Biochemistry Major

Requirements for the Major

A major in Biochemistry requires a minimum of 18 courses including a senior thesis.

BIOLOGY

• BIOL043L KS Introductory Biology  or BIOL040L KS Introduction to Biological Chemistry , or BIOL042L KS Integrated Biology and Chemistry  and either BIOL044L KS Introductory Biology  or BIOL143 KS Genetics  
• BIOL157L KS Cell Biology  
• BIOL170L KS Molecular Biology  
• BIOL177 KS Biochemistry  

CHEMISTRY

• CHEM014L KS Basic Principles of Chemistry  and CHEM015L KS Basic Principles of Chemistry , or CHEM040L KS Introduction to Biological Chemistry  and CHEM015L KS Basic Principles of Chemistry , or CHEM029L KS Accelerated General Chemistry with Lab , or CHEM042L KS Integrated Biology and Chemistry  
• CHEM116L KS Organic Chemistry  and CHEM117L KS Organic Chemistry  
• CHEM121 KS Principles of Physical Chemistry  and CHEM122 KS Principles of Physical Chemistry  

Any two of the following three Advanced Laboratory courses:

• CHEM125L KS Advanced Laboratory in Biochemistry  
• CHEM126L KS Advanced Laboratory in Chemistry  
• CHEM127L KS Advanced Laboratory in Chemistry  

PHYSICS

• PHYS030L KS  and PHYS031L KS  (2 semesters), General Physics for the Life Sciences, or PHYS033L KS  and PHYS034L KS  (2 semesters), Principles of Physics

MATHEMATICS

• MATH030 SC Calculus I  and MATH031 SC Calculus II  

SENIOR THESIS

• Senior Thesis: BIOL191 KS /CHEM191 KS , or BIOL188L KS /CHEM188L KS  and BIOL190L KS /CHEM190L KS , or BIOL189L KS /CHEM189L KS  and BIOL190L KS /CHEM190L KS 

Honors Requirements (All Tracks)

To be considered for departmental honors in one of the science majors, a student must:

• Achieve a minimum grade point average of 11.0 (A-) in courses in the major.  
• Achieve a minimum grade of A- on the thesis.
• Complete a one- or two-semester thesis project in which the student has demonstrated excellence by making a significant contribution to the progress of the research and by producing a thesis document judged to be of honors quality by the department.
• Present an oral progress report at the end of the first semester of a two-semester thesis and a poster at the conclusion of either a one- or two-semester thesis in which the student clearly explains the rationale for the project and the conclusions drawn, engages the listener, and knowledgeably answers questions.
• Attend at least six scientific seminars during the semester (each semester for a two-semester thesis) and submit a brief and clear summary of each.