Earn your BA in Chemistry
The Chemistry BA degree is designed for students interested in medical or other professional schools, or those interested in a teaching career.
The program provides students the flexibility to earn a degree in chemistry while also completing related courses required for medical school, such as biology and biochemistry. Compared to the BS, the BA degree has modified mathematics requirements, includes a one-semester physical chemistry course, requires one analytical chemistry course, and has a single, integrated, capstone laboratory incorporating analytical, inorganic, and physical chemistry experiments.
Requirements and program planning
The Bachelor of Arts with a major in chemistry requires a minimum of 120 semester hours, including 53-54 semester hours of work for the major (20 semester hours in foundation chemistry courses, 12 semester hours in advanced chemistry, and 21-22 semester hours in supporting course work). BA students must earn at least 11 semester hours in advanced chemistry at the University of Iowa.
Requirements and program planning
- Principles of Chemistry I-II, CHEM:1110-1120, 8 semester hours
- Fundamentals of Chemical Measurements, CHEM:2021, 3 semester hours
- Organic I-II for Majors (preferred), CHEM:2230-2240 or Organic I-II, CHEM:2210-2220, 6 semester hours
- Organic Chemistry Lab for Majors (preferred), CHEM:2420 or Organic Chemistry Lab, CHEM:2410, 3 semester hours
- Analytical Chemistry I or II, CHEM:3110 or 3120, 3 semester hours
- Inorganic Chemistry, CHEM:3250, 3 semester hours
- Principles of Physical Chemistry, CHEM:4430, 3 semester hours
- Synthesis and Measurement, CHEM:4450, 3 semester hours
- Mathematics
- Calculus for Biological Sciences (preferred), MATH:1460, Calculus I MATH:1850 or Engineering Math I, MATH:1550, 4 semester hours
- Biostatistics (preferred), STAT:3510, 3 semester hours, or Statistical Methods and Computing, STAT:2010, 3 semester hours, or Calculus II, MATH:1860, 4 semester hours, or Engineering Math II, MATH:1560, 4 semester hours
- Physics
- College Physics I-II (preferred), PHYS:1511-12, or Introductory Physics I-II, PHYS:1611-1612, 8 semester hours
- Science Electives, 6 semester hours
- A total of 6 semester hours chosen from the BA chemistry electives list
BA students must complete a total of 6 semester hours of elective courses chosen from the following list. Some of these courses may be used to fulfill other requirements for the major. Students who have used a course from this list to fulfill another requirement for the major may not use that course as an elective. Undergraduate Research, CHEM:3994, may not be used to satisfy the electives requirement.
- Department of Chemistry:
- CHEM:3110 Analytical Chemistry Ia
- CHEM:3120 Analytical Chemistry IIa
- CHEM:4431 Physical Chemistry Ib
- CHEM:4432 Physical Chemistry IIb
- CHEM:3430 Analytical Measurementsc
- CHEM:3440 Physical Measurementsc
- CHEM:3530 Inorganic Chemistry Laboratoryc
- CHEM:4270 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry
- CHEM:4171 Advanced Analytical Chemistry
- CHEM:4372 Advanced Organic Chemistry
- CHEM:4760 Radiochemistry: Energy, Medicine, Environment
- CHEM:4873 Atmospheric and Environmental Chemistry
- CHEM:4875 Polymer Chemistry
- CHEM:4480 Introduction to Molecular Modeling
- Note: 5000 level courses do not automatically satisfy the elective requirement. Students must seek approval from an advisor to have a 5000 level course count towards the elective requirement.
- Geosciences:
- EES:4490 Elements of Geochemistry
- EES:4520 Isotope Geochemistry
- Biochemistry:
- BMB:3110 Biochemistry
- BMB:3120 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I
- BMB:3130 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II
- Civil and Environmental Engineering:
- CEE:5150 Environmental Chemistry I
(a) Course allowed unless previously taken to fulfill the requirement in analytical chemistry.
(b) CHEM:4431 and CHEM:4432 will be accepted in place of CHEM:4430 Principles of Physical Chemistry, and 3 semester hours of the advanced chemistry electives.
(c) Two advanced laboratory courses: CHEM:3430, CHEM:3440, or CHEM:3530 will be accepted in place of CHEM:4450 Synthesis and Measurement, and 3 semester hours of the advanced chemistry electives.
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