Educational Initiatives
Courses and Programs
The curriculum in the Department is constantly evolving to reflect the cutting edge issues in the field of chemistry and innovative teaching methods. A few examples:
- The first-year Modern Chemistry courses incorporate to enhance students’ ability to visualize key concepts (09-105) and to allow students to use simulations in solving interesting real-world problems (09-106).
- Sophomores will also find an honors seminar in supramolecular chemistry (syllabus, 112K PDF file) that shows organic and inorganic chemistry concepts in the context of an exciting and growing field. They also gave invaluable experience in a safety seminar taught by Karen Stump and Mark Bannister that prepares them for advanced lab work in research and industry.
- Advanced students can take green chemistry (syllabus, 12K PDF file) to learn the current state of a rapidly emerging field from one of its leaders, Terry Collins.
- The Color of Minerals and Inorganic Pigments course, a joint effort between the Mellon College of Science and the School of Art, brings together chemistry and art students. Students explore the origin of the color using principles of inorganic chemistry and, as a final project, create an exhibition on the Origin of Color to be housed in the University Center at Carnegie Mellon.
- A BS/MS Honors program enables students to earn both BS and MS degrees within four years.
- The American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (ACS-PRF) sponsored a summer school on Green Chemistry in Pittsburgh, July 31–August 7, 2004. The week-long program featured activities designed to provide a solid foundation in green chemistry to graduate students and post-doctoral researchers throughout the Americas.
- EUREKA: An Interdisciplinary Laboratory Experience, an elective course offered to first-year undergraduates, combines topics in biological sciences, physics, chemistry and mathematical sciences, and culminates in a forensic study to solve two fictitious murders.
More information about the undergraduate curriculum, particularly for prospective freshmen, can be found on the Mellon College of Science site for prospective students.
Education Sites at Carnegie Mellon
- Course Web
- Blackboard (Carnegie Mellon users only!)
- Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence