Prospective and Transfer Students

Why should you consider studying Chemistry at CSB/SJU? Here are a few reasons.

• We’ve completely transformed the chemistry curriculum from a traditional one in which courses are separated into distinct subdisciplines to one which integrates learning across the subdisciplines and better reflects how modern chemistry is done.
• Our new curriculum has received external support in the form of “Transforming Undergraduate Education in the Sciences” grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
• We have been leaders in adopting research-supported pedagogy that focuses on student-centered problem-based learning in collaborative teams.
• You will find our courses to be both novel and challenging as you prepare for the competitive work and study environment you will enter after you graduate.
• We have received $1.2 million dollars in NSF grants since 2010 to fund modern instrumentation, the development of our new curriculum, scholarships for under-represented students (FoCuS), and student research.
• Our students demonstrate high performance in nationally-normed chemistry exams from the American Chemical Society and Educational Testing Services.
• We are one of the top thirty liberal arts colleges in the country in terms of baccalaureate origin of Ph.D. graduates in chemistry, a strong indicator of teaching quality.
• Our new curriculum will offer students a choice to obtain a concentration in chemical biology, environmental chemistry, and materials/industrial chemistry.
• Students have a wide range of research opportunities in our department and at outside prestigious research centers.
• The Chemistry faculty work in a tireless and collaborative team to provide the opportunities.

Placement into Courses

Since our new curriculum is unique and integrative from the very start, students arriving with AP credit in chemistry do best to start with our single introductory course, CHEM 125, and the first foundation lab, CHEM 201. Depending on your high school preparation and test scores, you may receive credit for “general” chemistry classes, as described in the following table.

College of Saint Benedict
Saint John’s University

Dr. Alicia Peterson
Chair, Chemistry Department
CSB Ardolf Science Center 123 and 246
320-363-5315

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