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Chemistry & Biochemistry

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UWL chemistry and biochemistry students develop problem-solving skills through challenging coursework and hands-on laboratory experiences.

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Undergraduate programs

Chemistry

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Chemistry is the study of substances, their properties, energies, the ways they interact and combine and change. Traditionally, chemistry has been broken into five main sub-disciplines: Organic, Analytical, Physical, Inorganic, and Biochemistry. The field also includes a variety of applied disciplines. Chemistry is often referred to as the central science because it joins together physics and mathematics, biology and medicine, and the earth and environmental sciences. 

Areas of study

ACS Certification

UWL's Chemistry program is approved by the American Chemical Society (ACS). This degree track includes the coursework and experiences necessary to satisfy the requirements for ACS certification, meaning students who meet the ACS guidelines will receive an ACS-Certified Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. 

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Business Concentration

The chemistry major with a business concentration is appealing to students interested in both the science and business sides of chemistry. Students learn core chemical theory and laboratory skills through a series of chemistry courses. They also gain a strong foundation in business through courses in management, accounting, finance, and marketing.

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Science Education

The Chemistry Education Program includes the coursework and classroom experiences necessary to satisfy the requirements for a science, grades 4-12 (2600) teaching license in the state of Wisconsin.

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Environmental Science Concentration

The chemistry major with an environmental science concentration provides a strong background in chemistry, along with multi-disciplinary, elective course options to explore areas such as climate change, contaminants, renewable energy, geospatial analysis, and ecosystem modeling.

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Undergrad dual degree

Chemistry majors with interest in engineering may be able to receive both a UWL bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from UW-Madison. At UWL, students must complete a minimum of 87 credits, including the general education requirements and specific math and science courses in preparation for the engineering program.

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Biochemistry

Undergrad major

Biochemistry is the chemistry of biology. It is one of the five main subdisciplines of chemistry. A biochemist explores chemical processes within basic biological systems. Biochemical research has provided a more comprehensive understanding in regenerative medicine, infectious disease, organ/tissue transplantation, clinical diagnostics and genetic disease.

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Featured courses

  • General Chemistry I
    CHM 103 | 5 credits
    An introduction to chemistry including topics in atomic structure, chemical bonding, molecular structure, chemical stoichiometry, reactivity, states of matter, solutions, acid-base theory, and nuclear chemistry, and also including selected topics in descriptive and applied chemistry. Scientific inquiry, experimental design and data analysis are included. Lect. 3, Lab 3, Disc. 1. Prerequisite: grade of "C" or better in MTH 150 or placement into MTH 151 or higher. Students who are currently enrolled in CHM 103 may not register for this course again until after priority registration (unless they have instructor/department consent). Offered Fall, Spring, Summer.
  • Analytical Chemistry
    CHM 301 | 5 credits
    Theory and practice of selected methods of chemical analysis. Titrimetric, potentiometric, spectrophotometric and gas chromatographic methods of analysis are studied. Statistical treatment of data and techniques for quality assurance are also developed. The basic science component in the course is primarily directed towards ionic equilibria. Lect. 3, Lab 6. Prerequisite: CHM 104; sophomore standing. Offered Fall, Spring.
  • Organic Chemistry Theory I
    CHM 303 | 3 credits
    A study of the structure, methods of structure determination, stereochemistry and chemical behavior of hydrocarbons, alcohols, and halogenated hydrocarbons. Theories and mechanisms are introduced to explain chemical behavior. Prerequisite: CHM 104; sophomore standing. Students with credit in CHM 300 cannot earn credit in CHM 303. Offered Fall, Spring.
  • Physical Chemistry Theory I
    CHM 309 | 3 credits
    A study of real gases, equations of state, kinetic and molecular theory, properties of gases, molecular energies, classical thermodynamics, chemical equilibria, changes of state and reaction kinetics and mechanisms. Prerequisite: CHM 104; PHY 103 or PHY 203; PHY 104 or PHY 204; MTH 310 or concurrent enrollment. Offered Fall.
  • Fundamental Biochemistry
    CHM 325 | 4 credits
    This course is the study of the fundamental chemical processes in biological systems emphasizing the structure and function of biological macromolecules, metabolism and the regulation of cellular processes, transport mechanisms, nature of biological energy, and applications to cellular and organismal function. Lect. 3, Lab 3. Prerequisite: CHM 300 or CHM 304 are required; a 300 or 400-level chemistry course with a lab (excluding CHM 461, CHM 489, and CHM 499) is recommended. Students with credit in CHM 417 cannot earn credit in CHM 325. Offered Fall, Spring.
  • Industrial Chemistry
    CHM 330 | 3 credits
    An overview of both the scientific and commercial aspects of the chemical industry. Industrially important chemical processes will be discussed. Topics will include production and end use of basic inorganic chemicals of commercial importance, industrial gases, and petroleum-based products. The economics of various chemical processes will be presented. Global and local topics such as regulatory compliance, product liability, and patent/trade secret documentation may also be discussed. Prerequisite: CHM 300 or CHM 303. Offered Spring - Even Numbered Years.
  • Environmental Chemistry Laboratory
    CHM 413 | 2 credits
    This course is an exploration of chemical reactivity and measurement in atmospheric, terrestrial, and aquatic ecosystems. Students collect and analyze samples and perform experiments that validate major environmental topics. Lab experiments include measurement of the physical/chemical properties of air, water, and soil relative to environmental standards and toxic thresholds, as well as investigations of the chemistry of greenhouse gases, contaminants, indoor pollution, and acid rain. Lab 4. Prerequisite: CHM 300 or CHM 303 or CHM 301. Offered Fall.
  • Biochemistry I: Macromolecules
    CHM 417 | 4 credits
    This course is the study of the structure and function of biological macromolecules with special emphasis on proteins. Topics include protein folding, protein-ligand interactions, protein function, and membrane structure and function. The laboratory focuses on contemporary biochemical techniques including quantitative biochemical assays, ligand binding, protein purification, and enzyme function. Lect 3, Lab 3. Prerequisite: "C" or better in CHM 300 or CHM 304 is required; a 300 or 400-level chemistry course with a lab (excluding CHM 461, CHM 489, and CHM 499) is recommended; junior standing. BIO 315 or MIC 425 also recommended. Students with credit in CHM 325 cannot earn credit in CHM 417. Offered Fall.
  • Biochemistry II: Metabolism and Genetic Information
    CHM 418 | 3 credits
    This course provides a comprehensive and integrative approach to fundamental metabolism and the flow of genetic information. In particular, the course emphasizes the chemical principles governing metabolite inter-conversions, energy flow, regulation of metabolic pathways, and the maintenance of genetic information. Prerequisite: "C" or better in CHM 417; junior standing. BIO 306 and BIO 315, or MIC 416 and MIC 425 recommended. Offered Spring.
  • Advanced Biochemistry Lab
    CHM 419 | 3 credits
    A capstone biochemistry laboratory course that provides students with the opportunity to undertake hypothesis-driven research. Students will use a variety of contemporary biochemical and biophysical techniques to study biomolecular structure and function. As the capstone course in the biochemistry major, students will give written and oral reports of their work that incorporate the primary literature. Lect. 1, Lab 6. Prerequisite: "C" or better in CHM 417; CHM 418 or concurrent enrollment; junior standing. Offered Spring.
  • Spectroscopy
    CHM 424 | 3 credits
    A survey of important spectroscopic methods used in chemistry; infrared and ultraviolet, proton and carbon-13 NMR, and mass spectrometry. Theory and practice of techniques are covered. Emphasis is placed on structure determination of organic molecules. Analysis of dynamic systems and mixtures may also be covered. Lect. 2, Lab 3. Prerequisite: CHM 300 or CHM 304; junior standing. Offered Spring - Even Numbered Years.
  • Instrumental Analysis
    CHM 441 | 4 credits
    A study of the theory and principles of chemical instrumentation including the application of basic electronics, spectroscopy, separation science and electroanalytical methods of chemical analysis. Lect. 3, Lab 3. Prerequisite: CHM 301; junior standing. Offered Fall.
  • Nuclear Chemistry
    CHM 461 | 4 credits
    A study of the decay of radioactive nuclides with emphasis on the theory of nuclear decay. Laboratory will include the study of the detection of radiation, methods of radio analysis and the safe handling of unsealed radioactive sources. Lect. 3, Lab 3. Prerequisite: four semesters of chemistry courses; junior standing. Students with credit in CHM 361 cannot earn credit in CHM 461. Offered Spring.
  • Molecular Biology
    BIO 435 | 3 credits
    A study of molecular biology with an emphasis on eukaryotic systems. The course will focus on the molecular aspects controlling biological processes. The impact of recombinant DNA technology on biotechnology and medicine will also be examined. This course is taught largely at an undergraduate level. Graduate students will have additional course requirements/expectations. Prerequisite: BIO 306 and BIO 315, or MIC 416 and three semesters of college chemistry including organic chemistry; junior standing. Biochemistry strongly recommended. BIO 436 is an optional laboratory which can be taken concurrently. Offered Fall, Spring.
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Portrait of Erin Fraundorf

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Erin Fraundorf

After graduating from UWL, I went on to dental school where I obtained my DMD degree and graduated valedictorian. Then, I continued my education and pursued a specialty degree in orthodontics where I again graduated valedictorian. I attribute a lot of my scholastic successes to the incredible faculty and classes I had at UWL.

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Madeline Brunner

It wasn’t until leaving UWL that I discovered how exceptional my undergraduate education was. As a student at UWL, we had accessible faculty who were often willing to go out of their way to ensure students succeeded. Classes at UWL were rigorous and the curriculum rivals (if not beats) that of top-tier universities.

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Hannah Piper

The rigor of courses at UWL prepared me for the high expectations in my graduate coursework. The extensive laboratory opportunities at UWL helped me to become an independent scientist. I feel that I learned many important lab skills in both my undergraduate coursework and research.

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Taylor Hackel

The chemistry faculty truly want students to succeed and prepare us for competitive positions in academia and industry. I will always be very grateful to Dr. Heather Schenck for teaching me to run kinetic studies on the NMR [Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer] for my senior project and being an amazing mentor.

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Janek Walker

Quite frankly, I couldn’t be where I am today without the training I received at UWL. The culmination of the rigorous curriculum and an abundance of practical laboratory experience gave me the confidence to begin a career in the life sciences and made me an ideal candidate for prospective graduate schools and employers.

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Anthony Brandt

Within the department, each course seemed to have the perfect balance of class size, where there were plenty of students to bounce ideas off of and keep the subject matter fun and stimulating, while still maintaining a small enough environment to never feel like you were getting lost in the crowd.