Chemistry I vs General Chemistry vs GOB: the Same Course?

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Chemistry 1113 credits + 1 labACE and NCCRS recommended

Chemistry I vs General Chemistry: the same course, and what is GOB?

Usually, yes: Chemistry I and General Chemistry I are two names for the first chemistry course for science and health majors, while chemistry for nursing is often a different course, a survey of general, organic and biological chemistry (GOB). UPI Study's Chemistry I (Chemistry 111) covers the Texas General Chemistry I topics, from atoms and bonding to stoichiometry, gases and solutions, and goes on to kinetics, equilibrium and electrochemistry; it has no organic chemistry or biochemistry, and its lab is a separate course.

Chemistry I course

Chemistry 111 · 3 credits · ACE and NCCRS

Chemistry I

General chemistry: atoms, bonding, stoichiometry, gases, solutions, kinetics, equilibrium, acids and bases, and electrochemistry.

Often a different course

Chemistry for nursing (GOB)

A survey of general, organic and biological chemistry. Texas designs its version for allied health students and non-science majors.

Not offered at UPI Study.

Chemistry I = General Chemistry I?
Usually, yes
GOB chemistry
Often a different course
Credit
3 semester hours + 1 for the lab

What you learn

The Texas common course descriptions of General Chemistry I and II, against the Chemistry 111 syllabus.

Texas General Chemistry I topics in Chemistry 111

  • Measurement and the properties of matter
  • Atomic structure and the periodic table
  • Bonding and molecular structure
  • Stoichiometry
  • Gases
  • Solutions
  • Thermochemistry

Also in Chemistry 111: Texas puts them in General Chemistry II

  • Kinetics
  • Chemical equilibrium
  • Acids and bases
  • Thermodynamics
  • Electrochemistry

Not in Chemistry 111

  • Organic chemistry
  • Biochemistry

Side by side

General Chemistry I, GOB chemistry and Chemistry 111, side by side
 General Chemistry IGOB / allied healthUPI Chemistry I
Who it is forScience, health science and engineering majorsAllied health students, non-science majorsAnyone: no prerequisite listed
Atoms, bonding, stoichiometry, gasesYesMay include inorganic chemistryYes: chapters 2 to 9
Kinetics, equilibrium, electrochemistryIn General Chemistry II (Texas)Not listedYes: chapters 12 to 17
Organic chemistry, biochemistryNot listedYes, may include bothNo
Math before itCollege Algebra or equivalent preparationNot listedNone listed
LabA lab course alongside, or lecture + lab in oneLecture + lab (Texas CHEM 1406)Chemistry Lab: a separate, virtual lab
CreditIllinois: 3, plus 1 for the labOregon State's GOB course: 6 credits3 (ACE, NCCRS), plus 1 for the lab (NCCRS)

NCCRS lists Chemistry 111's outcomes as the “fundamental concepts of general chemistry”. CLEP Chemistry covers a one-year general chemistry course, so it matches General Chemistry I and II together, not one course.

Which chemistry do you need?

Chemistry 111 likely fits if

  • Your program lists General Chemistry I or Chemistry I
  • Its description covers atoms, bonding, stoichiometry and gases
  • You add Chemistry Lab if a lab is required

Ask your program first if

  • It asks for GOB, or general, organic and biological chemistry
  • It needs organic chemistry or biochemistry
  • It needs a lab done on campus

Questions, answered

Is General Chemistry the same as Chemistry I?

Usually. Illinois calls its first course CHEM 102 General Chemistry I: “Principles governing atomic structure, bonding, states of matter, stoichiometry, and chemical equilibrium.” But the same name can mean different courses: Oregon State's General Chemistry is “A general chemistry sequence intended for majors in fields other than the physical sciences.” Compare the course description, not only the name.

Is chemistry for nursing the same as general chemistry?

Often not. Some colleges have a separate course for allied health students. Texas describes its allied health chemistry as a survey whose topics “may include inorganic, organic, biochemistry, food/physiological chemistry, and environmental/consumer chemistry”, and Oregon State's General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry (CH 140) is a 6-credit course. Chemistry 111 covers the general chemistry part only, so ask your nursing program which course it accepts.

Is general chemistry hard?

It asks for steady work with numbers: Texas lists College Algebra, or equivalent preparation, before General Chemistry I. Chemistry 111 lists no prerequisite. Its syllabus has 17 chapters and 76 instructional hours, and it is self-paced, so you can slow down on stoichiometry and equilibrium as much as you need.

How much credit is Chemistry I worth?

NCCRS recommends 3 semester hours, lower division, in Chemistry among other subjects; ACE recommends 3 (ACE ID UPIS-0008).

What subject area is Chemistry I recommended in?

Its NCCRS recommendation lists Chemistry, Earth Science, or Physical Science. Your college decides which requirement it fills.

How long does Chemistry I take?

Its syllabus has 17 chapters and 76 instructional hours. It is self-paced, so you finish as fast or as slow as you want.

What do I need before Chemistry I?

Its syllabus lists no prerequisite, so you can start it today.

What is on the Chemistry I final exam?

100 multiple-choice questions, counting for 50% of the grade.

What do I need to pass Chemistry I?

Quizzes 20%, the assignment 30%, the final exam 50%. A pass is 70 or more.

Is there a lab for Chemistry I?

Yes, as a separate course: Chemistry Lab (CHEM 111L), 1 semester hour recommended by NCCRS. A lab course is graded on lab reports (70%) and quizzes (30%), with no final exam, and can be taken on its own.

Which textbook does Chemistry I use?

The syllabus lists Flowers, Paul, et al. Chemistry 2e. OpenStax, 2019, with other references.

Is Chemistry I on the ACE list?

Chemistry I: yes, ACE ID UPIS-0008, 3 semester hours. ACE listings run three years and UPI Study renews them as they end; credit you have earned stays valid for 10 years.

What comes after Chemistry I?

Chemistry Lab. In the “Physical science with labs” order on the Science and labs courses page, it follows Chemistry I. Your program may set its own order.

Can I take Chemistry I on its own?

Yes. Chemistry I is a separate course: enroll in it alone, study it online at your own pace, and send its transcript to your college.

How soon after finishing Chemistry I can I send the credit?

As soon as your dashboard shows Chemistry I at 100%. The last assignment takes about 48 hours to be checked, so leave about two days after you submit it, then request the transcript.

How do I know if my college takes Chemistry I?

ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities. NCCRS recommends 3 semester hours in Chemistry, Earth Science, or Physical Science, and ACE recommends 3 (ACE ID UPIS-0008). Search your school in Find My College and send your registrar the syllabus with your college's course description. For the registrar: Chemistry I's NCCRS recommendation lists Chemistry.

Where these credits can go

ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.

  • Thomas Edison State University (TESU) logo
  • University of the People logo
  • Strayer University logo
  • Post University logo
  • Charter Oak State College logo
  • Indiana Tech logo
  • Columbia Southern University logo
  • University of Arkansas Grantham logo
  • American College of Education logo
  • Nexford University logo
  • Newlane University logo
  • Pathways College logo
  • Dunlap-Stone University logo
  • Woodmont College logo
  • University of Management and Technology (UMT) logo
  • Crestpoint University logo
  • Maestro University (formerly Bottega University) logo
  • Gracelyn University logo
  • EC-Council University logo

Plus many more partner colleges and ACE and NCCRS cooperating colleges.

Find My College →

Keep exploring

Check your college first

ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.

Sources (7)

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