To start the advising process for those of you who plan to take any chemistry courses at the 100-level or above: the Bowdoin Chemistry Department offers three options for introductory chemistry courses, which depend upon your level of preparation in high school. We require that all students, including those with AP credit, who are planning to take chemistry courses at Bowdoin, take this exam. This will not affect your ability to receive AP credit, but will help us determine the best placement option. Students who have not taken the placement exam and who want to enroll in a Chemistry course must speak with a Chemistry faculty member and will have to make arrangements to do so. Based on your personal level of preparation we will recommend starting with one of the three options listed below.
Option 1: Start with Chemistry 109
Chemistry 109 is the introductory chemistry course taken by the majority of students entering Bowdoin. This course is intended for students who have a reasonable background in high school chemistry. Material that one is expected to be exposed to or proficient with includes:
- Units of measurements, unit conversions, and tracking units (familiarity with metric units for length, mass, volume)
- Stoichiometry and moles (equation balancing, calculations of molecular mass and moles, determinations of limiting reactants)
- Some exposure to acid/base, precipitation, and oxidation/reduction reactions.
- Gases (properties of gases, Ideal Gas Law)
- Liquids and solutions (properties of liquids, calculations of solution concentrations)
- Thermochemistry (heats of reaction)
Option 2: Start with Chemistry 101
Chemistry 101 is the first semester of a two-semester general chemistry sequence. It assumes little or no high school background in chemistry and often is taken by students wishing to strengthen their foundation in chemistry. It also serves non-science majors who would like to take an introductory laboratory science course. Students enrolled in Chemistry 101 would normally go on to take Chemistry 102 in the spring.
Option 3: Start with a 200-Level Chemistry Course
Students with Chemistry AP scores of 4 and 5 and a small number of other students who have mastered the topics we will cover in Chemistry 109, based upon their placement exam results, will have the option of starting with an advanced level chemistry course such as Chemistry 210, 225, or 240 (courses described below). If you have an AP scores of 4 or 5 and wish to begin at the 200-level, you must meet with a member of the Chemistry Department during Orientation to discuss your placement exam and course registration. Due to our course registration process, you will need to get the Professor of your desired 200-level course to sign your registration card.
Course Descriptions for Option 3:
Chemistry 225 (Organic Chemistry I) introduces the chemistry of the compounds of carbon that focuses on bonding, stereochemistry and includes an introduction to the reactions of organic molecules. Kinetic and thermodynamic information is used to formulate reasonable reaction mechanisms. This course is generally populated by sophomores and is the first course in a two semester sequence in organic chemistry. Many first year students enroll in this course and do very well within it. AP credit will be awarded when students complete the course with a grade of C- or better.
Chemistry 210 (Chemical Analysis – offered in the fall) and Chemistry 240 (Inorganic Chemistry – offered in the spring) are additional course options for well-prepared first year students. In Chemistry 210, students learn about the theory and practice of chemical measurements using chemical and instrumental techniques. Students enrolling in Chemistry 210 should have some introductory knowledge about organic chemicals and chemical nomenclature, as well as good mathematical skills. Chemistry 240 is an introduction to the chemistry of the elements with a focus on chemical bonding, periodic properties, and coordination compounds. Additional topics are included. AP credit will be awarded when students complete either course with a grade of C- or better.
The Department offers many opportunities for student/faculty research. Interested students are encouraged to talk with faculty members about research opportunities. You should also visit the Bowdoin Chemistry web site.
We encourage you to make contact with any member of the Chemistry Department for advice and help.
