Chemistry

Students considering a major in Chemistry should take CH 1010 Chemical Properties, Bonding, And Forces. 

If you have AP or Transfer Credit for CH 1010, you can consider taking PH 1110/PH1111 or a Biology course in it's place. 

CH 1010 is the first course in the sequence and is a recommended background for future Chemistry courses.

PH 1110 and PH 1111 are two different versions of mechanics:

• PH 1110 has a recommended background of differential calculus (MA 1021) and concurrent study of integral calculus (MA 1022). 
• PH 1111 has a recommended background of both differential and integral calculus (MA 1021 and 1022). If you are starting your math sequence at MA 1022 (Calculus II), you should instead take PH 1110. 

If you are starting your math sequence at MA 1021 or MA 1020 (Calculus I), you should not take Physics.

Biology course are available at a variety of levels. BB 1101-Foundations of Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology should be taken first, as it serves as the recommended background for future biology courses.

Your second course should be a GPS, Humanities and Arts, or Social Science Course. More information is available about these courses below. 

GPS stands for Great Problems Seminar, which are courses exclusively for first year students that allow students to learn about a problem in the world and work with a group on how to fix it. These courses are helpful with the transition to college as well as useful for students when preparing for projects such as IQP and MQP in junior and senior year. GPS courses run for both A and B term, so you will only need to choose one. More information can be found here.

Every student at WPI must complete the Humanities and Arts (HUA) Requirement. This consists of 6 courses in HUA subjects. The subjects available for HUA are:

• Art/Art History (AR)
• Music (MU)
• Theatre (TH)
• Modern Languages - Spanish (SP), German (GN), Arabic (AB), Chinese (CN), Integrated Skills in English (ISE)
  • For Spanish Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Angel Rivera (arivera@wpi.edu) 
  • For German Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Daniel DiMassa (ddimassa@wpi.edu)
  • For Arabic Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Mohammed El Hamzaoui (melhamzaoui@wpi.edu)
  • For Chinese Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Wen-Hua Du (wdu2@wpi.edu)
  • For Integrated Skills in English Information: The placement exam is not currently required and students are welcome to register for all ISE courses. Please contact Prof. Esther Boucher-Yip (efboucher@wpi.edu) or Prof. Althea Danielski (amdanielski@wpi.edu) if you have any questions.
• Literature (EN)
• Writing/Rhetoric (WR)
• History (HI)
• Humanities (HU)
• International and Global Studies (INTL)
• Philosophy (PY)
• Religion (RE)

You should pick courses in subjects you are interested in. When you come to campus you will learn more about the HUA requirement and how you will complete it. 

You are required to take two Social Science Courses in your time at WPI. The subjects that are considered Social Science are:

• Development (DEV)
• Economics (ECON)
• Environmental Studies (ENV)
• Government, Political Science, and Law (GOV)
• Psychology (PSY)
• System Dynamics (SD)
• Sociology (SOC)
• Social Science (SS)
• Society/Technology Studies (STS)

Note: ID 2050 is a course that is required before you go away for IQP and counts as one of your Social Science Courses. If you are planning on going away for IQP in your junior year, you may only want to take one social science course in your first year. 

Chemistry Majors are required to take 7 classes in Math and Physics throughout their four years, with two of those courses needing to be in Physics and two needing to be differential and integral calculus (Calculus I and II). It is recommended that you take Math in A and B terms of your first year. In choosing which Math course you will begin with, please consider the following.  

1. Complete the Math Placement Exam. The Math Placement Exam will tell you which Calculus course you should start in based on your current knowledge. If you are recommended to start in MA 1020, this will be your math course for both terms.
2. Consider if you have AP Credit (new policy as of 10/20/25):
   Students who obtain a score of “4” on the AB-level Exam will receive credit for MA 1021 and should begin with MA 1022 in A term followed by MA 1023 in B term. Those that obtain a score of "5" on the AB-level Exam will receive credit for MA 1021 and MA 1022 and should begin with MA 1023/1033 in A term followed by MA 1024/1034 in B term.
   Students who obtain a grade of “4” or “5” on the BC-level Exam will receive credit for MA 1021, MA 1022 and MA 1023 and could begin with MA 1024 in A-term then MA 2051 in B-term, OR MA 1033 in A-term followed by MA 1034 in B-term. 
3. Students who received a 6 or 7 on the IB will receive 2/3 credit of MA 1000, and should use the math placement exam results to decide which math class to take.
4. Consider the possibility of retroactive credit. If the Math Placement Exam recommends that you start in MA 1022, MA 1023/1033, or MA 1024 but you do not have AP credit, this could be a great option for you. If, in your first year, you complete MA 1022 and MA 1023/1033 on your first attempt, you will receive retroactive credit for MA 1021. If, in your first year, you complete MA 1023/1033 and MA 1024/1034 on your first attempt you will receive retroactive credit for MA 1021 and MA 1022.  If, in your first year, you complete MA 1024 and MA 2051, you will receive retroactive credit for MA 1021 and MA 1022. Please note that there is no retroactive credit for MA 1023. In determining if this is the right path for you, we strongly recommend completing the Math Placement exam and following the suggestion given to you. 

The sequence MA 1033 Theoretical Calculus III and MA 1034 Theoretical Calculus IV is an alternative to the MA 1023, MA 1024 sequence in A and B terms. The sequence is designed to give a deeper and more mathematically rigorous presentation of the relevant calculus topics. If you really enjoy math and have credit for Calculus I and II already, you should consider this sequence instead of the MA 1023-MA 1024 sequence.

Students considering a major in Chemistry should take CH 1020 Chemical Reactions in B term.

Your second course should be a GPS, Humanities and Arts, or Social Science Course. More information is available about these courses below. 

GPS stands for Great Problems Seminar, which are courses exclusively for first year students that allow students to learn about a problem in the world and work with a group on how to fix it. These courses are helpful with the transition to college as well as useful for students when preparing for projects such as IQP and MQP in junior and senior year. GPS courses run for both A and B term, so you will only need to choose one. More information can be found here.

Every student at WPI must complete the Humanities and Arts (HUA) Requirement. This consists of 6 courses in HUA subjects. The subjects available for HUA are:

• Art/Art History (AR)
• Music (MU)
• Theatre (TH)
• Modern Languages - Spanish (SP), German (GN), Arabic (AB), Chinese (CN), Integrated Skills in English (ISE)
  • For Spanish Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Angel Rivera (arivera@wpi.edu) 
  • For German Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Daniel DiMassa (ddimassa@wpi.edu)
  • For Arabic Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Mohammed El Hamzaoui (melhamzaoui@wpi.edu)
  • For Chinese Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Wen-Hua Du (wdu2@wpi.edu)
  • For Integrated Skills in English Information: The placement exam is not currently required and students are welcome to register for all ISE courses. Please contact Prof. Esther Boucher-Yip (efboucher@wpi.edu) or Prof. Althea Danielski (amdanielski@wpi.edu) if you have any questions.
• Literature (EN)
• Writing/Rhetoric (WR)
• History (HI)
• Humanities (HU)
• International and Global Studies (INTL)
• Philosophy (PY)
• Religion (RE)

You should pick courses in subjects you are interested in. When you come to campus you will learn more about the HUA requirement and how you will complete it. 

You are required to take two Social Science Courses in your time at WPI. The subjects that are considered Social Science are:

• Development (DEV)
• Economics (ECON)
• Environmental Studies (ENV)
• Government, Political Science, and Law (GOV)
• Psychology (PSY)
• System Dynamics (SD)
• Sociology (SOC)
• Social Science (SS)
• Society/Technology Studies (STS)

Note: ID 2050 is a course that is required before you go away for IQP and counts as one of your Social Science Courses. If you are planning on going away for IQP in your junior year, you may only want to take one social science course in your first year. 

Chemistry Majors are required to take 7 classes in Math and Physics throughout their four years, with two of those courses needing to be in Physics and two needing to be differential and integral calculus (Calculus I and II). It is recommended that you take Math in A and B terms of your first year. 

In B Term you should take the next course in the Calculus series beyond your A term course. The following is the typical MA sequence for WPI Students.

MA 1021 Calculus I or MA 1020 Calculus I with Preliminary Topics (Semester-long)

MA 1022 Calculus II or MA 1120 Calculus II (Semester-long)

MA 1023 Calculus III or MA 1033 Theoretical Calculus III

MA 1024 Calculus IV or MA 1034 Theoretical Calculus IV 

In order to select which Math course you should take first, please consider the following:

1. Complete the Math Placement Exam. The Math Placement Exam will tell you which Calculus course you should start in based on your current knowledge. If you are recommended to start in MA 1020, this will be your math course for both terms.
2. Consider if you have AP Credit (new policy as of 10/20/25):
   Students who obtain a score of “4” on the AB-level Exam will receive credit for MA 1021 and should begin with MA 1022 in A term followed by MA 1023 in B term. Those that obtain a score of "5" on the AB-level Exam will receive credit for MA 1021 and MA 1022 and should begin with MA 1023/1033 in A term followed by MA 1024/1034 in B term.
   Students who obtain a grade of “4” or “5” on the BC-level Exam will receive credit for MA 1021, MA 1022 and MA 1023 and could begin with MA 1024 in A-term then MA 2051 in B-term, OR MA 1033 in A-term followed by MA 1034 in B-term. 
3. Students who received a 6 or 7 on the IB will receive 2/3 credit of MA 1000, and should use the math placement exam results to decide which math class to take.
4. Consider the possibility of retroactive credit. If the Math Placement Exam recommends that you start in MA 1022, MA 1023/1033, or MA 1024 but you do not have AP credit, this could be a great option for you. If, in your first year, you complete MA 1022 and MA 1023/1033 on your first attempt, you will receive retroactive credit for MA 1021. If, in your first year, you complete MA 1023/1033 and MA 1024/1034 on your first attempt you will receive retroactive credit for MA 1021 and MA 1022.  If, in your first year, you complete MA 1024 and MA 2051, you will receive retroactive credit for MA 1021 and MA 1022. Please note that there is no retroactive credit for MA 1023. In determining if this is the right path for you, we strongly recommend completing the Math Placement exam and following the suggestion given to you. 

The sequence MA 1033 Theoretical Calculus III and MA 1034 Theoretical Calculus IV is an alternative to the MA 1023, MA 1024 sequence in A and B terms. The sequence is designed to give a deeper and more mathematically rigorous presentation of the relevant calculus topics. If you really enjoy math and have credit for Calculus I and II already, you should consider this sequence instead of the MA 1023-MA 1024 sequence.

Students considering Chemistry as a major should make sure that by the end of the first year, that they have completed the general chemistry sequence (CH 1010-1040). 

CH 1030 Kinetics, Equilibrium And Thermodynamics is only offered in C term or E term (summer). Therefore, Chemistry majors who have completed CH 1010 and CH 1020 in the fall should take CH 1030 in C term.

Students who did not complete CH 1010 and 1020 in the fall should take CH 1010 in C term.  

Your second course should be a Humanities and Arts or Social Science Course. More information is available about these courses below. 

Every student at WPI must complete the Humanities and Arts (HUA) Requirement. This consists of 6 courses in HUA subjects. The subjects available for HUA are:

• Art/Art History (AR)
• Music (MU)
• Theatre (TH)
• Modern Languages - Spanish (SP), German (GN), Arabic (AB), Chinese (CN), Integrated Skills in English (ISE)
  • For Spanish Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Angel Rivera (arivera@wpi.edu) 
  • For German Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Daniel DiMassa (ddimassa@wpi.edu)
  • For Arabic Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Mohammed El Hamzaoui (melhamzaoui@wpi.edu)
  • For Chinese Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Wen-Hua Du (wdu2@wpi.edu)
  • For Integrated Skills in English Information: The placement exam is not currently required and students are welcome to register for all ISE courses. Please contact Prof. Esther Boucher-Yip (efboucher@wpi.edu) or Prof. Althea Danielski (amdanielski@wpi.edu) if you have any questions.
• Literature (EN)
• Writing/Rhetoric (WR)
• History (HI)
• Humanities (HU)
• International and Global Studies (INTL)
• Philosophy (PY)
• Religion (RE)

You should pick courses in subjects you are interested in. When you come to campus you will learn more about the HUA requirement and how you will complete it. 

You are required to take two Social Science Courses in your time at WPI. The subjects that are considered Social Science are:

• Development (DEV)
• Economics (ECON)
• Environmental Studies (ENV)
• Government, Political Science, and Law (GOV)
• Psychology (PSY)
• System Dynamics (SD)
• Sociology (SOC)
• Social Science (SS)
• Society/Technology Studies (STS)

Note: ID 2050 is a course that is required before you go away for IQP and counts as one of your Social Science Courses. If you are planning on going away for IQP in your junior year, you may only want to take one social science course in your first year. 

Chemistry Majors are required to take 7 classes in Math and Physics throughout their four years, with two of those courses needing to be in Physics and two needing to be differential and integral calculus (Calculus I and II). It is recommended that you take Math in C and D terms.  

In C term you should take the next course in the calculus series beyond your B term course. The following is the typical MA sequence for WPI Students:

• MA 1021 Calculus I or MA 1020 Calculus I with Preliminary Topics (Semester-long)
• MA 1022 Calculus II or MA 1120 Calculus II (Semester-long)
• MA 1023 Calculus III or MA 1033 Theoretical Calculus III
• MA 1024 Calculus IV or MA 1034 Theoretical Calculus IV 

The sequence MA 1033 Theoretical Calculus III and MA 1034 Theoretical Calculus IV is an alternative to the MA 1023, MA 1024 sequence in A and B terms only. MA 1023 and 1024 are the only Calculus III and IV options available in C and D terms.

Students who have completed the Calculus sequence can consider taking Physics. PH 1110 General Physics-Mechanics is the first in the general Physics sequence and is offered in C term. PH 1110 has a recommended background of working knowledge of differential calculus (MA 1021), and concurrent study of MA 1022 (integral calculus) or higher.

Students considering a major in Chemistry should take complete the chemistry sequence (CH 1010-1040) in their first year. 

If you have completed CH 1010 and CH 1020 in A and B terms, and have taken CH 1030 in C term, you should take CH 1040 Spectroscopy In Organic And Polymer Chemistry in D term. 

Students who did not take CH 1010 and 1020 in the fall but took CH 1010 in C term should take CH 1020 Chemical Reactions in D term. 

Your second course should be a Humanities and Arts or Social Science Course. More information is available about these courses below. 

Every student at WPI must complete the Humanities and Arts (HUA) Requirement. This consists of 6 courses in HUA subjects. The subjects available for HUA are:

• Art/Art History (AR)
• Music (MU)
• Theatre (TH)
• Modern Languages - Spanish (SP), German (GN), Arabic (AB), Chinese (CN), Integrated Skills in English (ISE)
  • For Spanish Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Angel Rivera (arivera@wpi.edu) 
  • For German Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Daniel DiMassa (ddimassa@wpi.edu)
  • For Arabic Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Mohammed El Hamzaoui (melhamzaoui@wpi.edu)
  • For Chinese Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Wen-Hua Du (wdu2@wpi.edu)
  • For Integrated Skills in English Information: The placement exam is not currently required and students are welcome to register for all ISE courses. Please contact Prof. Esther Boucher-Yip (efboucher@wpi.edu) or Prof. Althea Danielski (amdanielski@wpi.edu) if you have any questions.
• Literature (EN)
• Writing/Rhetoric (WR)
• History (HI)
• Humanities (HU)
• International and Global Studies (INTL)
• Philosophy (PY)
• Religion (RE)

You should pick courses in subjects you are interested in. When you come to campus you will learn more about the HUA requirement and how you will complete it. 

You are required to take two Social Science Courses in your time at WPI. The subjects that are considered Social Science are:

• Development (DEV)
• Economics (ECON)
• Environmental Studies (ENV)
• Government, Political Science, and Law (GOV)
• Psychology (PSY)
• System Dynamics (SD)
• Sociology (SOC)
• Social Science (SS)
• Society/Technology Studies (STS)

Note: ID 2050 is a course that is required before you go away for IQP and counts as one of your Social Science Courses. If you are planning on going away for IQP in your junior year, you may only want to take one social science course in your first year. 

Chemistry Majors are required to take 7 classes in Math and Physics throughout their four years, with two of those courses needing to be in Physics and two needing to be differential and integral calculus (Calculus I and II). It is recommended that you take Math in C and D terms.  

In D Term you should take the next course in the Calculus series beyond your C term course. The following is the typical MA sequence for WPI Students.

• MA 1021 Calculus I or MA 1020 Calculus I with Preliminary Topics (Semester-long)
• MA 1022 Calculus II or MA 1120 Calculus II (Semester-long)
• MA 1023 Calculus III or MA 1033 Theoretical Calculus III
• MA 1024 Calculus IV or MA 1034 Theoretical Calculus IV 

The sequence MA 1033 Theoretical Calculus III and MA 1034 Theoretical Calculus IV is an alternative to the MA 1023, MA 1024 sequence in A and B terms only. MA 1023 and 1024 are the only Calculus III and IV options available in C and D terms.

Students who have completed the Calculus sequence can consider taking Physics. PH 1120 General Physics-Electricity and Magnetism is the second in the general Physics sequence and is offered in D term. PH 1120 has a recommended background of working knowledge of the material presented in PH 1110 or PH 1111 and differential and integral calculus (MA 1021 and MA 1022).