The biochemistry program is an inter-departmental program administered by a committee selected from the faculty of the departments of Biology and Chemistry.
The course requirements are designed to provide rigorous but balanced training in both biology and chemistry. In addition, undergraduate students are encouraged to participate in laboratory research with the faculty or at area research facilities such as the National Institutes of Health and the Walter reed Army Institute of Research. The biochemistry curriculum fulfills course requirements for most post-graduate schools in areas such as chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, as well as most life science professional schools in medicine, dentistry, veterinary sciences and optometry.
Suggested Sequence of Courses
Freshman Year:
- Mechanisms of Life I, II (BIOL 105, 106)
- General Chemistry I, II (CHEM 103/104)
- General Chemistry Laboratory I, II (CHEM 113/114)
- Calculus I, II (MATH 111/112)
Sophomore Year:
- Organic Chemistry I, II (CHEM 203/204)
- Organic Chemistry Laboratory I, II (CHEM 213/214)
- Physics I, II (PHYS 205 or 215/206 or 216)
- Physics Lab I, II (PHYS 225/226)
Junior and Senior Year:
- Physical Chemistry I (CHEM 351)
- Physical Chemistry Lab I (CHEM 353)
- Instrumental Analysis & Chemical Spectroscopy (CHEM 408)
- Chemical Instrumentation Lab (CHEM 418)
- Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (CHEM 401)
- Science Communication (CHEM 405)
- Biochemistry I, II (CHEM 471/472)
- Biochemical Techniques (CHEM 496)
- 2 Biology Electives