Program Outcomes – Chemistry

Program outcomes for students graduating with a degree in Chemistry are:

 1.   Critical thinking. Graduates will have the critical thinking abilities of professional chemists.  They should be able to do the following:

1. Distinguish cause and effect from correlation data.

2. Discern patterns among data and them develop appropriate classifications.

3. Draw defendable conclusions from data.

4. Solve problems using systematic methods.

5. Rationalize properties and structures using the principles of chemistry/physics.

6. Identify relationships between chemical principles and the other sciences.

7. Critique models/theories of chemistry.

2.  Graduates will have the communication skills that demonstrate solid inquiry capabilities.  They should be able to do the following:

1. Correctly use the English language to describe chemical principles or theories.

2. Use correct chemical nomenclature, structural symbols, and terminology to accurately describe a process.

3. Write a formal, publication-quality report which concisely and unambiguously summarizes results of an experiment and states a conclusion and reviews a scientific topic

4. Prepare a presentation which is suitable for an audience of peers which adheres  to the criteria of number 3 above.

 3.   Graduates will have personal attributes that will enable them to function as effective scientists.  They should be able to do the following:

1. Make personal-social adjustments by attaining appropriate work habits.

2. Develop interest curiosity, persistence, eagerness, and enjoy working with confidence as chemists.

3. Value the “scientific method” i.e. systematic investigation.

 4.   Graduates will have a proficiency in practical chemistry.  They will be familiar     with standard safety practices, equipment, procedures, and techniques common to most working laboratories.  They should be able to do the following:

1. Assess the safety of a procedure and take the necessary precautions.

2. Correctly use the proper glassware, tools, and other equipment necessary for a procedure.

3. Accurately record laboratory procedures, observations, and results such that another chemist would be able to repeat the work.

4. Assess the reliability of chemical results and determine what furthers experiments, if any, are necessary.

5. Compare observed results with those expected and draw appropriate conclusions.

6. Use library facilities and/or computer databases to gather information on a specific subject.

7. Use standard references to locate information on physical and chemical properties of specific substances.

8. Use footnotes/bibliographies of scientific papers as sources of additional information on a specific topic.

9. Gather supporting evidence from the scientific literature for conclusions drawn from experiments.