Degrees

The UNM Catalog can be found at the following link: https://registrar.unm.edu/UNM%20Catalog/index.html Your academic advisor is the best resource if you have questions about the degree requirements or which catalog year you should follow. The following information contains the most current requirements, which might differ from your year's catalog.

Degrees offered:

  • Bachelor of Arts (B.A. Chemistry)
  • Bachelor of Science (B.S. Chemistry)
  • Bachelor of Science in Chemical Biology (B.S. Chemical Biology)
  • Shared credit BS/MS (4+1) Option

Please see the Chemistry Flowchart (2024)

University requirement

  • Admitted to a degree-granting college
  • Earned 120 hours minimum
  • Completion of ENGL 1120 (or equivalent)
  • Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher
  • Completion of General Education Curriculum
    • All courses being used toward the Core must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher; grades of “C-” or lower will NOT count toward completion of core requirements.
    • General Education Curriculum

College requirement

  • 90 hours of coursework taken from departments housed in A&S
  • 48 hours upper-division coursework
  • 120 earned hours minimum in coursework acceptable to A&S
    • Excludes remedial coursework
    • Excludes coursework in pre-professional and/or technical programs
    • Includes up to 4 hours of PENP or performance music or dance

Questions? Check with your Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Advisor Team

Departmental requirement

B.A. Chemistry

The B.A. degree in Chemistry is designed to provide basic training in chemistry for flexible career pursuits such as teaching and health professional. 

  • Required Chemistry courses:
    • 1215/1215L (4) Gen Chem I
    • 1225/1225L (4) Gen Chem II
    • 2310C (4) Quantitative Analysis
    • 301/303L (4) Organic Chem I
    • 302/304L (4) Organic Chem II
    • 315 (4) Intro Physical Chem
  • Required non-chemistry courses:
    • Physics 1230/1230L & 1240/1240L (8)
    • Math 1512 and 1522 (6)
  • Elective courses (minimum 7 hours):
    • 421 Biological Chem
    • 425 Biological Pathways
    • 431 Advanced Inorganic Chem
    • 453L Analytical Instrumentation
    • 457 Environmental Chem
    • 471 Topics
    • 495-496 (no more than 2 credit hours)
  • A minor is required.
  • These courses are offered during specific semester:
    • Fall only: 431
    • Spring only: 453L

B.S. Chemistry

The B.S. degree in Chemistry is designed to prepare students with research experience for pursuing more advanced training in graduate programs or entering the workforce.

 Departmental B.S. Requirements:

  • Required Chemistry courses:
    • 1215/1215L (4) Gen Chem I
    • 1225/1225L (4) Gen Chem II
    • 2310C (4) Quantitative Analysis
    • 301/303L (4) Organic Chem I
    • 302/304L (4) Organic Chem II
    • 311 (3) Physical Chem
    • 312 (3) Physical Chem
    • 411L (3) Lab Methods in Physical Chemistry
    • 431 (3) Advanced Inorganic
    • 453L (4) Analytical Instrumentation
  • Required non-chemistry courses:
    • Physics 1310/1310L & 1320/1320L (8)
    • Math 1512, 1522, 2530 & one course from 311-316 (7)
  • Elective courses (minimum 7 hours):
    • 325-498 (up to 3 credits of 495-498 or 2 credits of 495-498 and 1 credit of 325-326)
    • At least 3 credit hours must be for a laboratory course
  • These courses are offered during specific semester:
    • Fall only: 311, 411L, 431
    • Spring only: 312, 453L

B.S. Chemical Biology

Chemical biology is a relatively new scientific discipline that applies concepts and techniques from biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, engineering, medicine, and the pharmaceutical sciences to address society’s most complex questions. It involves the application of chemical and fabrication techniques, with a particular focus on the synthesis and spectroscopic analysis of small molecules and proteins, with molecular and systems analysis methods, including biophysical modeling and simulation, for investigating and manipulating complex biological systems that are both natural and designed

The B.S. degree in Chemical Biology is designed to prepare students with research experience for pursuing more advanced training in graduate programs and professional schools or entering the workforce.

 Departmental B.S. Chemical Biology Requirements:

  • Required Chemistry courses:
    • CHEM1215-General Chemistry I for STEM Majors (3)
    • CHEM1215L-General Chemistry I for STEM Majors Laboratory (1)
    • CHEM1225-General Chemistry II for STEM Majors (3)
    • CHEM1225L-General Chemistry II for STEM Majors Laboratory (1)
    • CHEM2310C-Quantitative Analysis Lecture and Laboratory (4)
    • CHEM301-Organic Chemistry (3)
    • CHEM302-Organic Chemistry (3)
    • CHEM303L-Organic Chemistry Laboratory (1)
    • CHEM304L-Organic Chemistry Laboratory (1)
    • CHEM421-Biological Chemistry/Chemical Biology I (3)
    • CHEM422-Biological Chemistry / Chemical Biology II (3)
    • CHEM433-Bioinorganic Chemistry (3)
    • CHEM390-Chemical Biology Research Methods Seminar Series (1)
    • CHEM315-Introductory Physical Chemistry (4)
    • CHEM422L-Biological Chemistry and Chemical Biology Laboratory Methods (3)
  • Required non-chemistry courses:
    • Physics 1230/1230L, 1240/1240L (8)
    • Math 1430, 1440, 1350 (8)
    • Biology 2101, 2102, 2103L (7)
  • Elective courses (minimum 12 hours):
    • CHEM423-Introduction to Synthetic Biology (3)
    • CHEM426-Genome Technologies and Bioinformatics (3)
    • CHEM431-Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (3)
    • CHEM457-Environmental Chemistry (3)
    • CHEM452-Polymer Chemistry (3)
    • CHEM453L-Analytical Instrumentation: Theory and Application (4)
    • BIOL300C/301/302C,303,304C,303L,304L,310C,351,352L,445,456,482L,490,425,491,2210,2210L
    • ECON2110,2120
    • MATH314,316,375,471
    • PHYS301,303,466,491
  • These courses are offered during specific semesters:
    • Fall only: 315, 421, 422L, 423, 431, 470/511
    • Spring only: 422, 433, 426, 428, 453L

Optional Distributed Minor

  • Completion of the B.S. requirements
  • Additional Math Course Math 311, 314, or 316
  • English 2210 (219) Technical Writing

ACS Certification

  • Completion of the B.S. Chemistry requirements
  • Must include Chem 421 for biochemistry requirement
  • 3 research credit hours (can also count towards electives) or Chem 432L

Chemistry Honor Degree

The B.S. Chemistry student must submit their application to the Chemistry and Chemical Biology (C&CB) program advisor at least three semesters before their expected graduation date.  At this time, the student's GPA must be at least 3.20 overall and 3.50 in all Chemistry coursework. This minimum must be maintained throughout the time remaining to graduation. Course requirements for graduation with honors are as follows: 1217L, 1227L (or 1215L, 1225L, 2310C), 301, 302, 303L, 304L, 311, 312, 411L, 431, 453L and 7 hours of additional courses from 325-498, including at least 3 hours of 497-498 (Honors Research).  The student must choose a senior thesis advisor and carry out a research project related to the chemical sciences in the advisor’s lab.  If the thesis advisor’s primary appointment is not in C&CB, the student is required to choose a second advisor whose primary appointment is in C&CB.  Before graduation, the senior honors thesis will be written based on the senior honors research and submitted to the thesis advisor(s).  An electronic copy must be sent to the Chair of C&CB to be archived as evidence of undergraduate research productivity.  A publicly advertised oral presentation on the senior thesis research, limited to one hour in length, will also be made in a divisional seminar.  The thesis advisor(s) will complete the required paperwork after the presentation and submit it to the C&CB program advisor for the level of honors to be awarded.

Chemistry Minor

  • Chemistry courses:
    • 1215/1215L (4)
    • 1225/1225L (4)
    • 2310C (4)
    • 301/303L (4)
    • 302/304L (4)

Other information can be found at UNM Catalog »Colleges »College of Arts & Sciences »Chemistry and Chemical Biology »Undergraduate Programs

Shared credit BS/MS (4+1) option for Chemistry majors

UNM Chemistry majors can earn a coursework MS degree in the Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering Graduate program in one year!


How?
By using shared credit from selected upper level undergraduate majors courses taken during the senior year.

The UNM School of Engineering has recently approved the “4+1” BS/MS shared credit program:

Who can apply for this program?
Students (junior level) from A&S science department majors (e.g. Chemistry) are eligible and encouraged to apply to the NSMS 4+1 option

How does it work?
Following acceptance, students take their senior level electives and one to two graduate courses.  The BS degree is awarded then students take an additional year of graduate courses in the NSMS program, which, upon completion, the MS degree is awarded

What upper level undergraduate course credits can be applied towards an NSMS MS degree?
    Typically, anywhere between 8-12 credits may be applied toward the MS degree

Is there a fee or obligation?
    There is no application fee and students may opt out at any time

Where can I obtain more information?
    Please contact NMSE (nmse@unm.edu) for more details