Postgraduate Courses
CHEM
Chemistry
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- CHEM 5110Advanced Organic Chemistry I[3 Credit(s)]BackgroundCHEM 2118 (prior to 2017-18), CHEM 3120 and CHEM 4140DescriptionMechanism and theory in organic chemistry, molecular orbital theory, structure-activity relationships, isotope effects, solvent effects, neighboring group participation, and reactive intermediates.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Select appropriate methods to evaluate the reaction mechanism.
- 2.Interpret experimental results and draw conclusions about reaction mechanism with confidence.
- CHEM 5120Advanced Organic Chemistry II[3 Credit(s)]Prerequisite(s)CHEM 5110DescriptionStereochemistry and conformational analysis, reactions of various classes of organic compounds, synthetic organic chemistry, modern methods of synthesis including specific methodologies and multistep complex syntheses.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Demonstrate an interest in and understanding of fundamental principles of synthetic organic chemistry and modern methods of multistep synthesis.
- 2.Analyze and appreciate synthetic work of complex organic molecules in the current primary literature.
- 3.Apply modern organic reactions and synthetic methodologies to formulate synthetic plans of organic molecules.
- 4.Communicate effectively both orally and in writing the concepts and advancements in synthetic organic chemistry and show self-awareness in green chemistry.
- CHEM 5130Asymmetric Catalysis[3 Credit(s)]BackgroundStudents are expected to have solid knowledge of organic chemistry, especially common reaction mechanisms, for example, CHEM 3120 Organic Chemistry II with a grade of B+ or higher, or equivalent.DescriptionThis course teaches the basic concepts and general modes of action of asymmetric catalysis and synthesis. Asymmetric catalysis is an essential tool in organic synthesis, which is used daily in various industries, such as pharmaceutical, chemical, agriculture, materials, etc. The course will provide in-depth explanation of how catalysts work in organic reactions and how asymmetric control is accomplished in different scenarios. Lectures will focus on mechanistic details of chirality control using case studies. Students are expected to be able to use this important tool to solve various synthetic problems.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Explain the basic principles of asymmetric synthesis.
- 2.Classify modes of action and infer catalyst design.
- 3.Explain factors affecting enantioselectivity and common strategies to perform asymmetric synthesis.
- 4.Design and propose routes to synthesize common chiral fragments.
- 5.Analyze stereochemical control in organic reactions.
- 6.Review frontier topics such as organocatalysis, photoredox catalysis, etc.
- 7.Communicate effectively in writing and by oral presentation on scientific topics of organic chemistry.
- CHEM 5140Chemical Biology[3 Credit(s)]DescriptionThis course is designed to expose students to current methodologies in the field of Chemical Biology. A key focus will be the chemical reactions and probes that have been used to build current techniques in the field. Areas that will be covered include bio-orthogonal chemistry, protein engineering, methods of protein- and cell-specific labelling, biological assay development, cell imaging techniques, and topics in current Chemical Biology research.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Classify and explain major chemical biology principles used to study biological processes.
- 2.Recognize and implement the chemical tools used to perform tasks like protein conjugation, cell imaging, activity assays, and chemical proteomics.
- 3.Analyze key concepts from journal articles related to chemical biology and evaluate their scientific
significance.
- CHEM 5160Advanced Medicinal Chemistry[3 Credit(s)]DescriptionDrug design, structure-activity relations, chemistry and biological effects of major classes of physiologically active and psycho-active drugs.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Classify the origins of human diseases and the molecular basis for their treatment.
- 2.Demonstrate capability to select or discover a molecular target for therapeutic intervention.
- 3.Identify leads for therapeutic targets using diverse chemical strategies.
- 4.Propose optimization of drug properties through structural modifications.
- CHEM 5210Computational Chemistry[3 Credit(s)]BackgroundCHEM 3420DescriptionFundamentals and applications of various computational chemistry methods, including molecular orbital calculations, molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics. Computational laboratory practice will be emphasized.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Build knowledge of quantum chemistry, molecular dynamics, and statistical mechanics.
- 2.Apply computational chemistry approaches to solve chemistry problems.
- CHEM 5230Quantum Chemistry[3 Credit(s)]BackgroundCHEM 3420 OR EquivalentDescriptionIntroduction to basic theories of Quantum Chemistry. Popular theories used in modern Quantum Chemistry such as Hantree-Fock theory, Density Functional theory. Perturbation Theories, and other quantum chemistry theories will be introduced in this course.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Illustrate the Hartree-Fock approximation to treat chemical molecules.
- 2.Explain post Hartree-Fock methods including configuration interaction, coupled cluster and coupled electron pair approximations.
- 3.Apply Density Functional Theory (DFT) for ground state systems, and Time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) for excited-state and time-dependent systems.
- CHEM 5310Advanced Inorganic Chemistry I[3 Credit(s)]DescriptionSymmetry, group theory; molecular orbitals, electronic states; ligand field theory; electronic structure of metal complexes; theory of bonding and structure of inorganic compounds; chemistry of the elements; major physical methods used in the determination of molecular structure and bonding.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Demonstrate an in-depth and well-founded knowledge of structure and bonding theories relevant to inorganic chemistry.
- 2.Apply molecular orbital theory to explain and rationalize bonding, reactivity and properties of inorganic molecules including transition metal complexes and cluster compounds.
- 3.Correlate the structure and bonding of metal complexes to their roles in catalysis.
- CHEM 5340Chemical X-ray Crystallography[3 Credit(s)]DescriptionApplications of X-ray diffraction methods to the determination of crystal structures, including crystal symmetry, reciprocal lattice, intensity of diffraction, the phase problem, and refinement of structure parameters, powder X-ray diffraction analysis.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Describe the principles of powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction and how they can be applied to identification of samples and determining molecular crystal structure.
- 2.Classify the main methods of crystallization and apply them to real world examples.
- 3.Discuss classification of crystals on the basis of symmetry and explain the principles of space groups and their application to crystal structure.
- 4.Employ powder diffraction software programs to i) determine unit cells from a set of diffraction peaks, and ii) identify materials from an experimental powder patterns.
- 5.Solve and refine crystal structures from hkl diffraction data using modern software packages such as SHELX and Olex2.
- 6.Critique the quality of experimental diffraction data and refined structures with published X-ray structures and identify the key geometric features.
- 7.Apply the use of databases (CSD, ICSD, PDF) to carry out data mining for structural studies, including molecular and intermolecular geometry.
- CHEM 5410Atmospheric Chemistry[3 Credit(s)]Co-list withENVR 5410Exclusion(s)ENVR 5410BackgroundBasic knowledge of physical chemistryDescriptionA fundamental introduction to the physical and chemical processes determining the composition of the atmosphere and its implications for climate, ecosystems, and human welfare. Atmospheric transport and transformation. Stratospheric ozone. Oxidizing power of the atmosphere. Regional air pollution: aerosols, smog, and acid rain. Nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, sulfur geochemical cycles. Climate and the greenhouse effect.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Apply the fundamental concepts to describe the physical and chemical processes governing air pollution.
- 2.Identify important chemical reactions and processes in the stratosphere and troposphere.
- 3.Understand the formation mechanism and destruction processes of various pollutants in the air.
- 4.Assess the potential impacts of various atmospheric chemical processes on environment, climate and human health.
- 5.Apply investigative skills, critical thinking and ability to evaluate atmospheric chemistry-related information and data.
- CHEM 5540Chemistry for Advanced Materials[3 Credit(s)]Co-list withNANO 5100Exclusion(s)CHEM 4220, NANO 5100DescriptionChemistry of materials with nano-dimensional structures and advanced functionalities. Working principles of liquid-crystalline displays and organic light-emitting diodes. High-tech applications of luminescent materials in optoelectronic systems, chemical sensors and biological probes.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Demonstrate an understanding of the core ideas and concepts of materials science and technology.
- 2.Recognize the power of chemical synthesis and materials preparation and carry out investigative research work with independent judgment.
- 3.Apply chemical principles to formulate and analyze analytical and synthetic problems.
- 4.Conduct analysis and interpretation of experimental data.
- 5.Communicate problem solutions using correct materials chemistry terminology and good English
- CHEM 5880Polymer Chemistry[3 Credit(s)]Prerequisite(s)CHEM 2112 (prior to 2017-18) or CHEM 3120DescriptionModern Polymer synthesis, step and chain polymerizations, macromolecular structures, and polymer properties.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Exemplify the concepts, structures, and characterization of macromolecules.
- 2.Recognize methods and their mechanisms for preparing polymers with different architectures and properties.
- 3.Apply chemical principles to analyze macromolecular problems and interpret experimental results.
- 4.Communicate problems using correct polymer chemistry terminology.
- CHEM 6000Chemistry Seminar[1 Credit(s)]DescriptionSeries of seminar topics presented by students, faculty and visiting speakers; may be repeated for credit. Graded P or F.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Recognize the current trends and activities in Chemistry related professions and academic research.
- 2.Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate advanced research results from various Chemistry-related scientific presentations.
- CHEM 6010Special Topics in Chemistry (JCAS)[2-4 Credit(s)]DescriptionAdvanced courses in postgraduate Chemistry including those offered by sister institutions in Hong Kong under the Joint Center for Advanced Studies initiative. Credit to be determined on case by case basis based on workload.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Discuss the phenomenon of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and its mechanism.
- 2.Recognize different AIE materials and their properties.
- 3.Categorize the potential applications of AIE materials in electronics, optics, biomedical field, etc.
- CHEM 6030Special Topics in Chemistry[1-4 Credit(s)]DescriptionSelected topics of current interest to the Department not covered by existing courses. May be repeated for credit if different topics are covered.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Demonstrate understanding of fundamental knowledges in the selected topics.
- 2.Apply the fundamental knowledge in the selected topics to their own research fields.
- CHEM 6050Chemistry Doctoral Seminar[1 Credit(s)]DescriptionThis course consists of seminars delivered by PhD candidates on research topics outside the scope of their thesis work in chemical sciences. PhD(CHEM) students are required to enroll in this course for two regular terms during their third year of study. Graded PP, P or F.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Acquire and understand relevant research reports, reviews and books in a particular research area of interest.
- 2.Critically analyze the development, significance and application potential of the achievements in a selected area of research.
- 3.Identify new opportunities for scientific exploration in the selected area of research.
- 4.Communicate professionally the scientific development in chemistry by oral presentation.
- CHEM 6772Professional Development in Chemistry[1 Credit(s)]Exclusion(s)CHEM 6770 (prior to 2024-25), CHEM 6771DescriptionThis one-credit course aims at providing research postgraduate students basic training in teaching skills, research management, career development, and related professional skills in chemistry. This course normally lasts for one year, and is composed of a number of mini-workshops or tasks which are coordinated by the department. Graded PP, P or F.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Efficiently use on-line and off-line academic resources to support their research.
- 2.Efficiently use various instruments in their research.
- 3.Understand and conform to regulations regarding the safe use of chemicals and related instruments.
- 4.Perform risk assessment and safely use chemicals and related apparatuses in research projects.
- 5.Supervise and teach undergraduate students in chemistry experiments and part of course activities.
- 6.Professionally present research outputs to chemists in the research and development community.
- 7.Demonstrate a clearer understanding of the career exploration process in chemistry-related industries.
- CHEM 6980Research Project[1-4 Credit(s)]DescriptionAn independent research project carried out under the supervision of a faculty member. This course is only available for exchange, visiting and visiting internship students.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Apply practical or computational techniques/skills for chemical investigations.
- CHEM 6990MPhil Thesis Research[0 Credit(s)]DescriptionMaster's thesis research supervised by a faculty member. A successful defense of the thesis leads to the grade Pass. No course credit is assigned.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Demonstrate up-to-date and in-depth knowledge of their area(s) of specialization.
- 2.Apply practical or computational techniques/skills for chemical investigations.
- 3.Conduct directed chemical research, develop experimental protocols and interpret results.
- 4.Communicate effectively the results of scientific research in writing and by oral presentation.
- CHEM 7990Doctoral Thesis Research[0 Credit(s)]DescriptionOriginal and independent doctoral thesis research. A successful defense of the thesis leads to the grade Pass. No course credit is assigned.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Demonstrate up-to-date and in-depth knowledge of their area(s) of specialization and chemistry in general.
- 2.Apply practical and/ or computational techniques/skills for chemical investigations.
- 3.Conduct independent chemical research, propose experiments, develop protocols, evaluate results and formulate hypotheses.
- 4.Communicate effectively the results of scientific research in writing and by oral presentation.
- 5.Evaluate and critique current research, approaches and methodologies in chemistry.
