Undergraduate Program
Course Requirements
Requirements for B.S. Degree
Information on the Undergraduate Program in Chemistry can be found in the Stanford Bulletin. Under School of Humanities and Sciences, see Chemistry for:
- Entrance Requirements
- Course Requirements
- Typical Course Schedule
- American Chemical Society Certification
- Minor in Chemistry
Course Sequencing
Our majors sometimes take courses out of sequence or split up sequences to prevent overloading and to accommodate overseas study. However, the chemistry faculty recommends that certain courses not be taken out of sequence:
Chemistry 134, 174 and 176 - These laboratory courses must be taken in sequence. Chemistry 134, the writing-in-the-major course, includes proper report writing, error analysis, Kaleidagraph, Mathcad, "learning to do it right" - all skills you are expected to know for subsequent labs. Chemistry 134 is one of the more time-consuming courses in the major. Premedical chemistry majors taking the biology core concurrently are advised to postpone the biology labs (44X and 44Y; this lab material is not required for the MCATS). Chemistry 171 is a prerequisite for Chemistry 174; Chemistry 173 should be taken prior to or concurrently with Chemistry 174. Deferring Chemistry 174 and Chemistry 176 to the senior year makes scheduling medical school interviews difficult. Chemistry 174 is more time-consuming than Chemistry 134, and is more intellectually challenging. Note that Chemistry 171, 173, and 175 conflict with the biology core.
Chemistry 151 and 153 - It is better to take Chemistry 151 before Chemistry 153, but it is not absolutely required since the material in Chemistry 151 is more descriptive (and typically appears on the GRE exam). Chemistry 173 is a prerequisite for Chemistry 153. This physical chemistry requirement provides information on perturbation theory, variational principles, one-electron hydrogen atom, and many-electron states needed as background material (but not as working knowledge) in Chemistry 153. Students who have had similar material in physics (e.g., Physics 70) or elsewhere meet this requirement and may take Chemistry 153 before taking Chemistry 173.
Chemistry 171, 173, and 175 - You can expect material from this sequence on the GRE exam. In planning your schedule, remember that the physical chemistry lecture sequence conflicts with the biology core. Chemistry 171 need not be taken prior to Chemistry 173, but should be taken prior to Chemistry 175.
Physics 45, 41 and 43 - Physics 43 (electricity and magnetism) is the most difficult and requires the most math of the physics requirements. The Physics Department does not advise taking Physics 43 before 41 (mechanics) unless the student has a strong high school physics background. Physics 45 (light and heat) can be taken before Physics 41 or 43, however.
Math 53 - Math 53 should be taken before Chemistry 153, 173 and 174.
If off-track (i.e., taking Chemistry 36 in your sophomore year), it is difficult 1) to schedule needed graduate classes and research to graduate with honors, and 2) to do sufficient research to be a viable MD/PhD applicant (if you plan to apply after your junior year) and still graduate in four years.