The undergraduate biochemistry curriculum is designed to provide a solid background in chemistry and the physical sciences, as well as in the biological sciences. Consequently, biochemistry is an especially versatile major giving undergraduates many options when they complete their BS degree. A biochemistry major provides a strong background for entering graduate school in a variety of fields, and the majority of biochemistry majors go on to graduate school or to professional schools such as medicine, veterinary medicine or dentistry. Biochemistry majors excel in biomedical professional schools because of their strong background in the basic sciences. In addition, a wide variety of job opportunities is open to biochemistry majors with a BS degree. Many find rewarding careers working in laboratories as research scientists, forensic scientists and technicians in clinical, governmental and university laboratories. Biochemists are also employed by diverse companies in the chemical, pharmaceutical, agricultural, food and scientific equipment industries.
Plan of Study Grid First Year |
Fall |
BICH 101/GENE 101 | Perspectives in Biochemistry and Genetics | 1 |
CHEM 119 | Fundamentals of Chemistry I | 4 |
ENGL 104 | Composition and Rhetoric | 3 |
MATH 151
| Engineering Mathematics I
or Calculus I | 4 |
1 | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
Spring |
BIOL 111 | Introductory Biology I | 4 |
CHEM 120 | Fundamentals of Chemistry II | 4 |
MATH 152
| Engineering Mathematics II
or Calculus II | 4 |
2 | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
Second Year |
Fall |
BIOL 112 | Introductory Biology II | 4 |
CHEM 227 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
CHEM 237 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
MATH 251 | Engineering Mathematics III 2 | 3 |
| 3 |
| Public Speaking | |
| Communication for Technical Professions | |
| Writing about Literature | |
| Technical and Professional Writing | |
1 | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
Spring |
CHEM 228 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
CHEM 238 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
GENE 302 | Principles of Genetics | 3 |
GENE 314 | Principles of Genetics Laboratory | 1 |
PHYS 206 & PHYS 226 | Newtonian Mechanics for Engineering and Science and Physics of Motion Laboratory for the Sciences | 4 |
2 | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
Third Year |
Fall |
BICH 404 | Biochemical Calculations | 2 |
BICH 440 | Biochemistry I 3 | 3 |
BICH 491 | Research | 1 |
PHYS 207 & PHYS 227 | Electricity and Magnetism for Engineering and Science and Electricity and Magnetism Laboratory for the Sciences | 4 |
2 | 3 |
1 | 2 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
Spring |
BICH 441 | Biochemistry II | 3 |
BICH 414
| Biochemical Techniques I
or Laboratory in Molecular Genetics | 2 |
BICH 491 | Research | 1 |
CHEM 327 | Physical Chemistry I | 3 |
2 | 3 |
1 | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
Fourth Year |
Fall |
BICH 431/GENE 431 | Molecular Genetics | 3 |
BICH 491 | Research | 1 |
BIOL 351 | Fundamentals of Microbiology | 4 |
CHEM 328 | Physical Chemistry II | 3 |
2 | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 14 |
Spring |
BICH 491 | Research 4 | 1 |
2 | 6 |
5 | 6 |
1 | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 120 |
Students must make a grade of C or better in all major coursework used to satisfy degree plan.