Major & Minor Overview

Program Requirements

The biochemistry major provides interdisciplinary training, education and experience in the chemical and biological sciences. Biochemistry focuses on understanding the chemical processes of living organisms,the reaction pathways that sustain life, the principles of how structure defines function, and the physical basis of biomolecular interactions. Students who major in Biochemistry are prepared for diverse careers in medicine, scientific research, biotechnology, pharmacy, biomedical consulting, teaching and education, among other professions. The undergraduate degree in Biochemistry emphasizes knowledge and understanding of:
 

  • Foundational principles of biology and chemistry
  • The building blocks of life (DNA, RNA and proteins), how they evolved, how they interact, and how organisms make and degrade these building blocks
  • How living organisms maintain homeostasis and regulate metabolism
  • The molecular mechanisms of how living systems respond to changes, such as environmental perturbations, disease, and chemical therapeutics
  • How chemical reactions impact human health

The undergraduate degree in Biochemistry also emphasizes and cultivates development of the following skills:
 

  • Quantitative problem solving
  • Critical thinking and analytical reasoning
  • Communication of scientific concepts and ideas

Because biochemistry connects to scientific disciplines ranging from genetics, human physiology, microbiology, neuroscience, cell biology, chemistry, and geology, Biochemistry majors are given the freedom to explore advanced electives in many of these subjects. Additional information about the Biochemistry B.A. can be found on the Biochemistry Department website.

Biochemistry major students are prepared for many different careers after graduation. Career Services offers a number of programs and services designed to help students plan their career, including workshops, internships, and placement services after graduation. For an appointment with a career counselor or for more information, call 303-492-6541 or stop by Center for Community, N352.
 

Additional Opportunities

Undergraduate Research

Undergraduates are encouraged to participate in research to prepare themselves for graduate school, professional school, or industry. There are multiple opportunities for undergraduates to be involved in research within the Department of Biochemistry. For more information, visit our Departmental Undergraduate research page.

Study Abroad

The experience of studying abroad can prove invaluable. For information about study abroad programs, visit the Office of International Education/Study Abroad website.

Teaching Certification

Biochemistry majors can also earn certification as teachers through the School of Education. The program for a secondary school science-teaching certificate is challenging requiring a broad, strong background in science, as well as coursework in education and practice teaching. It usually requires at least five years of study. Students interested in teacher certification are encouraged to contact the School of Education.

Students in the undergraduate biochemistry major are required to take three advanced major electives for a total of at least 9 credits to complete the biochemistry major. Below is a list of all approved electives that can be taken to satisfy the advanced major electives requirement.
 

Advanced Major Electives

Select three of the following elective courses:

BCHM 3100

  & BCHM 3110

Engineering RNA Aptamers

   and Literature-based Co-seminar for BCHM 3100 CURE Laboratory Course

BCHM 3300Genetics Engineering: Science, Technology, and Society
BCHM 3400Mechanisms of Cancer
BCHM 3450Principles of Pharmacology and Toxicology
BCHM 4491Modern Biophysical Methods
BCHM 4631Computational Genomics Lab
BCHM 4751Current Topics in Biochemical Research
BCHM 4850Therapeutic and Diagnostic Nucleic Acids
BCHM 4901*Independent Study in Biochemistry
BCHM 5341Chemical Biology and Drug Design
APPM 3310Matrix Methods and Applications
APPM 3570Applied Probability
APPM 4360Methods in Applied Mathematics: Complex Variables and Applications
ATOC 4200 Biogeochemical Oceanography
CHEM 4011Modern Inorganic Chemistry
CHEM 4171Instrumental Analysis- Lecture and Laboratory 1
CHEM 4181Instrumental Analysis- Lecture and Laboratory 2
CHEN 3010Applied Data Analysis
CHEN 3200Chemical Engineering Fluid Mechanics
CHEN 3210Chemical Engineering Heat and Mass Transfer
EBIO 2070Genetics: Molecules to Populations
(cannot also count MCDB 2150 as a required ancillary course or an advaced elective)
EBIO 3040Conservation Biology
EBIO 3080Evolutionary Biology
EBIO 3180Global Ecology
EBIO 3190Tropical Marine Ecology
EBIO 3240Animal Behavior
EBIO 3400Microbiology
EBIO 3523The Art and Strategy of Science Communication: Branding Climate Change
EBIO 3590Plants and Society
EBIO 3630Parasitology
EBIO 3850Animal Diversity: Invertebrates
EBIO 4030Limnology
EBIO 4060Landscape Ecology
EBIO 4080Freshwater Phycology
EBIO 4140Plant Ecology
EBIO 4155Ecosystem Ecology
EBIO 4290Phylogenetics and Comparative Biology
EBIO 4410Biological Statistics
EBIO 4420Computational Biology
EBIO 4440Animal Developmental Diversity
EBIO 4500Plant Biodiversity and Evolution
EBIO 4510Plant Anatomy and Development
EBIO 4800Critical Thinking in Biology
GEOL 3320Introduction to Geochemistry
GEOL 4160Introduction to Biogeochemistry
GEOL 4270Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry
GEOL 4330Cosmochemistry
GEOL 4670Isotope Geology
GEOL 4675Stable Isotopes in Paleoclimate and Paleoecology
IPHY 3410Human Anatomy
IPHY 3430Human Physiology
IPHY 3490Introduction to Epidemiology
IPHY 4440Endocrinology
IPHY 4470Biology of Human Reproduction
IPHY 4600Immunology
(cannot also count MCDB 4300 as a required Advanced Major Elective)
IPHY 4720Neurophysiology
MATH 4520Introduction to Mathematical Statistics
MCDB 2150Principles of Genetics
(cannot also count EBIO 2070 as a required ancillary course or an advanced elective)
MCDB 3000Synthetic Biology: Engineering Biomolecular Systems in the Laboratory
MCDB 3145Cell Biology 
MCDB 3150Biology of the Cancer Cell
MCDB 3160Infectious Disease
MCDB 3350Fertility, Sterility, and Early Mammalian Development
MCDB 3450Biological Data Science
MCDB 3501Structural Methods for Biological Macromolecules
MCDB 3650The Brain- From Molecules to Behavior
MCDB 3990Introduction to Systems Biology for Biologists
MCDB 4202The Python Project
MCDB 4300Immunology
(cannot also count IPHY 4600 as a required Advanced Major Elective)
MCDB 4310Microbial Genetics and Physiology
MCDB 4350Microbial Diversity and the Biosphere
MCDB 4410Human Molecular Genetics
MCDB 4426Cell Signaling and Developmental Regulation
MCDB 4444Cellular Basis of Disease
MCDB 4471Mechanisms of Gene Regulation in Eukaryotes
MCDB 4520Bioinformatics and Genomics
MCDB 4615Biology of Stem Cells
MCDB 4650Developmental Biology
MCDB 4750Animal Virology
MCDB 4777Molecular Neurobiology
MCDB 4790Oocytes, Stem Cells, Organisms: Experiments to Discoveries
NRSC 2100Introduction to Neuroscience
NRSC 4032Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
NRSC 4082Neural Circuits of Learning and Decision Making
NRSC 4092Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
NRSC 4132Neuropharmacology
NRSC 4545Neurobiology of Addiction
PHIL 3140Environmental Ethics
(cannot also count PHIL 3160 as a required Advanced Major Elective)
PHIL 3160Bioethics
(cannot also count PHIL 3140 as a required Advanced Major Elective)
PSYC 3102Behavioral Genetics

 

*BCHM 4901 must be approved by the Biochemistry Associate Chair for Undergraduate Affairs. To be eligible students must have a minimum of 120 hours of independent research prior to applying for BCHM 4901 as an advanced elective. BCHM 4901 can only count once as an advanced elective. It must be taken as a 3-credit course and a final paper is required.

Requirements

The College of Arts and Sciences will allow a maximum of 9 hours of transfer credit, including 6 upper-division credit hours to count toward a minor. Students may transfer courses through organic chemistry only. All courses required for the minor must be completed with a grade of C- or better, and the overall GPA in all BCHM courses taken must be a 2.00.

Students who have taken CHEN 1211 and CHEM 1221 may substitute them for CHEM 1113 and CHEM 1114. Engineering students who have taken CHEN 4521 may NOT use this to satisfy the physical chemistry requirement.
 

General Chemistry

5-10 

CHEM 1113
  & CHEM 1114

and

CHEM 1133
  & CHEM 1134

General Chemistry 1
and Laborartory in General Chemistry 1

and

General Chemistry 2
and Laborartory in General Chemistry 2

  
 or  
CHEM 1400
  & CHEM 1401
Foundations of Chemistry
and Foundations of Chemistry Lab
  

Organic Chemistry

10-11 
CHEM 3311
  or CHEM 3451
Organic Chemistry 1
Organic Chemistry 1 for Chemistry and Biochemistry Majors
  
CHEM 3321Laboratory in Organic Chemistry 1  
CHEM 3331
or CHEM 3471
or CHEM 3391
Organic Chemistry 2 
Organic Chemistry 2 for Chemistry Majors
Organic Chemistry 2 for Biochemistry Majors
  
CHEM 3341
or CHEM 3381
Laboratory in Organic Chemistry 2 
Laboratory in Advanced Organic Chemistry
  

Biochemistry

6-8 
select one of the following:  
BCHM 2700Foundations of Biochemistry  
BCHM 4611Principles of Biochemistry  
select one of the following:  
BCHM 3300Genetic Engineering: Science, Technology, and Society  
BCHM 3400Mechanisms of Cancer  
BCHM 3450Principles of Pharmacology and Toxicology  
BCHM 4400Core Concepts in Physical Chemistry for Biochemists  
BCHM 4631Computational Genomics Lab  
BCHM 4720Metabolic Pathways and Human Disease  
BCHM 4740Biochemistry of Gene Transmission, Expression and Regulation  
BCHM 4850Therapeutic and Diagnostic Acids  

Total Credit Hours

21-29