Support has been provided in part by generous grants from companies and foundations such as Du Pont, 3M, Dow, the National Science Foundation, the American Chemical Society, the Research Corporation, the Hughes Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, and the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation. The computer center makes the resources of the campus time-sharing network accessible at no cost and students have easy access to many microcomputers. Being a chemistry major involves a good deal of group work. Facilities in Mudd Hall were designed to foster student interaction and creativity. Laboratory sections are limited to 24 students, permitting students to work closely with each other and with their instructors.
Interaction takes place outside of the classroom, too.
Weekly seminars bring faculty, students and visiting chemists together to discuss current research in the field. Freshmen interested in studying chemistry may enroll in a one-term course offered in the fall, winter, and spring. For students requiring more preparation, there is a one-term course offered in the fall which prepares students to take general chemistry. A self-administered placement exam is given to help students select the appropriate choice. Then, two terms of organic chemistry present the rich and varied reactions of carbon compounds, including such diverse topics as carbocations, catalysis, carbohydrates, nuclear magnetic resonance and organic synthesis.