart of biology and medicine. This course is an introduction to the fundamental chemistry of carbon-containing compounds, including three-dimensional structures, chemical properties, methods of structural identification, reactions, and syntheses. The course explores some of the major classes of organic compounds: alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alkyl halides, alcohols, and ethers, with an emphasis on reaction mechanisms and multi-step syntheses.

Laboratories (required) meet roughly every other week, Tuesdays 7-11 pm or Saturdays 9 am-1 pm. Review sessions (highly recommended) meet Mondays 5:30-7 pm. Discussion sections (highly recommended) meet Tuesdays 5-6, 6-7, or 7-8 pm; or Wednesdays 5-6 or 6-7 pm. Students choose lab and section assignments at the first class. Prerequisites: CHEM E-1a and CHEM E-1b with grades of B– or higher, or equivalent preparation in general chemistry. (4 credits)
CHEM E-2b Organic Chemistry II
Spring term (20021)
Logan S. McCarty, PhD, Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Lecturer on Physics, Harvard University.
Thursdays beginning Jan. 26, 6-9 pm. Required sections to be arranged.
Course tuition: undergraduate credit $1,150.
This course is a continuation of CHEM E-2a. It explores the remaining important classes of organic compounds and introduces students to the most important applications of organic chemistry today. Students become familiar with organic synthesis and the chemistry of biological molecules and pharmaceuticals.

Laboratories (required) meet roughly every other week, Tuesdays 7-11 pm or Saturdays 9 am-1 pm. Review sessions (highly recommended) meet Mondays 5:30-7 pm. Discussion sections (highly recommended) meet Tuesdays 5-6, 6-7, or 7-8 pm; or Wednesdays 5-6 or 6-7 pm. Students choose lab and section assignments at the first class. Prerequisite: CHEM E-2a with a grade of B– or higher. Students should not take CHEM E-2b without having taken CHEM E-2a; anyone wishing to do so must receive the permission of the instructor. (4 credits)
CHEM E-100 Organic Chemistry of Drug Synthesis and Action
Fall term (12809)
Craig Masse, PhD, Head of Medicinal Chemistry, Nimbus Discovery, Inc.
Wednesdays beginning Aug. 31, 7:35-9:35 pm.
Course tuition: undergraduate credit $975, graduate credit $1,900.
This course emphasizes the application of organic synthesis toward the development of pharmaceutical targets at both the medicinal and process chemistry levels. It examines the macromolecular targets of some of the more popular types of pharmaceutical therapies that exist today using case histories of modern drug molecules for each topic. Prerequisites: CHEM E-2a, CHEM E-2b, or the equivalent. (4 credits)
CHEM E-120 Medicinal Chemistry of Psychiatric Drugs
Spring term (22934)
Brian S. Fulton, PhD, Adjunct Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University.
Tuesdays beginning Jan. 24, 7:35-9:35 pm.
Course tuition: undergraduate credit $975, graduate credit $1,900.
Despite intensive efforts by scientists over the last 60 years, the development of safe and effective medications for the treatment of psychiatric disorders remains a great challenge. In this course we study the medicinal chemistry process in developing drugs for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Each lecture is centered on a specific psychiatric disorder. We examine current theories on the etiology of a disorder and the potential entry points for medication development. Current medicinal chemistry research is discussed with particular attention on the important relationships between drug structure and pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties. Prerequisites: a one- to two-semester course in organic chemistry such as CHEM E-2a and CHEM E-2b is required and a one-semester course in biochemistry such as BIOS E-10 is strongly recommended. (4 credits)

Browse courses by subject