ACS Undergraduate Analytical Chemistry Program Description
ACS Undergraduate Analytical Chemistry Program Description
NOTE: The following supplement is a description of a complete program of instruction in undergraduate analytical chemistry. It is to be recognized That most curricula will not cover all of the areas listed. The supplement should be used as a guide to select topics most suited to a given institution.A sequence of courses that includes modem quantitative analytical chemistry and instrumental analysis at the undergraduate level should present an integrated view of the theories, chemical methods, and instrumental techniques for solving a variety of real problems in chemical analysis. Students should receive a coherent and progressive treatment of the various aspects of problem definition, selection of analytical method, experimental design, and data collection and evaluation. The problem-oriented. role of chemical analysis should be emphasized throughout the student's experience.
The student should emerge from an undergraduate program of studies in analytical chemistry with the following competencies:
Individual topics in analytical chemistry should be presented in the framework of a systematic approach which emphasizes functional roles, facilitates comparison of performance characteristics, and provides a pattern the student can use to understand related topics not included in the formal course work. The courses should include discussion of approaches to optimize performance characteristics such as selectivity, sensitivity, uncertainty, and limit of detection. Examples should be drawn from modem biological materials and environmental chemistry.
- Understand the distinction between qualitative and quantitative goals of determinations
- Understand comparison and critical selection of methods for elemental and molecular analyses
- Knowledge of sampling methods for all states of matter
- Understand statistical methods for evaluating and interpreting data
- Understand concepts of validation of data and experimental design
- Understand sources of error in chemical and instrumental analysis
- Understand interferences in chemical and instrumental analysis
- Understand theory and operational principles of analytical instruments including electronic components
- Exposure to computer-basled data acquisition systems for analytical instruments
- Understand the concept of instrument calibration
- Fundamental understanding of the principles of and instrumentation for atomic molecular, and mass spectrometry, magnetic resonance spectrometry, chromatography and other methods of separation, electroanalytical methods, and thermal methods
- Understand basic concepts of stoichiometry and basic chemical reactions involving atialytes and ordinary reagents
- Understand the importance to quantitation of equilibrium and kinetic aspects of chemistry
- Understand concepts of availability and evaluation of analytical standards
- Understand standardization methodology
Some topics in modem analytical chemistry may not require a thorough background in calculus-based physics and/or certain areas of physical chemistry. However, more advanced topics in quantitative analysis theory and instrumental analysis should require them prerequisites.