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Chemistry

Discipline objectives

A graduate in chemistry will be trained in the principles of chemistry to a standard not less than that required for corporate membership of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. Students will be proficient in:

The discipline

The Department of Chemistry provides subjects in chemistry for students with a wide variety of interests. As well as those students who major in chemistry, there are many who need some chemistry as a prerequisite or recommended subject for their later-year study.

Each student is required to achieve balanced progress across the traditional areas of chemistry, ie organic, inorganic and physical chemisty.

Both observation and measurement are essential in chemistry. Therefore, all chemistry subjects involve laboratory work and practice in solving problems in addition to lectures, tutorials, and opportunity for cultivation of the art of self-expression.

Students may graduate with an honours BSc degree in chemistry after a fourth year of study which combines units on advanced topics in chemistry together with work on a research topic under supervision.

There are four six-point subjects in first year, one in each semester. A sequence of two of these are prerequisites for second-year chemistry, along with some mathematics subjects, and the codes are CHM1011 and CHM1022 or CHM1031 and CHM1042.

The department offers subjects which allow a level of specialisation within chemistry as summarised below.

Specialisation in analytical chemistry

A program which allows subspecialisation in analytical chemistry, applied/industrial chemistry or environmental chemistry.

First year

Second year

one or more subjects selected from: Other subjects to make a total of forty-eight points as specified in the BSc course requirements.

Third year

Students taking CHM3031/CHM3042 require an additional twenty-four points as specified in the BSc course requirements. Examples are:

Specialisation in biological chemistry

A program which allows subspecialisation in agricultural chemistry, biological chemistry, biomedical chemistry, forensic chemistry, molecular modelling or pharmaceutical chemistry.

First year

Second year

CHM2011/CHM2022 and one or more subjects selected from:

Other subjects to make a total of forty-eight points as specified in the BSc course requirements.

Third year

Students taking CHM3031/CHM3042 require an addditional twenty-four points as specified in the BSc course requirements.

Specialisation in materials chemistry

A program which allows subspecialisation in materials chemistry, polymer chemistry, solid state chemistry or synthetic chemistry.

First year

Second year

Other subjects to make a total of forty-eight points as specified in the BSc course requirements.

Third year

Students taking CHM3031/CHM3042 require an additional twenty-four points as specified in the BSc course requirements. An example is:

Specialisation in theoretical chemistry

A program which allows subspecialisation in chemical physics, computational chemistry, energy chemistry, mechanistic chemistry or theoretical chemistry.

First year

Second year

Third year

Students may take:

Students taking CHM3031/CHM3042 require an additional twenty-four points as specified in the BSc course requirements.In second year there are two eight-point subjects, one in each semester, and both are prerequisites for third-year chemistry. The codes are CHM2011 and CHM2022. There is also a `stand alone' eight-point first-semester subject called `chemical science'. The availability of this subject depends on whether or not students intend to include CHM2011 and CHM2022 in their degree. The code for this subject is CHM2031. In second semester it is possible to study CHM2052 (Aquatic chemistry) or CHM2212. As the BSc course requirements require a second-year student to complete at least two sixteen-point sequences in defined science subjects (eg CHM2011 and CHM2022, with GEN2011 and GEN2022), a student enrolling in chemical science could make up the additional eight points with CHM2052 (Aquatic chemistry) or CHM2212 or any other `stand alone' second-year eight-point subject (or two related four-point subjects).

In third year, a student may study chemistry alone in two twenty-four point subjects, one in each semester (CHM3011, CHM3022) or combine two corequisite twelve-point subjects, one in each semester, with a similar two by twelve-point sequence in another discipline, eg CHM3031 and CHM3042 with MSC3011 and MSC3022.

In second year there is also the possibility of taking part of the listed subjects as four-point subjects and in third year there is the possibility of making up a six-point subject in each semester. Details are in the subject descriptions.

Examiners and advisers

The chief examiners for chemistry subjects for 1998 are:

Inquiries about subjects should be addressed in the first instance to the appropriate subject coordinator. Names of coordinators are given under the subject headings.

Discipline structure

First year

CHM1011 and CHM1022 or CHM1031 and CHM1042 together are prerequisites for second-year chemistry and also are prerequisites or recommended subjects for some other faculty subjects.

Second year

CHM2011.08 and CHM2022.08 together make a major second-year study and progression to third year will require a pass at a satisfactory level in each subject. Each eight-point subject is divided into two four-point subjects. Enrolment is not normally accepted in both of the separate four-point subjects. The program is designed to introduce students to many concepts of modern chemistry.

Third year

Third-year chemistry is offered both as twenty-four point subjects or twelve-point subjects. The following combinations of subjects are available and it is recommended that they be taken as pairs: CHM3011.24/CHM3022.24 or CHM3031.12/CHM3042.12 or CHM3051.12/CHM3062.12. The twelve-point subjects are generally selections of units offered in the twenty-four point subjects. Students are required to discuss their selection of units with the coordinator. The common prerequisite is CHM2011 and CHM2022, or equivalent four-point subjects. A six-point subject is also available in each semester.

Fourth year

Chemistry 4000 is usually offered to students gaining at least a credit average grade in their third-year chemistry subjects. It is made up of advanced coursework and an extended research project.

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