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Unlocking Organic Chemistry (UNLOC)©

Course Information

This comprehensive course is intended to provide students with the skills they will need to succeed in their studies of Organic Chemistry 1. The course would be most beneficial to students who completed General Chemistry 2 with the letter grade of a C or for students who did not pass Organic Chemistry 1.  

Each session will combine lecture elements with hands-on collaborative active learning. Students will work together on problem sets and, in some cases, participate in instructional games to drive home key concepts. Discussion of effective study habits and time management skills will also be key elements of the course. Due to the small class-size, students will have many opportunities to interact with the instructor during each session.

Course Instructor

The instructor will be Elijah St. Germain, Ph.D., who holds a doctorate in organic chemistry and has coauthored numerous scholarly peer-reviewed articles in prestigious journals, including the Journal of Chemical Education. St. Germain currently teaches Organic Chemistry 1 at FAU; he has taught this course since 2017.

Course Topics

Interpreting and Using the Periodic Table
Lewis structures, Electronegativity and Formal Charge
Electrons and Orbitals – the basics
Molecular Representations and Isomerism
Practice with Molecular Models & Learning the Functional Groups
Curved Arrow Mechanisms and Resonance Theory
Hybridization Theory and Predicting Hybridization Based on Geometry
Preparing for Stereochemistry
Acid/Base Equilibria of Organic Compounds 
Introduction to Reaction Mechanisms

Course Schedule

All classes are in-person (on the Boca Raton campus, SE-43, room 319B).

Registration and Course Fees

The course is starting May 5th, 2023. Register now, click here!

FAU students $350.00 (must have an FAU Z Number and FAU e-mail).

Non-FAU students $450.00.

All materials are included.

Refund Policy for Continuing education Course

Once the class starts, we are not able to provide a refund. However, prior to the start of class a 20% processing fee will be charged for those withdrawing from the course.

Contact Us

Questions? Contact Elijah St. Germain, Ph.D., at estgerma@fau.edu.