For a major in chemistry or biochemistry it's best to start in your first year with CHEM 107 and 108. The Chemistry Major is very structured in accordance with standards set by the American Chemical Society. Each course builds on material from previous courses so many of our courses need to be taken in proper sequence making it very difficult to make up for time lost in the first year. Starting a chemistry major in your sophomore year will require overloading or summer study at an accredited college or university. The two terms of general chemistry in your first year are not wasted even of you decide not to major in chemistry.
General chemistry is required for most majors in the sciences and is useful in others.
If you decide not to major in science, you can still count one of your chemistry courses towards the curriculum XXI science requirements. Chemistry, the study of matter, focuses on how substances are formed and transformed by chemical reactions. The student gains an appreciation for the methods and spirit of modern science. Biochemistry, the interface between chemistry and biology, is concerned with the chemistry of biological reactions, and the regulation of these reactions. This rapidly growing field of study includes the investigation of chemical changes in disease, drug action and other aspects of medicine as well as in nutrition, genetics and agriculture.