Permanent Working Catalog (Fall 2025 Draft In Progress)
Chemistry and Biochemistry
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Dave Snyder, Chair
Room 445, Chemistry Biology Building (CBB)
Phone: 715-346-4253
Email: chemistry@uwsp.edu or dasnyder@uwsp.edu
Web: www.uwsp.edu/chemistry
This department is in the School of Biology, Chemistry, and Biochemistry within the COLLEGE OF LETTERS AND SCIENCE .
Faculty: R Adams, N Bowling, J Christenson, L Cole, D Haagenson, A Jonsson, J Lawrence, K McGarry, J Mondloch, S Riha, D Snyder, E Speetzen, K Stindt, D Szpunar, R Tanke, P Workman.
Definition: Chemistry is an experimental science that involves the study of matter, the chemical and physical changes that matter undergoes, and the energy changes that accompany these phenomena.
Notes for Chemistry:
- You may choose only ONE chemistry major.
- Several of the chemistry courses listed below are designed as service courses or for nonchemistry majors. They do not count toward the chemistry major. In the case of such courses numbered 300 and over, the course description includes this restriction.
- You can replace a grade of F in a 100 level chemistry course with a subsequent grade in another 100 level chemistry course if you have the consent of the department chair. (See the Grade-related Policies section of this catalog for the policy on repeating courses.)
- You cannot receive credit toward graduation for a course after you have already completed a more advanced or similar course in the same area. The following restrictions hold:
- If you are taking CHEM 105 and plan to continue on with CHEM 106 , you should take MATH 107 concurrently with CHEM 105 if you have not already completed that math course or higher.
Academic Standards for Chemistry
- If you wish to major or minor in chemistry, you must apply for acceptance into the major or minor through the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry office no later than the first semester of your junior year.
- To be accepted as a major, you can have no more than one grade below C- in any chemistry, mathematics, or physics courses numbered below 299 required in the chemistry major.
- To be accepted as a minor, you can have no more than one grade below C- in any chemistry course.
- To be approved for graduation with a chemistry major, you must:
- Have a minimum grade point average of 2.00 (2.75 for student teaching) in all chemistry courses and required collateral courses.
- Have no more than one grade below C- in any chemistry, mathematics, or physics courses numbered below 299 required in the chemistry major.
- Apply no more than one grade below C (C- is a grade below C) in chemistry courses numbered 300 or above to the major.
- To be approved as a chemistry minor, you must have a minimum grade point average of 2.00 (2.75 to student teach) in all chemistry courses.
- These requirements apply for majors and minors regardless of a declaration of academic forgiveness. You may petition the department for consideration if you do not meet these standards.
- See Notes 2-5 above for additional information concerning prerequisites and repeating courses.
Test-Out and Credit-by-Exam Policy for Chemistry
An Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry Exam score of 3 or 4 gives you credit for CHEM 105 (5 credits) and places you into CHEM 106 . An AP Chemistry Exam score of 5 gives you credit for CHEM 105 (5 credits) and CHEM 106 (5 credits).
Biochemistry
Brian Barringer, Chair of Biology
Room 302, Chemistry Biology Building (CBB)
Phone: 715-346-2159
Email: biology@uwsp.edu
Web: www.uwsp.edu/biology
Dave Snyder, Chair of Chemistry
Room 445, Chemistry Biology Building (CBB)
Phone: 715-346-4253
Email: chemistry@uwsp.edu or dasnyder@uwsp.edu
Web: www.uwsp.edu/chemistry
Biology faculty: S Alger, B Barringer, T Barta, R Bell, K Bodensteiner, J Bray, D Caporale, L Dresang, A Driver, D Graf, J Hardy, C Hartleb, J Hubbard, T Huspeni, A Impullitti, L Lee, S Pimm Lyon, S Majernik, S Orlofske, K Prahl, M Rogge, R Rosenfield, N Shefferly, J Sipiorski, K Slemmons, M Steury, Q Sun, P Whitaker, C Yahnke, P Zani.
Chemistry faculty: R. Adams, N Bowling, J Christenson, L Cole, D Haagenson, A Jonsson, J Lawrence, K McGarry, J Mondloch, S Riha, Snyder, E Speetzen, K Stindt, D Szpunar, R Tanke, P Workman.
Definition: Biochemistry combines knowledge of biology and chemistry to explain life processes in terms of molecular structure and chemical reactions within living cells.
This multidisciplinary major has a chemistry-based curriculum coupled with a significant biology component. The role of a biochemist is to work for understanding of organismal function and diversity in the principles and concepts of chemistry and physics, as well as in the structure, mechanisms and chemical processes that are common to all organisms. The biochemistry major links biological sciences like molecular biology and genetics to physical sciences like chemistry and physics. In addition, the biochemistry major combines the multidisciplinary foundation inherent to biochemistry with all the advantages of a liberal arts education.
Notes for Biochemistry:
- Please read all the NOTES under the biology AND chemistry sections of this catalog. All items under both sections apply to the biochemistry major.
- The biochemistry major is the same regardless of the college from which you graduate. If you have a single major (biochemistry ), you will graduate from the College of Letters and Science . If you are in education, you may graduate from either the College of Letters and Science or from the College of Professional Studies . If you have a double major, such as biochemistry and natural resources, you may graduate from the College of Letters and Science or the College of Natural Resources .
- Courses in biology and chemistry are open to all students who meet the prerequisites.
Academic Standards and Policies for Biochemistry Major
Admittance and status as a biochemistry major depends on the following factors:
- To be admitted, retained, and approved for graduation as a biochemistry major, you must
- apply for acceptance into the major through the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry office no later than the first semester of your junior year.
- maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.50 for all courses taken within the major and regardless of a declaration of academic forgiveness, (including UWSP and transferred credits that are accepted into the major).
- When you apply for the biochemistry major, you are conditionally admitted with an “intended” status, BIOL 110 , BIOL 111 , and CHEM 105 and CHEM 106 must be completed within three semesters of application to the major.
- Initial advising for intended majors will be conducted through the COLS Advising Center. After a minimum of 45 credits have been earned, the introductory biology courses (BIOL 110 , BIOL 111 ) and general chemistry courses (CHEM 105 and CHEM 106 ) have been completed, and the minimum biochemistry major GPA has been met, the status will be changed to “accepted” and a Biology or Chemistry faculty adviser will be assigned.
- Accepted students with a GPA in the biochemistry major of less than 2.50 are changed to “provisional” and are allowed two semesters in which to reach the minimum GPA or be dropped from the major. If you are dropped from the major, you may reapply only once.
- No more than six credits of D work in any courses in the major will be counted toward the completion of the biochemistry major. All grades of D or F in required core, collateral, and elective courses are used to compute the cumulative GPA in the major. If you repeat a course, the last grade earned is the grade used in your GPA calculation. Courses with grades of D or F may be repeated (only if a seat is available after the regular registration period) only with approval of the appropriate department chair and your adviser.
Test-Out and Credit-by-Exam Policy
The credit-by-exam and Advanced Placement (AP) exam policies of the Biology Department pertain to biology courses. The credit-by-exam policies of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department apply to chemistry courses. You may take a test-out exam only once.
ProgramsBachelor DegreesPre-ProfessionalMinorsUndergraduate CertificatesCoursesChemistry
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