College of Letters and Science
3010 Young Hall
Box 951569
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569
Chemistry and Biochemistry
310-825-4219
Department e-mail
Chemistry is concerned with the composition, structure, and properties of substances, the transformations of these substances into others by reactions, and the kinds of energy changes that accompany these reactions. The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is organized in four interrelated and overlapping subdisciplines that deal primarily with the chemistry of inorganic substances (inorganic chemistry), the chemistry of carbon compounds (organic chemistry), the chemistry of living systems (biochemistry), and the physical behavior of substances in relation to their structures and chemical properties (physical chemistry). The Chemistry/Materials Science major is designed for students who are interested in the applications of chemistry for the design, synthesis, and study of new materials.
The department offers four majors: Chemistry (with concentrations in chemistry and physical chemistry), Biochemistry, General Chemistry, and Chemistry/Materials Science. The Chemistry and Biochemistry majors are designed to prepare students for graduate studies in each field, for entry into professional schools in the health sciences, and for careers in industries and businesses that depend on chemically and biochemically based technology. The General Chemistry major is intended for students who wish to acquire considerable chemical background in preparation for careers outside chemistry. The Chemistry/Materials Science major provides appropriate preparation for graduate studies in fields that emphasize research involving chemistry, engineering, and applied science.
Each course used to fulfill any of the requirements for any of the departmental majors must be taken for a letter grade. Seminar courses, individual study courses, and research courses (e.g., 194, 199) may not be applied toward the requirements for the majors.
Requirements for the majors are outlined below. For additional information, contact the Undergraduate Office in 4006 Young Hall.
Students who have taken the Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry Examination and obtained a score of 4 or 5 receive 8 units of chemistry credit and may petition for chemistry and biochemistry equivalency, or may take course 20A at UCLA. If students received a score of 3 on the AP Chemistry Examination, they receive 8 units of chemistry credit but no course equivalency.
Students may not take or repeat a chemistry or biochemistry course for credit if it is a requisite for a more advanced course for which they already have credit. This applies in particular to the repetition of courses (e.g., if students wish to repeat Chemistry and Biochemistry 20A, they must do so before completing course 20B).
