New UBC Undergraduates: Year 1 Course Information
The Department of Chemistry offers a number of different Year 1 courses for incoming undergraduate students. This explainer should help you determine which course is best for you.
CHEM 121 (4): This is the largest Year 1, Term 1 course that the Department offers. The majority of students take this course in Term 1 in Fall/Winter, but a small number of students can take this course in Summer Term 1. Students with B.C. Chemistry 12 or its equivalent should take this course or consider CHEM 141 (below). There is a lecture and a practical laboratory component to this course – it is a required prerequisite to CHEM 123 (4).
CHEM 154 (3): This is a Year 1, Term 1 CHEM course dedicated to Engineering students in the Faculty of Applied Science. It is not available to students in any other Faculty. The lecture material in this 1 term course was selected from parts of CHEM 121 and CHEM 123 after consultation with the Faculty of Applied Science to be most relevant to Engineering students. There is a lecture and a laboratory component to this course. CHEM 154 credit does not carry over to CHEM 121 and CHEM 123.
CHEM 141 (4): *NEW* This is a Year 1, Term 1 course for students in the Faculty of Science who are interested in laboratory-based sciences such as Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Physics and Biology. The lecture content is identical to that of CHEM 121 (4). The practical laboratory component should engage interested students. The class and lab section size are smaller compared to CHEM 121. This is a prerequisite to CHEM 123 (4).
CHEM 111 (4): This is a Year 1, Term 1 course for students who have B.C. Chemistry 11 or its equivalent. The lecture content covers important aspects of B.C. Chemistry 12 and most of the key concepts in CHEM 121. The practical laboratory component is similar to that in CHEM 121. This course is a prerequisite to CHEM 123 (4).
Students in Faculties other than Science and Applied Science will have to register and pass the UBC Chemistry Basic Skills Test to enroll in CHEM 111 (4), see: https://www.chem.ubc.ca/ubc-chemistry-basic-skills-test-information
CHEM 100 (3): This is a Year 1 course for students who do not have any B.C. Chemistry 11 or B.C. Chemistry 12. This course covers the curriculum for those two courses. There is no laboratory component accompanying this course. This course can be used as a prerequisite for CHEM 121. The Department offers this course in Term 2. Students do not have to take the BST for CHEM 100.
CHEM 123 (4): This is a Year 1, Term 2 course for students who have completed CHEM 121, CHEM 111 or CHEM 141. There are lecture and laboratory components to this course. The lecture material split into two important topics: introductory physical chemistry and introductory organic chemistry. It is an important prerequisite for Year 2 organic chemistry courses and Year 2/Year 3 physical and analytical chemistry courses. It is also typically offered in Summer Term 2-students use the CHEM 123 S2 waitlist to register.