The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Biochemistry requires a minimum of 120 hours of coursework.

Biochemistry majors focus on the intersection of the fields of biology and chemistry to study living organisms at the cellular and molecular levels. It is easy to see how biochemistry applies to biological problems such as medicine and understanding diseases, but biochemistry is central to many other fields, as well, including agriculture (fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides), food science (food safety and preservation, and flavor chemistry), cosmetics, and forensics (DNA analysis).

The BA degree provides students with a strong foundation

• in the traditional subdiscipline of biochemistry in a mathematically less rigorous track
• in laboratory skills emphasizing hands-on training with advanced instrumentation in modern facilities
• in a secondary field as a dual-major combined with for example, a B.S. degree in biology or chemical engineering

Prepares students to

• gain employment in laboratory positions in chemical or biopharmaceutical industries
• enter the business or sales end of the chemical or biopharmaceutical industry 
• enter professional programs such as law, business, medicine, and forensic or veterinary science  

Students pursuing a chemistry or biochemistry major may not elect the P/NC option in major or related courses, or prerequisites for these courses, except as noted in specific course descriptions. Students pursuing a BS/BA in Biochemistry cannot double major with a BS/BA in Chemistry, or minor in Chemistry. The minor in Green Chemistry and Engineering or the certificate in Analytical Chemistry are permitted.

For the Bachelor of Arts degree in biochemistry, 35 hours of CHEM courses are required. The following courses must be included:

CHEM 1230    General Chemistry I    
CHEM 1240    General Chemistry II    
CHEM 1280    General Chemistry Lab I    
CHEM 1290    General Chemistry Lab II    
CHEM 2410    Organic Chemistry I    
CHEM 2420    Organic Chemistry II    
CHEM 2460    Organic Chemistry Laboratory I for Non-Majors    
CHEM 2470    Organic Chemistry Laboratory II for Non-Majors       
CHEM 3310    Analytical Chemistry    
CHEM 3360    Analytical Chemistry Laboratory    
CHEM 3510    Biochemistry I    
CHEM 3520    Biochemistry II
CHEM 3560    Biochemistry Laboratory
CHEM 4570    Biophysical Chemistry
One advanced Biochemistry course: (either CHEM 4500, CHEM 4510, CHEM 4520, CHEM 4530, or CHEM 4580)
 
The following related courses are also required:    
MATH 1750 and MATH 1760, MATH 1830 and MATH 1840, or MATH 1850 and MATH 1860 (Calculus I and II)
PHYS 2070 and PHYS 2080, or PHYS 2130 and PHYS 2140 (Physics I and II)   
BIOL 2170  and  BIOL 3030 (Fundamentals of Life Science: Biomolecules, Cells, and Inheritance and Cell Biology)    

Below is a sample plan of study. Consult your degree audit for your program requirements.

Plan of Study Grid

First Term		Hours
CHEM 1230	General Chemistry I	4
CHEM 1280	General Chemistry Lab I	1
Select one of the following:		4
MATH 1750	Calculus For The Life Sciences With Applications I
MATH 1830	Calculus I For Mathematicians, Scientists And Educators
MATH 1850	Single Variable Calculus I
ENGL 1110	College Composition I	3
NSM 1000	Natural Sciences & Mathematics	2
Humanities/Fine Arts Core		3
	Hours	17
Second Term
CHEM 1240	General Chemistry II	4
CHEM 1290	General Chemistry Lab II	1
Select one of the following:		3-4
MATH 1760	Calculus For The Life Sciences With Applications II
MATH 1840	Calculus II For Mathematicians, Scientists And Educators
MATH 1860	Single Variable Calculus II
CHEM 1910	Survey Of Research	1
ENGL 1130	College Composition II: Academic Disciplines And Discourse	3
Social Sciences Core		3
	Hours	15-16
Third Term
CHEM 2410	Organic Chemistry I	3
CHEM 2460	Organic Chemistry Laboratory I for Non-Majors	1
CHEM 3310	Analytical Chemistry	2
PHYS 2070	General Physics I	5
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective: English Literature		3
	Hours	14
Fourth Term
CHEM 2420	Organic Chemistry II	3
CHEM 2470	Organic Chemistry Laboratory II for Non-Majors	1
CHEM 3360	Analytical Chemistry Laboratory	2
PHYS 2080	General Physics II	5
History Core - College Requirement		3
	Hours	14
Fifth Term
CHEM 3510	Biochemistry I	3
BIOL 2170	Fundamentals of Life Science: Biomolecules, Cells, and Inheritance	4
Elementary Foreign Language I 1		4
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective		3
	Hours	14
Sixth Term
CHEM 3520	Biochemistry II	3
CHEM 3560	Biochemistry Laboratory	2
BIOL 3030	Cell Biology	3
Social Science Core Elective		3
Elementary Foreign Language II 1		4
	Hours	15
Seventh Term
CHEM 4570	Biophysical Chemistry	4
CHEM 4500	Advanced Biological Chemistry	4
or select one advanced biochemistry course in the spring semester 2
WAC course in major, either		2
CHEM 4560	Biophysical Chemistry Laboratory - WAC
CHEM 3860	Advanced Laboratory I
Humanities/Fine Arts Core Elective II		3
Non-US Diversity		3
	Hours	16
Eighth Term
One advanced bichemistry course, if not already taken in fall. Either: 2		4
CHEM 4510	Protein Chemistry
CHEM 4520	Enzymology
CHEM 4530	Nucleic Acid Chemistry
CHEM 4580	Bioinorganic Chemistry
Social Science Elective		3
US Diversity		3
Writing Across the Curriculum Course (outside major)		3
Electives - to get to 120 hours		2-3
	Hours	15-16
	Total Hours	120-122

¹

FL Foreign Language to be decided by student and adviser.

²

Listed twice because courses offered in different semesters; only need one course.

See course catalog for pre- and co-requisites.

Courses which satisfy the College and University degree requirements can be determined by running a degree audit and looking at the list of courses presented as satisfying the requirement. Always try to take courses in which you have an interest.

• PLO 1. Students in the Biochemistry BA degree program must be able to solve, with the appropriate non-calculus based mathematical techniques, and analyze any problem from the core areas of chemistry as well as the area of their biologically related concentration.\\n
• PLO 2. Students in the Biochemistry BA degree program must be able to conduct and analyze biologically related experimental procedures and explain uncertainties associated with the measurements.\\n
• PLO 3. Students in the Biochemistry BA degree program must be able to describe data and results in both written and oral formats.