Basic Chemistry

Content scheduling

The course start meeting is, in accordance with the degree regulations, a compulsory contact session for all students.

Attendance at other classes (excluding the start meeting and exams) is voluntary, meaning that the course can also be completed by studying the course content independently or by attending only selected sessions. However, submitting the weekly calculation exercises is a mandatory part of the course. On-campus participation is recommended, especially for students with little prior background in chemistry or a long gap since their previous studies.

Exams are held as on-site exams in a lecture hall or classroom. Some individual in-person exercise sessions may be arranged as needed.

Topics:

• Elements and atoms
• Chemical bonding
• Pure substances and mixtures
• States of matter
• Amount of substance and stoichiometry
• Chemical reactions and reaction equations
• Acids, bases, pH, and buffers

Student's use of time and effort

The learning tasks consist of weekly assignments related to different topic areas, in which students practice and study the fundamentals of chemistry.

The course workload (5 ECTS credits) corresponds to 135 hours of work, of which contact teaching (lectures, exercise sessions, exams, and calculation workshops) accounts for approximately 40 hours. The share of independent work is therefore about 95 hours.

Teaching methods

The course uses a flipped learning approach. This means that students review and study the lesson topics independently or in groups before class using the course textbook, instructional videos, or other materials. During contact sessions, the main points and the most challenging topics are discussed, and students practice solving tasks related to the subject.

The use of artificial intelligence is allowed to support learning, for example for information retrieval and as an aid in independent exercises to enhance understanding. However, the use of AI is strictly prohibited during exams (assessment of learning outcomes).

Alternative ways of completing the course

The course can also be completed by taking an examination. A substitute exam will be organized at the beginning of the course in September 2026. The exact date will be updated in the course implementation plan before the course begins. Additional information will also be provided on the course’s itslearning page.

Exam schedule

Learning is assessed through two exams. The first exam is held approximately halfway through the course, and the second at the end of the course. Exact dates will be announced no later than at the course’s introductory lecture. Re dates will be announced during the course.