Introductory Chemistry Courses and Placement

A student who earns a 4 or 5 on the AP Chemistry exam will receive three credits for CHEM 103 General Chemistry I. If the student also meets the math requisite for CHEM 109 Advanced General Chemistry (below), they are usually advised to take CHEM 109 to complete their general chemistry requirements. Learn more about how to earn credit at UW-Madison from AP coursework.

A student who earns a 4 or 5 on the International Baccalaureate (IB) higher level Chemistry exam will receive four credits for CHEM 103. If the student also meets the math requisite for CHEM 109 Advanced General Chemistry (below), they are usually advised to take CHEM 109 to complete their general chemistry requirements.

A score of 6 or 7  on the IB higher level Chemistry exam will earn four credits for CHEM 103 and five credits for CHEM 104. These students are ready for an intermediate level chemistry course. Learn more about how to earn credit at UW-Madison from IB coursework.

This course sequence is the traditional one-year introductory chemistry sequence that the majority of students needing chemistry will take. CHEM 103 (4 credits) is taken first, followed by CHEM 104 (5 credits).

• Offered fall, spring, and summer terms
• Math Requisite: Placement out of MATH 112 on UW Math Placement Test, which means at least 470 on Math Fundamentals and 540 on Advanced Algebra; completion of MATH 112, MATH 114, MATH 171 or equivalent also satisfies the requisite, as does calculus credit from AP/IB exams.
• HS Chem: The vast majority of students have had at least one year of high school chemistry.

CHEM 108 (5 credits) teaches chemistry through contemporary topics such as air quality, energy, food, plastics, nuclear chemistry, and global climate change. This course is intended for students who need just one semester of chemistry with laboratory. Students majoring in nursing, business, life sciences communication, agricultural and applied economics, rehabilitation psychology, and wildlife ecology are among those who select CHEM 108. This course (like all chemistry courses) counts towards College of Letters & Science breadth requirements in physical science. CHEM 108 does not serve as a prerequisite for any further chemistry courses.

• Offered spring semesters only
• Requisites: None

CHEM 109 (5 credits) is an accelerated introductory chemistry course recommended for students with an especially strong high school chemistry and math background. The course covers the breadth of the material from CHEM 103/104, skipping the more basic concepts and focusing in depth on the more comprehensive topics, such as atomic and molecular structure, biomolecules and polymers, equilibrium, thermodynamics, kinetics, acid-base chemistry, and electrochemistry. Students are expected to be familiar with these prerequisite topics and to have strong college-level study skills.

• Offered fall semesters only
• Math Requisite: Placement into MATH 221 (1st semester calculus) on UW Math Placement test, which means at least 470 on Math Fundamentals, 540 on Advanced Algebra, and 560 on Trig and Analytic Geometry; credit for calculus from course work or AP/IB exams also satisfies the requisite.
• High School Chemistry:  Most students who complete CHEM 109 have had two years of high school chemistry. Students with one year of high school chemistry are welcome in CHEM 109, but they will need to work harder to perform satisfactorily. About 77% of students who completed CHEM 109 reported scores from AP or IB Chemistry exams.
• High School Math: About 64% of students who completed CHEM 109 reported scores from AP or IB Calculus exams.

The honors section of CHEM 109 (lecture 3) for fall 2021 will adhere to the same course structure as non-honors CHEM 109, and it will cover the same content. The main goal in pursuing Honors credit is to master a portion of the course material more deeply by engaging in creative activity relevant to the material. The requisites are the same as those for the non-honors sections of CHEM 109 (lectures 1 and 2). To ensure that students know that they are enrolling in an honors section, they will need to request access from the Chemistry Consultant or by emailing undergrad@chem.wisc.edu.

Learn more about the honors section of CHEM 109.

CHEM 115/116 Chemical Principles I/II is a two-semester mathematically based honors chemistry sequence designed for well-prepared and highly motivated first year students with an interest in science or engineering. The goal of this unique sequence is to expose freshman to the frontiers of science, which is much sooner than is usually possible in the first year of college. The physical and experimental origins of key chemical models are emphasized, focusing on quantum mechanics, which is a subject that chemistry majors do not typically learn until they are juniors or seniors. Advanced mathematics and physics are used as needed. Lecture material connects basic chemical principles with state-of-the-art research and in 116, students are placed into research laboratories for guided research over 7 weeks. The class size is small with about 28-32 students.

Learn more about the CHEM 115/116 sequence and how to apply.

We recommend that students consider taking CHEM 109 instead of CHEM 103 if they:

• Placed into MATH 221 (required) or higher or have AP/IB test credit or transfer credit for calculus
• Completed two years of high school chemistry or at least one full-year of a rigorous chemistry course that covered only chemistry, as opposed to a course where chemistry is one of several science topics. The course(s) should have covered stoichiometry, atomic structure, thermochemistry, bonding and molecular structure, equilibrium, acids and bases, and kinetics.
• Did well in both chemistry and math in high school and enjoy learning chemistry
• Would like an accelerated and challenging chemistry course
• Have college-level study skills – includes the ability to learn content and work problems independently, seek clarification from appropriate course resources, solve novel problems, and manage time effectively

CHEM 103 is usually a better option for students who:

• Placed out of MATH 112 College Algebra (required) or have college credit for MATH 112, 114, or 171, but do not have a strong (or any) calculus background
• Completed one year of high school chemistry, but do not meet the other criteria for CHEM 109 listed above
• Prefer a less fast-paced option than CHEM 109 offers
• Did not enjoy math or chemistry courses in high school and/or found them to be especially challenging
• Are not an entering first-year student (i.e., a transfer or continuing student)

The Department of Chemistry offers credit by examination for the lecture only parts of CHEM 103 and CHEM 104. Learn more about the exams and eligibility requirements.