Jul 04, 2025  
Rensselaer Catalog 2025-2026 
    
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Rensselaer Catalog 2025-2026

Chemistry - (Chemical Biology Track), B.S.

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Chemical Biology refers to the application of Chemistry to biological problems. The “Chemical Biology” track to the B.S. in Chemistry is intended for students interested in this area or in careers in the medical field. Like the “Chemistry” track, it provides a sound background in Chemistry but also includes a solid core of Biology courses so that students completing it will not only have the chemical knowledge to understand the methods they are using, but also will have the knowledge of Biology necessary to understand the systems they intend to study.

A total of 128 credit hours are required for graduation. Eighteen of these are completely free electives. Students should select these in consultation with the advisor to give a balanced program totaling 128 credit hours. CHEM 4010  is a recommended but not required elective. 

Undergraduate research is an integral part of the program. A minimum of 3 credits combined of undergraduate research (CHEM 2930 , CHEM 2940 , CHEM 2950 , and/or CHEM 4970 ) or a SURP/URP or internship position are required as prerequisites for CHEM 4950 . 

Students considering medical school should include a semester of General Psychology and a semester of Sociology among their HASS or elective courses.

Students with weak backgrounds in Biology should take BIOL 1010  and BIOL 1015  or BIOL 1016  in their first year, deferring a HASS course.

Courses can be taken out of sequence as long as prerequisites are followed.

First year

Fall

Spring

Second year

Fall

Spring

Third year

Please note: The third and fourth year of the program varies depending on when the student chooses to do the Arch-Away experience. Students following the Chemistry – (Chemical Biology Track) B.S. may select either the summer following the second year or third year in which to do their Arch-Away experience. For more information on the ARCH process, please click here: The Arch 

Students who plan to enroll in a graduate program in Chemistry or related discipline following completion of their BS degree, or plan to pursue a research focused career, are encouraged to participate in the Summer Program for Advanced Research in Chemistry (SPARC) in the department for their Arch-Away experience.

Students who wish to lengthen their Arch-Away experience may elect to remain on campus for the summer following the second year. This would replace the Fall semester in the fourth year. Students should consult with their academic advisor for course selection in the summer term. They should then select the Summer after the third year for the Arch-Away experience

Summer

Fall

Spring

Fourth year

Summer

Fall

  • Chemical Biology Track Elective (see list below)  6
  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 4
  • Electives Credit hours: 7

Spring

Footnotes

  1. CHEM 1100  or CHEM 1110  may be substituted for CHEM 1120  by students transferring into Chemistry.
  2. ENGR 1600  may be substituted for CHEM 1220  by students transferring into Chemistry.
  3. A minimum of 3 elective credits combined should be used for undergraduate research (CHEM 2930 , CHEM 2940 , CHEM 2950 , and/or CHEM 4970 ) as prerequisites for CHEM 4950 . 
  4. The Arch-Away experience, ILEA 4400  , only needs to be completed once, in either the summer after the second or third year.
  5. BIOL 4720  can be substituted for this course.
  6. Students should select one course from the following list for the Chemical Biology Track Elective (see list below): 

Electives

Students should work with their adviser to select the electives that best fit their needs. Students interested in medicine as a career should register with the pre-health committee and take the recommended courses before the senior year as preparation for the qualifying exams required for admission to medical school. In addition, two English courses and at least one semester of General Psychology and one semester of Sociology should be included among their HASS or elective courses.

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