Bringing Chemistry Majors into Real-World Settings to Increase Motivation and Performance

The curriculum for CHEM 1715: Introductory Chemistry Seminar was created for the Department of Chemistry at Columbus State University (CSU) to expose present and prospective chemistry majors to the areas of scholarship and research across the various disciplines of chemistry. The purpose of CHEM 1715 is to demonstrate the value of connecting a major and degree to their future career options. The course involves special opportunities such as invited panelists, topical presentations, and regional field trips to local industries. Course instruction is accompanied by reading, writing, and multimedia assignments that spotlight essential undergraduate research skills, such as literature reviews, quantitative reasoning, critical use of primary sources, the identification of a research problem, critical analysis of texts, and confrontations with safety measures. These immersive experiences equip the students with a background of chemical knowledge and soft skills critical to utilizing their chemistry degrees. This course also enables the students to see their “future selves.” The results from CHEM 1715 enrollment and participation lead to involvement in departmental activities and student organizations. Students have reported a stronger sense of clarity and confidence as chemistry majors.