Undergraduate Advising

Current or prospective Chemistry students can contact one of the Chemistry Department Undergraduate Advisors below for assistance with declaring a major or minor, registering for classes, applying for graduation, and any other questions that may come up.

Declaring a Chemistry Major or minor

To declare a Chemistry major or minor, students must fill out the Undergraduate Major/Minor Declaration Form and return it to a Chemistry advisor. Students declaring the major should indicate on the form if they intend to complete the Chemistry concentration (UC15) or Biochemistry concentration (UC14). After declaring a major or minor, students should obtain approval for major or minor courses from the department advisor before beginning their study. Students should plan to meet with an advisor at least once each semester to make sure they are completing all required courses and are on track to graduate.

Transfer students majoring in Chemistry are expected to contact their department advisor immediately so that their transfer credits may be evaluated and an appropriate program of study developed. Transfer students must take a minimum of 12 credit hours in Chemistry, including three 300-level Chemistry courses at Northeastern Illinois University. Transfer credit within the major will be given for grades of “C” or better.

REGISTering FOR CHEMISTrY COURSES

Students may register online for Chemistry courses for which they have met the prerequisites. If a prerequisite was taken elsewhere, the student may need to contact a Chemistry advisor for authorization before they can register. It is important that transfer students who have not had their courses evaluated by the Chemistry Department advisor do so prior to registering. Note that a student may advance register for a course while enrolled in the prerequisite course, but must complete the prerequisite with a “C” or better to remain registered.

Chemistry courses are designed to be taken in sequence. Students will not be permitted to register for courses if they do not have credit for the required prerequisites. 

Undergraduate students are encouraged to participate in research programs with faculty members and may take CHEM-305 Independent Study in Chemistry, 3 cr., and CHEM-399 Undergraduate Research, 3 cr. for that purpose. Internship with local chemical industries and laboratories are also encouraged through CHEM-365, Internship in Chemistry I, 6 cr. Please consult with a Chemistry advisor concerning registration for these courses.

Students should also be aware of the University requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Applying For Graduation

In order to file for graduation, you must:

1. Be an officially declared Chemistry major.

2. Fill out the Undergraduate Application for Graduation.

3. Obtain an Academic Course Record form for the major from the Chemistry Department office, and an Academic Course Record form for the minor from your minor department, if you have a minor.

4. Make an appointment with the Chemistry Department advisor. Bring the completed ACR form along with a copy of your transfer evaluation (if you are a transfer student).

5. If you have a minor, you must also complete the ACR form for your minor and have it approved by the advisor in your minor department.

6. Submit the Application for Graduation and Academic Course Record forms for the major (and minor, if applicable) electronically to gradeval@neiu.edu.

Filing deadlines for graduation are generally:

For exact deadlines, please contact the Office of Enrollment Services.

Transfer Credit for Students with Foreign Credentials

Courses from foreign colleges and universities must have been completed at the appropriate level in order to be eligible for transfer credit consideration. An evaluation of transfer credits is prepared by the University’s Admissions Office for all transfer students admitted to Northeastern. This evaluation statement should be presented to the Chemistry advisor at the time the student declares their major.

Students should request a department-level evaluation as soon as possible after being admitted to the University. Courses accepted by the University do not necessarily meet specific program requirements for the bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. Coursework transferred for credit in the Chemistry major is subject to approval by the Chemistry advisors.

Students with foreign credentials must take a minimum of the following six courses in order to earn a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry:

Additional coursework in Chemistry, Math, or Physics may be required.