The Department of Chemistry offers first (CEM1000W), second (CEM2005W) and third-year (CEM3005W) courses leading to a major in Chemistry as well as a service course for Medical Students (CEM1011F). Courses may be a full-course taught over the whole year (W) or a first (F) or second (S) semester course. An H course is a half course but with full contact time over the whole year.
First-Year Courses
CEM1000W is the required course for students proceeding to a major in Chemistry.
- CEM1000W Chemistry 1000
36 NQF credits at NQF level 5
Convener: Prof G Smith
Course entry requirements: Students wishing to register for CEM1000W will normally be expected to have passed NSC Physical Science with at least 60% and NSC Mathematics with at least 70%.
Course outline: This course lays the foundation of chemistry in its context as a central science for scientists and engineers working in the chemical, biological or earth sciences or in chemical engineering. Fundamental concepts in chemistry are covered to illustrate their application to understanding the molecular nature of the world around us. Topics include microscopic and macroscopic concepts, atomic structure, chemical bonding and molecular structure, the chemistry of the elements and inorganic chemistry, chemical equilibrium, acids and bases, solubility, phases of matter, thermochemistry and thermodynamics, colligative properties, oxidation and reduction, electrochemistry and chemical kinetics. The course continues with an introduction to the language of organic chemistry, including structure and reactivity in organic chemistry, describing and predicting organic reactivity and the properties and reactivity of biologically important molecules. Practicals aim to develop essential manipulative and technical laboratory skills, as well as to draw links to interpreting the physical world in terms of its molecular nature.
Lecture times: Four lectures per week, Monday to Wednesday and Friday, 2nd or 4th period.
Tutorials: One tutorial per week, Thursday, 2nd or 4th period.
Practicals: One practical per week, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday, 14h00–17h00.
DP requirements: Attendance and completion of practicals, tests and tutorial exercises and at least 35% for the class record.
Assessment: Class record (comprising tests and practicals) counts 50%; one 3-hour paper written in November counts 50%. A subminimum of 40% is required in the final examination.
- CEM1009H Chemistry 1009
18 NQF credits at NQF level 5
This half course is taken by students who are admitted to the Extended Degree Programme for Science and is run over the whole year. Students who pass CEM1009H can register for CEM1010H during the following academic year. The half courses CEM1009H and CEM1010H together are equivalent to the first-year full course CEM1000W.
Convener: Dr C Edmonds-Smith
Course entry requirements: Admission will be restricted to students who have passed NSC Physical Science with at least 60%. The permission of the Dean or Head of Department is required prior to registration for this course.
Course outline: This course lays the foundation of chemistry in its context as a central science for scientists working in the chemical, biological or earth sciences. Fundamental concepts in chemistry are covered to illustrate their application to understanding the molecular nature of the world around us. Topics include microscopic and macroscopic concepts, atomic structure, chemical bonding and molecular structure, chemical equilibrium, acids and bases, solubility, phases of matter, thermochemistry, osmosis and chemical kinetics. The course continues with an introduction to the language of organic chemistry, including naming of compounds, identification of functional groups and isomers. Practicals are designed to develop essential manipulative and technical laboratory skills, to take measurements and handle data, as well as to draw links to interpreting the physical world in terms of its molecular nature.
Lecture times: Three lectures per week, Wednesday to Friday, 4th period.
Tutorials: Two tutorials per week, Monday and Tuesday, 4th period.
Practicals: One practical per week, Wednesday, 14h00–17h00.
DP requirements: Attendance and/or participation in all scheduled academic activities, completion of all set written course activities (i.e., practical reports, course tests and tutorial exercises).
Assessment: Class record (comprising tests and practicals) counts 50%; one 2-hour paper written in November counts 50%. A subminimum of 50% is required in the final examination.
- CEM1010H Chemistry 1010
18 NQF credits at NQF level 5
This half course is taken by students who have completed CEM1009H during the previous academic year. The half courses CEM1009H and CEM1010H together are equivalent to the first-year full course CEM1000W.
Convener: Dr S Douman
Entrance requirement: CEM1009H
Course outline: Topics covered at a more advanced level include microscopic and macroscopic concepts, atomic structure, chemical bonding and molecular structure, the chemistry of the elements and inorganic chemistry, chemical equilibrium, acids and bases, solubility, vapour pressure and phase diagrams, thermodynamics, colligative properties, oxidation and reduction, electrochemistry and chemical kinetics. The course includes an introduction to the language of organic chemistry, structure and
reactivity in organic chemistry, describing and predicting organic reactivity and the properties and reactivity of biologically important molecules. Practicals aim to develop essential manipulative and technical laboratory skills, as well as to draw links to interpreting the physical world in terms of its molecular nature.Lecture times: Four lectures per week, Monday to Wednesday an Friday, 4th period.
Tutorials: One tutorial per week, Thursday, 4th period.
Practicals: One practical per week, Wednesday, 14h00–17h00.
DP requirements: Attendance and completion of practicals, tests and tutorial exercises and at least 35% for the class record.
Assessment: Class record (comprising tests, tutorials and practicals) counts 50%; one 2-hour paper written in June counts 50%. A subminimum of 40% is required in the final examination.
- CEM1011F Chemistry for Medical Students
18 NQF credits at NQF level 5
Convener: Prof S Bourne
Course entry requirements: None.
Course outline: This introductory course is designed to provide first year medical students with knowledge of the fundamental aspects of chemical theory. The course also serves as a diagnostic tool to explore students' scientific knowledge and the possible need for intervention. Topics in physical and organic chemistry relevant to biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, chemical pathology and medical microbiology
are covered and have been selected to equip students with the basic understanding of those key chemical principles they require for the medical programme. Lecture material is augmented by a practical course and weekly tutorials. The practical course seeks to expose students to a variety of laboratory techniques and to the methods used in the acquisition, recording and manipulation of scientific data and expects students to derive inferences from such data.Lecture times: Five lectures per week, Monday to Friday, 1st period.
Tutorials: By arrangement, Friday, 2nd to 5th period.
Practicals: By arrangement, Friday, 2nd to 5th period.
DP requirements: Attendance and/or participation in all scheduled academic activities, completion of all set written course activities (i.e., practical reports, course tests and tutorial exercises).
Assessment: The class record counts 45% and comprises a practical record (8%); tutorial exercises (5%); two class tests (20%); and a practical test (12%). The final examination counts 55%. A subminimum of 45% is required in the final examination.
Second-Year Courses
CEM2005W is the required course for students proceeding to a major in Chemistry.
- CEM2005W Intermediate Chemistry
48 NQF credits at NQF level 6
Convener: Dr G Venter
Course entry requirements: For Science students: CEM1000W (or equivalent), a pass in MAM1031F/1033F/1005H/1004F/S or DP in any MAM1000-level course with concurrent registration with MAM1031F or equivalent. Completion of PHY1031F (or equivalent) is highly recommended. For Chemical Engineering students: CEM1000W (or equivalent), PHY1012F/S, MAM1020F/S, CHE1005W.
Course outline: This course develops the foundations of a major in Chemistry at an intermediate level and allows continuation to third-year Chemistry for the completion of a major in Chemistry. The theory component features a set of intermediate topics, and the laboratory component develops both experimental and interpretative skills. The course includes the following topics: spectroscopy and modern analytical tools, introduction to inorganic chemistry, organic structure and reactivity, thermodynamics, thermodynamics of solutions, phase equilibria, chemical reaction kinetics and equilibria, reactions of organic molecules (patterns, predictions and preparation of new products), introduction to coordination chemistry, structures and energetics of inorganic solids and electrochemistry. The practical course covers the same topics and aims to develop manipulative and technical laboratory skills including the application of modern analytical methods to the elucidation of chemical structures.
Lecture times: Five lectures per week, Monday to Friday, 3rd period.
Tutorials: By arrangement on Tuesday (EBE) or Thursday (Science), 14h00–16h00.
Practicals: Tuesday (EBE) or Thursday (Science), 14h00–17h00.
DP requirements: Attendance and completion of practicals, tests and tutorial exercises; at least 40% average for practical exams.
Assessment: The class record counts 50%; one 3-hour examination written in November counts 50%. The class record consists of class tests (20%), tutorials and problem sheets (10%), practical reports (10%) and practical exams (10%). A subminimum of 40% is required in the final examination.
Third-Year Courses
CEM3005W is the required course for students proceeding to a major in Chemistry.
- CEM3005W Chemistry 3005
72 NQF credits at NQF level 7
Course Coordinator: A/Prof C Veale
Course entry requirements: CEM2005W, a pass in MAM1031F or equivalent or MAM1004F/S with concurrent registration with MAM1032S/1034S or MAM1006H. STA1000F/S is highly recommended.
Course outline: This final course for the Chemistry major aims to develop understanding and integrated knowledge of the core disciplines in Chemistry. Lecture material includes topics in wave mechanics and spectroscopy, adsorption and heterogeneous catalysis, solid-state chemistry and X-ray crystallography, dynamics, inorganic reaction mechanisms, organometallic chemistry, further topics in organic structure and reactivity, organic synthesis and organic dynamic stereochemistry. The practical course covers the same topics and aims to develop integrative and interpretive skills. A further aim is to develop skills in writing within the discipline, as well as introducing students to modern research methods.
Lecture times: Five lectures per week, Monday to Friday, 3rd period.
Tutorials: By arrangement on Wednesday or Friday, 14h00–16h00.
Practicals: Wednesday and Friday, 14h00–17h00.
DP requirements: Attendance and completion of practicals, tests and tutorial exercises, and at least 50% for the class record and practical component, respectively.
Assessment: Class record (comprising class tests [20%], tutorials [5%] and practicals [25%]) counts 50%; a 3-hour June examination counts 25%; and a 3-hour November examination counts 25% towards the final mark. A subminimum aggregate of 40% across the June and November examination paper, together with at least 50% overall is required to pass the course.