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STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

The primary goal of each of the three majors offered by Chemistry is to prepare students for entering careers in the chemical and molecular sciences and associated fields related to chemistry. A large fraction of our graduates go on to advanced and post-graduate studies in chemistry, biology, health sciences, materials, engineering and other related fields. Every graduate of the Chemistry Department will have completed a rigorous, challenging and integrated program which includes fundamental course work aimed at building foundational knowledge in chemistry and related fields, as well as advanced course work aimed at exposing students to the latest advances and development in the molecular sciences.

Upon graduation, chemistry majors will have developed a set of fundamental competencies that are core to the degree objectives expressed above:

A. Knowledge and Comprehension:

Objective 1:
Master basic knowledge fundamental to the field of chemistry in accordance with the expectations set forth by the American Chemical Society through course work in general, organic, inorganic, analytical, physical and biological chemistry.

Objective 2:
Be able to identify and locate current, reliable and accurate sources of scientific information and data, and understand their contents in areas which are not directly covered by the degree program as basic knowledge.

B. Application and Analysis:

Objective 3:
Employ knowledge content defined in A to analyze issues of molecular relevance within the field of chemistry and in related fields outside of chemistry that are not directly covered by the degree program as basic knowledge.

Objective 4:
Apply core chemical knowledge, information and data defined in A to identify the essential elements of a problem or a challenge in the molecular sciences. Design a scientific and rational scheme to generate data and collect reliable information that may not already be available in order to solve the problem or challenge at hand. Utilize the knowledge, information and data gathered to formulate a scientifically sound strategy to solve the problem or challenge.

C. Evaluation and Judgment:

Objective 5:
Be able to design rational criteria and a scientifically sound strategy to evaluate the effectiveness of the solution developed in B.

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