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Biochemistry Major Curriculum

Updated: June 17, 2010

The Biochemistry Major, with 70 credits, is bigger than many other majors in the natural sciences (Chemistry ACS major - 63; Natural Science - 64;  Nutrition - 68).   This is expected of an interdisciplinary major that requires competencies in both biology AND chemistry.  It's challenging, but worthwhile as a Biochemistry Major gives you the interdiscplinary undestanding necessary to tackle some of the biggests challenges of our day.  

Some students may have received credit for AP courses or passed out of requirements by examination (ex. language courses), making this major easier to manage and increasing their flexibility to select courses in the major. Students who start with the major would also have the opportunity to change majors to either Biology, Chemistry, or Natural Science, since many of the course requirements overlap.

We're making some significant changes in the major starting in Fall 2010.  We have combined two, one credit courses, BCHM 310 -  Journal Club  and BCHM 350 - Library Research, into a new two credit course, BCHM 375 - Biochemistry Capstone.    In doing so, we have eliminated the requirement for either BCHM 350 (library research) OR BCHM 351 (laboratory research).  We still highly encourage students to do laboratory research and earn BCHM 351 credit. 

 In addition, the Chemistry Department is in the midst of signficant curricular changes. Some of those changes will occur starting in Fall 2010.  Others will take place in the following years.  Check this page for periodic updates. 

Summary of Required Courses

Starting in Fall 2010, the following courses are required for all Biochemistry majors including those that enrolled before Fall 2010.  The only exceptions are students who are Seniors in Fall 2010/Spring 2011 AND who took BCHM 310 (Biochemistry Journal Club) during their Junior year (Spring 2010).  These students are exempt from the new capstone (BCHM 375) but must still complete one credit of either library research (BCHM 350) or laboratory research (BCHM 351).

4 Credit Courses offered by the Chemistry Department

4 Credit Courses Offered by the Biology Department

Supporting 4 Credit Courses:

• Physics: 191 and 200 (preferred) OR 105 and 106
• Math: 119 and 120

1-2 Credit Courses  - Before Fall 2010

• BCHM 310: Journal Club
• BCHM 350 or BCHM 351: Library or Lab Research

1-2 Credit Course - Fall 2010 and on

• BCHM 375:  Biochemistry Capstone

0 Credit Courses

• BCHM XXX:   Comprehensive Exam.  Students may take either the Biology (BIOL XXX) OR Chemistry (CHEM XXX) Comprehensive Exam. 

Possible Course Schedule for Biochemistry Major

FIRST YEAR

SECOND YEAR

THIRD YEAR

FOURTH YEAR

⁽¹⁾ We RECOMMEND that students enroll in BIOL 317 (BCHM 317) in the Fall semester of the Junior year, followed by BCHM 322 and BCHM 310 (Journal Club) in the Spring semester of the Junior year. This will allow them to complete the two Biochemistry course sequence (BCHM 317, 322) in the Junior year, giving students the optimal academic background to read the biochemistry literature and conduct quality biochemical research in their Senior year. In cases when it is not possible to follow this recommendation (for example, if students study abroad in their Junior year), then students may take either of the two biochemistry courses (BCHM 317, 322 in any order in their Junior and Senior years.

⁽²⁾ Both the American Chemistry Society and the American Society of Biochemists and Molecular Biologists (ASBMB) recommend physics-based calculus. We recommend that students interested in industry or graduate school should take Phys 191 and 200 (calculus-based). Students interested in Medical School might opt for Phys 105 and 106.

⁽³⁾ For this elective, students could take any upper level biology course, including BIOL (MATH 373) - Introduction to Bioinformatics), except for BCHM 398 (HONORS) which can substitute only for BCHM 351.

⁽⁴⁾ The Biochemistry Major requires many credits (66-67 credits). This requirement would be less demanding for incoming students with have AP credit and/or have passed out of certain courses (introductory language, biology, chemistry, and math classes). Fine arts requirements could be met partially here or distributed throughout the four years.

For Seniors Graduating in Fall 2010 or Spring 2011 who have already taken BCHM 310:

BCHM 310: Biochemistry Journal Club

This one-credit class will be taught by one of the biochemistry faculty. The emphasis will be on reading and critical analysis of modern biochemistry literature, understanding and analysis of biochemistry seminars, and literature search strategies. The biochemistry topics themes will be selected by the instructor.

Research

All Biochemistry Majors must complete a research project through one of the following courses:

BCHM 350 - Library Research: Senior students may register for up to 2 credits of BCHM 350. Library research projects are selected by a student in conjunction with a faculty mentor. These projects should be started at the latest at the beginning of the senior year. One credit of BCHM 350 typically involves use of primary research literature to answer a particular biochemistry-oriented question.

BCHM 351 - Lab Research: Junior and senior students may register for up to 4 credits of BCHM 351. Lab projects are available at the discretion of the faulty and must be started at the latest by the beginning of the senior year. There are several options for receiving credit for BCHM 351:

• Research during the academic year: Students may choose to do research during the academic year. Typically, one credit of BCHM 351 involves lab work equivalent to one lab period per cycle.
• Research during the summer: Students may choose to participate in a summer research program at CSB/SJU or in other summer research program. Typically, participation in a 10-week summer program would count as two credits of BCHM 351. Students conducting research in programs conducted in different summers could receive up to 4 credits towards BCHM 351. Students may register for these credits, as their schedules permit, in any semester after the summer research experience.

Students should select a project and advisor no later than the start of the Fall semster of their senior year and discuss the project and the advisor's expectations for the research and its presentation. The student and research advisor must sign the following BCHM 350/351 Research Contract and Grading Rubric, and return it to the BCHM 350/351 Coordinator by a deadline announced by the Coordinator by email.

• BCHM 350/351 Research Contract and Grading Rubric,

HONR 398 (Honors Thesis): Students doing honors theses typically register for 5 credits: 1 credit of HONR 396 (the proposal) taken during the junior year and 4 credits of HONR 398, taken during the senior year. The four credits of HONR 398 are usually taken during the fall semester of the student’s senior year. The workload for this 4 credit class usually involves:

• a 10-week summer research program,
• continuation of the research into the fall and possibly the spring semester of the senior year (this includes continuing lab work as well as working with the advisor and committee on the writing of the thesis),
• writing and defending thesis during the fall semester of the senior year,
• an outside presentation (such as at NCUR, the Winchell Symposium or Student Research Colloquium at SCSU) or submission of a publication to a journal
• a oral presentation and defense in the spring of the senior year.

For all other Biochemistry Majors starting in Fall 2010/Spring 2011

BCHM 375: Biochemistry Capstone

Biochemistry Capstone (2 credits,  taken second semester of the Senior year; Prerequisite or corequisite - BCHM 317 OR BCHM 322): 

Literature research done under the supevision of a faculty instructor.  Required for all biochemistry majors.   Students attend regular class meetings focusing on their literature research progress, literature review, and preparation of a final paper and oral presentation given at the end of their senior year.    Available to seniors graduating in Fall 2010 and later.  For students enrolling before Fall 2010, BCHM 375 fulfills the requirements for both BCHM 310 (Journal Club, 1 credit) and BCHM 350/351 (1 credit).  Students enrolling may still enroll in BCHM 351 (Laboratory Research) for additional credit if they do laboratory research as well.  BCHM 375 fulfills the research requirement for students enrolling before Fall 2010 as majors enrolled before then are required to do either library (BCHM 350) OR laboratory (BCHM 351) research. All senior Biochemistry majors (except those who have already completed BCHM 310) will enroll in BCHm 375 starting in Spring 2011.  Seniors in Fall 2010 - Spring 2011 who have completed BCHM 310 will still have to enroll in either BCHM 350 or 351. 

 The faculty teaching the capstone will design the course and assignments.  The faculty might select a topic, a topic in a specific journal, or have students select their own topic (unrelated to any laboratory research they have performed).  The class will meet once per cycle.  Students  will read the primary research literature to explore recent developments in the topic.  In doing so they will obtain a broad background understanding of the relevant biochemistry and present state of knowledge about the topic.  They will then focus on particular aspects of the topic and write a detailed paper in which they display their understanding of the relevant biochemical theories and laboratory studies, and of future research questions related to their topic.  This format requires significant independence on part of the student, but in a framework which requires continual assessment of their project.

BCHM 351 - Lab Research (highly encouraged but not required)

Junior and senior students may register for up to 4 credits of BCHM 351. Lab projects are available at the discretion of the faulty and must be started at the latest by the beginning of the senior year. There are several options for receiving credit for BCHM 351:

• Research during the academic year: Students may choose to do research during the academic year. Typically, one credit of BCHM 351 involves lab work equivalent to one lab period per cycle.
• Research during the summer: Students may choose to participate in a summer research program at CSB/SJU or in other summer research program. Typically, participation in a 10-week summer program would count as two credits of BCHM 351. Students conducting research in programs conducted in different summers could receive up to 4 credits towards BCHM 351. Students may register for these credits, as their schedules permit, in any semester after the summer research experience.

Students should select a project and advisor no later than the start of the Fall semster of their senior year and discuss the project and the advisor's expectations for the research and its presentation. The student and research advisor must sign the following BCHM 351 Research Contract and Grading Rubric, and return it to the BCHM 351 Coordinator by a deadline announced by the Coordinator by email.

• BCHM 351 Research Contract and Grading Rubric,

HONR 398 (Honors Thesis):

Students doing honors theses typically register for 5 credits: 1 credit of HONR 396 (the proposal) taken during the junior year and 4 credits of HONR 398, taken during the senior year. The four credits of HONR 398 are usually taken during the fall semester of the student's senior year. The workload for this 4 credit class usually involves:

• a 10-week summer research program,
• continuation of the research into the fall and possibly the spring semester of the senior year (this includes continuing lab work as well as working with the advisor and committee on the writing of the thesis),
• writing and defending thesis during the fall semester of the senior year,
• an outside presentation (such as at NCUR, the Winchell Symposium or Student Research Colloquium at SCSU) or submission of a publication to a journal
• a oral presentation and defense in the spring of the senior year.