Chem 590

Course coordinator
Home
Modules
1. Structure-based inhibitor design
2. Magnetism
3. Mass spectrometry
4. EPR spectroscopy
5. Heteronuclear NMR
6. Metals in organic synthesis
7. X-ray crystallography
8. Practical computer programming for chemists
Syllabus

Syllabus

This page is an expansion of the brief notes on the home page. It includes a FAQ section, which will be updated with questions and answers as they arrive. Please address questions to the course coordinator.

Graduates only

Only graduate students can get credit for the course; it is not offered to undergraduates. The modular nature of the course means it is poorly suited to an undergraduate timetable, and it is desirable to keep numbers relatively low for the each module to allow a somewhat less conventional style of teaching. Undergraduates may sit in on particular modules if they are given permission by the instructor, but will not receive any direct credit for their participation. This situation is most likely for undergraduates doing a 498 or 499 project with direct relevance to a particular topic covered in one of the modules.

Modular course

It is a modular course. Seven modules will be offered by different faculty members, each of which will cover the equivalent of eight hours worth of delivery (lectures, discussion, hands-on participation, student presentations, etc.) and one hour of assessment. The exact modules offered are likely to differ from year to year.

Timing

Modules will be offered throughout the Fall and Spring terms at the discretion of the instructor. There is no set time or classroom for the course. Students will sign up at the start of the fall term for four of seven modules. These should be chosen in consultation with your research supervisor, who may have some specific recommendations. Students may not sign up for more than 4 modules, but may sit in on others with the approval of the instructor.

Updates

If you have registered for the course, you will be alerted by email notifying you of updates to this website concerning the timing of module offerings. Your email address will be provided to instructors whose modules you have signed up for, so you may also be contacted directly by them.

Assessment

Students must complete four modules. Individual instructors will decide on the means of assessment for their module. Each of the completed modules will carry equal weight for the purposes of establishing an overall grade for the course.

Frequently asked questions

Q. How do I register for Chem 590?
A. Just email the course coordinator, and let him know you'd like to take the course. Please let him know your student number and what modules you'd like to take. Because this is a new course with a 590 designation, it requires a Pro forma registration (as "590" may be taken more than once for credit, provided the topic is different, so without a Pro forma registration form, there would be no way of tracking the topic of the courses). When notified to do so, you'll have to sign a form at the chemistry office.

Q. I'm a grad student who has completed my course requirements, but I'd like to sit in on one (or more) of the modules. Is this OK?
A. This is unlikely to be a problem unless numbers are just too high for a particular module to handle; most of the faculty are unlikely to mind. However, you won't be assessed and students who are actually taking the course are likely to be given priority for any hands-on sessions. You should email the course coordinator with your interest. You will be added to the email list for the module, and it will be up to the individual instructors as to whether they open the course to other grads. You will get an email notifying you of the decision before the module starts.

Q. Do any modules have prerequisites?
No specific courses are required, but, for example, the heteronuclear NMR module demands that you have already been trained on the use of NMR software. If you are concerned about your lack of background in the general area of a particular module, you should ask the appropriate instructor for more information.

Q. What if some modules turn out to be really hard and some really easy?
Inevitably, some modules will be perceived by some students as a cakewalk and others as challenging; however, this is usually a function of experience rather than the level at which the material is pitched.

Q. Does your grade depend a lot on what modules you happen to pick rather than how well relatively you do in the module?
No. Grade averages and ranges are reasonably similar between modules.

Q. How can I comment on the course or a particular module anonymously?
Feedback on the course can be sent via the form on the course coordinator page.