Currently enrolled Lafayette students may fulfill general requirements by taking courses at other institutions, as outlined by the Office of the Registrar. When transferring chemistry courses, the Chemistry Department has specific requirements:
- Accreditation: Courses must be taken at a department approved by the American Chemical Society (ACS).
- Course Format: Both the lecture and laboratory components must be conducted in person.
- Lab Requirement: If the equivalent Lafayette course includes a lab (e.g., CHEM 103, 107, 108, 221, 222, 231, 331, 342), the transfer course must also include a laboratory component. Many institutions separate lecture and lab into distinct courses (e.g., a 3-credit lecture and a 1-credit lab). In such cases, students must complete both components for the course to transfer as a Lafayette equivalent course.
- Approval Requirement: Prior approval from the Department Head is required before enrolling in any chemistry course at another institution.
- Advanced Electives: Chemistry and Biochemistry majors intending to transfer advanced elective courses—particularly from international institutions—must consult with the Department Head before registration for those courses.
- Course Sequencing Note: CHEM 221 (Organic Chemistry I) at Lafayette follows a unique topic sequence designed to prepare students for CHEM 351 (Survey of Biochemistry). While students may take Organic Chemistry I elsewhere at an ACS-approved institution, the difference in sequencing may not provide adequate preparation for Lafayette’s CHEM 222 (Organic Chemistry II) or CHEM 351. Students should take this into consideration when planning to take Organic Chemistry I at another institution.