Overview of a Flexible Curriculum and the Impact ... - ACS Publications

Chapter 12

Overview of a Flexible Curriculum and the Impact on Undergraduate Research

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Bridget L. Gourley* Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, DePauw University, 602 South College Avenue, Greencastle, Indiana 46135, United States *E-mail: [email protected]. Phone: 765-658-4607.

DePauw University has a strong history in supporting undergraduate research going back to the work of Percy L. Julian, who began the undergraduate research program while a serving as a research faculty member. A little over ten years ago, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry instituted a new flexible curriculum. Key goals of the new curriculum were to (1) develop students’ ability to think like chemists earlier in their career; (2) increase students’ independence in laboratory work, particularly with regard to making sound experimental decisions; (3) create multiple entry points and paths through the curriculum; and (4) add a biochemistry major. This chapter surveys ways the curriculum builds research skills and interest. Additionally, data are included that summarize the increased student faculty collaborative research activity during this period.

Introduction Institutional and Departmental Historical Context Founded in 1837 by the Methodists, Indiana Asbury College, now DePauw University, is a four-year residential private liberal arts institution located in Greencastle, Indiana. Chemistry has been a part of the curriculum since the institutions founding. An 1839 catalog notes that chemistry was offered during the spring of the junior year as a natural science course (1). The first full laboratory course in chemistry was offered in 1874. Eight years later, the Department of Chemistry was founded and courses spanning four years of the undergraduate © 2018 American Chemical Society Gourley and Jones; Best Practices for Supporting and Expanding Undergraduate Research in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.


curriculum were offered, the beginnings of a major became evident. In 1921, Thesis, a one semester laboratory research project requiring 15 hours a week in the laboratory and a final report in the form of a thesis was established as a formal course in the curriculum. Critical to the development of culture of research was a student who graduated about the same time as the thesis course was established. Born 62 years after the institution’s founding, Percy Lavon Julian matriculated at DePauw at the age of 17. Julian traveled from his home in Montgomery, Alabama at the urging of his parents, who learned of the institution up north from missionaries. Although he was required to take remedial high school courses along with college courses during his first year, Julian graduated Phi Beta Kappa as class valedictorian in 1920. At the time, it was difficult, if not impossible for a black man to be admitted into a Ph.D. program in the United States. So Julian pursued graduate studies abroad, earning his Ph.D. from the University of Vienna in 1931. He returned to DePauw as a research faculty member from 1932–1935 (Figure 1) and it was during that time that he established the legacy of undergraduate research at DePauw University (1).

Figure 1. Percy Lavon Julian at the laboratory bench circa 1934. Photo courtesy of the Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest. Reproduced with permission. In 1932, Dr. Julian accepted an appointment from his former DePauw faculty mentor, Dr. William Blanchard, to return to DePauw University as a Research Fellow. He was asked to work in Minshall Laboratories with duties of guiding senior chemistry majors to “bridge the gap between college and university” by offering a program of “fundamental research for each qualified senior (2).” Julian brought with him a friend from graduate school, Dr. Joseph Pikl, who 212 Gourley and Jones; Best Practices for Supporting and Expanding Undergraduate Research in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.


was appointed as a department assistant. These two colleagues were incredibly successful producing 30 senior theses and 11 publications in the Journal of the American Chemical Society in the three plus years of the program (2). This was the beginning of a long tradition of undergraduate research with faculty mentors, long before 1983, when the American Chemical Society (ACS) Committee on Professional Training (CPT) formally endorsed carefully designed programs of undergraduate research. In making the appointment and bringing Julian back to his alma mater, one has to wonder whether Blanchard had been influenced by William A. Noyes, the founder of Chemical Abstracts and Priestley Medalist, who in 1922 stated “proper methods of conducting undergraduate research should train the student in the use of chemical literature and be taught personal initiative in attacking a problem (3).” In 1940–1941, the first accreditation of the department by the American Chemical Society was completed. Also, in 1941, Blanchard retired, after serving the University for 40 years. Former students established a research fund to support future students, recognizing the benefit of research for undergraduates and honoring their professor. Although there was no course for research credit in the catalog during the 1940s and 50s, senior research was again emphasized and a graduate program was reestablished in 1947 including an M.A. in chemistry resulting in over 50 M.A. degrees awarded (1). At that time undergraduates received research experience working alongside masters’ degree students. Campus stories share that Minchell Laboratory, which housed the chemistry laboratories, was alive with research activities late into the night on Saturdays and Sundays between 1945 and 1972. A number of publications both from senior research reports and masters theses resulted. However, the M.A. in chemistry was dropped in 1978, when the increase in Ph.D. granting institutions reduced the supply of strong graduate students. During the 1960s, the Department of Chemistry developed a summer research program to mesh with the academic year curriculum. This program received early support from a National Science Foundation Undergraduate Research Participation (NSF-URP) Program award. The focus on undergraduate research led to a number of changes in the curriculum and in the academic year of 1964–1965, research became required of all chemistry majors. The years from 1963 through 1967 were some of the peak years in the Department, with seventeen to twenty-three graduates each year, and as many as seven graduate students (1). Archival evidence and stories shared by retired colleagues suggest the department hummed along during the 1980s, making minor rearrangements to the curriculum, the most significant shifted from mandating a required research experience for all students to only requiring research of ACS certified majors beginning in 1986. 1986–2003 Departmental Curriculum A private residential liberal arts institution of approximately 2000 students (4), DePauw University offers only the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in chemistry and biochemistry. The department has maintained ACS certification since first being recognized in the 1940s. From 1986 forward, students earning the certified degree 213 Gourley and Jones; Best Practices for Supporting and Expanding Undergraduate Research in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.


complete additional course work beyond the minimal number of courses required for the B.A. The 1986 removal of the requirement that all students participate in a research project of at least a semester in length was a result of a variety of institutional issues. Similar to many institutions, there was pressure to regularize workload for both students and faculty. At DePauw, this was further compounded by a course credit system where one course earned one credit and 31 credits are required for graduation. Non-laboratory courses met four hours per week earned a student the same credit as organic chemistry, which at the time met for four hours of class and eight hours of scheduled laboratory work, a total of 12 in-class hours per week. In the catalog, this DePauw credit was described as equivalent to a 4-semester hour course at institutions with a credit hour distinction. At DePauw, other science disciplines typically held two- or three-hour laboratories, further emphasizing an increased workload for the same credit. Additionally, there was some concern that a reduction in the number of students majoring might be a result of students seeking majors with more flexible requirements. The final factor came from a change in the time bank system making it almost impossible for the department to schedule laboratories in a four-hour block. To address the workload issue, one full DePauw credit course in chemistry was standardized as holding three one-hour time blocks for class with one three-hour laboratory block per week. Nominally, this meant students earned one DePauw credit for six hours of in class/lab time per week in chemistry and biology, five hours in physics and geosciences, and four class hours per week in humanities courses. Faculty workload was counted based on contact hours with the standard load being 12 hours per week. To compensate for the reduction of laboratory hours, laboratory components were added to the second semester physical chemistry course and some other advanced electives, which previously had not had laboratory hours associated with them. It was at this point in the department history that research became an elective for the B.A. degree and only ACS certified majors were required to complete a senior thesis project. The departmental curriculum in place from 1986–2003 reflected a traditional hierarchical curriculum, with a year of general chemistry, a year of organic chemistry, a sophomore level quantitative analysis course, a sophomore level inorganic course, a year of physical chemistry, a course in instrumental analysis and an advanced inorganic course. Each semester of general, organic and physical chemistry were DePauw one-credit courses with laboratory, with three hours of class per week and one three-hour laboratory per week. The instrumental analysis course was also one DePauw credit course meeting six hours per week, three in class and three in lab. The half-credit advanced inorganic course was scheduled for two one-hour class sessions per week and the number of weeks of laboratory reduced by approximately half relative to a full DePauw credit course. Additionally, chemistry majors were required to take a year of calculus and a year of physics, with each semester of each discipline being worth one DePauw credit. Both semesters of physics included a two-hour per week laboratory component. The department’s vision of the ideal order and timing of those historical requirements is outlined in Table 1. 214 Gourley and Jones; Best Practices for Supporting and Expanding Undergraduate Research in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.


Table 1. Curriculum 1986–2003: Faculty Vision of an Ideal Curricular Completion Plan Fall Semester

Spring Semester

First year

Principles of Chem I (Chem 103)* Calculus I

Principles of Chem II (Chem 104)* Calculus II

Second year

Intro to Organic (Chem 201)* Quantitative Analysis (Chem 211)* Physics I

Intermediate Organic (Chem 304)* Inorganic Chem (Chem 212)* Physics II

Third year

Physical Chem I (Chem 311)*

Physical Chem II (Chem 402)

Fourth year

Instrumental Analysis (Chem 410)

Advanced Inorganic (Chem 409) (0.5 credit)

Note that seven of the eight chemistry course credits (*) for the minimal B.A. were specified.

A typical course load at DePauw was, at that time and still is, four courses a semester. Between 1986 and 2004, general education distribution requirements required a minimum of 10.5 DePauw credits, if students were strategic, for example, choosing a writing competence course that also met a distribution requirement. Thus, general education fulfills approximately one third of the 31 credits required for graduation. Referring back to Table 1, the additional courses not listed in the table required to reach the full load of four courses that rounded out a student’s schedule each semester were typically focused on general education requirements, particularly during the first and second year. Also, chemistry majors were often trying to fit in requirements related to post-graduate goals such as medicine. In the third and fourth year, more of the remaining courses of a student’s full course load could be devoted to the department’s vision where students would be excited to take additional chemistry related topics courses, do independent study projects, and complete research for academic credit. The choice to make research elective stemmed from both the institutional workload issues and department members drew weary of dragging unmotivated uninterested students through research projects in the laboratory. It was decided that research would be optional for the minimal B.A. and required for ACS Certification. However, instead of following the department’s vision students tended to delay a number of courses for the major. Four competing issues were likely at play, the competition between the robust set of general education requirements typical of a liberal arts college, students being encouraged to explore the university-wide curriculum during the first two years before settling into a major, required courses for post-graduate plans, and the number of major related courses (3) recommended in each semester of the second year. As a result, the more typical path through the curriculum with regard to major requirements is illustrated in Table 2.

215 Gourley and Jones; Best Practices for Supporting and Expanding Undergraduate Research in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.


Table 2. Curriculum 1986–2003: Reality, the Path Most Students Took Fall Semester

Spring Semester

First year

Principles of Chem I (Chem 103)* Calculus I

Principles of Chem II (Chem 104)* Calculus II

Second year

Intro to Organic (Chem 201)* Physics I

Intermediate Organic (Chem 304)* Physics II

Third year

Quantitative Analysis (Chem 211)*

Inorganic Chem (Chem 212)*

Fourth year

Physical Chem I (Chem 311)* Instrumental Analysis (Chem 410)

Physical Chem II (Chem 402) Advanced Inorganic (Chem 409) (0.5 credit)

Note that seven of the eight chemistry course credits (*) for the minimal B.A. were specified.

Students typically shifted the second chemistry courses planned for each semester of the second year into the third year, which because of the pre-requisite structure pushed physical chemistry into the senior year. Despite the limited number of free electives in the major the department routinely offered one DePauw half-credit topics course, typically meeting two-hours per week, each semester. In the third and fourth year, students typically chose to take those topics courses as part of the two or three non-required major courses required to fill their schedules, which generated sufficient enrollment for regular offerings. The topics courses were rotated among the faculty members in the department, so approximately every three to four years each department colleague had the opportunity to offer a topic of interest. Courses covering aspects of computational reaction dynamics, spectroscopic determination of organic compounds, molecular diseases, x-ray crystallography and environmental chemistry give a sense of the range of topics. Despite this one way in which students were following the department’s vision for their path through the curriculum, students seemed less willing to engage in research project. The department had hoped the few truly unengaged students would opt out, however, surprised when almost all students decided against research opportunities. Given the trajectory students were taking through the curriculum and a slow decline in both the number of students engaging in research and choosing to major in chemistry, the department was ready to consider change. Motivating Factors for Change As a result of a departmental self-study, we recognized our collective dissatisfaction with the existing curriculum. The factors motivating our visions for our new curriculum were: 216 Gourley and Jones; Best Practices for Supporting and Expanding Undergraduate Research in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.


• • • • • • • •

Changes in student preparation Facilitating study abroad and majoring in chemistry The encyclopedic nature of “general chemistry” materials Changing student interest in laboratory work The importance of biochemistry Desire to teach chemistry in context More flexibility and choice for students The importance of research

For the department, these eight issues fall into three organizational categories. The first is institutionally specific, i.e., changes in student preparation and facilitating study abroad. The second category relates to motivating student interest in the discipline and includes addressing the encyclopedic nature of general chemistry course materials, changing student interest in laboratory work, a desire to teach chemical topics with a broader context, the importance of biochemistry, and providing more flexibility and choice for students. The department saw the final category as standing along, highlighting the importance of research. The “New” Curriculum Keeping these categories in mind the department began conversation in 2000, worked through the 2001-02 academic year on the details and launched the new curricular vision with the entering class in the fall of 2002, scheduled to graduate in May 2005. The vision for the new curriculum called for an introductory core of 4.25 DePauw credits, providing the foundation to both the chemistry and biochemistry majors. (See Table 3) The core includes three separate full credit courses with laboratory that introduce students to the way inorganic, organic and biochemists view the discipline. The inorganic and organic courses focus an understanding on structure and properties as a defining strategy. Structure and Properties of Inorganic Compounds (Chem 130) and Structure and Properties of Organic Molecules (Chem 120) can be taken in either order. For biomolecules the organizing principle becomes structure and function and has the organic core course as a pre-requisite for Structure and Function of Biomolecules (Chem 240). The final full credit course with laboratory, Thermodynamics, Equilibrium and Kinetics (Chem 260) has Chemical Stoichiometry (Chem 170), the 0.25 credit portion of the core and either Chem 120 or Chem 130 as pre-requisites. Chemical Stoichiometry is a self-paced course, a series of eight modules, focusing students on mastery of stoichiometric concepts, such as percent composition, balancing, limiting reagents, dilutions and calculations with gases. There are a myriad of pathways through the courses in the core bringing flexibility to the beginning of the curriculum rather than waiting until the last three or four semesters. Multiple core courses may be realistically taken in the same semester giving students the opportunity to enter the curriculum at many different points during their first two years, have a semester without chemistry and stay on track for a timely graduation, and if the regrettable happens repeat a course without getting a year 217 Gourley and Jones; Best Practices for Supporting and Expanding Undergraduate Research in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.

behind. Course seats guarantee that approximately half our students begin the curriculum with the organic course and the other half begin with the inorganic course. Checklists for both chemistry and biochemistry majors provide a quick overview of requirements and are kept on the department website (5). Table 3 provides a holistic overview of both majors.


Table 3. New Curriculum Introductory Core (4.25 credits) • Structure and Properties of Organic Compounds (Chem 120) (1 credit w/lab) • Structure and Properties of Inorganic Molecules (Chem 130) (1 credit w/lab) • Stoichiometric Calculations (Chem 170) (0.25 credit; self-paced) • Structure and Function of Biomolecules (Chem 240) (1 credit w/lab) • Thermodynamics, Equilibrium and Kinetics (Chem 260) (1 credit w/lab) taken by both Chemistry and Biochemistry majors Categories for Advanced Courses • Chemical Reactivity (Mechanism and Synthesis) • Chemical Analysis (Analytical Chemistry) • Theoretical and Computational Chemistry (Physical Chemistry) • Biochemistry Chemistry majors • 4.25 core credits • 4.0 cognate courses credits • 1.5 credits in each (inc. lab in each) o Chemical Reactivity o Chemical Analysis o Theoretical and Computational Chemistry • 0.5 additional elective credit • Senior Comprehensive Exam based on the chemical literature and seminar attendance

Biochemistry majors • 4.25 core credits • 4.0 cognate courses credits • Enzyme Mechanisms • Biophysical Chemistry (w/lab) • Advanced Biochemistry • 2.0 additional elective credit (one must be a lab based course) • Senior Comprehensive Exam based on the chemical literature and seminar attendance

At the upper level, both chemistry and biochemistry majors take five additional major DePauw course credits. Chemistry majors select 1.5 course credits from three categories of advanced courses, Chemical Reactivity, Chemical Analysis, and Theoretical and Computational Chemistry. There is also an elective 0.5 credit required. Additionally, chemistry majors complete two semesters of calculus and two semesters of physics as cognate courses. Biochemistry majors have upper-level courses in enzyme mechanisms, biophysical chemistry, advanced biochemistry and two additional elective credits, one of which must be in the biology department. Biochemistry majors complete one semester each of calculus and physics so they have space in their schedules for Molecules, Cells and Genes (Bio 102) and Molecular Biology (Bio 315) as the four cognate courses. Students in either major complete a senior comprehensive exam based on the chemical literature and fulfill the departmental colloquia seminar attendance requirement. 218 Gourley and Jones; Best Practices for Supporting and Expanding Undergraduate Research in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.


Within the categories for the chemistry major, Chemical Reactivity includes both inorganic and organic syntheses and reaction mechanisms. Chemical Analysis is where analytical and instrumental methods courses are housed. Theoretical and Computational Chemistry holds components of physical chemistry. The enzyme mechanisms, biophysical chemistry, and advanced biochemistry are all considered to be in a Biochemistry category of advanced courses. Chemistry majors may take biochemistry courses to meet the elective credit and biochemistry majors may take some of the required elective credit within the Chemical Reactivity, Chemical Analysis, and Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Categories. Since biochemistry as a field bridges both biology and chemistry, biochemistry majors are also required to choose one of their electives from among a list of relevant courses in biology. Other key courses include an Independent Study (Chem 395), a variable credit course that may be repeated for credit. Independent Study is taken by students in any semester they are working on research. To earn 0.25 credit students are expected to work the equivalent of one afternoon a week in the laboratory along with completing the supporting preparation work in addition to the laboratory time. The expectation for 0.5 credit is the equivalent of two afternoons a week or a full day with supporting time outside for literature and planning. Only juniors and seniors register for a full credit of Independent Study as the equivalent of two full days in the laboratory are required. Senior thesis (Chem 405) is a 0.25 credit course taken in the semester a student is writing and defending a thesis. Up to 0.5 credit worth of Chem 395 and Chem 405 in any combination may be counted for the B.A. Additional research hours beyond those accumulated through the 0.5 DePauw credit hour that can be counted toward the B.A. are required for ACS Certification.

Impact on Research Having seen the participation in undergraduate research decline after removing the research requirement in 1986, it was exciting to see the strong increase in participation after beginning the implementation of the new curriculum. Figure 2 illustrates the number of students enrolled in Independent Study (Chem 395), Senior Thesis (Chem 405), along with total research enrollment (a combination of both the Chem 395 and 405 enrollments) and number of departmental majors graduating in that academic year. To put this data in context, it is helpful to know that prior to the start of the new curriculum 2002, the department graduated on average 12 majors per year in the period from 1986 through 2004 although the number had been in gentle decline dipping as low as six graduates per year. After the new curriculum was developed and the biochemistry major added, we saw rapid growth in the department. The number of majors rose quickly in the first few years and stabilized at an average of 5 chemistry and 30 biochemistry majors graduating per year. Still, the small numbers and random fluctuations as a result of the relatively small number statistics suggest it would be useful to consider some 219 Gourley and Jones; Best Practices for Supporting and Expanding Undergraduate Research in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.


data smoothing. By taking five-year rolling averages of the number of research enrollments the dramatic increase is more clearly evident (Figure 3).

Figure 2. Actual enrollment in Chem 395 and Chem 405 for academic years 1988–1989 through 2014–2015.

Figure 3. Five year rolling average enrollment in Chem 395 and Chem 405 for academic year windows 1988–1982 through 2011–2015. 220 Gourley and Jones; Best Practices for Supporting and Expanding Undergraduate Research in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.


The results are remarkable; a new curriculum begins and there is a dramatic uptick in research interest and activity with no change to the specific research requirement for graduation, not required for the B.A. required for the ACS certified degree. Because the emphasis in this manuscript is on number of students participating in research, while Chem 395 is a variable credit course, the count in Figures 2 and 3 represent each unique student enrolled for any amount of independent study course credit each semester. Two students, one registered for 0.25 credits and the other for a full credit, would contribute two to the total count. During this era the majority of students were registered for 0.25 credits, and the most of the remainder registered for 0.5 DePauw credits. Also, a student registered for independent study in both fall and spring semester would contribute two to the total count. It was unusual, less than five students total from 1988–2015, for a student to be able to devote the time necessary to register for a full credit. The reader may be wondering, could the increase be explained solely on the basis of the increased enrollment in the department. Table 4 normalizes the data on a per major basis. A thirteen-year window both before and after the curricular change was considered for consistency. Again, enrollments count unique students in a given semester.

Table 4. Normalized Enrollments Averaged over Equivalent Lengths of Time Independent Study Enrollments

Senior Thesis Enrollments

Majors

Research Enrollment per Major

Totals 1988–1904 (13 years preceding the curricular change)

125

18

165

0.76

Totals 2004–2015 (13 most recent years)

328

24

337

0.99

The quarter course enrollment difference suggests a measurable increase in research activity for credit since students routinely enroll in 0.25 credits of research. This increase suggests a combination of additional students at a 0.25 credit level of commitment and/or students doing research opting to spend more time during the semester on research, committing to 0.5 DePauw credit. Now that the impact of curricular change on research participation during the school year has been established, it is time to check whether the impact can also be seen on summer research. There are no summer classes taught at DePauw, so students doing research with a faculty member are engaged in a full time, nominally 40 hours per week, research experience for eight to ten weeks. As with the enrollments during the regular semester, the number of unique students doing research full-time during each of the summers between summers 1988 and 2014 (Figure 4) and a five-year rolling average (Figure 5) are presented. 221 Gourley and Jones; Best Practices for Supporting and Expanding Undergraduate Research in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.


Figure 4. Undergraduate summer research experience, number of full time student researchers in the department.

Figure 5. Undergraduate summer research experience, five-year rolling average Summer 1988–1992 through 2010–2014 222 Gourley and Jones; Best Practices for Supporting and Expanding Undergraduate Research in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.


The noise in the raw data (Figure 4) is most easily explained by the fact that in small departments, one sabbatical leave or other personal reason for not taking students in any particular summer can noticeably affect the numbers. Also, institutional and PI funding impacted the number of students that could participate. The five-year rolling average (Figure 5) suggests there was initially a strong increase in interest and then participation stabilized slightly below the initial strong showing. The financial crisis of 2009 definitely reduced the number of summer stipends available to department students and faculty. Still the data suggest an average of two students per faculty member involving students in their research. It should also be noted that shortly after we implemented the revised curricula, a completely renovated and expanded Percy Lavon Julian Center for Science and Mathematics was opened. Laboratories are now brightly lit spaces where students in the interior laboratories can look through windows across the hallway into exterior edge laboratories that have windows on outside walls. Students remark that it doesn’t seem like they have been in lab all afternoon when they can look up and get a sense of the weather or mark the passing of time. Additionally, these windows showcase science on display at all times. These additional factors could be seen as contributing to increased student interest in chemistry and biochemistry research. To this day, the Julian Center houses the departments of chemistry and biochemistry, physics and astronomy, geosciences and physics. After the Center’s opening, all these science departments received state of the art space designed to help realize their curricular visions. While the other science departments have shown some growth since the opening, none have show as much change as in chemistry and biochemistry.

Conclusions Benefits of Curricular Change Our department firmly believes that helping students see how a chemist thinks earlier in their career sparks research interest. Additionally, as part of the redesign of our overall curriculum, we made sure that laboratories for core and advanced courses scaffold research exposure, engage students, build laboratory independence, give students confidence, and showcase how questions are answered via scientific research. Our curricular reform led to an increase in student participation in research without making it a formal requirement. The multiple entry points and paths through the curriculum provides a flexibility that keep students in the major yielding more students available to participate in research. Additionally, the flexibility allows students to tackle the sub-disciplines of most interest early helping keep them engaged while they work through other parts of the curriculum they may find less engaging or a struggle. Another side bonus of the variety of pathways through the core curriculum is more students overall, not just majors, experience our approach, helping them understand how chemists go about asking and answering questions. 223 Gourley and Jones; Best Practices for Supporting and Expanding Undergraduate Research in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.


Factors To Consider When Engaging in Curricular Reform In undertaking curricular change, it is important to recognize the value in making incremental change rather than assuming all aspects must be changed simultaneously. Over the course of 4 years, we first developed an overarching vision and sequentially flushed out the details of the 100-level courses in the first year, the 200- and 300-level courses next and finally the 400-level courses, by the time our first students through the curriculum were ready. Our senior comprehensive requirement and vision for independent study were already in place. Additionally, we continued to tweak around the edges. We have an on-going conversation about developing a capstone project-based laboratory where we would bring chemistry and biochemistry majors back together to among other things help develop their understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of most interesting problems. When considering curricular changes, I advise talking with colleagues at multiple institutions that have undergone curricular change and then adapt ideas for your context. Work with your departmental colleagues to capitalize on your respective strengths and remember that department and program faculty can support initiatives both directly and indirectly. While we have strong data showing a correlation that is best explained by curricular overhaul, one of our lessons learned is related to assessment; we could have been more intentional regarding assessment of these changes and how they affected our students. From the beginning, be sure you are considering how you are going to measure the success of your program and incorporate an assessment plan from the beginning. Consider taking advantage of previously validated surveys to collect responses before you implement change as well as after to strengthen the argument that the changes you choose led to meaningful impact.

Acknowledgments The author gratefully acknowledges tenured and tenure-track departmental colleagues at the time of the reform, Professors Hilary Eppley, Jeff Hansen, Bryan Hanson, David T. Harvey and Jackie Roberts who co-developed the curriculum described, teach the components of the curriculum, and routinely welcome research students into their laboratories. Additionally, Professors Sharon Crary, Daniel Gurnon, Rich Martoglio, and Daniel Scott who came on board as tenure track (and in many cases now tenured) colleagues, adapted to this curriculum, fully support the vision, and have also provide rich welcoming research environments for our students. Sabbatical replacement colleagues who have joined us, learned and taught the curriculum, and contributed to enhancements along the way, Professors Kyle Cissel, Michael Dequeant, Selma Potorovic, Sal Profeta, Colin Smith and Jonathan Stack. Finally, Bill Tobin in DePauw University’s Office of Institutional Research graciously responded to multiple requests for data, helping me to refine the database queries. 224 Gourley and Jones; Best Practices for Supporting and Expanding Undergraduate Research in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.

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Cook, J. A sesquicentennial historical pamphlet: Chemistry at DePauw University 1837–1987; DePauw University Printing Services: Greencastle, IN, 1988. Witcop, B. Percy Lavon Julian 1899–1975; Biographical Memoirs; National Academy Press: Washington, DC, 1980; Vol. 52, p 235. Kinkead, J. What’s in a name? A Brief history of undergraduate research. CUR Q. 2012, 33, 20–29. DePauw University quick book 2017. https://www.depauw.edu/about/quickfacts/ (accessed March 12, 2018). Chemistry and biochemistry major checklists. https://www.depauw.edu/ academics/departments-programs/chemistry-and-biochemistry/student-info/ (accessed December 18, 2017).

225 Gourley and Jones; Best Practices for Supporting and Expanding Undergraduate Research in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.

Overview of a Flexible Curriculum and the Impact ... - ACS Publications

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