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Summer School runs for six weeks over January and February. Summer School provides an intensive and more intimate learning experience. You'll immerse yourself in chemistry in smaller classes on a quieter campus.

Why take a Summer School Chemistry paper?

Students take Chemistry Summer School papers for many reasons:

  • Complete their degrees
  • Speed up their degrees
  • Make good use of time
  • Manage workload
  • For interest
  • Study elsewhere via distance learning

CHEM150 - Concepts in Chemistry

Overview

CHEM150 is an 18-point course available in Summer School

This course is designed for students with limited chemistry backgrounds, and provides students with the necessary theory and practical skills to successfully continue into first-year chemistry courses such as CHEM191. This course is also useful for students in other science disciplines who need to improve their chemistry knowledge. CHEM150 will count towards any degree which allows a science paper to be credited to it.

More information about CHEM150 - Concepts in Chemistry

The course is six weeks long.

  • The first four weeks will be taught, and assessed, entirely online (using Blackboard, the University of Otago's Learning Management System). Topics include Stoichiometry, Equilibria, Thermochemistry, Redox, Acid-Base Chemistry and Main Group and Organic Chemistry. This section of the course does not require students to be on campus. Students will need reliable access to the Internet to access and complete this part of the course.
  • The last two weeks comprise lectures/tutorials and laboratory classes that will run all day. Topics covered will include those listed above, but also aspects of experimental chemistry and an introduction to the techniques of the chemistry laboratory. This section of the course will require students to be on campus.

The full-time nature of the last two weeks of the course means that students will not be able to enrol for other Summer School papers if they are doing CHEM150.

Restrictions

  1. Students who have achieved 14 credits of NCEA level 2 chemistry or more, or any credits of NCEA level 3 chemistry (or their equivalents) will need Head of Department approval to enrol in the course. Such students should complete this form and send it to the chemistry department for our consideration.
  2. CHEM150 cannot be taken if CHEM191 or CHEM111 has been passed previously.

Assessment

  • Online Assignments (4 x 2 hours, one per week) - 40%
  • Laboratory Exit Tests (1 per laboratory) - 20%
  • Final examination (2 hours) - 40%

Textbook (Recommended)

Foundations of College Chemistry 14th Edition, Hein and Arena, Wiley, 2012

Course Co-ordinator

Dr David A McMorran
Tel +64 3 479 7934
Location Science II, Gc2
Email davidm@chemistry.otago.ac.nz

Accommodation for CHEM150 Students

Accommodation is NOT included in the course fee. If you require accommodation for the on campus component of this course, please contact University College:

Summer School accommodation booking

University College Office
Tel +64 3 479 5580
Email unicol@otago.ac.nz

CHEM191-SS - The Chemical Basis of Biology and Human Health (Summer school)

Overview

CHEM191 is an 18-point paper available during Summer School.

An introduction to the concepts of chemistry underlying important processes in biology and human health, including energetics, kinetics, equilibria and solubility, properties of water and solutions, acids, bases, complexation and electron transfer, hydrolysis, amino acids and proteins.

This paper will be similar to CHEM191 although there will be no laboratory component. The laboratory mark obtained from the first semester paper will be carried over to the summer paper.

More information about CHEM191-SS - The Chemical Basis of Biology and Human Health (Summer school)

Prerequisites
Students must have attained a minimum of 7.5 out of 15 for the Laboratory assessment in CHEM 191 in the First Semesterbutfailed overall in the course.

Lecture times

Lecture
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 10:00am and Friday 10:00am (week six)
Tutorial
Monday and Wednesday 2:00pm or 3:00pm
Terms Test
Friday 10:00am (week three)

Assessment

CHEM191 Lab grade
(carried over from semester one): 15%
Test
(plussage with semester one test grade): 15%
Final examination
(3 hours): 70%

Textbooks

Main
Chemistry - The Central Science (3rd Ed) Brown, LeMay, Bursten, Murphy, Woodward, Langford, Sagatys, George, Pearson 2014
Supplementary
Aylward, G. H. & Findlay, T. J. V., SI Chemical Data, Wiley

Course Co-ordinator

Dr David Warren
Tel +64 3 479 4102
Location Science II, Gc3
Email dwarren@chemistry.otago.ac.nz

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