Whatcom Community College
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Chemistry Pathways
Click on each chemistry pathway to see the recommended quarter-by-quarter classes and other recommendations.
These pathways assume:
- You will be a full-time student.
- You will start in the fall.
- You are ready to take 100- and 200-level classes.
If not, you can still complete the pathway! You will just need to make adjustments. Talk with your advisor to customize your plan.
Follow this recommended pathway to earn the AS-T degree and prepare for a university major in chemistry. Or you can customize your plan even more. Talk with your advisor about adapting it for your individual goals.
This is the pathway to follow if your math placement is MATH& 141 Precalculus I or MATH& 142 Precalculus II.
Scroll to the end for course suggestions.
| Description | This course helps students become more effective writers in academic and professional settings. Students learn to enter ongoing academic conversations, analyze and use secondary sources to formulate, develop, revise, and communicate ideas in writing, and shape their message to different purposes, audiences, and media. (CC) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of ENGL 95 or placement in ENGL& 101. |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | The basic properties and graphs of functions and inverses of functions, operations on functions, compositions; various specific functions and their properties including polynomial, absolute value, rational, exponential and logarithmic functions; applications of various functions; conics. A graphing calculator is required. (QSR,MS) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH 099 or MATH 132 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
or SOCIAL SCIENCE from suggested list below or click for complete list (5 credits)
or CHEM& 121 Intro to chemistry (5 credits)
Total credits this quarter: 15
Course note: If your math placement is MATH& 142, take that instead. Talk with your advisor about adjusting the pathway to match.
Course note: CHEM& 121 is recommended if you didn't take a year of chemistry in high school.
Career exploration: Find your people! Attend area-of-study activities and connect with clubs related to your career goals.
Career exploration: Start thinking about whether your career goal lines up more with physical chemistry or biochemistry. It makes a difference in which courses you'll choose.
Action item: Meet with your advisor to build your degree plan.
Action item: Have your transfer-in credits officially evaluated.
| Description | First of a three-course sequence designed for science, engineering, and other majors needing a full year general chemistry sequence. Covers basic principles of modern chemistry, structure of atoms, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, bonding, and molecular geometry. Lab work included. Recommended preparation CHEM& 121 or one year of High School Chemistry. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 141 with minimum grade of C |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Second in a two-course sequence designed to prepare students for the study of Calculus. Intended for students planning to major in math and/or science. Course to include right triangle trigonometry; trigonometric functions and their graphs; trigonometric identities and formulae;applications of trigonometry; parametric equations; and polar coordinates. A graphing calculator is required. A graphing calculator is required. (QSR,MS) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 141 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
HUMANITIES from suggested list below or click for complete list (5 credits)
or SOCIAL SCIENCE from suggested list below or click for complete list (5 credits)
Total credits this quarter: 15
Career exploration: Compare the different chemistry majors at the universities you're interested in.
| Description | Second of a three-course sequence designed for science, engineering, and other majors needing a full year general chemistry sequence. Covers gases, thermochemistry, states of matter, solution chemistry, kinetics, and chemical equilibrium. Lab work included. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of CHEM& 161 with minimum grade of C |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | This course looks at the study of functions, limits, continuity, limits at infinity, differentiation of algebraic, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions and their inverses, and applications. Graphing calculator required. (QSR,MS) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH 133 or MATH& 142 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Introduction to mechanics and physical reasoning strategies and investigation methods for students majoring in technically oriented fields not requiring a calculus based physics course. Newton's laws, work andenergy, kinematics conservation principles. Computer interfaced laboratory investigations, technical writing, problem solving, mathematical reasoning and scientific method of inquiry skills will be emphasized. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 142 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
or HUMANITIES from suggested list below or click for complete list (5 credits)
or SOCIAL SCIENCE from suggested list below or click for complete list (5 credits)
Total credits this quarter: 15
Course note: PHYS& 114 is a prerequisite for PHYS& 221 in Quarter 5. Take PHYS& 114 if you're interested in physical chemistry, didn't take a year of physics in high school, and didn't take MATH 133 at Whatcom.
Course note: You need three courses from humanities and social sciences (one of each, plus a third one that can be in either area). If you aren't taking PHYS& 114, and you already have two courses in one area, choose the other.
Career exploration: Apply to work in the science prep lab or as a tutor in the Learning Center next year.
Quarter 4 (Summer)
CHEM& 163 General Chemistry with Lab III (5 credits)
Total credits this quarter: 5
Course note: CHEM& 163 is required before CHEM& 261, which is offered only in the fall.
| Description | First course for students planning to take three quarters of organic chemistry. Material covered includes: structures and shapes, nomenclature, reactions, physical properties of organic compounds, and synthesis. Lab work included. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of CHEM& 163 |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | The study of Riemann Sums, methods of integration, numerical methods, polar and rectangular forms, fundamental theorem of Calculus, areas of regions, volumes of solids, centroids, length of curves, surface area, and an introduction to differential equations. Graphing calculator required. (QSR,MS) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 151 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Basic principles of mechanics. Emphasis on critical analysis, interpretation, and problem solving, energy and momentum conservation, rotational motion, static equilibrium. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 151 with a minimum grade of C and placement in ENGL& 101; and one college level physics course or a high school physics course. |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | This course is designed to prepare the student for further studies inthe field of biology or related fields. Basic information about evolution, genetics, biodiversity of life forms, and ecology will be taught and assessed. This is the first in a three-quarter sequence for biology majors. (MSwl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Prior or concurrent enrollment in CHEM& 161 and placement in ENGL& 101 |
| Course Attributes |
|
Total credits this quarter: 15
Course note: This quarter you start a three-course sequence in either physics (for physical chemistry) or biology (for biochemistry). You must complete one whole sequence.
Action item: Meet with your advisor about applying to universities. Start your transfer applications.
Action item: Apply for next year's financial aid.
| Description | Second course for students planning to take three quarters of organicchemistry. Further discussion of physical properties, identification by spectroscopic techniques, transformations of organic molecules including aromatic and carbonyl compounds. Lab work included. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of CHEM& 261 |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Multivariate integral and differential calculus. Geometry in R3 and in the plane. The study of vectors, acceleration, curvature; functions of several variables, partial derivatives; directional derivatives and gradients; extreme values; double and triple integrals; applications. Graphing calculator required. (QSR,MS) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 152 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Introduction to the derivation and uses of Taylor Series, intended formath and science majors. The course includes a discussion of error bounds in approximating curves with polynomials, Taylor polynomials, Taylor series expansion, and intervals of convergence. Graphing calculator required. (LE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 152 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Basic principles of thermodynamics, mechanics of fluids and oscillatory motion, and mechanical waves. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 152 and PHYS& 221 with a minimum grade of C; and placement in ENGL& 101 |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | This course is designed to prepare the student for further studies inthe field of biology or related fields. It covers basic information about cell metabolism, biological molecules, structure and function of cells, gene regulation, and development in plants and animals. (MSwl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | BIOL& 222 |
| Course Attributes |
|
Total credits this quarter: 15-16
Course note: MATH 207 is an optional 1-credit supplement to MATH& 163. Be sure to take it if you plan to transfer to the University of Washington.
Career exploration: Participate in original undergraduate research as part of BIOL& 222.
Action item: Apply to graduate by week 3 of this quarter.
| Description | Third course for students planning to take three quarters of organic chemistry. Further discussion on carbonyl compounds and their reactions, polyfunctional compounds, natural products including carbohydrates,lipids, amino acids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Lab work included. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of CHEM& 262 |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Functional understanding and appreciation for the foundations of electromagnetism and its applications. Topics include Coulomb's Law, electric potential, circuits and circuit theory, electrical devices, Ampere's Law, electric and magnetic flux, and induction. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of PHYS& 222 with a minimum grade of C |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | This course is designed to prepare the student for further studies in the field of biology or related fields. Basic information about the structure and functions of living organisms will be taught and assessed. This is the third in a three-quarter sequence for biology majors. (MSwl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of BIOL& 222 with minimum grade of B- |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Elementary study of the fundamentals of linear algebra. Course is intended for stronger math or science students. Course to include the study of systems of linear equations; matrices; n-dimensional vector space; linear independence, bases, subspaces and dimension. Introductionto determinants and the eigenvalue problem; applications. Graphing calculator required. (QSR,MS) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 151 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | This is an introductory course in differential equations. Topics include: first and higher order linear equations, power series solutions, systems of first order equations, numerical methods, LaPlace transforms, and applications. Graphing calculator required. (QSR,MS) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 152 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
or SOCIAL SCIENCE from suggested list below or click for complete list (5 credits)
Total credits this quarter: 15
Course note: You need three courses from humanities and social sciences (one of each, plus a third one that can be in either area). If you already have three, choose a math elective.
Action item: Attend the spring job fair.
Quarter 8 (Summer - optional)
HUMANITIES from suggested list below or click for complete list (5 credits)
or SOCIAL SCIENCE from suggested list below or click for complete list (5 credits)
Total credits this quarter: 5
Course note: You need three courses from humanities and social sciences (one of each, plus a third one that can be in either area). If you already have three, don't take this summer course.
Course Suggestions
Humanities
ART highly recommended in your first year.
- ART 112 Drawing I
- ART 115 2D design
- ART 116 3D design
- ART 130 Ceramics I
- ART 131 Beginning throwing
- ART 160 Sculpture
- ART 175 Printmaking: relief and monotype
- ART 187 Computer art
- DRMA 125 Acting I
- ENGL 124 Environmental literature
- IDS 161 Literature, science and gender
- PHIL 132 Environmental ethics
Social Sciences
- IDS 170 Intro to sustainability
- IDS 210 Science, economics and politics of sustainable resources
- PSYC 165 Psychology of adjustment
Follow this recommended pathway to earn the AS-T degree and prepare for a university major in chemistry. Or you can customize your plan even more. Talk with your advisor about adapting it for your individual goals.
This is the pathway to follow if your math placement is MATH& 151, Calculus I.
Scroll to the end for course suggestions.
| Description | First of a three-course sequence designed for science, engineering, and other majors needing a full year general chemistry sequence. Covers basic principles of modern chemistry, structure of atoms, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, bonding, and molecular geometry. Lab work included. Recommended preparation CHEM& 121 or one year of High School Chemistry. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 141 with minimum grade of C |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | This course helps students become more effective writers in academic and professional settings. Students learn to enter ongoing academic conversations, analyze and use secondary sources to formulate, develop, revise, and communicate ideas in writing, and shape their message to different purposes, audiences, and media. (CC) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of ENGL 95 or placement in ENGL& 101. |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | This course looks at the study of functions, limits, continuity, limits at infinity, differentiation of algebraic, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions and their inverses, and applications. Graphing calculator required. (QSR,MS) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH 133 or MATH& 142 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
Total credits this quarter: 15
Career exploration: Find your people! Attend area-of-study activities and connect with clubs related to your career goals.
Career exploration: Start thinking about whether your career goal lines up more with physical chemistry or biochemistry. It makes a difference in which courses you'll choose.
Action item: Meet with your advisor to build your degree plan.
Action item: Have your transfer-in credits officially evaluated.
| Description | Second of a three-course sequence designed for science, engineering, and other majors needing a full year general chemistry sequence. Covers gases, thermochemistry, states of matter, solution chemistry, kinetics, and chemical equilibrium. Lab work included. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of CHEM& 161 with minimum grade of C |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | The study of Riemann Sums, methods of integration, numerical methods, polar and rectangular forms, fundamental theorem of Calculus, areas of regions, volumes of solids, centroids, length of curves, surface area, and an introduction to differential equations. Graphing calculator required. (QSR,MS) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 151 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Introduction to mechanics and physical reasoning strategies and investigation methods for students majoring in technically oriented fields not requiring a calculus based physics course. Newton's laws, work andenergy, kinematics conservation principles. Computer interfaced laboratory investigations, technical writing, problem solving, mathematical reasoning and scientific method of inquiry skills will be emphasized. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 142 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
or SOCIAL SCIENCE from suggested list below or click for complete list (5 credits)
Total credits this quarter: 15
Course note: PHYS& 114 is a prerequisite for PHYS& 221 in Quarter 4. Take PHYS& 114 before Quarter 4 if you're interested in physical chemistry, didn't take a year of physics in high school, and didn't take MATH 133 at Whatcom.
Career exploration: Compare the different chemistry majors at the universities you're interested in.
| Description | Third of a three-course sequence designed for science, engineering, and other majors needing a full-year general chemistry sequence. Coversacids, bases, acid-base equilibria, solubility and complex-ion equilibria, thermodynamics and equilibrium, electrochemistry, and special topics. Lab work included. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of CHEM& 162 with minimum grade of C |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Multivariate integral and differential calculus. Geometry in R3 and in the plane. The study of vectors, acceleration, curvature; functions of several variables, partial derivatives; directional derivatives and gradients; extreme values; double and triple integrals; applications. Graphing calculator required. (QSR,MS) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 152 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Introduction to the derivation and uses of Taylor Series, intended formath and science majors. The course includes a discussion of error bounds in approximating curves with polynomials, Taylor polynomials, Taylor series expansion, and intervals of convergence. Graphing calculator required. (LE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 152 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Introduction to mechanics and physical reasoning strategies and investigation methods for students majoring in technically oriented fields not requiring a calculus based physics course. Newton's laws, work andenergy, kinematics conservation principles. Computer interfaced laboratory investigations, technical writing, problem solving, mathematical reasoning and scientific method of inquiry skills will be emphasized. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 142 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
or SOCIAL SCIENCE from suggested list below or click for complete list (5 credits)
Total credits this quarter: 15-16
Course note: MATH 207 is an optional 1-credit supplement to MATH& 163. Be sure to take it if you plan to transfer to the University of Washington.
Course note: PHYS& 114 is a prerequisite for PHYS& 221 in Quarter 4. Take PHYS& 114 before Quarter 4 if you're interested in physical chemistry, didn't take a year of physics in high school, and didn't take MATH 133 at Whatcom.
Career exploration: Apply to work in the science prep lab or as a tutor in the Learning Center next year.
Action item: Check the GPA and other entry requirements for your future major. Are you on track?
| Description | First course for students planning to take three quarters of organic chemistry. Material covered includes: structures and shapes, nomenclature, reactions, physical properties of organic compounds, and synthesis. Lab work included. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of CHEM& 163 |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Basic principles of mechanics. Emphasis on critical analysis, interpretation, and problem solving, energy and momentum conservation, rotational motion, static equilibrium. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 151 with a minimum grade of C and placement in ENGL& 101; and one college level physics course or a high school physics course. |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | This course is designed to prepare the student for further studies inthe field of biology or related fields. Basic information about evolution, genetics, biodiversity of life forms, and ecology will be taught and assessed. This is the first in a three-quarter sequence for biology majors. (MSwl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Prior or concurrent enrollment in CHEM& 161 and placement in ENGL& 101 |
| Course Attributes |
|
or SOCIAL SCIENCE from suggested list below or click for complete list (5 credits)
Total credits this quarter: 15
Course note: This quarter you start a three-course sequence in either physics (for physical chemistry) or biology (for biochemistry). You must complete one whole sequence.
Action item: Meet with your advisor about applying to universities. Start your transfer applications.
Action item: Apply for next year's financial aid.
| Description | Second course for students planning to take three quarters of organicchemistry. Further discussion of physical properties, identification by spectroscopic techniques, transformations of organic molecules including aromatic and carbonyl compounds. Lab work included. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of CHEM& 261 |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Basic principles of thermodynamics, mechanics of fluids and oscillatory motion, and mechanical waves. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 152 and PHYS& 221 with a minimum grade of C; and placement in ENGL& 101 |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | This course is designed to prepare the student for further studies inthe field of biology or related fields. It covers basic information about cell metabolism, biological molecules, structure and function of cells, gene regulation, and development in plants and animals. (MSwl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | BIOL& 222 |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Elementary study of the fundamentals of linear algebra. Course is intended for stronger math or science students. Course to include the study of systems of linear equations; matrices; n-dimensional vector space; linear independence, bases, subspaces and dimension. Introductionto determinants and the eigenvalue problem; applications. Graphing calculator required. (QSR,MS) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 151 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | This is an introductory course in differential equations. Topics include: first and higher order linear equations, power series solutions, systems of first order equations, numerical methods, LaPlace transforms, and applications. Graphing calculator required. (QSR,MS) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 152 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
or SOCIAL SCIENCE from suggested list below or click for complete list (5 credits)
Total credits this quarter: 15
Course note: You need three courses from humanities and social sciences (one of each, plus a third one that can be in either area). If you already have three, choose a math elective.
Career exploration: Participate in original undergraduate research as part of BIOL& 222.
Action item: Apply to graduate by week 3 of this quarter.
| Description | Third course for students planning to take three quarters of organic chemistry. Further discussion on carbonyl compounds and their reactions, polyfunctional compounds, natural products including carbohydrates,lipids, amino acids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Lab work included. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of CHEM& 262 |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Functional understanding and appreciation for the foundations of electromagnetism and its applications. Topics include Coulomb's Law, electric potential, circuits and circuit theory, electrical devices, Ampere's Law, electric and magnetic flux, and induction. (MSl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of PHYS& 222 with a minimum grade of C |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | This course is designed to prepare the student for further studies in the field of biology or related fields. Basic information about the structure and functions of living organisms will be taught and assessed. This is the third in a three-quarter sequence for biology majors. (MSwl) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of BIOL& 222 with minimum grade of B- |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | Elementary study of the fundamentals of linear algebra. Course is intended for stronger math or science students. Course to include the study of systems of linear equations; matrices; n-dimensional vector space; linear independence, bases, subspaces and dimension. Introductionto determinants and the eigenvalue problem; applications. Graphing calculator required. (QSR,MS) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 151 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
| Description | This is an introductory course in differential equations. Topics include: first and higher order linear equations, power series solutions, systems of first order equations, numerical methods, LaPlace transforms, and applications. Graphing calculator required. (QSR,MS) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of MATH& 152 with a minimum grade of C. |
| Course Attributes |
|
or SOCIAL SCIENCE from suggested list below or click for complete list (5 credits)
Total credits this quarter: 15
Course note: You need three courses from humanities and social sciences (one of each, plus a third one that can be in either area). If you already have three, choose a math elective.
Action item: Attend the spring job fair.
Course suggestions
Humanities
ART highly recommended in your first year.
- ART 112 Drawing I
- ART 115 2D design
- ART 116 3D design
- ART 130 Ceramics I
- ART 131 Beginning throwing
- ART 160 Sculpture
- ART 175 Printmaking: relief and monotype
- ART 187 Computer art
- DRMA 125 Acting I
- ENGL 124 Environmental literature
- IDS 161 Literature, science and gender
- PHIL 132 Environmental ethics
Social Sciences
- IDS 170 Intro to sustainability
- IDS 210 Science, economics and politics of sustainable resources
- PSYC 165 Psychology of adjustment