Biochemistry Major
The foundations of biology are rooted in chemistry, but increasingly advances in scientific endeavor are predicated on the interchange of ideas and concepts across many broad fields of science. This major is designed to provide the student with cross-disciplinary experiences across much of the natural sciences - chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics. The intention is to provide graduates with the ability to readily integrate these disciplines and to provide the tools necessary to break boundaries in scientific exploration. Students in this rigorous, interdisciplinary major are precluded from declaring majors in either chemistry or biology, which will allow a greater capacity to take classes outside of the natural sciences. The major is a chemistry degree with a biochemistry emphasis.
68 credit hours
Required Courses: 32 credit hours
Required Supportive Courses: 28 credit hours
Choose 1 BIOL course and 1 CHEM course from the following options: 8 credit hours
Biochemistry Sample Plan of Study
Following is one possible way to complete the major.
Students should fill in gaps with coursework required for the core curriculum and other majors/minors to take an average of 14 credit hours each fall and spring, and 3-4 credit hours each Interim. Total credit hours needs to be 124 for degree completion.
First Year
Fall Semester
Interim
| Core, Major, Minor or Elective Course | 3-4 |
Spring Semester
FYS 111 | First Year Seminar II | 4 |
CHEM 201 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
MATH 152 | Calculus II | 4 |
| Core, Major, Minor or Elective Course | 3-4 |
Second Year
Fall Semester
Interim
Spring Semester
Third Year
Fall Semester
CHEM 301 | Physical Chemistry I | 4 |
CHEM 305 | Biochemistry | 4 |
| Core, Major, Minor or Elective Course | 3-4 |
| Core, Major, Minor or Elective Course | 3-4 |
Interim
| Core, Major, Minor or Elective Course | 3-4 |
Spring Semester
CHEM 330 | Medicinal Chemistry (W) | 4 |
| Core, Major, Minor or Elective Course | 3-4 |
| Core, Major, Minor or Elective Course | 3-4 |
| Core, Major, Minor or Elective Course | 3-4 |
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
CHEM | Elective course at the 300-level | 3-4 |
| Core, Major, Minor or Elective Course | 3-4 |
| Core, Major, Minor or Elective Course | 3-4 |
| Core, Major, Minor or Elective Course | 3-4 |
Interim
| Core, Major, Minor or Elective Course | 3-4 |
Spring Semester
BIOL | Elective course at the 300-level | 4 |
| Core, Major, Minor or Elective Course | 3-4 |
| Core, Major, Minor or Elective Course | 3-4 |
| Core, Major, Minor or Elective Course | 3-4 |
NOTE: BIOL 3** elective must be either BIOL 303/PHYS 303, BIOL 358, or BIOL 364.