Syllabus
Post Baccalaureate in Pre-Health
CHEM 1030: Organic Chemistry I Lecture and Lab – Accelerated – Fall 1 2023
Credits - 4
Description
This is the first semester course of a two semester sequence of organic chemistry. This course is designed to give the student a general understanding of how science contributes to their future profession and will prepare students for entrance exams in the health professions. In addition, this course will lay the groundwork for more advanced understanding of the chemical reactivity topics covered in Online Organic Chemistry II and/or Biochemistry courses required for health-care professions.
Students will be introduced to organic structures (functional groups, nomenclature, stereochemistry, and conformations) and then learn carbonyl reactions (nucleophilic additions to ketones/aldehydes and nucleophilic substitution to acid derivatives). Finally, the course ends with an introduction to spectroscopic analysis. The corresponding laboratory experiments will introduce laboratory techniques covered on most professional entrance exams and will reinforce key classroom concepts in the context of separation and purification techniques and an introduction to spectroscopy.
The course is designed to take lecture and lab concurrently for four credits.
Course Prerequisite: Two semesters of college level general chemistry.
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Course Objectives
Lecture
- Classify organic compounds by functional groups.
- Predict acid-base chemistry of organic compounds.
- Evaluate the 3D structure of small organic compounds (isomers, naming, conformations, and stereochemistry).
- Articulate the factors that impact the nucleophilic addition to carbonyls, using curved arrows, reaction profiles, molecular orbitals, and thermodynamics.
- Articulate the factors that impact the nucleophilic substitutions to acid derivatives, using curved arrows, reaction profiles, molecular orbitals, and thermodynamics.
- Transfer an understanding of mechanism and intermediates to predict products of related reactions.
- Explain catalysis of carbonyl reactions in both organic reactions.
- Analyze data from IR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopy to determine the structure of small organic compounds.
Lab
- Explore the theory and practice of using melting point determinations.
- Predict solubility based on functional groups and IMF.
- Demonstrate the theory & practice of recrystallization.
- Demonstrate the theory & practice of chromatography.
- Demonstrate the theory & practice of liquid-liquid extraction.
- Develop a purification scheme for two organic structures using an acid-base extraction.
- Determine a structure using melting point determination and spectral techniques.
- Perform a nucleophilic addition reaction and nucleophilic substitution reaction. Use melting point and spectral analysis to determine the product and purity of the reactions.
Assignments
Worksheets
Each week, you will explore the new topics through the readings, videos, and worksheets. The worksheets are a place for you to take notes, draw, and try to answer problems. The materials are designed to help you walk through key ideas for the week. You can read the texts or watch the videos or play a game while you are doing the worksheets. You might find it effective to move back and forth between these activities. In fact, some of the videos will work through examples in the worksheets! Research shows that active engagement can increase your understanding and retention of the materials. To that end, you are strongly encouraged to print each week’s guided worksheets out first to have them on hand while reading or viewing the learning materials. As they are a form of practice and engagement, you will receive points for completion alone. If you are not understanding a topic through these materials, please contact the instructor!
Achieve Homework
Each week, you will complete one or two short homework assignments in the Achieve system. These homework assignments will be a chance for you to assess your understanding of the key concepts covered during that week.
In these activities, you can view hints without being penalized. You are also able to attempt each question multiple times, but be aware that you will receive a small penalty (5%) for each attempt after your first. Note that you can compare your attempts to chart your progress with a question and review your work. Finally, be sure to review the feedback that you receive to better understand the correct responses. You will be able to see the correct answer after you have submitted your assignment.
Achieve Quizzes
You will complete weekly quizzes in the Achieve platform. These quizzes will be 20 questions and you will have 45 minutes to complete each one. Each quiz will be worth 20 points. They will ensure that you are retaining the material as we progress through the semester.
Discussion Boards
There will be four discussion boards this semester. There is an introductory board to foster a sense of community. There will be two discussion boards on topics of metacognition (how to study and learn). One discussion board will involve a project analyzing who can be a scientist.
Activities
These activities will ask you to apply the knowledge that you are learning. You will create a concept map and an infographic to help you create and communicate connections between related chemistry ideas. You will have the opportunity to complete an optional activity to set goals for utilizing new metacognitive strategies. One final assignment will involve you recording a description of how you solved a spectral problem.
Prelab Quizzes
Each week, you will complete the prelab quizzes to help understand the key foundational information that will be needed to complete the laboratory experiment.
Laboratory Report
Each week, you will complete one or two laboratory reports. You will analyze the data, formulate answers about the results of the experiment, and answer critical thinking questions.
Final Exam
This will be a cumulative exam. It will be a timed and proctored exam. There will be approximately 50 questions. You will have 90 minutes to complete the exam, and you will be allowed to use the official UNE whiteboard. You may also view this Periodic Table in an open browser tab (no printed copies allowed) as well as these NMR Tables and this IR Table.
This assignment is worth 100 points toward your final grade. Two attempts will be available for this exam.
This exam must be taken through ProctorU. See UNE’s Online ProctorU Site for information about signing up and scheduling your exam. A UNE-compliant webcam is required (see the Course Materials section, above, for more information).
For proctored finals, grades will be posted 48-72 hours after taking the exams. At that time, you can expect an unofficial transcript.
Grading Policy
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
| Assignment Category | Number of Assignments & Points | Total Point Values | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Achieve Homework | 7 x 20; Intro 5 | 145 | 16.38% |
| Achieve Quizzes | 7 x 25 pts | 175 | 19.77% |
| Worksheets | 7 x 5 pts | 35 | 3.95% |
| Discussions Boards | 4 x 10 pts | 40 | 4.52% |
| Activities | Infographic (10 pts) Concept Map (10 pts) Spectral Video (20 pts) Meme (5 pts, extra credit) | 40 | 4.52% |
| Prelab Quizzes | 11 x 5 pts | 55 | 6.21% |
| Lab Reports | 11 x 25 pts | 275 | 31.07% |
| Final Exam/Lab Final | 1 x 120 pts | 120 | 13.58% |
| Total | 885 |
Grade Scale
| Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
| A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
| A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
| B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
| B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
| B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
| C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
| C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
| C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
| D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
| F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
Schedule
Week 1: Sep 6 – Sep 12
Week 2: Sep 13 – Sep 19
Week 3: Sep 20 – Sep 26
Week 4: Sep 27 – Oct 3
Week 5: Oct 4 – Oct 10
Week 6: Oct 11 – Oct 17
Week 7: Oct 18 – Oct 24
Week 8: Oct 25 – Oct 31
| Week | Topic | Assignments |
| 1 | Functional Groups, Representations, and Conformations |
Due Sunday, 11:59 PM Week 1 Discussion (first post) Due Tuesday, 11:59 PM Week 1 Discussion (responses) |
| 2 | Conformations and Stereochemistry |
Due Sunday, 11:59 PM Prelab Quiz #3 Due Tuesday, 11:59 PM Concept map |
| 3 |
IR and 13C |
Due Sunday, 11:59 PM Week 3 Discussion (first post) Due Tuesday, 11:59 PM Week 3 Discussion (responses) |
| 4 | Acid-Base Chemistry |
Due Sunday, 11:59 PM Prelab Quiz #7 Due Tuesday, 11:59 PM Achieve |
| 5 | Nucleophilic Addition to Carbonyls |
Due Sunday, 11:59 PM Week 5 Discussion (first post) Due Tuesday, 11:59 PM Week 5 Discussion (responses) |
| 6 | Nucleophilic Substitutions with Acid Derivatives |
Due Sunday, 11:59 PM Week 6 Discussion (first post) Due Tuesday, 11:59 PM Week 6 Discussion (responses) |
| 7 | 1H NMR Spectroscopy |
Due Sunday, 11:59 PM Prelab Quiz #10 Due Tuesday, 11:59 PM Achieve |
| 8 | Review and Final Exam |
Due Sunday, 11:59 PM Spectral Problem Due Tuesday, 11:59 PM Adaptive Quizzes |
Student Resources
Online Student Support
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies. Questions? Email: prehealth@une.edu.
Online Peer Support
Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.
Instructor and Support Contact Information
Check Brightspace for specific instructor and support specialist contact information.
UNE Libraries
- Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Brightspace.
- Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.
Further Assistance
Your student service advisor monitors course progression and provides assistance or guidance when needed. They can assist questions regarding ordering course materials, University policies, billing, navigating the course in Brightspace, and more.
Policies
Attendance Policy
Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.
Assignments
Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted. Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded. Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Proctored Examinations
The University of New England has contracted with ProctorU to provide students with the most convenient online exam proctoring system. This system provides a simple, no cost to the student, secure, online proctor for exams and allows the student to take all the exams at home and on their own schedule.
Upon enrollment into the course, each student will register with ProctorU and establish a login name and password. This will give the student access to all of ProctorU's services. When ready, students will schedule each of their proctored exams with ProctorU. Exams must be scheduled at least 72 hours in advance to avoid fees. Prior to taking their exams, students must be sure that they have downloaded the ProctorU Chrome or Firefox extension and are using the most current version of Chrome or Firefox. They must also be sure their testing site's connection meets the minimum requirements by using ProctorU's "Test It Out" utility.
Upon the exam day and hour, students will log in to ProctorU and click on "exams". After following the procedures outlined at ProctorU's website, the student will log in to Brightspace and locate their correct exam. The proctor will then allow student access to that exam.
Students must use ProctorU and must follow all proctoring requirements for their exams to be credited.
Information about exam attempts can be found in your course.
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Programs: Technical Requirements
Course Length
A schedule of lectures and assignments is included in this syllabus.
Courses in the program are equivalent to one-semester courses designed to be completed in 6 or 8 weeks
- Enrollment in the course begins the day your section opens which is listed in the Academic Calendar found on the Student Success Portal.
- Course due dates, start and end dates are in respect to Eastern Time.
Withdrawal and Refund Policies
Please review the policies in your confirmation email. Contact PreHealth@une.edu with any questions.
Grade Policy
Students are expected to attempt and complete all graded assignments and proctored exams by the end date of the course. Contact support with any questions.
Transcripts
Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, only the student may request official transcripts. This may be done online by going to the University of New England Registrar website and following the directions on the page.
Academic Integrity
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submission of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.