Biochemistry Concentration

A major in chemistry with a concentration in biochemistry is ideal for you if you’re interested in medicine, dentistry, molecular biology, pharmacy, clinical chemistry, bio-medical research, biotechnology, pharmacology, toxicology, industrial hygiene, veterinary medicine, and other health-related fields. We can tailor the program specifically to fulfill your medical/dental school requirements.

At JCU, you’re learning in the heart of the nation’s top healthcare region, with access to internships, research and alumni connections needed to guide your career. Plus, you’ll get firsthand research experience in our state-of-the-art Dolan Center for Science & Technology.

Requirements

Graduates of this concentration often seek employment in areas such as medicine, dentistry, or any of the other life sciences: molecular biology, pharmacy, clinical chemistry, bio-medical research, biotechnology, pharmacology, toxicology, industrial hygiene, veterinary medicine, and other health-related fields. To serve such a variety of career goals, the concentration offers flexibility in some requirements.

Note: Students interested in pharmacy should contact David Mascotti, Ph.D., (dmascotti@jcu.edu) as soon as possible to discuss the requirements of each pharmacy program.

Requirements for a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with a Biochemistry Concentration (120 total credit hours): (Click here for a downloadable sheet of chemistry requirements.)

This curriculum is for students graduating in 2019 or later.

Foundational Competencies (9-12 credit hours)

Written Expression: one or two courses, depending on placement
EN 1250, Seminar on Academic Writing (3 cr.) OR
EN 1200/1210, Developmental Writing (6 cr.)
Oral Expression: one course
CO 1251, Speech Communication (3 cr.)
Quantitative Analysis: one course (3 cr.)

Language (0-9 credit hours)

Students must complete the 201 level or equivalent in the language they continue from high school; those who place above this level (201) are exempt from the requirement.
Students must complete a two-course sequence (101-102) if they begin a new language at JCU.

Integrated Courses * (15 credit hours)

Engaging the Global Community (1 course; 3 cr.)
Exploring the Natural World (2 linked courses; 6 cr.)
Examining Human Experience (2 linked courses; 6 cr.)

Jesuit Heritage (16 credit hours)

Philosophy: two courses (one from each of the following categories)
Knowledge & Reality (3 cr.) AND
Values & Society (3 cr.)
Theology & Religious Studies: two courses
TRS 101, Intro to Theology & Religious Studies (3 cr.) AND
An additional 200- or 300- level TRS course (3 cr.)
Issues in Social Justice: one course (3 cr.)
Creative and Performing Arts: one course (1+ cr.)

Core Requirements in the Major

Additional Writing Course
Additional Presentation Component
Capstone Experience

*Notes:

Foundational writing (EN 1250 or EN 1200/1210) is a prerequisite for all integrated courses
Foundational Quantitative Analysis is a prerequisite for Exploring the Natural World
Within the five integrated courses, students must include one science course (BL, CH, MT/CS, PH/EP, PS), one social science course (EC, PO, SC), and one humanities course (AH, CMLC/CL/IC, CO, EN, HS)

Course Name/Number	Credit Hours
Total Chemistry Core Hours	38-48
General Chemistry I-II & Lab I-II (or Chemical Principles & Lab) - CH 1410, 1420, 1430, 1440 (or CH 1510, 1530)	10 (5)
Organic Chemistry I-II & Lab I-II - CH 2210, 2220, 2230, 2240	8
Analytical Chemistry & Lab - CH 2610, 2630	4
Physical Chemistry I - CH 3630	3
Physical Chemistry Lab I - CH 3670	2
Chemistry Seminar - CH 4780A, 4780B	0
Calculus and Analytic Geometry I-II - MT 135, 136	8
General Physics I-II/Lab I-II (or Physics I-II/Physics Workshops I-II) - PH 125/125L, 126/126L (or PH 135/135L, 136/136L *)	8 (10)

*Notes:

CH 366 (Physical Chemistry II) may count as an upper-division elective by permission for all pathways except the Chemical Physics Concentration.
Chemical Physics concentrations must take the CH 366 sequence and the PH 135/135L, 136/136L sequence.

Course Name/Number	Credit Hours
Total Biochemistry Concentration Hours	24-27
Biochemistry I-II, Biochemistry Lab - CH 435, 436, 437	7
Principles of Biology I-II & Lab I-II - BL 155/156, 157/158	8
3 courses of upper-division CH or BL electives, of which at least one is CH (For majors, who entered in the 2017-2019 Undergraduate Bulletin, Declaring prior to Spring 2019)	9-12
3 courses of upper-division CH or BL electives, of which at least two are CH (For majors who entered in the 2019-2021 Undergraduate Bulletin)	9-12

*Notes:

CH 363, CH 367 are required, but the full physical chemistry suite CH 363, 366, 367 and 368 is strongly encouraged for students considering graduate school in a chemistry-related area.
If the CH 363-366 sequence is taken, CH 366 (3 cr.) may count as an upper-division elective by petition
It is strongly recommended that CH 441, 443 (5 cr.) be taken as one of the chemistry electives (CH 443 satisfies the CAP, OP and AW requirements for the integrated core)
CH 399 (1-3 cr.) is strongly encouraged
For majors , who entered in the 2017-2019 Undergraduate Bulletin, upper-division biology electives may be selected from: BL 213 (4 cr.), 301 (3 cr.), 302 (3 cr.), 310/310L (4 cr.), 350/350L (5 cr.), 360/360L (4 cr.), 410 (3 cr.), 459 (3 cr.), 465 (3 cr.), 471 (3 cr.), 475 (3 cr.), or other courses approved by the chemistry department chair
For majors declaring, who entered in the 2019-2021 Undergraduate Bulletin, the upper-division biology elective may be selected from: BL 301 (3 cr.), 302 (3 cr.), 310/310L (4 cr.), 410 (3 cr.), 459 (3 cr.), 465 (3 cr.), 470 (3 cr.), 471 (3 cr.), PS 426 (3 cr.).
For students planning to take the Medical College Aptitude Test (MCAT), BL 213 (4 cr.) and PS 101 (3 cr.) are required; SC 101 is highly recommended.

Click here to view Sample Chemistry Study Plans