SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill · Courses
CHEM
28 courses with the subject CHEM, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
CHEM 101Introductory Chemistry
The course will introduce students to chemical principles as they relate to real-world applications in society and the environment. The following topics will be covered: units and measurement, classification and properties of matter, energy in chemical changes, bonding interactions in physical and chemical processes. Specialized topics include acids and bases, oxidation and reduction, organic chemistry, materials science, and environmental issues. A previous background in chemistry is not assumed. The course is useful for preparing students conceptually for CHEM 111 and satisfying a science elective for nonscience majors. Course fee of $25 is required. Co-requisites: CHEM 101X and CHEM 101Y [Fall, Spring] Gen Ed Natural Sciences (and Scientific Reasoning), Liberal Arts/Sciences Elective [2 credits] [2 contact hours]
The laboratory activities are designed to provide students with hands-on experience with general laboratory experimentation methods, while at the same time examining the practical application of chemistry in common, everyday substances. Students will learn basic lab safety, measurement and observation skills, data collection and analysis techniques. Co-requisites: CHEM 101 and CHEM 101Y [Fall, Spring] Gen Ed Natural Sciences (and Scientific Reasoning), Liberal Arts/Sciences Elective, Applied Learning-Other [1 credit] [2 contact hours]
A comprehensive analysis of work in a crime laboratory, including theory and methods. Includes ballistics, examination of questioned documents, criminal analysis and instructional analysis. Laboratory topics will range from traditional fingerprinting and blood samples to leading edge topics like chromatography, DNA "fingerprinting" and toxicology. Recommended for the second semester or later. Prerequisite: High school biology or high school chemistry. Course fee of $25 is required. Co-requisite: CHEM 110X [Fall] Gen Ed Natural Sciences (and Scientific Reasoning), Liberal Arts/Sciences Elective, Applied Learning-Practicum [2 credits] [2 contact hours]
Laboratory experiments designed to accompany the lecture topics presented in CHEM 112. Emphasis on observation, interpretation, measurement, safety, record keeping, data analysis and lab skills. Prerequisite: CHEM 111X; and co-
This course is designed to introduce the field of Fermentation Science to the student with a general biology and chemistry background. The course will provide an overview of the field ranging from food and beverage production (e.g. cheese, wine, and tea) to industrial production of value-added materials (e.g. pharmaceuticals and chemical reagents) to the processing and mitigation of waste materials from a range of sources (e.g. agricultural and industrial). We will view fermentation from a modern perspective of generating value-added molecules through enzyme or microbial catalysis. Concepts of equilibria, kinetics, thermodynamics, and enzyme basics will be presented in the context of fermentation science. Prerequisite: BIOL 111/111X, CHEM 111/111X, and CHEM 112/112X with grades of C- or better, or permission of the instructor [Spring] Liberal Arts/Sciences Elective [3 credits] [3 contact hours]
Continued treatment of topics from Organic Chemistry I, including conjugation, aromaticity and reactivity of other principal organic compounds including aldehydes, ketones, amines, carboxylic acids and their derivatives. Introduction to Page | 242 2026-2027
Continued study of the methods, techniques, syntheses and instrumentation of representative classes of organic compounds. Prerequisites: CHEM 231 and CHEM 231X; and co-requisite: CHEM 232/CHEM 232Y [Spring] Liberal Arts/Sciences Elective, Applied Learning-Other [2 credits] [4 contact hours]
This course introduces students to modern analytical instruments and the application of chemical instrumentation to real- world problems, in particular those pertaining to the environment. How do they work, how do you use them, what do they tell you, how should they be maintained? Instrumentation studied includes: visible, ultraviolet, infrared, atomic absorption, fluorescence, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; gas and liquid chromatography. Course fee of $25 is required. contact hours]
CHEM 111 and CHEM 111X. Co-requisite: CHEM 244X [Spring] Liberal Arts/Sciences Elective [2 credits] [2
CHEM 244X| Instrumental Analysis Lab
Extensive hands-on experience with the instruments discussed in CHEM 244 lecture. Emphasis is on instrument operation skills, troubleshooting, record keeping and data analysis. The experiments involve environmental, industrial and consumer samples. Co-requisite or prerequisite: CHEM 244. [Spring] Liberal Arts/Sciences Elective, Applied Learning-Other [2 credits] [4 contact hours]
This lab emphasizes the standard methods for determining water quality. Students are assigned a body of water for study and each week test it for a different water quality parameter. Results are summarized in an end-of-semester technical report. The lab is writing-intensive and emphasizes keeping a scientific notebook, developing critical thinking skills, and working within a team. Both wet-bench and instrumental methods are used in testing for natural and anthropogenic water contaminants. Testing includes: alkalinity, pH, hardness, sodium, chloride, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Additional analytes may include iron, phosphate, solids, enterococcus, and coliform bacteria. Prerequisite: CHEM 111 and CHEM 111X, or permission of instructor. Co-requisite: CHEM 316 [Spring] Liberal Arts/Sciences Elective, Liberal Arts/Sci Upper-Level, Applied Learning-Other [3 credits] [3 contact hours]
This laboratory accompanies CHEM 340 Fermentation Science. Topics may include fermentation in a laboratory setting, kinetics, conditions of fermentation, isolation of fermentation products, and the analysis of a fermentation product, in Page | 243 2026-2027
This course will emphasize the manufacturing environment in which a fermentation, chemical, or biological scientist is likely to operate in industry. It will cover an overview of regulations of OSHA, FDA, and foreign regulatory agencies. Examination of how to conduct clinical trials, day-to-day operations and final manufacturing will be covered. Included in this regulatory overview will be a consideration of the reporting required of an industrial entity. A field trip may be included in the curriculum which would incur additional cost to the student. Priority for course enrollment will be given to Natural Sciences and Mathematics department majors. Due to the interactive nature of the seminar portion of the course, the course is limited to 29 enrolled students. Prerequisites: a grade of C- or better in BIOL 111/111X, CHEM 111/111X, and MATH 125 or permission of the instructor. This course does not fulfill a Lab Science requirement. [Fall/Spring] Liberal Arts/Sciences Elective, Lib Arts/Sci Upper Level [3 credits] [3 contact hours]
This course requires hands-on research in the sciences stressing experimental design, proven methodology, and consistent laboratory work aimed at contributing to an established ongoing research project. Students will be responsible for a research proposal, weekly progress reports to supervising faculty, data collection and analysis, and presentation of work at a meeting and/or in a peer-reviewed journal. Students are required to spend a minimum of six hours per week in laboratory. This course is repeatable up to 2 times. Course fee of $120 is required. This course is cross-listed with BIOL 395. including BIOL 111, BIOL 112, CHEM 111, and a 200-level laboratory course. Maximum number of five students per instructor. Permission of instructor is necessary for participation. [Fall, Spring] Liberal Arts/Sciences Elective, Lib Arts/Sci Upper-Level, Applied Learning-Research [3 credits] [6 contact hours]
Students should be proficient in routine laboratory procedures, have taken at least four science courses
Alias
BIOL 395
CHEM 480| Senior Project: Fermentation
This course is part of the capstone sequence of coursework. A student enrolled in CHEM 480 will be engaged on a guided project/internship/co-op supervised by a faculty member on campus, or through mutual agreement with an off-campus employer as an intern, or co-op (a faculty member will serve as an internship advisor). The project will focus on learning new skills while applying the skills gained within the Fermentation Science and Applied Fermentation Programs to real- world situations. Topics may focus on food and beverage related projects, biocatalysis, e.g. fermentation in a pharmaceutical research/development/or manufacturing setting, or in an environment oriented aspect in alignment with a student's chosen advisement track. On- or off-campus, expectations will be set between the advisor/supervisor and the student. Written mid-point and final reports and a final oral report are required. Off-campus internships, or co-ops, may have additional student costs that might include, but are not limited to, transportation to and from the experience site. C- or higher; completion of CHEM 340 and CHEM 340X with a grade of C- or higher; or instructor permission. Additional prerequisites for internships are: 2.00 GPA overall and a 2.00 GPA in the major, with 90 credits completed toward degree. Contact hours: a minimum of 270 hours over 15 weeks on-campus; a minimum of 270 hours over at least 10 week off- campus. [Fall, Spring, Summer] [6 credits] [6 contact hours]
