Chemistry

The chemistry major requires 45 semester hours in chemistry. Students must declare their major by the time they have completed 60 semester hours. Transfer students must take at least 14 upper division chemistry hours, including CHEM 4128, 4518 or 4538, in residency at the Downtown Campus. A student who has declared a chemistry major at UC Denver may not take additional chemistry courses outside of the department for the purpose of applying those credits toward meeting the requirements of the major without prior written approval of the undergraduate advisor. Normally, no more than 3 additional hours of transfer credits will be allowed. The minimum grade in chemistry courses is C- (1.7) and a minimum chemistry GPA of 2.0 is required in chemistry and ancillary required courses.

• 45 credit hours of chemistry courses
• 16 hours of the 45 credit hours must be at the upper division level 
  (3000 level or higher)
• 12 credit hour sequence of calculus and analytic geometry
• 10 credit hours of calculus-based physics (lecture and lab).

Required Chemistry Courses

Freshman admission consideration for both in-state and out-of-state students is based primarily upon:

1. Quality and number of high school courses (units) attempted (a rigorous academic program of study is preferred)
2. The admission index, which is a numeric score calculated by the Colorado Department of Higher Education based on GPA or rank in class and ACT or SAT test scores.
3. Optional personal essay and letters of recommendation. Though not required, a personal statement or essay and/or letters of recommendation may be considered in the admissions review process

General Admission

You are a strong candidate for general admission if:

1. Your index is 93 or higher
2. You have completed all HEAR requirements AND have no more than two MAPS unit deficiencies

TEST SCORES: ACT/SAT

Results are mandatory for international students who have graduated from a U.S. high school or those seeking freshman admission directly to the College of Engineering and Applied Science programs. For engineering students, admission to CU Denver is still possible without these scores by way of the Pre-Engineering program in the College of Liberal Arts and Science.

TEST SCORES: TOEFL, IELTS, OR PTE

Applicants will be considered to have obtained the required English language proficiency if they meet satisfactory scores (below) or one of the additional options:

SCORE REQUIREMENTS:

TOEFL

Minimum TOEFL Score Accepted: 75 IBT / 537 PBT

IELTS

Minimum IELTS Score Accepted: 6.5

The TOEFL/IELTS requirement can be waived if an applicant has graduated from the ESL Academy. Information regarding other considerations for exemption, including country of citizenship/origin, and special circumstances can be found here. Please note that some graduate level programs will require a higher score on the TOEFL/IELTS and applicants should consult the department for additional details

PTE ACADEMIC

Minimum PTE Academic Score Accepted: 51

TThe Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) is currently in a pilot review at the University of Colorado Denver. We will accept a 51 PTE Academic score with the following subscores:

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) invites undergraduate and graduate students to apply for available scholarships every spring semester, beginning in February. The scholarships are merit and need based, ranging from $300 - $1000.

Featured Scholarships

• Melvin Albaum (Continuing Undergraduates, Need Based)
• Phyllis Weisheit Schultz (Continuing Undergraduates, Merit Based)
• Joseph Ben Trujillo (All students, Need Based)

National Scholarship Programs

You must be nominated and supported through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for applications to national scholarship programs.