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Biochemistry Major Curriculum
Updated: March 11, 2009
The Biochemistry Major, with 70 credits, is bigger than many other majors in the natural sciences (Chemistry ACS major - 63; Natural Science - 64; Chemistry with a Biochemistry concentration - 66; Nutrition - 68). 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.
Summary of Required Courses
4 CREDIT COURSES
Chemistry
| CHEM 123, 234 | Gen. Chem. I and II |
| CHEM 235, 236 | Organic Chem. I and II |
| BCHM 322 | Biochemistry II (Chem. Dept) |
| CHEM 333 or 334 | Thermo. or Quantum Chem. |
| CHEM 335 | Analytical Chem. |
Biology
| BIOL 121, 221 | Cellular Life, Organismal Bio. |
| BIOL 311 | Cell. Biol. |
| BIOL 318 | Mol. Biol. |
| BIOL 317 (changed to BCHM 317 by registrar after class starts) | Biochemistry I (Biol. Dept) |
| Elective | Any additional 300 level course |
Physics: 191 and 200 (preferred) OR 105 and 106
Math: 119 and 120
1-2 CREDIT COURSES
BCHM 310: Journal Club
BCHM 350 or BCHM 351: Library or Lab Research
Possible Course Schedule for Biochemistry Major
FIRST YEAR
| Fall | Spring |
| BIOL 121 - Cellular Life | BIOL 221 - Organismal Biology |
| CHEM 123 - Gen. Chem. I | CHEM 234 - Gen Chem. II |
| Symposium | Symposium |
| Language 1 | Language 2 |
SECOND YEAR
| Fall | Spring |
| Core Elective: Humanities | Bio 318 - Mol. Bio |
| CHEM 235 - Organic Chem I | CHEM 236 - Organic Chem II |
| Language 3 | Core Elective: Soc Sci LD |
| MATH 119 - Calculus I | MATH 120 - Calculus II |
| - |
THIRD YEAR
| Fall | Spring |
| BIOL 317(1) | BCHM 322(1) - Biochemistry II (Chem. Dept) |
| BIOL 311 - Cell Bio | Core Elective: Humanities |
| CHEM 335 - Analytical Chemistry | Core Elective: Jud-Chris. |
| PHYS 191 (2) | PHYS 200 |
| BCHM 310(1) - Journal Club |
FOURTH YEAR
| Fall | Spring |
| CHEM 333 - Thermo (or Chem 334 - Quantum Chem in SPRING) |
Core Elective: Theology |
| Core Elective: Human. UD | Core Elective: Fine Arts |
| Biology ELECTIVE (3) | Core Elective: Soc. Sci UD |
| Senior Seminar | Student Choice (4) |
| Research (1-2 credits) | Research |
(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 entire Biochemistry course sequence (BCHM 317, 322, and 310) 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 any of the courses in the Biochemistry sequence (BCHM 317, 322, and 310) 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.
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.
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.