BS in Biochemistry

The BS in Biochemistry is intended for those with an interest in the chemistry of living systems. It is an interdepartmental major for students interested in topics that intersect both chemistry and biology and is offered jointly by the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Biology.

Program Requirements and Policies

• Sixteen courses and their accompanying labs are required to complete the major.
• No major course may be taken Pass/Fail.
• If you have more than one major, please see Bulletin for rules on double-counting courses across majors.
• If you have a minor, no more than two course credits used toward the minor may be used toward foundation, distribution, major, or other minor requirements.
• Note: A student majoring in biochemistry no longer needs to complete biology or chemistry research to be eligible for a summa cum laude degree.

Course Requirements

Chemistry Courses

• Chemistry 1: Chemical Fundamentals w/lab OR Chemistry 11: General Chemistry 
• Chemistry 2: Chemical Principles w/lab OR Chemistry 12: General Chemistry
• Chemistry 31: Physical Chemistry I*
• Chemistry 43/45: Bioanalytical Chemistry w/ lab (Recommend) OR Chemistry 42: Quantitative Analysis)***
• Chemistry 51: Organic Chemistry I
• Chemistry 53: Organic Chemistry I Lab
• Chemistry 52: Organic Chemistry II
• Chemistry 54: Organic Chemistry II Lab
• Chemistry 171: Biochemistry I
• Chemistry 172: Biochemistry II

Biology Courses

• Biology 13/15: Cells and Organisms**
• Biology 41: General Genetics
• Biology 105: Molecular Biology

Other Required Courses

• Experiential Laboratory Research, selected from:*** 
  • Biology 50: Experiments in Molecular Biology
  • Biology 52: Experiments in Cell Biology
  • Biology 54: Molecular Genetics Project Lab
  • Biology 193/194: Independent Research in Biology
  • Biology 199: Senior Honors Thesis
  • Chemical & Biological Engineering 163: Recombinant DNA Technology
  • Chemistry 82 or higher: Research II–VIII
  • Chemistry 195/199: Senior Thesis I/II
• Math 34: Calculus II*
• Physics 2: Introduction to Physics II w/ Lab or Physics 12: General Physics II w/ Lab
   

* The Biochemistry major requires Chemistry 31: Physical Chemistry, which has Math 34 and Phys 2 as prerequisites. Thus, the timing for completion of the prerequisite courses (Math 32, Math 34, Phys 1, and Phys 2 or their equivalents, such as AP credit) is flexible, but must be completed before the physical chemistry is taken.

** Starting with the incoming class of 2027, please note that BIO 13 and 15 are linked and must should be taken concurrently. If you are an A&S student, both courses must be added to your SIS cart when enrolling in BIO 13 & 15. Engineering students should be aware that there are restrictions on which majors and years are permitted to enroll in this course (BME students should enroll in BME 33 instead).

*** Effective for classes graduating after May 2024, the Biochemistry major will require at least one semester of a graded, experiential laboratory course. This change will remove the Bio 50 substitution petition and provide students with additional flexibility to support their learning of laboratory research. 

This laboratory requirement can be fulfilled in one of two ways:

1.      Students complete CHEM 43/45 and any of the following: BIO 50, BIO 52, BIO 54, ChBE 163, or a graded independent research course in either Chemistry or Biology

2.      Students complete CHEM 42 and one of the following laboratory courses that includes molecular biology techniques: BIO 50, BIO 52, BIO 54, ChBE 163, or a graded independent research course in Biology (BIO 193, 194, 199) or petition to count graded research done in the Chemistry Department (CHEM 82 or higher) that includes a biological component

Recommended Course Sequence Options for Biochemistry Majors

Chem UL = intermediate or upper-level chemistry course

Note: Students who deviate from the proposed course sequences should check for class time overlap. For example, BIO 41 (Genetics) and Chem 52 (Organic Chemistry 2) are typically offered in the same time block in the Spring semester.