In 1963, Claremont Men's College in- stituted a new science major program. The disciplines of chemistry and physics were brought together not only in the freshman year, as has been done at a num- her of colleges%, hut at other levels as well. In 1964 Pitzer College and Scripps College joined the program through the formation of a tri-college Joint Science Department. Together with Harvey Mudd College, Pomona College, and the Claremont Graduate School, these institutions make up a federation of individual colleges. The six schools occupy contiguous campuses, and students may cross-register for courses on any of the campuses at no extra cost.

Because of the existence of strong science programs a t Harvev Mudd and Pomona Collenes, it seemed unwise

George G. Lowry' Claremont Men's College

Claremont, California 91711

to esiablish another "traditional;' science major. Since few major students were anticipated, economies in course structure, facilities, and staff were desired. These considerations, and a realization that science really is not neatly compartmented anyway, moti- vated this unique integrated approach.

With the hope that our experience might be of some value to other schools considering or experimenting with similar curricular programs, this critical progress report is offered.

Features of #he Program

The present curriculum is outlined in Tables 1 and 2. Students major in one of the two fields rather than in a hybrid discipline.

In the first year, physics and chemistry are combined in thefirst semester only, followed by a concurrent, rather than sequential, second semester pair of courses. Most

An Integrated Physics-Chemistry

Curriculum for Science Maiors

Presented, in part, to the Division of Chemical Education a t the 154th ACS Meeting, Chicago, September, 1967.

Present address: Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49001.

Fuller, E. C., J. CHI:M. EDUC., 44, 542 11967).

Table 1. Required Science and Mathematics Courses

Major - Both Chemistry

Semester Chemistry & Physics Phyaioa

Freshman, Fall . . Physics-Chemistry . . . Chlculus I

Freshman, . . . Chemistry I1 . . . spring Pliysios 11

Calolllus I1 Sophomore, Organio Cdculus Theoretical

Fall Chemistry I Meohhnios Sophomore. Orgarno Electronio Instru- Theoretical

Spnnz Chemistry 11 mentation Lab E B h< Differentlsl

Eilu&tions Junior, Fall . . . Phfios-Chemistry . . .

LL, Junior, Spring . . . Physics-Chemistry . . .

I" Senior, Fall Chemistry Research and Physics Eleotive

Eleotive Seminar Senior. Spring Chemistry Remarch snd Phyrica Elective

Elective Tiiesir

Table 2. Chemistry and Physics Course Descriptions

Title Description

Physics-Chemistry I A study of Newtonian mechanics and energetics, leading to the kinetic theory of matter, atomic and molecular structure, periodic- ity, the chemical bond, and thermodynamics.

Physics I1 Electrical measurements, dc and ac circuits, electronics, the origin and properties of wave motion in- cluding inertid, artcoutic, and electromagnetic waves:

Chemistry I1 Properties of solutions, oxidation- reduction, k~netics, equilibrium, and descriptive chemistry of the elements. Laboratory covers basic sspects of quantitative and qualitative analysis.

Organic Chemistry I, I1 An integrabed approach to the chemistry of aliphatic and mo- mstic ca&poundi with emphasis on structure, synthesis, and mechanism of reactions. Lahora- tory includes syntheses and quali- tative and quantitative methods, both classical and modern instru- mental.

Theoretical Mechanics Application of classical mechanics to statics and dynamics of rigid bodies, central force motions, oscillators, and deformable solids.

Electronic Instrumentation Theory and practice of electronics in Lab scientific instrumentation devel-

oped through the use of the Malmstadt-Enke texto and the Flenth enninment." ~- ~ ~ L ~ ~ ~ r ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~

Theoretical E & M Fields, potential, dc and ac circuits, and ?pplications of Maxwell's eqnst~ons.

Physics-Chemistry 111, 177 Principles of quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, thermodv-

Electives

namics, and transport processks

&a anaiysis, and instrumental methods.

Advanced cowses in major field taken s t IIarvey Mudd College or Pomona. College are chosen in canadtation w t h the student's advisor. Chemistry majors nor- mally take one inorganic course and one analytical course.

Research, Seminar & Two semesters. Each student car- Thesis ries out original experimentation

or theoretical investigation under the guidance of a facult,y mem- ber. Ile presents oral progress reports end prepares a. written Senior Thesis which he also pre- sents orally to the faculty and other students.

"MALMSTADT, H. V., ENKB, C. G., A N D TOREN, E. C., JR., "Electronics for Scientists," W. A. Benjamin, h e . , New York, 1 Ofi? >""".

Electronics Lab No. EU-100A, Heath Company, Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Volume 46, Number 6, June 1969 / 393

of the common subject matter is put into the first semester (along with Newtonian mechanics and ener- getics); the rest of the usual first year material in each field is covered in the second semester. I n this way, students obtain about the equivalent of a full year of physics and of chemistry from the three one-semester courses.

I n Physics-Chemistry I a physicist and a chemist teach as a team. Both viewpoints (on topics such as quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, etc.) are pre- sented as a dialog vis-d-vis rather than as separate ideas in different classrooms. A demanding, calculus-bascd approach to mechanics is a background for other sub- jects. Applications to molecular motion are used as prime examples during the treatment of mechanics. An effort is made to integrate physics and chemistry rather than merely tack together "units" of the two disciplines.

Analytical chemistry is treated as an integral part of all chemical experimentation. Theoretical aspects are discussed, and techniques arc used, in all chemistry courses. The Electronic Instrumentation Lab, and the use of a Barnes Educational Spectrometer3 in the Physics-Chemistry I11 laboratory, help students avoid the "black box" feeling when they use instrumental methods.

Physics-Chemistry 111, IV is highly theoretical, using Eggers, et aL4, with supplementary material on t r a n s nort theorv and on nuclear structure. Ex~eriments are A~ " from Shoemaker and Garlands supplemented by mate- rial in modern physics.

Critical Evaluation

The economy of this program is one of its greatest advantages. However, a significant intangible ad- vantage is that it forces both students and faculty in the two fields to work closely with problems and people of the other discipline. Most faculty members, and some students, feel this is an enriching experience. Unfortunately, some students simply go through the motions of what they feel is "outside their field" rather than take advantage of the breadth available. Even so, the experience probably is valuable.

After five years, we remain committed to the com- bined first semester and split second semester courses in physics and chemistry. Experience of students who take further courses in competition with those who have had the more usual one-year sequence in cither dis- cipline indicates no significant deficiency in the branched three-semester program.

JBarnes Educational Spectrometer, Model ES-100, Barnes Engineering Co., 30 Commerce Road, Sbamford, Connecticut,.

4 E ~ 0 a ~ s , D. F., JR., GIUCGORY, N. W., II.\LsI.:Y, G. I)., JR., AND R n n ~ N o v l ~ c ~ , B. S., "Physical Chemistry," John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1964.

6 S ~ o ~ r ~ n ~ ~ s ~ , D. P., AND GARL~ND, C. W., "Experiments in Physical Chemistry," McGrrtw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, 1 0 6 2 ~

Distribution curves drawn in Figure 1 were eornputcd using a &term Gram-Charlier series fit to moments of o w actual data and to moments computed from condensed norm data appearing in J . CHISM. EDUC., 41, 166 (1964). ' WRIDNI:~, I<. T., A N D SI:I,LS, I<. L., "Elementary Classicd

Physics," Vol. I, Allyn & Bacon, h e . , Boston, 1965; snd BHESCIA, F., ARENTS, J., MI:ISLICH, H., A N D TUI~K, A,, "Fundarnontxls of Chemistry-A Modern Intt~oduction," Academic Press, New York, 1966.

The ACS Cooperative General Chemistry Test, Form 1963, is given as a final exam in Chemistry 11. The combined results of five classes (totalling 181 students) in this program are shown in the figure with the national norm results! These students com- pare favorably with the national Q Group even though they have had only five laboratory periods of qualita- tive analysis (comparable to the national N-Q Group).

Originally Physics-Chemistry I was taught by a physical ehemist (the author) and in 1966-67 i t was taught by a physicist. Neither approach was ideal; since 1967 the two have taught it as a team, doing a much better job than either could do individually. This seems a critical aspect of such as interdisciplinary course.

The problem of a textbook remains a serious limita- tion of such a course. Currently a physics text and a chemistry text are used.? The combination is good, but the students become slightly confused from skip- ping around in and between books. A single, well- written book would greatly improve the situation.

Many students complain that the curriculum is too physical and too mathematical for chemistry and biology majors (a biological science major program was initiated in 1964). This is not true for the better students. However, for other students, new courses were introduced last year. A one semester Chem- istry I course is available in the fall semester. I t is a less physical approach to the same chemical topics of Physics-Chemistry I, and will satisfy the pre- requisite for Chemistry 11. A two semester General Physics course a t less sophisticated level than the Phys- ics-Chemistry I , Physics I1 sequence is also avail- able. Thus, for students who prefer it, a four-semester course approach to the basic physics and chemistry is available as an alternative to the three-semester branched sequenee.

The Physics-Chemistry 111, IV sequence has been taught entirely by a physical chemist (the author), hut i t seems desirable to use a chemist-physicist team, just as with Physics-Chemistry I , to obtain a better balance of viewpoint. Also, students in each of the disciplines may not get enough emphasis on some im- portant t,opics because of the necessity to compromise

----NAT

-.-.-p,a - JSD

RAW S C O R E Comparison of results on ACS Cooperative General Chemistry Test, Form 1963, for students on this program IJSDI with those on the national norms. The curves lobeled Q, NQ, and NAT .re for the Q-Group, N-Q-Group, ond overall groups included in the doto for the notional norms.

394 / Journal o f Chemical Education

subject mabter in interdisciplinary courses. One possible solut,ion is to use a branching sequence much like t,hat in the freshman year. Thus, the fundamen- tal theories could be taught in the first semester and separate classes used for applications to each field during the second semester.

A student completing this overall curriculum can still be somewhat lacking in preparation for graduate work. Partly for this reason, a course in advanced synthetic techniques and methods of organic and in- organic chemistry has been added. I t uses both library and laboratory work and is t.ailored t,o t.he individual student. Those who take this course in addition to the curriculum of Table 1 will have met essentially the recommendations of the "ACS degree."

Initially the senior year seminar, research, and thesis sequence consisted of a semester of seminar and a semes- ter of research and thesis. The first semester course was a real "worlcing" seminar in which all faculty and senior students in the two disciplines participated (no spectators) in discussion of advanced, specialized, or modern topics of interest. The second semester was a research and thesis project, for which the literature search and plan of attack presumably were to be ac- complished during the first semester along with the

seminar. Two changes have resulted from experience with this approach.

One semester of research is not enough to do nny- thing significant even a t the senior level, but two semes- ters may be. Also, the seminar seems to be a good idea in principle, but i t is an expensive luxury. One semes- ter of seminar and research plus onc semester of re- search and thcsis have been replaced by two semesters of research and thesis. However, an oral presentat,ion of the theses to ~ t~udents and faculty for discussion is still required in order to retain some of the benefits of the seminar.

One problem with t,he joint seminar ideas has be- come evident. Even though both physics and chem- istry students have t,aken some joint courses, they have also taken some separate courses. As a result, seminar discussions of many advanced t,opics by st,udent.s of either discipline seem lost. on student,^ in the ot,her field. While some topics are suitable for the joint group (e.g., chemical physics), we arc reluctant t,o limit discussion to these restricted areas. We feel t,hat, one of t,he strengths of t,he pmgmm is that it forces some involve- ment and int,craction in areas t,hat are not common t,o both fields. This does help to st,imulate interest and encourages new and useful insights.

Volume 46, Number 6, June 1969 / 395