Chemistry Focus Area

This area of concentration provides a foundation for students interested in chemistry, whether you're interested in the Associate in Arts (AA) or Associate in Science (AS) degree and employment in a chemistry field such as a laboratory technician. It also applies to students interested in transferring to a four-year institution to pursue a baccalaureate degree or advanced degrees in chemistry. The curriculum establishes the necessary foundation in mathematics, physics, and chemistry.

Chemistry is a science central to many other disciplines. As a Chemistry focus area graduate, you have two major options:

transfer to a four-year school and complete a bachelor's degree in chemistry or a biological science, eventually finding employment in agriculture, biotechnology, medicine or the petrochemical or pharmaceutical industries; or
transfer to a four-year school in a pre-professional or professional program and develop a career in bioengineering, chiropractic, clinical laboratory technology, dentistry, education, medicine, occupational or physical therapy, optometry, pharmacy, plant pathology, or veterinary medicine.

Preparation for IHCC

Prospective students should have a strong background in mathematics, science, writing and reading. At least one year of high school chemistry, one year of high school geometry, two years of high school algebra and four years of high school English are highly recommended.

If you're planning to transfer to a four-year institution, you are strongly advised to familiarize yourself with the requirements of the chemistry program at the college to which you plan to transfer and work with a counselor and the chemistry faculty at IHCC to plan a program that meets those requirements.

The IHCC program should include one year of College Chemistry and one year of Organic Chemistry and may include Quantitative Analysis. You should also consider working toward the AS degree at IHCC, which requires 30 credits in mathematics and science.

Recommended courses

Course Name:	Credits
Composition I and II	6
Public Speaking or Fundamentals of Oral Communication	3
Literature course	3
Humanities/Fine Arts/Foreign Language electives	5 (AA) 6 (AS)
US History or Western Civilization course	3
Social Sciences electives	6
Mathematics and Science	8 (AA) 30 (AS)
Introduction to Computers or Computer Essentials	1-3

Recommended courses to meet the mathematics and science requirement:

Course Name:	Credits
General Biology ID	4
Principles of Chemistry I, II and III	10
Organic Chemistry I, II and III	9
General Physics I, II and III	9
College Algebra	3
Statistics	3
Precalculus	3
Calculus I, II and III	12