analytical chemistry Editor: Herbert A. Laitinen EDlTORiAL HEADQUARTERS 1155 Sixteenth St.. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 Phone: 202-872-4570 Teletype: 710-8220151 Managing Editor: Josephine M. Petruzzi Associate Editors: Andrew A. Husovsky. Barbara Cassatt Associate Editor. Easton: Elizabeth R Rufe Assistant Editor: Stuart A. Borman Editorial Assistant: Andre D ’Arcangelo Associate Editor, editing: Nancy J. Oddenino Production Manager: Leroy L. Corcoran Art Director: John V. Sinnett Designer: Alan Kahan Advisory Board: L. S. Birks, Peter Carr. David Firestone. Kurt F. J. Heinrich. Philip F. Kane, Barry L. Karger. J. Jack Kirkland, Marvin Margoshes. Robert S. McDonald. James W Mitchell, Royce W. Murray, Harry L Pardue, Garry A. Rechnitz. Walter Slavin. John P. Walters Instrumentation Advisory Panel: Gary D. Christian, Catherine Fenselau. Gary M. Hieftje, Tomas Hirschfeid. Peter T. Kissinger. C . David Miller. Carter L. Olson, Sidney L Phillips. Thomas H. Ridgway Regulations, Analytical Division Ad Hoc Committee: Robert A Libby (Chairman) Warren B Crummett, William T Donaldson. Donald T Sawyer Contributing Editor Claude A Lucchesi Department of Chemistry. Northwestern University. Evanston. IIi 6020 1 Published b y the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 1155 16th Street N W Washington D C 20036
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ACS Approved Curriculum-An
Update
At the Honolulu ACS meeting, the Committee on Professional Training ( C P T ) agreed upon a change in wording in the 1977 booklet describing the “Core Material” of the ACS approved curriculum in Chemistry (C&EN, May 21, 1973, p 29). T h e new wording begins with the statement “The initial studies should include an introduction to chemical principles, elementary quantitative analysis, and basic inorganic. The quantitative analysis and the inorganic chemistry material should be equivalent to a semester’s work in each subject. T h e inorganic chemistry should include descriptive chemistry dealing in a systematic way with the elements and the structures. properties, and reactions of their compounds. hlany students will require three (or even four) semesters to cover these topics, while others u i t h strong backgrounds may cover them in two (or the equivalent in quarters). T h e initial year is followed by two semesters of organic chemistry, two of physical chemistry, and one of instrumental analysis.” T h e essential change is the specific inclusion of quantitative analysis along with inorganic chemistry in the initial studies. It does not represent a change in the actual requirements as administered by the CPT in recent years, but a clarification of an oversight in the written description. T h e intent of C P T has been and continues to be a flexible set of guidelines rather than a rigid set o f requirements permitting chemistry departments to achieve the desired goal through several pathways. Departments with adequate staff, facilities, and well-prepared students are permitted to use innovative approaches departing considerabll from the traditional four-year curriculum. Several papers dealing with alternative approaches were presented at a symposium in 1977 and published recently in the Journal of Chemical Education, 56,97 (1979).On the other hand, most deparl ments will continue the more traditional approach of including general chemistry, elementary inorganic chernistry, and quantitative analysis as separate courses. FVhile no stated number of credit hours is specified, the overall curriculuni hill be examined for its adequacy in terms of balanced offerings. laboraton requirements, and advanced courses. In view of the stated concerns of analytical cheniisti [C&.ES, Oct. Z3. 1978, p 50; Anal3tical Chemzstr), 51, S62A (1979)l with regard to curricular requirements, the recent C P T action is most welcome, and serves to reassure us that quantitative analysis will continue to be a requirement for the training of professional chemists at the B.S. level.
Circulation Develooment Marion Gurfein Manuscript requirements are published in the January 1979 issue page 17 1 Manuscripts for publication (4 copies) should be submitted to ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY at the ACS Washington address The American Chemical Society and its editors assume no responsibility for the statements and opinions advanced by contributors Views expressed in the editorials are those of the editors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the American Chemical Society
A N A L Y T I C A L CHEMISTRY, VOL. 51. NO. 8, JULY 1979
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