How important are the math and/or chemistry prerequisites for a chemistry course? Very important!  In a sense, a Chemistry course is an applied mathematics course. Because of this, it is essential that students have a solid background in basic math and algebra. One of the main reasons that students have difficulty in chemistry courses is that they have not satisfactorily completed course prerequisites.

Will chemistry satisfy the science requirement for my degree plan at MCC? Yes. The CHM 130 (Fundamental Chemistry), CHM 151 (General Chemistry I) and CHM 152 (General Chemistry II) courses can be used to meet the General Education Core curriculum requirement for science at MCC and most universities.

Will my chemistry class from MCC transfer to four-year universities or other colleges? In general, yes.  Depending on your major, your department may require specific courses.  For example, if you are majoring in a science subject such as chemistry or biology, CHM 130 (Fundamental Chemistry) could transfer as a science credit but would not meet the chemistry requirement for that major.  Science majors should take CHM 151 and CHM 152 (General Chemistry I and II) instead.  Most of the time there is no problem with transferring MCC chemistry courses to other universities, but for science courses particularly you should always check the transfer policy of the university to which you intend to transfer.

Which chemistry should I take for nursing school?  - Both Fundamental Chemistry (CHM 130) and General Chemistry (CHM 151) will satisfy the chemistry requirements for admission to the Nursing Program at MCC.  If you plan to go on for a B.S.N. degree, be sure to check the specific requirements of the nursing school you plan to attend as requirements do vary. 

Is there supplemental instruction for chemistry? - For supplemental help in specialized programs of study, students should contact their instructors for additional assistance and study group opportunities. For more information...

Can I ask the instructor to add me to his or her class roster since the class is already full? No, only the department chair can give you permission to enroll in a closed class.  The division chairs are: Henry Campus - Bullhead City: Shawn Bristle at 928.758.4435, sbristle@mohave.edu; Neal Campus - Kingman: Danette Bristle at 928.692.3041, dbristle@mohave.edu; Lake Havasu City: Eric Aurand at 928.505.3388, eaurand@mohave.edu; North Mohave Campus: Susan Hammond at 928.875.9104, shammon@mohave.edu.

Can I take more than one chemistry class at the same time? In general, not a good idea!  Certainly not if one class is the prerequisite for the other.  Occasionally a student will retake a chemistry course for a better grade while simultaneously taking a later class, such as organic chemistry.  But in general, one should not take more than two science courses with labs in one semester.

I already took the lab as a separate course at my university.  Do I have to do the lab in my class at MCC? Yes.  The labs are not offered separately at MCC but instead are integrated with the course in a four semester hour format.  Since the lab is part of the course and your course grade, you are required to take it!

I did not do well on my final exam.  Can I get a Withdrawal (W) for the course? No.  If you complete the course, you must receive a regular letter grade.  It is therefore very important to realistically assess your situation before the withdrawal date in order to make the best decision about withdrawing.  You should meet with your instructor to get his or her opinion, and if you decide to withdraw, you must turn in a withdrawal form at the registration office with your instructor’s signature.  While we always want the best outcome, circumstances sometimes make it best to withdraw to avoid getting a low grade in the course.
I am not doing well in my class. Can I get a grade of Incomplete and finish it next semester? In this case a Withdrawal (W) would be given.  The Incomplete ("I") is a temporary grade given only under special circumstances with department chair approval.  If a grade of I is given, no exams or labs can be repeated for a better grade.  When the missed material is made up, your instructor will calculate your course grade accordingly.  A grade of I automatically changes to a grade of F if the material is not made up by the 8th week of the next semester! 

Where can I get advice about taking a particular chemistry class? Always feel free to contact any of the Chemistry Faculty at Mohave Community College.  The faculty for the various campuses are: 1) Bullhead Campus: Lale Arac at 928.758.3926 ext. 4478; 2) Neal Campus - Kingman: Dr. Farah Farah at 928.692-3001; 3) Lake Havasu City Campus: Dr. Paul Haberstroh at 928.505.3345 928.505.3388; 4) North Mohave Campus: Dr. Kris Hansen at 928.875.9136.  It is very important to know that you are registering for the correct course with regard to your major and to clearly understand the course prerequisites and content before registering.

Chemistry is my worst subject!  I just can't seem to be able to learn it! No doubt, chemistry usually requires more than the usual amount of study and practice!  As noted above, satisfactory completion of the course prerequisites is very important.  Following are a few more suggestions worth remembering:

• Learning chemistry takes time.  A reasonable guide is to allow yourself two hours of study for each hour of lecture. Heavy work and/or class loads are not compatible with learning chemistry!
• Attend class regularly and take generous notes during class.  Ask questions.
• When beginning a new chapter, read through it quickly the first time, just to give yourself a good feel for what it is about.  If you are really on the job you will have done this before the class lecture on the chapter!  You will understand what's going on in class much better if you do this.
• Next, start tackling the end of chapter problems or problem sets provided by the instructor!  Often, working problems facilitates understanding much better than just reading and rereading the chapter itself.  Chemistry is a "hands on" course - working problems is essential.  However, do not spend an inordinate amount of time on a single problem - skip it for the time being and go on to another.  Try working some of the sample exercises.  They are worked out in the chapter and are very helpful.
• You should have a good, scientific calculator that has scientific notation ("EE" or "EXP" key), log, ln, x2, etc.  Business calculators usually do not have all of these features.
• Review basic math operations such as properties of logarithms, if you are rusty.
• Study groups can be very helpful.  Keep the group small though, no more than three or four people.
• Finally, keep a positive outlook!  Chemistry can be hard, but with a good attitude and approach, you will succeed in mastering it!

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