Updated7/8/16

Oberlin College Department of

Chemistry and Biochemistry

M a j o r ’ s H a n d b o o k

ImportantResourcesfortheChemistryorBiochemistryMajor

DepartmentofChemistryandBiochemistry

DepartmentOffice ScienceCenter,A263

DepartmentSecretary x58300 chemistry@oberlin.edu

Bulletinboardoutsideoftheofficeholdstimelyinformationformajors.

DepartmentChair’sOffice ScienceCenter,A264

RebeccaWhelan,Chair x58941 rwhelan@oberlin.edu

PrintedMaterials

AnnualReportoftheDepartmentofChemistry&Biochemistry YoumayobtainacopyfromtheDepartmentSecretary.

Major’sHandbook YoumayobtainacopyfromtheDepartmentSecretary.

OnlineMaterials

• Departmentwebsite:new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry• OberlinCollegecatalog:catalog.oberlin.edu• OfficeofCareerServices:www2.oberlin.edu/career• AmericanChemicalSocietywebsite:www.acs.org

Inparticular,takealookattheresourcesundertheEducationtab.

• DirectoryofGraduateResearch:dgr.rints.com

1

Introduction

TheMajor’s Handbook for chemistry and biochemistry is primarily intended for prospectivemajors andnewmajors, but alsomaybehelpful to those further along in theprogram.Thishandbookservesasaguidetocourseselection,researchopportunities,andinvolvementinthelifeofthedepartmentandistobeusedinconjunctionwiththeOberlinCollegecoursecatalogand department web site. Of course, more specific advice will come from your academicadvisorinthedepartment.Briefbiographiesofthedepartmentfacultyandstaffareincludedinthishandbook.

WhatisachemistryorbiochemistrymajoratOberlin?Themajorinchemistryorbiochemistryisarigorousintroductiontotheprinciplesandpracticesinthechemical/biochemicalsciences.TheprogramhasbeenapprovedbytheAmericanChemicalSociety,thechemist’sprofessionalorganization.Themajorpreparesonewellforfutureemploymentinmanyarenas,includingthechemical industry or academic/government laboratories, and for post-graduate education,including Ph.D. andM.D. programs. About 20 – 25 students graduate fromOberlinwith themajoreachyear.

What does one do with a B.A. in chemistry or biochemistry from Oberlin? The departmentannually publishes a report, aptly titledAnnual Report of the Department of Chemistry andBiochemistry,thatyoumayobtainatthedepartmentoffice.Thereportdescribesamongotherthingstheplansofthemostrecentlygraduatedclassofmajorsandthecareersofthosewhograduatedearlier.Asummaryofonerecentcohortprovidesarepresentativesnapshotofwhatourmajorsdo.Atgraduation,40%plannedtotakejobsforatleastayearortwo,40%weresettoentergraduateschool,and20%plannedmedicalstudies.Fifteenyearslater,thosesame23grads had 10 Ph.D. degrees, 6M.D. degrees, and 5 other post-graduate degrees. Theywereemployedinindustry(35%,manyininformationtechnology),asphysicians(20%),asprofessors(20%),aslawyers(10%),andasmusicians(10%).Mostofouralumniearnapost-baccalaureatedegree,andallaregainfullyemployedinawidevarietyoffields.

Howdoesonebecomeachemistryorbiochemistrymajor?TojointheOberlinchemistryfamily,speakwiththechairofthedepartmentoranotherfacultymember.HeorshewilldirectyoutotheproperformsfromtheRegistrar’sOffice.Onceyousubmittheforms,youwillbeassignedto an advisor in the department and begin your journey toward the B.A. in chemistry orbiochemistry.

2

CurriculumThedepartmentoffers twomajors, chemistry andbiochemistry.Aminor in chemistry is alsooffered. TheOberlin CollegeCourseCatalog contains coursedescriptions and a discussionofthe curriculum necessary for the B.A. degree and careers in chemistry and biochemistry.Department advisors and pre-med advisors will have more specific advice. The followingrecommendationssupplementthosecomments.

ChemistryMajor

IntroductoryChem. 101Structure&Reactivity 102PrinciplesofChemistryCoreCourses 205OrganicChemistry 211AnalyticalChemistry 213InorganicChemistry 339QuantumChem.&KineticsAdvancedCourses CategoryI 254BioorganicChemistry 325OrganicMechanism&Synth. 327SynthesisLaboratory 405TopicsinOrganicChemistryCategoryII 323MaterialsChemistry 341TraceAnalysis 361BioanalyticalChemistry 349Chem.&Stat.Thermodynamics TheminimummajorinchemistryrequiresIntroductoryChemistry(CHEM103mayreplace101,102), the fourCoreCourses,and2.5courses in theAdvancedcategory, includingat least0.5coursefromeachofthetwoCategoriesandoneadvancedlaboratorycourse(markedinitalicsin the above table). Offerings for half-course credit are CHEM 323, 361, and all 400-levelcourses.ThemajoralsorequiresMathematics134andPhysics110,111(orPhysics103,104).BiochemistryMajor

IntroductoryChem. 101Structure&Reactivity 102PrinciplesofChemistryCoreCourses 205OrganicChemistry 211AnalyticalChemistry 213InorganicChemistry 339QuantumChem.&KineticsOR349ThermodynamicsBiochemistryCourses 254BioorganicChemistry 374BiochemistryAdvancedCourses 407TopicsinBiochemistry Theminimummajor inbiochemistryrequires IntroductoryChemistry(CHEM103mayreplace101,102), the fourCoreCourses,andthetwoBiochemistryCourses.ThemajoralsorequiresBiology213,Mathematics134,andPhysics110,111(or103,104).

3

Startingchemistry/AdvancedPlacement. Moststudentsbegin theirstudyofchemistrywithChemistry101,102.StudentswithstrongpreparationshouldconsiderstartingwithCHEM103,aone-semester, faster-paced introductiontochemistry.Enteringstudentswhohavescored4or5ontheChemistryAdvancedPlacement(AP)examinationoftheEducationalTestingServiceor scored 6 or 7 on the Higher Level International Baccalaureate (IB) Chemistry exam canreceive transfer credit equivalent toCHEM101 (one full course) andbegin college chemistrywith Chemistry 102 or 103. Note that calculus is a co-requisite for Chemistry 103. StudentsmustrelinquishAPor IBcredit if thecorrespondingcoursework isrepeatedatOberlin.ThosewithA-levelsscoresofA*,A,orBcanalsobegincollegechemistrywithCHEM103. Studentswithexceptionalhighschoolpreparation inmathematicsandchemistry,andeitheranAPscoreof4or5oranIBhigher-levelchemistryexamscoreof6or7maypetitionthedepartmentchairtoenrollinCHEM205,OrganicChemistry.UponsuccessfulcompletionofCHEM205,thestudentwouldalsoreceivecreditforCHEM103insteadofCHEM101.Latercourses. Completingasmanycorecoursesaspossiblebytheendofthejunioryearwillpermityouawiderandmoreinformedchoiceofadvancedcoursesandwillbetterprepareyoufor research opportunities. Because CHEM 211 helps students develop skill in accuratelaboratory measurements, there are many advantages to taking it early. In order to takephysicalchemistry(CHEM339)inthejunioryear,youmustcompleteMathematics134nolaterthan the fall semester of the junior year and Physics 111 (or 104) no later than the springsemesterofthejunioryear,concurrentwithCHEM339.Biochemistrymajorsshouldcompleteallofthecorechemistrycoursesbeforetakingthebiochemistrycourse(CHEM374),usuallyinthefallsemesterofsenioryear.Theminimummajorwillpreparestudentsforemploymentandgraduatestudy.However,thebest preparation for competitive graduate and professional programs involves additionaladvanced courses and laboratory work, related courses in other departments, and researchexperience.Inparticularforchemistrymajors,asecondcourseinorganicchemistry(CHEM254or325)isessential,andthermodynamics(CHEM349)isrecommended.Alsotakeadvantageofopportunities to learn to search, access, and assess the chemical literature.Majors planninggraduate studies in biochemistry or molecular biology should consider taking upper levelbiology courses. Chemistry and biochemistry majors are also encouraged to take additionalcourses in computer science andmodeling,mathematics, and statistics. The specific courseschosenwilldependinpartontheintendedareaofspecialization.Consultearlywithyourmajoradvisorasyouplanyourchoiceofelectives.Biochemistry majors simultaneously complete nearly all of the natural science courseworktypically required by medical schools. Chemistry majors planning careers in medicine ordentistry should complete eight hours of biology with laboratory. Other courses should beplannedinconsultationwiththeHealthProfessionsOfficeinTheCareerCenterandyourpre-medicaladvisor.SometypicalcourseschedulesthatdemonstratehowthemajorcurriculumcanbecompletedinfouryearsaregiveninAppendixI.

4

ResearchExperienceAdvancedlaboratoryexperienceishighlyadvisable,whetherinadvancedlaboratorycoursesorin the research laboratory. Everymajor is encouraged to participate in research, particularlythoseintendinganadvanceddegree.ThePh.D.inthechemicalsciencesisaresearch-intensivedegree,sostudentsconsideringPh.D.programsshouldhaveexperiencewithandaninclinationtowardslaboratoryresearch.ResearchexperienceatOberlinmaybegainedthroughaWinterTermproject,throughsummerresearch,orduringtheacademicyear(CHEM525,526),ineachinstance working closely with a faculty mentor. The research interests of the departmentfacultyaredescribedinbriefintheFacultysectionofthishandbook.Lookforadvertisingfromthe department office regarding research opportunities at the start of the academic year, inlateOctober(forWinterTerm)andinlateFebruary(forsummer).Sincethenumberofstudentswho can be accommodated onmost projects is limited, students are encouraged to consultwith faculty members as early as possible. Details on these opportunities for researchexperiencearegivenbelow.During the Academic Year Honors students and research students are active in facultylaboratories. The principal elements of theHonors Program are a year-long research project(Chem525and526foratleast1.5coursecreditandWinterTerm),aformalwrittenthesis,anoralexaminationadministeredbyachemist/biochemistfromanotherinstitution,andtwooralpresentations – one after Winter Term and one at the end of the spring semester. High-achievingstudentsreceiveinvitationsfortheHonorsprograminthespringoftheirjunioryearalongwithadetaileddescriptionoftheprogram.Eachinviteeshoulddiscusstheinvitationwithhis or her academic advisor and others andmust decidewhether to participate by the firstweekofclassesinthefall.

Honors students take several steps in finding a research advisor. In the spring, it isrecommended to attend Honors talks and to have exploratory conversations with facultymembers. At the very beginning of the fall semester, Honors candidates receive writtendescriptions of the faculty research projects. Follow-up conversationswith facultymembersare completed during the first week of classes. Students and research advisors are thenmatchedatameetingofthedepartmentfaculty.Seniors who are not in the Honors program and those in earlier years are encouraged toparticipate in research during the academic year. These students should explore researchopportunities in the samemannerasdescribed in theparagraphabove forHonors students.ThoughHonorsstudentsreceivepriority,everyeffortismadetoaccommodatetheinterestsofallmajorswhowishtoparticipateinresearch.Aresearchstudentcanparticipateoneorbothsemesters, usually writes a short final report on their work, and may give a public oralpresentation.

5

WinterTermisagoodtimeforstudents,eventhoseonlyintheirfirstyear,tosecureadditionalexperienceinchemistrythroughalaboratoryproject,readingproject,andorcomputerproject.Manyof theon-campus laboratoryprojects involve researchor experimentdevelopment forcourses. Off-campus Winter Term projects are another way that students obtain usefulexperience.Manystudentslocatesuchpossibilitiesontheirown.ForotherstheAlumniOfficeand theCareerCenteraresources fornamesofpersonswhocandirectoff-campusprojects.StudentsinterestedinmedicinehavefoundthataWinterTermprojectinamedicallaboratory,ahospital,oradoctor'sofficeisagoodwaytobuildtheirresumes.Chemistryfacultymembersareavailabletoserveasthefacultysponsorsofstudentswhodooff-campusprojects.

SummersallowmajorstogainsignificantresearchexperienceeitheratOberlinorelsewhere.AtOberlin, summer researchers, typically rising juniors and seniors, work full-time with facultymentors for eight to ten weeks between May and August and are paid a stipend. Manyuniversities and some colleges have similar programs. Information about summer researchopportunitiesinchemistryatotherinstitutionsmaybefoundatwebsitesdescribingprogramssuch as NSF-REU and SURF, and on postings available on the bulletin board outside of thedepartment office. Students may also find it worthwhile to seek unadvertised positions inuniversitiesintheirhomeareasbysendinglettersofinquiryandresumestodepartmentchairs.StartasearchforsummeremploymentinFebruary.Consultthedepartment’swebsite(underStudentProjects)orthedepartment’sAnnualReportforalistoflastyear’sresearchstudentsandprojecttitles.AlsotakealookatthePresentationsand Publications sections of the Annual Report to note that many research students givepresentations at local and national chemistry meetings and are co-authors on facultypublications.

6

Extra-CurricularOpportunities

SeminarProgram

Eachsemester,theChemistryDepartmentoffers4-6oralpresentationsgivenbydistinguishedchemicalscientistsfromaroundthecountry,aswellasdepartmentfacultywhohaverecentlybeen on research leave. The seminar program provides a window into the various areas ofchemistry,someofwhicharenotcoveredinourregularcurriculum,andintothewidevarietyofprofessional settings thatchemists find themselves, ranging fromacademic laboratories tomuseums toocean-goingvessels. Conversationswith seminar speakersarealsoanexcellentwayto learnabouteducationalandemploymentopportunitiesafterOberlin. Whenpossible,the department allows a few students to sign up (on bulletin board outside the departmentoffice)tohavelunchwiththeguest,andseminarsareusuallyprecededbyashortsocialtimewhere other students can meet the speaker. Notices of seminars are posted outside thedepartment office and on other bulletin boards in the Science Center. A list of last year’sseminarsmaybefound inthedepartment’sAnnualReport.Seminartime isusually4:45-5:45p.m.Wednesdayafternoons.Chemistryandbiochemistrymajorsareexpectedtoattendeveryseminar.

MajorsCommittee

The majors committee serves as a liaison between chemistry majors and the department.Committeemembersprovideadvice to the facultyonnewhires for temporaryor continuingpositions in the department after meeting with the candidates and hearing their classroompresentations.Thecommitteeorganizessocialeventstopromoteinteractionbetweenmajorsand facultyand staff. Theannual T-shirt contest andT-shirt salesareheldby the committeewiththehelpofthedepartmentsecretary.

Tutoring

Majorsoftenorganizeeveningandweekendsessionstoprovidegroupassistancetostudentsenrolledinintroductoryandorganicchemistry.

Oberlin's quantitative skills center, CLEAR, has two kinds of employment opportunities forstudentsinterestedintutoringandpeermentorship.Studentscanserveasdrop-intutorsonarangeofquantitativesubjectsorasmentorsintheOWLSprogram,whichisforspecificclassessuchasChem101.ForinformationontheseprogramscontactCLEAR@Oberlin.edu.

7

Inaddition, StudentAcademicServiceshires chemistryandbiochemistrymajorsas individualtutors, upon recommendation of a faculty member. Through service-learning, some majorstutorstudentsintheOberlinpublicschools.

EmploymentintheDepartment

A limited number of qualified junior and seniormajors are offered jobs as assistants in thegeneralchemistry,organicchemistry,inorganicchemistry,andanalyticalchemistrylaboratoriesandinthestockroom.ContactCortlandHill,thedepartment’sLaboratoryManager,ifyouareinterested.Itissometimespossibleforstudentsreceivingwork-studyaidtoobtainjobssuchascheckinghomeworkassignments,duplicatingcoursematerials,andupdatingdepartmentalwebpages.Inquireinthedepartmentoffice.TheScienceLibraryonthegroundflooroftheScienceCenterhiresstudentstoassistpatronsatthecirculationdesk.

8

LifeAfterOberlin

EMPLOYMENTAFTERGRADUATION

Some chemistry majors take jobs immediately after graduation from Oberlin. Becausechemistryisimportanttosomanyareasofscience,opportunitiesforthesegraduatesarequitediverse.Mostofthesejobsareinindustryoracademiaandinvolvelaboratoryactivitiessuchaschemical synthesis, analyticalwork,quality control, environmentalmonitoring, andbasic andappliedresearch. Other jobshavebeen in thePeaceCorps,highschool teaching,marketing,and computer programming. Some majors seek immediate long-term employment; othersseek one- to three-year temporary employment before beginning graduate or professionalstudies.

Long-TermEmployment If youare seeking immediateemployment, yourmost importantsingleresourceoncampusisthestaffoftheCareerCenter.Youshouldgetintouchwiththemimmediatelyinthefallofyoursenioryearandbecomearegularvisitortotheirofficesandwebsite. Theycanprovideadviceonspecificaspectsof the jobhuntingprocess, suchas resumepreparation, interviewing, and locating jobs. The Career Center is also the focal point forcompanies that send recruiters to campus. Sign up for an interviewwith any company thatlooks remotely interesting. A few early interviews for experience with the process almostsurelywillbehelpful.

The resume is an important summary of your skills and background. Although the CareerCentercanprovideagreatdealofgeneralguidanceforpreparingaresume,alsodiscussyourresume with one or more people experienced in your field. Your advisor and other facultymemberswhoknowyouwellwillbegladtohelp.

InadditiontotheCareerCenter,youshouldbeawareofothersourcesofinformationaboutjobopportunities. Announcements of jobs sent to the department are posted on the bulletinboardoutsidethedepartmentoffice. ChemicalandEngineeringNews,aweeklymagazineoftheAmericanChemicalSociety,hasasectiononemploymentandisavailableinScienceLibrary.OtherjournalssuchasScienceandPhysicsTodayhavesimilarsections,thoughnotasfocusedforchemists. Localnewspapersoronesfromselectedcitiesavailable inMuddLibrarywillbehelpful if you have a specific geographical location inmind. Youmay alsowish to take theinitiative by sending your resume directly to a company in which you are interested. Foraddresses,consulttheCareerCenter,whichhasusefulresourcessuchasJobOpportunities inEngineering and Technology. Company activities, locations, and addresses to write to areamong itemscovered;governmentalagenciesarealso included. Finally,besurethatat leastsome chemistry faculty members know of your job interests. Faculty often hear ofopportunitiesinformallyandcanbringthesetoyourattentioniftheyareawareofyourplans.

One other step you may wish to take is to join the American Chemical Society (ACS) as astudent member. The cost of membership is low to students and has several advantages.

9

AmongtheseisyourownsubscriptiontoChemicalandEngineeringNewsandanopportunitytouse the ACS Employment Clearing House. The latter operates online and at national ACSmeetings to bring employers and prospective employees into contact with one another.Attendance at a national ACS meeting offers the opportunity to interview with manyprospectiveemployersoveraperiodofoneortwodays.ACSmembersalsohaveaccesstotheACSJobBankwhichisavailableonlinefromtheACShomepageatwww.acs.org.Studentswhosatisfy ACS guidelines are certified to the Society by the department and are eligible for fullmembership upon graduation. The Cleveland section of the ACS regularly advertises localemploymentopportunities.

TemporaryEmployment Ifyouareseekingtemporaryemploymentasasecondaryschoolscience teacher, seek information about private schools from the Career Center. (Privateschoolsoftendonotrequiretheeducationcoursesandstudentteachingthatarenecessaryforpublicschoolteachingcertification.)

Ifyouareseekingtemporaryemploymentasaresearchtechnician,youdonotneedtocontactemployers (except for thosewhodirectlycontact thedepartment)until springofyour senioryear or even early summer after graduation. You need to personally submit inquiry andresumes to departments in universities,medical schools and hospitalswhere the research isdone.PutyourresumeonfileinPersonnelorHumanResourcesofficesonlyifyouaretoldtodosobythedepartmentyouvisit.(OftentheHumanResourcesofficesdonotlearnaboutsuchtemporaryjobopeningsuntilaftertheyarefilled.)

10

PH.D.PROGRAMSINTHECHEMICALSCIENCES

ThePh.D.ratherthantheMastersdegreeisthecommonnextstepforstudentswishingfurthereducation in the chemical sciences. Students interested in pursuing graduate study inchemistry/biochemistryor related fieldsshouldplantosubmitapplicationsbytheendof thefallsemesterofthesenioryearforadmissionthefollowingSeptember. Ideallyat leastsomepreliminarythinkingaboutfieldsofstudyandavailablegraduateprogramsshouldoccurbylatespringofthejunioryear,e.g.aroundregistrationtime,butanearlystartinthefallofthesenioryearprovidesadequatetime. Anumberofresourcesareavailabletohelpyouwithselectingandgettingacceptedintoagraduateprogram.

AgreatstartingpointforavailableinformationongraduateprogramsinchemistryandrelatedfieldsisattheAmericanChemicalSocietywebsite.TheURLiswww.acs.org/education.Underthe heading Students click on the Graduate/Postdoctorate link. The Planning for GraduateSchooldocumentandtheACSDirectoryofGraduateResearchsitewillprobablybemosthelpfulto you. In addition, the American Chemical Society conducted a survey(www.acs.org/gradsurvey)ofitsgraduatestudentmembersin2013.Thesurveyincluded2,992respondents,thevastmajorityofwhomweredoctoralstudents,andatotalof269U.S.collegesand universities were represented. The survey focused on career plans and preparation,student-advisorrelationships,andsupportmechanismsforgraduatestudents.

Early in theprocessyoushouldtalkwithyouradviseroranother facultymemberaboutyourplans. Thisconversationcanhelpsortoutyour interestsand identifyanareaofchemistry inwhichyouwish to concentrate. Talkwithat leastone facultymemberwhoseexpertise is inthatarea;heorshewillbeabletohelpyouidentifygraduateprogramsthatarestronginyourarea of interest and often can supplement written sources with personal knowledge aboutinstitutions and individual researchers. Faculty members also may be acquainted with theexperiencesofrecentOberlingraduatesatinstitutionsyouareconsidering.Duringtheyear,besuretotalktoseminarspeakerswhorepresentyourareasofinterest.

TheACSDirectoryofGraduateResearchispublishedeverytwoyearsbytheAmericanChemicalSociety(dgr.rints.com).Ph.D.-grantingdepartmentsintheU.S.andCanadaarelistedinsectionsonchemistry,chemicalengineering,biochemistry,medicinalchemistry,andpharmacology.Foreachdepartment, there isa listof the faculty, their research interests,and theirpublicationsduring the last two years. The directory is a good resource for assessing the strength of adepartment in various sub-disciplines and the research activity of the faculty. You should beabletopointtoatleasttwofacultymembersforwhomyouwouldliketoworkatanygraduateschooltowhichyouintendtoapply.

Another useful resource is Peterson's Guide to Graduate Programs that is issued in severalvolumes.AllareavailableintheCareerCenterandon-lineatwww.petersons.com/gradchannel(Note: Youmust register to access the online version.) Each two-page listing describes suchthingsasprogramsof study, facilities, costs, financial aid, community, applicationprocedure,andfaculty.Departmentsofferingonlyamastersdegreeareincluded.

11

All graduate departments haveweb sites that describe their programs and faculty research.Ofteninformationonthewebsiteisthemostup-to-date,especiallyaboutfaculty.

Getting accepted to graduate school is competitive, but everyOberlin chemistry student canreasonablyexpecttobeadmittedtoat leastonegraduateprogram. Onlyanunusuallyweakrecordor a late-developing interest in chemistrywould requirea student toenter amastersprogramfirst.Manystudentsapplytotoomanyschools,notrecognizingthehighacceptancerate, even for Oberlin students withmodest GPAs. A reasonable number of applications isaboutfivespreadoverarangeofrecognizedquality. Includeoneortwoschoolsthatshouldacceptyoubutnotforcertain,andoneof lowerqualitythat isvirtuallycertaintoadmityou.Selectionofyourlistofschoolsisbestdoneinconsultationwithoneormorefacultymembers.TheirknowledgeofhowOberlingraduateswithacademicrecordssimilartoyourshavefaredinvariousgraduateprogramswillhelpyouplaceyourownsituationinabroaderperspective.

After settlingondepartments of interest, probablymore than thenumber towhich youwilleventuallyapply,contacteachtorequestinformation.Graduateprogramshavedepartmentalinformation on theweb andmany have applications on-line. In your initial inquiry, requestapplicationmaterialsforadmissionandforfinancialsupport.Askspecificallyaboutfellowshipsfor entering graduate students as well as about teaching assistantships. Deadlines forsubmission of application materials will be specified by each school. Early submission mayresultinearlyconsiderationincaseswhereadmissionisdoneonarollingbasis.

Several recommendations will be required for each application. Graduate school admissionscommitteesareparticularly interestedinyourpromiseasanindependentresearcher. LettersfromfacultymembersatOberlinandelsewherewhohavesupervisedyouinaresearchsettingoutsideoftheclassroomarethebestmeansbywhichcommitteescanevaluatethispromise.Selectadditionalfacultymemberswhoknowyourworkwelland,ifpossible,havetaughtyouinrecentorupper level courses.Askeach facultymember inpersonandbeprepared to spendsome time discussing your plans. Once faculty have agreed to write, you may provide thegraduate schools with your list of recommenders. The graduate schools then contact therecommendersbyemail,andfacultysubmittheir lettersandanswerstoevaluativequestionselectronically.Writing recommendations is ademanding task. Consequently you should givethose persons who will write on your behalf as much lead time as possible. A month isdesirable; less than two weeks may be unworkable. The cover page for a recommendationusually has a place for you to indicate whether you wish to waive your right to see therecommendation.Itistoyouradvantagetowaiveit.

Respond to acceptances as each arrives, even though you are not yet prepared to make adecision. Whenyouhavereachedadecision,writea letterofacceptancetoyourchoiceandcourteouslydeclinetheotheroffers.Ifyoucandeclineanoffereventhoughyourfinalchoiceisnotyetmade,pleasedosoinordertoallowthatinstitutiontoadmitsomeoneelse.

Some students prefer to visit schools to which they have been accepted before making adecision.Manyschoolswillreimbursecostsofavisit.Thisisusuallyaworthwhileexperienceif

12

youhave the timeand/or resources, but certainly not a necessity. A consultationwith youradviserorotherfacultymembermayhelpyoudecideinyourowncase,andifyougo,howtogetthemostfromavisit.

GraduateRecordExamination(GRE)

Many graduate schools and most fellowship programs require that applicants take theGraduateRecordExamination(GRE).Theexaminationresultsweighheavilyinanyadmissionorawarddecision.TheGREconsistsoftwoparts,ageneraltestandasubjecttest.Thegeneraltests are computer-based and offered year round at regional centers (not in Oberlin). Thesubjecttestcoversthefieldinwhichyouplantodograduatework,areofferedonpaperonly,andaregiventhreetimesayear(November,December,April)andtwiceinOberlin(DecemberandApril).Eachpartisaboutthreehourslong.AninformationbulletinabouttheGREsalongwith the registration form is available at the Career Center and on-line atwww.gre.org.TheCareerCenterusuallyorganizespracticesforthegeneraltestinApril.

Studentsreport that thesubject tests inchemistryandbiochemistryarechallengingandthattheemphasesamongvariousareasofchemistryorbiochemistryshiftsomewhatwitheachtestoffering.Youshouldreviewseriouslyareasofchemistryorbiochemistryinwhichyouhavenothad courses recently. Since the tests are comprehensive, it will be advantageous for moststudentstotakethemlateinthefallofthesenioryearwhentheycanbenefitfromhavinghadthegreatestnumberandvarietyofrelevantcourses.Practicesubjecttestsareavailabletotestregistrants.

FinancialSupport

Admissiontoagraduateprograminthephysicalsciencesinvariablyincludesfinancialsupport.In fact, unless there are extenuating circumstances, there is no reason you should begingraduatestudywithoutsomesortoffinancialassistance.Typicallythissupportisintheformofa teaching assistantship that entails laboratory teaching, leading recitation sections and/orpaper grading for a specified number of hours eachweek. A small number of departmentsactually requireeverygraduatestudent toserveasa teachingassistant forat leastoneyear.Thesizeof thestipendvariesbut isadequateforsomeonetobeself-supportingatamodeststandardofliving.Mostdepartmentsalsowaiveorpaydirectlythenormaltuitionfeesaspartofthefinancialsupport,whileothersawardalargerstipendandhavethestudentpaytuition.Fellowships through the graduate department are rarely available to first year graduatestudents,but it is stillworth inquiringabout them inyour initial letter requestingapplicationmaterials.

NationalScienceFoundation(NSF)graduatefellowshipsprovidefullsupportforthreeyearsofgraduatestudyatanyU.S.university.Theyarehighlyprestigiousawards,andcompetitionfor

13

themiskeen.AllOberlinchemistrymajorswithstrongacademicrecordsanddefiniteplanstoattend graduate school in a scientific field should consult with the chair of the departmentaboutapplyingforthesefellowships.Earlyplanningisessential.TheGREgeneraltestandthesubject test in the intended field of graduate study must both be completed no later thanDecember. A strong performance on the GREs is important for NSF applicants. Watch theChemistry Department bulletin board in September or October for a brochure announcingthese fellowships. The latest program announcement may be found online at the NationalScienceFoundationwebpagensf.gov/funding.

Fellowshipprogramsforgraduatestudyabroadrequirethatapplicantsbenominatedbytheirundergraduate institution. At Oberlin, these programs are administered by the FellowshipsCommitteeof theGeneral Faculty and include theChurchill, Fulbright,Marshall, Rhodes andWatson Fellowships. Generally these programs carry certain restrictions such as location ofstudy and career goals. Further details may be obtained from the chairperson of theFellowships Committee, the fellowships coordinator in the Career Center, or from theCoordinator of Health Professions and Fellowships. To become an applicant for a ChurchillFellowship requires especially early planning. Talk with your faculty adviser if you areinterestedinanyoftheseprograms.

3-2CHEMICALENGINEERINGPROGRAM

Students interested in chemical engineering should consult with Taylor Allen, professor ofbiologyandcoordinatorofthe3-2engineeringprogram,duringtheirfirstyearatOberlin.TheEngineeringsectionoftheOberlinCourseCatalogprovidesanintroductiontotheprogram.3-2engineeringstudentsspendthreeyearsatOberlinandthentwoyearsatoneoftheaffiliatedengineering schools – Washington University in St. Louis, Columbia University, Caltech, andCase Western Reserve University -- to earn a B.A. from Oberlin and a B.S. in engineering.WashingtonUniversityinSt.Louis,oneofthecooperatingengineeringschools,offersaJanuaryTermprogramthatisanintroductiontoengineering.SomeOberlinstudentsinterestedinthe3-2programhavetakenthisasaWinterTermprojectduringthesophomoreyear.

14

PROFESSIONALPROGRAMSINTHEMEDICAL/HEALTHSCIENCES

If you are considering a career in themedical/health sciences – humanmedicine, dentistry,pharmacy, public health, veterinary medicine, etc. – you should contact Lynne Bianchi, thePremedicalProgramDirector (Lynne.Bianchi@oberlin.edu)early inyourcollegecareer. Note:thecommentsbelowfocusonhumanmedicineanddentistry.

AdmissionsRequirementsofAmericanMedicalColleges,publishedannuallybytheAssociationofAmericanMedicalColleges,isrecommendedreading.CurrentcopiesareavailableinMuddLibrary and the Science Library. You may also find this information online at students-residents.aamc.org.

MedicalCollegeAdmissionTest(MCAT)andDentalAptitudeTest(DAT)

Ifyouareplanningtoentermedical/dentalschoolinthefallfollowinggraduation,youshouldtake the test in the spring or summer of your junior year. MCAT registrationmaterials areavailable online at www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat. DAT materials are also availableonlineatwww.ada.org/dat.aspx.Aseriousreviewofbasicchemistrythroughorganic,biology,andphysicsisessentialbeforetakingeithertest.ThecombinationofBIOL213andCHEM254provides sufficientpreparation for thebiochemistryportionof theMCAT.Otherareasof thenatural sciences, statistics, and the social sciences may also be included on the tests. Veryrecently, the emphasis on concepts in psychology, sociology, and related areas has beenincreased. Be guided in your reviewby the syllabus and sample tests published byMCATorDAT.Almosteveryyearacommercialreviewcourseisavailableoncampus.

TheApplicationProcess

Ifyouareplanningtoentermedical/dentalschoolinthefallfollowinggraduation,youshouldcomplete the application process in the summer following your junior year. Because of therollingadmissionprocess,applicationssubmittednearthedeadlineshaveanegligiblechanceofsuccess. Most medical/dental colleges use the centralized Association of American MedicalColleges Admission Service (AMCAS at www.aamc.org/audienceamcas.htm), the AmericanAssociation of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS ataacomas.aacom.org)ortheAssociationofAmericanDentalSchoolAdmissionsService(AADSASat www.adea.org/Pages/default.aspx). Consult the appropriate admissions requirementpublicationorwebsites.

Letters of recommendation are requiredby all schools. Writing recommendations is a time-consumingbusiness. Youshouldmake itaseasyandasunhurriedaspossible for thosewhoagree towrite them. Oberlin College is nowproviding committee letters tomedical schoolsalong with sets of individual letters of recommendation. Information about the process isavailable from the Coordinator of Health Professions. You should complete the committeeletterprocessinthespringbeforeyouapply.

15

It is important that your completed application and all other required documents be in thehandsofthemedicalordentalschoolbyearlyAugust.

SelectingSchools

Youshouldapplytoatleasttenprofessionalschools.Basedonwhatyoucanlearnabouttheiradmissionsprofiles,youshouldchooseschoolsrangingfromthosewhereyoujudgeyouhaveareasonablechancetothosewhereyoujudgeyouhaveanexcellentchanceofacceptance,i.e.,fromlongshotstosurebets.Includeoneormorestate-supportedschoolsfromyourstateofresidence. Some admission profile information is given in the admissions requirementpublication, butmost comes fromhearsay. Acceptance statisticsmay be available from thePremedical Program Director. After preparing your list of schools, discuss it with yourpremedicaladvisorandthePremedicalProgramDirector.

16

DepartmentFaculty JasonM.Belitsky. B.A.,Amherst,1997;Ph.D.,Caltech,2002.Postdoctoral FellowatU.California,LosAngeles(2002-05).JoinedtheOberlinfacultyin2005.SabbaticalleaveattheU.Michigan(2011-12).Heteachesgeneralchemistry,bioorganic,andbiochemistrycourses. His research features an interdisciplinary approach to the study of melanin and otherproblemsinbioorganicchemistryandchemicalbiology. Matthew J. Elrod. Biggs Professor of Natural Science. B.A., Grinnell, 1989; Ph.D., U.California, Berkeley, 1994. Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT (1994-96). Faculty member at HopeCollege(1996-2001).JoinedtheOberlinfacultyin2001.SabbaticalleaveatU.Colorado(2004-05).Heteachesgeneral,environmental,andphysicalchemistrycourses. His research involves the use of kinetics and mass spectrometric techniques to studyreactionsrelevanttoairpollutionandglobalclimatechange. Albert R. Matlin. B.A., Bard, 1977; Ph.D., Yale, 1982. Postdoctoral research atRockefeller U. (1982-84). Joined the Oberlin faculty in 1984. Visiting Assistant Professor atRockefellerU.(1988-89).Heteachesgeneralchemistryandorganicchemistrycourses. His research focuses on mechanistic organic photochemistry and organo-catalyzedreactions. Manish A.Mehta. Longman Professor of Chemistry. A.B.,Wabash, 1986; Ph.D., Yale,1990. Postdoctoral research at the U. Oxford (1990-91), U. Toronto (1992-93), and U.Washington(1994-97). JoinedtheOberlinfacultyin1998.Heteachesgeneralchemistryandphysicalchemistrycourses. Hisresearchinvolvestheinvestigationofthetechniquesofsolid-statenuclearmagneticresonanceandtheapplicationofthosetechniquestotheelucidationofbiomolecularstructure. MichaelW.Nee.B.S.,SantaClara,1977;Ph.D.,Caltech,1981.PostdoctoralresearchatU.California,SantaBarbara, (1981-83). Joined theOberlin faculty in1983. SabbaticalsatU.California,Berkeley(1990-91and2004-05)andtheUniversityofYork,UK(1997-98and2009-10).Heteachesgeneralandorganicchemistrycourses. Hisresearchinvolvesthestudyofoxidationcatalystsandthechemistryofcucurbituril-encapsulatedmolecules. Catherine M. Oertel.B.A. Oberlin, 1999; Ph.D., Cornell, 2005. Postdoctoral Fellow,Cornell U. and Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, (2004-05).Joined the Oberlinfacultyin2006.ResearchleavesatU.California,SantaBarbara(2009)andOhioStateUniversity(2012).Sheteachesgeneralandinorganicchemistrycourses. Her research involves hydrothermal synthesis and characterization of complex oxidesand the use of methods of materials chemistry to study the composition and corrosion ofhistoricorganpipes.

17

LisaM.Ryno.B.S.,Trinity,2008;Ph.D.,TheScrippsResearchInstitute,2012;PostdoctoralresearchatU.SanDiego(2013-14).JoinedtheOberlinfacultyin2014.Sheteachesgeneralchemistry,bioorganicchemistryandbiochemistrycourses. Herresearchinvolvesthestudyofbacterialstresssignalingpathwaysandtheirimpactonbiofilmcompositionandantibioticresistance. Robert Q. Thompson. B.A., Wooster, 1978; Ph.D., Michigan State, 1982. Joined theOberlinfaculty in1982.Research leavesatU.Tennessee(summer1989),U.Cincinnati (1989-90),theForensicScienceResearch&TrainingCenter,FBIAcademy,inQuantico,VA(1997),theNational InstituteofStandards&Technology inGaithersburg,MD(2003-04),andtheHollingsMarineLaboratoryinCharlestonSC(2011).Heteachesanalyticalchemistry,forensicchemistry,andgeneralchemistrycourses. His research focuses on the development of forensic analytical chemistry laboratoryexperiments. RebeccaJ.Whelan.DepartmentChair.B.A.,Lawrence,1996;Ph.D.,Stanford,2003.PostdoctoralresearchatU.Michigan(2003-04).JoinedtheOberlinfacultyin2005.SabbaticalleaveatU.Wisconsin(2011-12).Sheteachesgeneralandanalyticalchemistrycourses. Herresearchinvolvesanalyticalusesofsingle-strandedoligonucleotidesthatpossessspecificaffinitiesforbiomarkersofovariancancer.

EmeritusFacultywithofficesintheDepartment

Norman C. Craig. Professor Emeritus (retired in 2000). B.A., Oberlin, 1953; Ph.D.,Harvard, 1957. Joined the Oberlin faculty in 1957. Experience elsewhere includes researchassociateships inphysical chemistryatU.Minnesota (1963-64),U.California,Berkeley (1970-71),JustusLiebigUniversity,Giessen,Germany(1994)andvisitingprofessorshipsatPrincetonU.(1974-75)andattheNationalInstitutesofHealth(1978-79). His active research focuses on the infrared, microwave, and Raman spectroscopy oflabilespeciessuchascarbocationsandofsmallfluorocarbons.

18

DepartmentStaff CortlandS.Hill. GeneralChemistryLaboratoryInstructorandLaboratoryManager.AnOberlinchemistrygraduate(’77),hejoinedthedepartmentin2000.Inadditiontohisteachingduties,heoverseesthegeneralchemistrylaboratoryprogramandthechemistrystockroom. Cynthia M. Manning. Chemistry Resources Coordinator. Joined the department in1992asdepartment secretaryandbecameresourcescoordinator in2000. Beforecoming toOberlinsheworkedinchemicalreagentqualitycontrolatCibaGeigy.Shehandlespurchasingforthedepartmentaswellascoordinatesfacilitiesmaintenance. Kirk Warren. Technical Assistant. With experience in high school teaching and intechnicalpositionsinthechemicalindustry,hejoinedthedepartmentin2013.Graduatedwitha chemistry major from Oberlin in 2000. He prepares reagents and sets up equipment andsuppliesforthegeneralchemistryandorganicchemistrylaboratories. PatriciaWest.DepartmentSecretary.Joinedthedepartmentin2007aftersevenyearsofserviceinvariousofficesontheOberlincampus.

19

20

APPENDIXI:SampleCourseSchedulesChemistryMajor

ThefollowingsampleschedulesoutlineacoupleofthepossiblewaysaChemistrymajorcanbecompletedinfouryears.UsuallyChem101-102or103arecompletedinthefirstyearandChem205inthesophomoreyear.However,amajoralsocanstartthecoresequencewithothercoursessuchasChem211or213.Eachofthesampleminimummajorschedulesincludestwosemestersoforganicchemistryandtwosemestersofphysicalchemistry.

BeginwithChemistry101-102,minimummajor

Fr So Jr Sr

Chem 101 102 205 213 211 339 349 361

Chem 3251

Math 133 134

Physics 1102 1112

Courses 2 2 1 2 2 2 1 0.5

Labs/wk 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 0

BeginwithChemistry101-102,enrichedmajor,research

Fr So Jr Sr

Chem 101 102 205 213 327 339 323 254

Chem 211 325 349

Chem 5253 526

3

Math 133 134

Physics 1102 1112

Courses 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Labs/wk 1 1 2 1 2 2 2.5 4

1Chem254maybesubstitutedforChem325.YoumaywishtotakebothChem254andChem325.

2Physics103and104maybesubstitutedforPhysics110and111.Physics110and111usecalculus;Physics103and104donot.Physics110and111providebetterproblem-solvingexperienceforChem339and349.Physics111hasarecommendationofMath231.

3Variablecreditpossible.One-halfcourselistedhereforfallandonecourseforspring.Chem525and526maybetakenforcreditmultipletimes.

21

BiochemistryMajor

ThefollowingsampleschedulesoutlineacoupleofthepossiblewaysaBiochemistrymajorcanbecompletedinfouryears.UsuallyChem101-102or103arecompletedinthefirstyearandChem205and254inthesophomoreyear.

BeginwithChemistry101-102,minimummajor,research

Fr So Jr Sr

Chem 101 102 205 254 211 213 374 3391

5253 5263

Biology 1004 213

Math 133 134

Physics 1102 1112

Courses 2 2 3 1 2 2 1.5 2

Labs/wk 2 1 2 1 2 2 2.5 4

BeginwithChemistry103,enrichedmajor

Fr So Jr Sr

Chem 103 205 211 254 374 213 3491 361

Biology 1004 213 3105

Math 134

Physics 1102 1112

Courses 2 2 2 1 2 2 1 1.5

Labs/wk 1 2 2 1 2 2 1 1

1EitherChemistry339orChemistry349satisfiesbiochemistrymajorrequirements.

2seenote2aboveunderChemistry3Variablecreditpossible.One-halfcourselistedhereforfallandonecourseforspring.Chem525and526maybetakenforcreditmultipletimes.

4Bio100(alongwithChem101,102or103)fulfillstheBiologyDepartmentprerequisiteforBio213.

5Bio310isoneofseveralappropriateupperlevelbiologycourseswithlaboratory.

22

MajorsinPreparationforHealthCareers

ThefollowingsampleschedulespermitentryintomedicalordentalschoolinthefallfollowinggraduationfromOberlinCollege. NotethataChemistrymajorwhotakesthemedicalschool-recommended biochemistry course meets the requirements for a doubleChemistry/Biochemistrymajor.Inthesampleschedules,thespringsemesterofthejunioryearis kept relatively free of science courses for studying for and taking theMCAT examination.PleasenotethatthecombinationofBIOL213andCHEM254providessufficientpreparationforthe biochemistry portion of theMCAT. See the footnotes under the sample chemistry andbiochemistryschedulesforinformationaboutPhysics103/104andPhysics110/111.

Chemistry/BiochemistryDoubleMajor

Fr So Jr Sr

Chem 101 102 205 213 349 339

Chem 211 254 374 361

Bio 100 213

Math 133 134

Phys 110 111

Courses 2 2 3 2 2 1 2 1.5

Labs/wk 2 1 2 2 2 1 2 1

BiochemistryMajor

Fr So Jr Sr

Chem 101 102 205 254 211 339 374 213

Chem 525 526

Bio 100 213

Math 133 134

Phys 110 111

Courses 2 2 3 1 2 2 1.5 2

Labs/wk 2 1 2 1 2 2 2.5 4