Chemical Microscopy

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The Chemical Microscopy program provides students a hands-on experience using state-of-the-art microscopes and techniques. Students learn how to apply the necessary skills and analytical judgment to a wide variety of microanalytical problems including: pharmaceutical contamination, forensic trace evidence, white powder identification to detect weapons of mass destruction, failure analysis of plastics and polymers and cleanroom techniques including particle isolation and specialized sample preparation. By using light and electron microscopy along with infrared and Raman spectroscopy students learn how each of these microanalytical tools can be used to solve a wide variety of materials analysis and particle identification problems.

North Central College’s 3+1 program in Chemical Microscopy prepares students for a career as a Chemical Microscopist. Students spend three years at North Central College, where they complete their liberal arts general education core along with prerequisite science and math courses. This is followed by 12 months of course work, research, practicums and internship at the Hooke College of Applied Sciences, Westmont, Illinois. The student then graduates from North Central College with a liberal arts degree in Chemical Microscopy. Admission to the final year of the program is based upon successful application to the program at the Hooke College of Applied Sciences in the second term of the junior year. Student applicants are considered and evaluated solely by the faculty/staff at the Hooke College of Applied Sciences. Student admission to the program at McCrone Associates’ Hooke College of Applied Sciences is not guaranteed.

Students intending to major in Chemical Microscopy must apply for admission into the North Central College program at the end of their second year of study.

Degrees offered: B.A. and B.S.

Programs

• Chemical Microscopy, B.A.
• Chemical Microscopy. B.S.

Courses

• CMC 400 - Modern Polarized Light Microscopy
• CMC 405 - Techniques of Optical Crystallography
• CMC 410 - Scanning Electron Microscopy
• CMC 411 - Advanced Imaging Techniques for Scanning Electron Microscopy
• CMC 415 - Pharmaceutical Materials and Contaminants
• CMC 416 - USP {788} Particulate Matter in Injections
• CMC 417 - Freeze-Dry Microscopy
• CMC 420 - Transmission Electron Microscopy
• CMC 430 - Microscopic Particle Handling: Particle Isolation, Manipulation and Mounting
• CMC 431 - Sample Preparation: Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices
• CMC 432 - Sample Preparation: Sperm Isolation
• CMC 433 - Sample Preparation: Polymers, Paints and Coatings
• CMC 434 - Sample Preparation: Forensics and Trace Evidence
• CMC 435 - Forensic Soil Examination I
• CMC 440 - White Powder Unknowns I
• CMC 450 - Forensic Trace Evidence Particles
• CMC 451 - An Introduction to Forensic Document Examination: Basic Theory and Practical Applications
• CMC 452 - Fundamentals of Microscopy for Forensic Document Examiners: Basic Theory and Practical Applications
• CMC 455 - Pigments Identification
• CMC 456 - Conservation Materials
• CMC 460 - Infrared Microscopy
• CMC 470 - Raman Microscopy
• CMC 490 - Fiber Identification
• CMC 495 - Forensic Hair Comparison

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