Chemistry | PPCC

Why choose Chemistry at PPCC?

A degree with designation in Chemistry from PPCC can prepare you for guaranteed transfer to any state school. Small class sizes, modern lab facilities and excellent instructors can get you on the path to a rewarding career. With an associate degree, you could start as a medical lab technician, chemistry research associate, or a laboratory assistant. If you pursue more advanced degrees, you could be a chemist, chemical engineer, food and drug inspector, and crime lab analyst, among other in-demand careers.

What do PPCC Chemistry students study?

Chemistry is referred to as “the central science” because of its connection to all other scientific disciplines, from computer science to the life sciences. In chemistry you will learn how to think, not what to think. You will learn to observe closely, ask questions about your observations, and develop experiments to answer those questions. A degree in chemistry will expose you to the facts and philosophy of chemistry and chemical science and prepare you to apply fundamental analytic and problem-solving skills across a wide range of situations.

In chemistry at PPCC our goal is for the student to be completely prepared for transfer to a four-year university or college by providing them with a solid background in the first two years of chemistry instruction.

This includes general college chemistry 1 and 2 with lab, and organic chemistry 1 and 2, with lab, as well as the associated mathematics and physics courses.

Related fields include Physics, Math, Biology, Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Environmental Sciences, Engineering, Statistics, and Computer Science.

Program Learning Objectives:

1. Have firm foundations on the fundamentals of chemical procedures and principles

2. Be able to design, carry out, record and analyze the results of chemical experiments

3. Work effectively in diverse teams in both classroom and laboratory settings

4. Effectively communicate (in both written and oral form) complex scientific ideas in a clear and concise manner

5. Apply problem-solving and critical thinking skills in the four basic areas of chemistry

6. Understand and follow proper procedures for safe handling and use of chemicals

7. Be familiar with the composition, structure and characteristics of matter and the changes it undergoes.

8. Ability to gain entry into professional schools, 4-year institutions, graduate schools or job market.

Classes You Might Take

MAT 201 Calculus I

Introduces single variable calculus and analytic geometry. Includes limits, continuity, derivatives, and applications of derivatives as well as indefinite and definite integrals and some applications.

CHE 111 General College Chemistry I

Focuses on basic chemistry and measurement, matter, chemical formulas, reactions and equations, stoichiometry, and thermochemistry. This courses covers the development of atomic theory culminating in the use of quantum numbers to determine electron configurations of atoms and the relationship of electron configuration to chemical bond theory and molecular orbital theory. The course includes gases, liquids, and solids and problem-solving skills are emphasized through laboratory experiments.

PHY 211 Physics: Calculus based w/ Lab I

Enables the student to examine the truth about physical reality through reasoning, mathematics and experimentation. Covers kinematics, force, gravity, energy, momentum, torque, rotational dynamics, fluids, and waves. The concepts and theories presented in class are explored through demonstrations and hands-on experiments. This first semester calculus-based physics course is recommended for students entering engineering or one of the advanced sciences.

CHE 211 Organic Chemistry I

Focuses on compounds associated with the element carbon including structure and reactions of aliphatic hydrocarbons and selected functional group families. This course covers nomenclature of organic compounds, stereochemistry, and reaction mechanisms such as SN1, SN2, E1 and E2. Laboratory experiments demonstrate the above concepts plus the laboratory techniques associated with organic chemistry. UCCS transfer equivalent CHEM 3101/3102