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Introduction

Chemistry is one of the basic science disciplines taught to students in the Faculty of Science and to students of Faculty of Education as well as students from other faculties that require the subject as service course. The four-year chemistry course is aimed at giving a wide scope to students in the study of chemistry, in the traditional areas namely: analytical, inorganic, organic, physical and theoretical chemistry.

Justification

The teaching of Chemistry targets students that are pursuing undergraduate in Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education degrees.
Bachelor of Science students registered to take chemistry will gain concepts, skills and practical techniques necessary for the job market in various fields like medicine, pharmacy, agriculture and processing technology. This will be achieved by students taking chemistry in addition to other courses offered in the Faculty of Science and other faculties in the University.
Bachelor of Education Science graduates take chemistry as one of their teaching subjects. The knowledge and skills that they acquire is quite crucial for training secondary school students in chemistry as one of the science subjects.

Objectives

The objectives of the course are to:
i) introduce students to various aspects of chemistry which will prepare them to be teachers, researchers or industrialists adequately.
ii) equip students with laboratory techniques and procedures needed to work in various research fields such as agriculture, biochemistry, medicine, among others.
iii) enable students to handle various analytical equipment used in industries and research institutions; and
iv) facilitate and assist students to solve scientific and technological problems.

Admission

The candidate must satisfy the university and faculty minimum entry requirements as stipulated in the Egerton University statutes. The candidate must have at least a grade B- (minus) in chemistry or B (plain) in physical sciences, in KCSE or equivalent. The candidate must also have a minimum of grade C (plain) in mathematics or physics. A student intending to major in chemistry in the third and fourth year of study MUST score an average of B (plain) or better in first and second year chemistry courses.

Course Details

The general course structure for the degree programme is either 3:3:2:2, or 3:3:1:1 whereby, the first two years will give the student an overview of chemistry from which to specialise during the latter two years of study. The structure of the programmes means that the students takes three subjects in the first two years and either one (1) or two (2) in each of the latter two subsequent years. Students intending to continue with chemistry in third and fourth years of study must do ALL the first and second year chemistry courses. Minors in chemistry can take TWO courses in first and second years of study. Minors will not be allowed to continue with Chemistry courses in their THIRD and FOURTH years of study. Students intending to major in chemistry and thus opt for 3:3:1:1 programme must take ALL the first and second year courses and must score and maintain an average of B plain or better in first and second year chemistry courses. Regular students who opt for a 3:3:2:2 programme must take ALL the first and second year courses: They will be required to take core courses only in their third and fourth years of study.

Course Coding
The course code used is CHEM, standing for Chemistry, followed by 3 digits.
? First digit indicates the year of study the course is offered.
? The second digit indicates the branch of chemistry that is offered i.e. Inorganic is denoted by one (1), Physical is denoted by two (2), Organic is denoted by three (3), Analytical denoted by four (4) and Applied chemistry courses are denoted by five (5).
? The last digit indicates the advance level of the course.
The semesters in which the courses are offered is indicated in the course schedule listed below.

Examinations
All examinations for the courses shall be conducted in accordance with the university examinations regulations. Continuous assessment will account for 30% and the final examination accounts for 70%.

Course Coding

CHEM110    Inorganic Chemistry I
CHEM120    Physical Chemistry I

YEAR 1 SEMESTER II    
CHEM130    Organic Chemistry I

YEAR II SEMESTER I    
CHEM211    Physical Inorganic Chemistry
CHEM231    Organic Chemistry II

YEAR II SEMESTER II    
CHEM212    Comparative study of s and p Block Elements
CHEM221     Physical Chemistry II

YEAR III SEMESTER I - CORE COURSES    
CHEM322    Physical Chemistry III
CHEM323    Chemical Kinetics
CHEM332     Organic Chemistry III

OPTIONAL COURSES    
CHEM314    Bioinorganic Chemistry
CHEM333    Chemistry of Lipids
CHEM341     Industrial and Applied Chemistry I
CHEM342    Environmental Chemistry I

YEAR III SEMESTER II - CORE COURSES    
CHEM313    Coordination Chemistry
CHEM324    Physical Methods of Structure Determination
CHEM351    Analytical Chemistry I

OPTIONAL COURSES    
CHEM315    Chemical Applications of Group theory
CHEM334    Organic Chemistry IV
CHEM335    Chemistry of Carbohydrates
CHEM343    Industrial Attachment

YEAR IV SEMESTER I - CORE COURSES    
CHEM425    Electrochemistry
CHEM436    Advanced Stereochemistry and Reaction Mechanisms
CHEM452    Analytical Chemistry II

OPTIONAL COURSES    
YEAR IV SEMESTER I    
CHEM426     Statistical Thermodynamics
CHEM443     Industrial & Applied Chem. II
CHEM444    Research Project
CHEM445    Environmental Chemistry II
CHEM446    Chemistry of Natural Products

YEAR IV SEMESTER II - CORE COURSES    
CHEM416    Comparative Study of d and f Block Elements
CHEM417    Radiation and Nuclear Chemistry
CHEM437    Organic Spectroscopy

OPTIONAL COURSES    
CHEM418    Quantum Chemistry
CHEM438    Heterocyclic Chemistry
CHEM439    Introduction to Organic Synthesis
CHEM444    Research Project
CHEM447    Polymer Chemistry
CHEM453    Instrumental Analysis

COMMON UNIVERSITY COURSES    
AGHE142    Human Health
COMP101    Introduction to Computer Applications
COMS101    Communication Skills
ENSC 100    Introduction to Environmental Science
MATH100    General Mathematics
PHIL 104    Philosophy & Society
PHYS107    Science & Technology in Development
ZOOL105    HIV/AIDS and Society

SERVICE COURSES OFFERED    

DIPLOMA COURSES    
YEAR 1 SEMESTER 1    
CHEM0111    Basic Inorganic and Physical Chemistry

YEAR 1 SEMESTER II    
CHEM 0112    Basic Organic Chemistry

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE COURSES    
CHEM111     General inorganic and Physical Chemistry

YEAR 4 SEMESTER 1    
CHEM454    Specialized Measurement I
CHEM455    Specialized Measurements II