Major & Minor

Major

The chemistry major requires 30 credits of upper-division chemistry coursework, including courses in general, organic, physical and analytical/instrumental chemistry, as well as an introductory general chemistry sequence and ancillary work in calculus and physics.

Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the required courses listed below. No more than 45 credits of CHEM courses can be applied to the 120-credit minimum to graduate.

Transfer students who plan to take a chemistry major must complete at the Boulder campus a minimum of 12 credits of upper-division work covering at least two subdisciplines: organic, physical, analytical and inorganic for chemistry majors.

Degree Planning Flowchart

Double Major

Many students in the CHEM department pursue double majors, between departments. Common combinations include combining a CHEM major with Biochemistry (BCHM), Integrative Physiology (IPHY), and Molecular & Cellular Developmental Biology (MCDB). Some students also pursue a double degree with Engineering. It's recommended to work with an advisor early in your time here at CU to best fulfill requirements for a diverse range of programs, and overlap your studies in innovative and collaborative ways. 

Minor

Declaration of a chemistry minor is open to any student enrolled at CU Boulder, regardless of college or school.