B.S. in Chemistry: Option in Materials Science, 2025-2026 Catalog
Four Year Degree Worksheet for: B.S. in Chemistry: Option in Materials Science - CSULB Catalog (2025-2026)
This degree worksheet is intended to help you develop a balanced course schedule while completing your degree within 4 years. The same sequence of courses (with fewer courses each semester) is also recommended for students completing their degree in 5 or 6 years.
This worksheet is not intended to replace academic advising with your assigned advisor. Students should consult with their assigned advisor to determine the appropriate sequence of required courses and electives based on their academic goals.
CSULB Enrollment Services prepares the Academic Requirements Report, which is the official graduation verification.
Major-Specific Degree Requirements
Major-Specific Degree Requirements are listed as an "MSDR" in the notes column. These courses must be completed in order to declare your major. All students must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher in the STEM MSDR suite. For more information, please see: Major-Specific Degree Requirements for CSULB Students.
Pre-Chemistry first-time freshmen must complete CHEM 111A and MATH 122 or higher within one year of matriculation and must complete CHEM 111B and CHEM 220A within 2 years of matriculation. Some students may need to take courses during Summer Session to meet these requirements. Students who have not met the requirements by the required semester must either declare another major or meet with an Academic Advisor to determine if the student's performance in the courses merits an additional semester to complete.
Year 1 - Semester 1
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MATH 122 (area 2) | Calculus I (4) | Appropriate Placement, MATH 111 and either MATH 112B or 113 | MSDR |
| CHEM 111A | General Chemistry (5) | Appropriate Placement (see CSULB Catalog for specifics), Pre/Corequisite: MATH 112B or higher; CHEM 95 if needed | MSDR |
| GE (area 1A) | English Composition (3) | MSDR | |
| GE (area 3,4,6) | Other Exploration (3) | ||
| NSCI 190A | Experience Success Program 1 (1) | Fall only |
Year 1 - Semester 2
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MATH 123 | Calculus II (4) | MATH 122 | MSDR |
| CHEM 111B | General Chemistry (5) | CHEM 111A, MATH 112B or higher | MSDR |
| GE (area 1C) | Oral Communication (3) | MSDR | |
| GE (area 1B) | Critical Thinking (3) | MSDR |
Year 2 - Semester 3
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHEM 220A | Organic Chemistry I (3) | CHEM 111B | |
| MATH 224 | Calculus III (4) | MATH 123 | |
| BIOL 200; OR BIOL 205; OR BIOL 207; OR BIOL 211 | General Biology (4); OR Human Biology (4); OR Human Physiology (4); OR Introduction to Evolution and Diversity (5) | GE Foundation; OR GE Foundation; OR GE Foundation; OR CHEM 111A (and BIOL 212 after) | |
| PHYS 151 | Mechanics and Heat (4) | MATH 122, 123, or 224 |
Year 2 - Semester 4
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHEM 220B | Organic Chemistry II (3) | CHEM 220A, Corequisite: CHEM 223B or 320L | |
| CHEM 320L | Organic Chemistry Laboratory (2) | CHEM 220A, Corequisite: CHEM 220B | |
| CHEM 361 | Chemical Communications (3) | GE Foundation | |
| PHYS 152 | Electricity and Magnetism (4) | PHYS 151 | |
| GE (area 3,4,6) | Other Exploration (3) |
Year 3 - Semester 5
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHEM 331 | Inorganic Chemistry (3) | CHEM 111B | Fall only |
| CHEM 371A | Physical Chemistry (3) | CHEM 111B, MATH 123, PHYS 152 | Fall only |
| CHEM 385 | Material Science (3) | CHEM 111A, 111B, PHYS 152 | Fall only |
| GE (area 3,4,6) | Other Exploration (3) | ||
| GE (area 3,4,6) | Other Exploration (3) |
Year 3 - Semester 6
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHEM 332 | Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory (2) | CHEM 331 | |
| CHEM 371B | Physical Chemistry (3) | CHEM 111B, MATH 123, PHYS 152 | Spring only |
| CHEM 385C | Materials Science Colloquium (1) | CHEM 111A and 111B, PHYS 152 | Spring only |
| CHEM 385L | Materials Science Laboratory (2) | CHEM 111A and 111B, PHYS 152 | Spring only |
| CHEM 431 | Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (3) | CHEM 331, Pre/Corequisite: CHEM 371B | Spring only |
| CHEM 496 | Undergraduate Directed Research (1 of 3 units) | Instructor consent | |
| GE (area 3,4,6) | Other Exploration (3) |
Year 4 - Semester 7
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHEM 373 | Phys. and Inorganic Chemistry Lab. (3) | CHEM 361, either 371A or 377A, and either 371B or 377B. Can take concurrently with 371A with permit. | |
| CHEM 441A; OR CHEM 448 | Biological Chemistry (3); OR Fundamentals of Biological Chemistry (3) | BIOL 212, CHEM 220B, either CHEM 320L or 223B; OR CHEM 220B | |
| CHEM 485 | Special Topics in Materials Science (3) | CHEM 220B, 331, and 385 | Consult advisor for upcoming schedule |
| CHEM 496; OR CHEM Upper Division Elective (if only taking 1 unit of CHEM 496 for degree) | Undergraduate Directed Research (1 of 3 units); OR Elective (2) | Instructor consent; OR Elective course requirements | |
| BIOL 212 (if 211 taken) | Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology (4) | BIOL 211, CHEM 111A, Pre/Corequisite: CHEM 111B | |
| GE (area 3,4,6) | Other Exploration (3) | GE (area C, D, and E) |
Year 4 - Semester 8
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHEM 451 | Instrumental Methods of Analysis (5) | CHEM 361 and 371B, PHYS 152 | |
| CHEM 461 | Chemistry Capstone (1) | Take in final semester, file to graduate to get permit | |
| CHEM 496 | Undergraduate Directed Research (1 of 3 units) | Instructor consent | |
| CHEM 498 | Senior Theses (3) | Three units of CHEM 496, major GPA of 3.0 or higher, instructor consent | UD elective in the major |
| GE Upper Division (area UD3, UD4) | Upper Division (3) | ||
| GE Upper Division (area UD3, UD4) | Upper Division (3) |
