Chemistry

Information and Departmental Plan of Study

The Department of Chemistry offers a flexible program suitable for those who plan to attend graduate school, as well as for premedical students or those intending to pursue a career in secondary school teaching. A chemistry concentration is appropriate for anyone who desires a broad background of undergraduate training in science.

Advanced Placement

A student who received an Advanced Placement Examination score of 4 qualifies for one unit of advanced placement and is eligible to take CHM 215 Advanced General Chemistry-Honors. A student who received an Advanced Placement Examination score of 5 qualifies for two units of advanced placement and is eligible to take CHM 301. One term of advanced placement satisfies the B.S.E. chemistry requirement.

A departmental placement examination is given for students who are seeking placement confirmation and credit for any AP/IB/A-level in Chemistry administered in spring 2020 and after or any student who did not have an opportunity to take the Chemistry Advanced Placement Exam.

Prerequisites

Before entering the department, students are expected to complete:

1. One year of general chemistry: CHM 201 and CHM 202; CHM 207 and CHM 202; 1 unit of advanced placement and CHM 202; 1 unit of advanced placement and CHM 215; or two units of advanced placement credit.

2. Differential and integral calculus: MAT 103 and MAT 104, or the equivalent advanced placement credit.

3. One year of general physics: PHY 101 or PHY 103 or PHY 105 and PHY 102 or PHY 104 or PHY 106 or the equivalent advanced placement credit.

4. One year of organic chemistry: CHM 301 and CHM 302 or CHM 301 and CHM 304. Chemistry concentrators must complete this sequence at Princeton and by the end of the second year.

Prerequisite courses may not be taken using the P/D/F grading option.

Early Concentration

A student who has been granted advanced placement credit in chemistry and has taken advanced courses in the subject during both terms of their first year may be eligible for independent work in the sophomore year. First-year students interested in this option should contact the director of undergraduate studies in the spring term.

Program of Study

University regulations require that, before graduation, students take eight courses designated as departmental courses in their field of concentration. These eight courses are divided into four Core Courses and four Cognate Courses as defined below. Chemistry concentrators typically take more than eight courses that qualify as departmental.

Core Courses

Students must take three 300-, 400-numbered courses in chemistry and at least one term of experimental laboratory instruction at Princeton as departmental core courses. These courses must include at least one term each of organic (CHM 301, 302, or 304), physical (CHM 305, 306, 405, or 406), and inorganic chemistry (CHM 411 or 412). The experimental requirement may be fulfilled by taking either CHM 371, or MSE 302, or PHY 312, or CBE 346. Note: The experimental course must be completed by the end of the junior year.

Cognates

The remaining four departmental courses of the eight required by the University degree regulations can be in either chemistry or a cognate scientific area (e.g., molecular biology, engineering, geoscience, materials science, computer science, mathematics, neuroscience, or physics). Many courses in the sciences at the 300, 400, and 500 levels are approved as departmental courses. Courses are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. To qualify as a departmental, the course must have one or more prerequisites (i.e., be non-introductory) and must have a strong chemistry component. Contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies to discuss whether courses of interest can be counted as cognates.

Physics/Mathematics

An understanding of chemistry requires a thorough background in physics and mathematics. Students majoring in chemistry should obtain a broad background in these subjects. In general, it is desirable to take courses in mathematics at least through multivariable calculus (MAT 201 or 203) and linear algebra (MAT 202 or 204). These courses may be counted as departmental courses.

The program described above deliberately allows substantial flexibility and encourages a broad view of chemistry.

1. Transcript. An official transcript must be sent by a school counselor or school official.

2. School Report (SR). The SR form is available from the Common Application website. Please ask your school counselor or other school official to complete and submit the SR form. 
    
3. Counselor Recommendation. If you are using the Common Application online, please note that the SR and the Counselor Recommendation are separate items. Be sure to “invite” your school counselor or academic adviser to complete both items.
    
4. Two (2) Teacher Recommendations. Please ask two of your teachers who have taught you in higher level courses (e.g., AP, IB Higher/Standard Level, A-Levels, etc.) in different academic areas of study to complete and send the teacher recommendation forms, available on the Common Application website. The subjects should be in core academic areas, such as English, language, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences or math.
    
5. Midyear School Report. Please ask your school counselor or other school official to complete and submit this form when your midyear grades are available. 

1. A Completed Application. You must submit your application online through the Common Application. Princeton's CEEB Code: 2672

2. Princeton's Supplement. In addition to the application provided by the Common Application, all applicants must submit the Princeton Supplement. You should submit the Princeton Supplement online through the Common Application website. 

3. Application Fee or Fee Waiver. You may submit a fee waiver one of two ways: 1) Select the fee waiver option on the Common Application. Your school counselor must approve your fee waiver request online or submit your fee waiver form by mail or fax. 2) Select one of the following fee waiver options on the Princeton Supplement: Princeton-specific, ACT, College Board or NACAC. All low-income students are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. In addition, all applicants who are serving or have served in the U.S. military are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. If you use the Princeton-specific fee waiver, you do not need to get approval from your college counselor or academic adviser.

4. Graded Written Paper. A graded written paper is required, preferably in the subjects of English or history.