Inorganic Chemistry at the Undergraduate Level: Are We All on the Same Page?

The results of a national survey on undergraduate inorganic chemistry are presented. The survey first queried faculty on the general layout of the undergraduate inorganic program at their institution, in terms of the number and level of courses presented, textbooks used, methods of evaluation, and use of technology. Respondents were then asked to indicate the content of the senior-level lecture course in terms of topic areas, depth of coverage within each area, and changes in emphasis and content made during the previous five years. Although the coverage of organometallic chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, materials, and symmetry/group theory seems to have increased, a majority of respondents indicated that only the basics of symmetry and organometallic chemistry are discussed in detail. The results of the survey reveal both similarities in the structure of undergraduate inorganic programs across the country and diversity in content.