B.S. in Biochemistry-Health Professions Track

The Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry-Health Professions Track prepares students for careers outside chemistry — particularly in the health sciences. The program covers all the coursework required for admission to most health-related postgraduate schools, including medicine, dentistry, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, and biotechnology.

The curriculum includes upper-level courses in both chemistry, biochemistry and biology including biomedical applications in biochemistry, genetics, biomolecules structure and function and relationship to human disease, proteomics, neurobiology, endocrinology, advanced organic chemistry and instrumental analysis.  All majors are encouraged to pursue independent research with a professor, and to present their work on campus and at national meetings.

See the suggested course sequence below.

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Program Information

The B.S. in Biochemistry-Health Professions Track program covers all the coursework required for admission to most health-related postgraduate schools, including medicine, dentistry, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, and biotechnology.

Program Type

Major

Degree

Bachelor's

Duration

4-year

Required Credit Hours

121

Suggested Course Sequence

Various courses are offered each semester to satisfy University BRDG requirements. BRDG courses can be taken in any sequence throughout the undergraduate curriculum. All prerequisites must be met with a C or higher.

Fall Semester
  • CHEM 151 Atomic & Molec Principles (4 credits)
  • CHEM 151L Intro to Chemistry Lab (1 credit)
  • BIOL 111 / 111L Biology I / Lab (4 credits)
  • BRDG 101 Writing and Analysis (3 credits)
  • MATH 115 Calculus I (4 credits)
  • CHEM 153 Career Op in Chem and Biochem I (1 credit)

Spring Semester
  • CHEM 152 Quantitative Analysis (4 credits)
  • CHEM 152L Quantitative Analysis Lab (1 credit)
  • BIOL 112 / 112L Biology II / Lab (4 credits)
  • BRDG 102 Writing and Literature (3 credits)
  • MATH 116 Calculus II (4 credits)
  • BRDG 100 Research & Info Skills (1 credit)
Fall Semester
  • CHEM 228 Structure, Mech & React (4 credits)
  • CHEM 228L Org Struct & Properties Lab (1 credit)
  • PHYS 211/R Gen Analy Phys I/Rec (3 credits)
  • PHYS 211L GAP I Lab (1 credit)
  • BIOL 212 Cell Molec Biol
  • EQ xxx Essential Questions Seminar (3 credits)

Spring Semester
  • CHEM 229 Reacts, Synths & Spectroscopy (4 credits)
  • CHEM 229L Organic Synthesis Lab (1 credit)
  • PHYS 212/R Gen Analy Phys II/Rec (3 credits)
  • PHYS 212L GAP II Lab  (1 credit)
  • ENGL 302W Scientific Writing (3 credits)
  • CHEM 154 Career Op in Chem and Biochem II (1 credit)
  • Biochem/Chem/Math/Biol Elective (3 credits)
Fall Semester
  • CHEM 340 Instrumental Analysis (3 credits)
  • CHEM 419 Adv Biochemistry I (3 credits)
  • CHEM 305L/R Adv Lab Skills/R (1 credit)
  • MATH 225 Intro to Biostatistics(3 credits)
  • Biochem/Chem/Math/Biol Elective (3 credits)
  • PSYC 101 Intro to Psychology (1 credit)

Please note: PSYC 101 must be taken Year 3: Fall Semester

Spring Semester
  • CHEM 329 Thermodynamics (3 credits)
  • CHEM 436 Adv Biochemistry II 3 credits
  • CHEM 4xx Biomed Applications in Biochemistry (3 credits)
  • SPRG 108 Service Learning in Science (0-1 credits)
  • SOCI 101 Survey of Sociology (3 credits)
  • CHEM 155 Career Op in Chem and Biochem III (1 credit)

Please note: SOCI 101 must be taken Year 3: Spring Semester

Fall Semester
  • CHEM 426L/R Adv Exp Tech/Applct (4 credits)
  • Biochemistry Elective (3 credits)
  • General Elective (3 credits)
  • BRDG 105 Intro to Ethical Reasoning (3 credits)

Spring Semester
  • Bridges Course - Ethical Reasoning (3 credits)
  • Bridges Course - Critical Think & Prob Solv (3 credits)
  • General Elective (Philosophy) (3 credits)
  • Bridges Course - Cultural Fluency (3 credits)
  • CHEM _______ Capstone (CHEM 488 or 499/499H) (1 credit)

Please note: CHEM 490W Undergraduate Research is highly recommended.

Elective Offerings

Students must take three advanced electives. One elective must be a biochemistry or chemistry elective. The remaining two electives may be chemistry, biochemistry, biology, and/or math electives from the approved lists.

  • CHEM 508 Biomolecular Structure and Function
  • CHEM 527 Biophysical & Biochem Char of Macro
  • CHEM 529 Enzyme Kinetics and Mechanisms
  • CHEM 541 Structural Proteomics
  • CHEM 543 Protein Nucleic Acid Interactions
  • BIOL 315 Human Physiology
  • BIOL 319 General Microbiology
  • BIOL 332 Virology
  • BIOL 424 Immunology
  • BIOL 460 Endocrinology
  • BIOL 468 Human Genetics
  • BIOL 475 Neurobiology
  • CHEM 312 Inorganic Chemistry l
  • CHEM 412 Inorganic Chemistry ll
  • CHEM 452 Environmental Chemistry
  • CHEM 503 Advanced Organic Chemistry
  • CHEM 547 Reaction Mechanisms
  • CHEM 549 Single Crystal X-ray Crystallography
  • CHEM 565 Advanced Instrumental Analysis
  • CHEM 566 Mass Spectrometry Instrumental Analysis
  • CHEM 567 Statistical Thermodynamics
  • CHEM 590 Green Chemistry
  • CHEM 598 Special Topics
  • MATH 215 Calculus lll
  • MATH 310 Linear Algebra
  • MATH 314 Differential Equations
  • MATH 335 Biostatistics Il