General Chemistry in Just One Semester for All Majors

We have successfully developed a one-semester general chemistry course that meets the primary learning goals of the traditional two-semester sequence. It is appropriate for physical, life, and earth science majors. Since implementation, 88% of students who start general chemistry complete it, an increase from 72% in our prior traditional curriculum. Scores on a full-year ACS general chemistry exam are almost the same, as are attitudes as measured by the CLASS-Chemistry instrument. Thus, one-semester general chemistry is more efficient, allowing students to move on to additional STEM courses quicker without impacting learning of core content. By increasing completion rates through general chemistry, we have removed a key barrier for students majoring in STEM fields. As well, students now can proceed through organic chemistry and biochemistry by the end of their second year, consistent with the increased emphasis on the chemistry of biological systems for the life sciences and in admissions to medical school. This reform can be implemented by schools that value the traditional quantitative and broad content of general chemistry without modifying later courses or disrupting other departments.