CHEM 1117 Honors Modern Chemistry I
This course is intended for students from any major (including undecided) with a strong foundation and interest in chemistry. CHEM1117 begins with the theoretical description of atomic and molecular structure and with examples of modern experimental techniques for visualizing and manipulating individual atoms and molecules. The laws of thermodynamics and kinetics are studied to understand why chemical reactions occur at all, why it is that once reactions start they can't go all the way to completion, and how molecules act as catalysts to speed up reactions without being consumed themselves.
Course overview
- Department
- Chemistry
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Offered
- Every Fall
Catalog details
- Corequisites
- CHEM1119
- Satisfies core
- Natural Science
Requirements fulfilled
- Geological Sciences B.S.: (D) Corequisite: two semesters of Chemistry with labs (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Environmental Geoscience B.S.: (E) Corequisite: two semesters of Physics with labs, or two semesters of Chemistry with labs, or three semesters of Biology (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Biochemistry B.S.: CHEM1109 General Chemistry I and CHEM1111 Laboratory (or CHEM1117 and CHEM1119) (4 credits) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Neuroscience B.S.: Foundation (24 Credits) — General Chemistry I with lab (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Mathematics B.S.: Natural science, computer science, or economics corequisites (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Computer Science B.S.: Required science component (two-semester laboratory sequence) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Chemistry B.S.: Two semesters of general chemistry lecture and laboratory (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- University Core: Natural Science (All undergraduates)
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 3.71 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.06 / 5 · Very Good
- Terms evaluated
- 5
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | Matthias Waegele | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 7–9 hrs/week | 26 of 26 |
| Fall 2024 | Matthias Waegele | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4–6 hrs/week | 29 of 30 |
| Fall 2024 | Sammi Wu | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4–6 hrs/week | 29 of 30 |
| Fall 2023 | Matthias Waegele | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 35 of 37 |
| Fall 2023 | Tarah Yared | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 35 of 37 |
| Fall 2022 | Matthias Waegele | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.9 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4–6 hrs/week | 36 of 36 |
| Fall 2021 | Casey Howshall | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4–6 hrs/week | 24 of 39 |
| Fall 2021 | Matthias Waegele | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.6 | — | 27 of 39 |
Data freshness
Instructors
Sections
- Section 01
- Section 02
- Section 03