Build a strong foundation of chemistry knowledge and skills, preparing for first-year chemistry in this online one-week course!
CHEM4U is a week-long course that is designed to help prepare students coming into CHEM 1001 or CHEM 1101 by emphasizing the importance of chemistry fundamentals. By having a strong grasp of underlying concepts that are common to all chemistry courses, you'll enter your first year chemistry courses with a solid foundation of knowledge and skills you can use and build upon. You'll learn how to manipulate, understand, and solve for variables in simple chemical equations, which you can later translate to do the same for more complicated systems. Whether you’re aiming to boost your first-year chemistry grade or you’re stepping onto campus for the first time, CHEM4U gives you a rock-solid chemistry foundation. Master core concepts, sharpen your problem-solving skills, and build metacognitive skills so you feel confident, capable, and ready to excel in your first year chemistry course. CHEM4U is coordinated by the Science Student Success Centre in the Faculty of Science.
Dates and Fees
The fee for CHEM4U is $375, including HST.
CHEM4U runs twice during the year. The following dates are offered:
Spring 2026: Monday, April 27th - Friday, May 1st
- Registration is currently open. Register through Carleton Central. Listed as a summer 2026 course.
- The final day to register and withdraw for Spring 2026 CHEM4U is April 17th. *No refunds will be issued after this date, with no exceptions*.
Fall 2026: Monday, August 24th - Friday, August 28th
- Registration is currently closed. Will open with the 2026/2027 academic year time ticket.
- The final day to register and withdraw for Fall 2026 CHEM4U is August 14th. *No refunds will be issued after this date, with no exceptions*.
We recommend considering registration for CHEM4U if you plan to take a first-year general chemistry course during your studies.
Sign Up Now! Click here for a step-by-step explanation of how to register for CHEM4U.
What is CHEM4U?
Generally, CHEM4U aims to teach students basic fundamentals about chemistry problem solving that they’ll need for first-year general chemistry and future CHEM courses. Some of this material will be review from high school, while some will tackle subjects and practices that will help students better conceptualize and solve problems in CHEM 1001 and CHEM 1101. Some of the broad topics that will be covered in CHEM4U include:
- Simple chemical reactions: stoichiometry and balancing, calculating reagents, neutralization reactions
- Units: conversion between units, identifying and using SI units
- Physical properties of solids, liquids and gases: density, volume, using the ideal gas law
This course also embeds a metacognition module which will help you learn and practice metacognitive skills - skills that help you understand your own learning processes and are beneficial for all courses!
Metacognition is defined as the ability to recognize and analyze your own thought processes and learning. Essentially - thinking about your own thinking. It involves planning, monitoring, evaluating, and making changes to how you build knowledge and abilities. Each day of the course, you will learn a new metacognitive skill and apply it to practice problems in the tutorials.
CHEM4U will be instructed by Contract Chemistry Instructor, and Post-doctoral Fellow, Dr. Julia Mandato, PhD. The program is designed to provide students with a mix of lecture material, step-by-step tutorials, online activities, demonstrations and worksheets; this format will let students listen to material, see it being used and demonstrated, and then finally be able to apply this knowledge to problem-solving situations.
Click here for additional information for CHEM4U Attendees.
Additional Benefits of Taking CHEM4U
Not only will this course help you feel more confident and prepared with fundamental chemistry concepts for first year chemistry but if you complete the metacognitive module that is integrated into the course, you can obtain a Co-Curricular Record (CCR) and Digital Badge.
The CCR tracks your engagement and achievements while attending Carleton and showcases the skills you gain along the way.
Obtaining CCR credits can:
- Assist in identifying your skills and competencies
- Provides official documentation to present to prospective employers and supplements your resume
- Complements your graduate and professional school applications
- Enhances your bursary and scholarship applications
Digital badges are more than just graphics. They carry verifiable information about what you did to earn the badge. For every FUSION module you complete, you will earn a badge.
Still Thinking About CHEM4U?
Have questions about CHEM4U? Visit our FAQs page for helpful information and answers to common questions. Whether you're curious about how the program works, the topics it covers, or how to get started, our FAQs provide clear and detailed answers to support you. Explore tips and resources to support your learning journey with the CHEM4U program.