Where to Start?

Prospective students with BC high school chemistry 12 (or equivalent) start with CHEM 121.

Prospective students with no chemistry knowledge, or who are starting from BC high school chemistry 11, start with CHEM 110 or 111. Students wishing to continue on in Chemistry must complete CHEM 111.

Regional college students enter the chemistry program according to the student's subject knowledge. College chemistry course content can be compared to SFU chemistry courses thereby determining what other courses are required.

return to top

Typical Lower Division Course Sequence

Below is a typical course sequence for students with BC high school Chemistry 12, Mathematics 12, and Physics 12 (or equivalent) in their first four terms of study. Students in the Major program should enroll in an average of 30 units per year to complete the degree requirements in four years. Variations are possible.

Term 1
CHEM 121-4
MATH 151-3
PHYS 120-3
PHYS 132-1
Elective Course
(14 units)

General Chemistry and Laboratory I
Calculus I     OR     MATH 150-4  Calculus I with Review
Mechanics and Modern Physics
Physics Laboratory I
B-Hum/B-Soc Elective (3 units)
 
 
Term 2
CHEM 122-2
CHEM 126-2
CHEM 281-4
MATH 152-3
PHYS 121-3
PHYS 133-1
(15 units)

General Chemistry II
General Chemistry Laboratory II
Organic Chemistry and Laboratory I
Calculus II
Optics, Electricity and Magentism
Physics Laboratory II

 
Term 3
CHEM 230-3
CHEM 236W-3
CHEM 260-4
MATH 232-3
MBB 222-3
(16 units)

Inorganic Chemistry
Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory
Atoms, Molecules, Spectroscopy
Applied Linear Algebra   OR   MATH 240-3 Algebra I: Linear Algebra
Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

 
Term 4
CHEM 210-2
CHEM 216-2
CHEM 266-2
CHEM 283-3
CHEM 286-2
MATH 251-3
(14 units)
Introduction to Analytical Chemistry
Introduction to Analytical Chemistry Lab
Physical Chemistry Laboratory II
Organic Chemistry IIb
Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
Calculus III
 

return to top

Breadth Electives

Chemistry students must complete 24 units of breadth courses, including:

  • 6 units of Social Science (B-Soc)
  • 6 units of Humanities (B-Hum)
  • 6 units of Sciences (B-Sci)   *This is normally satisfied by PHYS 120 and 121. Please speak with the Advisor if you are unsure.
  • 6 units of undesignated breadth (i.e., any subject besides CHEM) 

A list of all Designated Breadth courses can be found on SFU's website <https://www.sfu.ca/ugcr/for_faculty/certified_wqb_courses/certified_designated_breadth_courses.html>. Courses with multiple breadth designations only count once. That is, if a course is both B-Hum/B-Soc, it will count as either B-Hum or B-Soc but not both. This does not apply to courses that are both breadth and quantitative (B-Sci/Q) or breadth and writing (B-Hum/W).

Students may select any of the upper division breadth courses linked below to satisfy both their upper division unit requirement and breadth requirement.

Upper Division Breadth Designated Elective Courses for Science Students

return to top