Schools and Departments

Schools/Departments

The Chemistry Department at Mesa College has an excellent reputation in preparation of students both for transfer and employment. We offer a wide array of courses and programs designed to help students prepare themselves for their future.

The Chemistry Technician Program is now approved by the American Chemical Society.

Our general (200, 200L, 201, 201L) and organic chemistry (231, 231L, 233 and 233L) are university level courses designed for those students going into the science or pre-professional majors. As the general chemistry track is quite rigorous, we offer preparatory courses, (152 and 152L) to give students the tools to be successful in general chemistry. We also offer a series of courses (100, 130 and 160) designed for students pursuing careers in the allied health fields.

In addition to these, we offer both Techniques in Biochemistry (161) (where students get practical experience in common biochemistry lab techniques), as well as an excellent analytical chemistry course (251). The analytical chemistry course is both a transfer course (for chemistry, biochemistry and related majors), and a skills updating course for those already working in the field. Finally, we offer a course that examines how the pharmaceutical industry works (255). As most of our courses require a laboratory component, our students become adept at not only chemical theory, but also the practical aspects of chemistry.

The department also offers several certificates and Associate's degrees that will enable students not only to transfer, but to gain employment. We have an excellent reputation as a transfer institution and also have strong alliances with local industry. These two aspects make our students well-prepared for transfer to universities or employment in local industry.

Mission Statement / SLO

Mission Statement

The San Diego Mesa College Chemistry Department offers several levels of chemistry courses ranging from introductory level courses for nonscience majors to majors level chemistry. The student population in the courses is very diverse as well. For this reason, the mission of the San Diego Mesa College Chemistry Department is three-fold and as follows:

• To prepare transfer students for upper division science courses.
• To prepare students for jobs or careers in the sciences and health industries.
• To provide a basic understanding of scientific principles to prepare students to make informed decisions about issues they will face as responsible citizens.

Chemistry SLOs

1. Communication : Demonstrates ability to report scientific information appropriately.
2. Critical Thinking : Utilizes the scientific method to analyze and interpret data.
3. Technology awareness : Investigates questions utilizing modern and appropriate tools.
4. Personal responsibility : Comes prepared for class and does assigned work thoughtfully.
5. Environmental responsibility : Demonstrates understanding of impact of chemistry on environment and society.

Scholarship

The chemistry department annually offers two $500 scholarships to students with declared majors in chemistry or related fields. The applications are handled through the student affairs office at Mesa College and are typically due in February. Information on this process can be found at Mesa Scholarships

We strongly urge you to apply!