Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry (Pre-Health Majors)

Website: https://twu.edu/chemistry-biochemistry/undergraduate-programs/bs-in-biochemistry-for-pre-health-majors/

This degree prepares students for graduate work in biochemistry and careers in the chemical/pharmaceutical industries, and is ideal for admission to medically-related professional programs. This degree offers flexibility for students in the upper-division courses so they can tailor their program to their individual professional goals. For those more interested in medically related programs, students would choose upper-division biology courses, whereas those more interested in graduate work in biochemistry would choose upper-division chemistry courses.

Marketable Skills

Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."

  1. As a member of an undergraduate teaching lab team and research team, you will learn how to work and communicate with diverse team members.​
  2. By writing laboratory reports, papers, and senior theses coupled with presenting your work to your peers, at conferences, or to the general public, you will gain valuable verbal and written communication skills.​
  3. With our departmental focus on civic engagement and laboratory safety as our first priority, you will understand social and personal responsibility.​
  4. Finally, since earning a degree in any field of chemistry naturally requires excellent problem-solving and critical thinking skills related to chemistry, these skills can also be used to address other issues and solve other problems.

Admissions

All applicants must meet the general undergraduate admission requirements.

Degree Requirements

Total Semester Credit Hours (SCH): 120  

Major: 34 SCH

Program Code: BIOCHEMISTRY.BS.HLTH;   CIP Code: 26.0202.00

Texas Core Curriculum

ENG 1013Composition I3
ENG 1023Composition II3
Mathematics3
Life & Physical Sciences6
Language, Philosophy, & Culture3
Creative Arts3
HIST 1013History of the United States, 1492-18653
HIST 1023History of the United States, 1865 to the Present3
POLS 2013U.S. National Government3
POLS 2023Texas Government3
Social & Behavioral Sciences3
CAO: Women's Studies3
CAO: First Year Seminar, Wellness or Mathematics3
Total SCHs42

Courses Required for Major

CHEM 1001Horizons of Chemistry and Biochemistry I: Career Possibilities1
CHEM 1101Horizons of Chemistry and Biochemistry II: Current Applications1
CHEM 1213
CHEM 1211
Principles of Chemistry I
and Principles of Chemistry Laboratory I
4
CHEM 1223
CHEM 1221
Principles of Chemistry II
and Principles of Chemistry Laboratory II
4
CHEM 2213
CHEM 2211
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
4
CHEM 3223
CHEM 3221
Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
4
CHEM 3313Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences3
CHEM 3633
CHEM 3632
Biochemistry I
and Biochemistry I Laboratory
5
CHEM 3333
CHEM 3331
Quantitative Chemical Analysis
and Quantitative Chemical Analysis Laboratory
4
CHEM 3643Biochemistry II3
CHEM 4001Research Presentations in Chemistry and Biochemistry1
Total SCHs34

Departmental Requirements

MATH 2014Calculus I4
BIOL 1113
BIOL 1111
Principles of Biology I
and Principles of Biology I Laboratory
4
BIOL 1123
BIOL 1121
Principles of Biology II
and Principles of Biology II Laboratory
4
PHYS 2153
PHYS 2151
General Physics I
and General Physics Laboratory I (may be applied from core)
4
PHYS 2163
PHYS 2161
General Physics II
and General Physics Laboratory II (may be applied from core)
4
Select one of the following4
Calculus II
OR
Probability and Statistics
Independent Study
Undergraduate Research
Choose one of the following4
Ecology
and Ecology Laboratory
Molecular and Cellular Biology: Genetics and Inheritance
and Molecular and Cellular Biology: Genetics and Inheritance Laboratory
Molecular and Cellular Biology: Gene Expression
and Molecular and Cellular Biology: Gene Expression Laboratory
General Microbiology
and General Microbiology Laboratory
Medical Physiology
and Medical Physiology Laboratory
Total SCHs28

Electives

Choose 16-17 SCH not already taken16-17
Global Perspectives Course (see advisor for selection)
Physical Chemistry I
and Physical Chemistry Laboratory I
Physical Chemistry II
and Physical Chemistry Laboratory II
Undergraduate Research
Instrumental Analysis
and Instrumental Analysis Laboratory
Inorganic Chemistry
and Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory
Independent Study
Ecology
and Ecology Laboratory
Molecular and Cellular Biology: Genetics and Inheritance
and Molecular and Cellular Biology: Genetics and Inheritance Laboratory
Molecular and Cellular Biology: Gene Expression
and Molecular and Cellular Biology: Gene Expression Laboratory
General Microbiology
and General Microbiology Laboratory
Medical Physiology
and Medical Physiology Laboratory
Environmental Chemistry I
and Environmental Chemistry Laboratory I
Total SCHs16-17

Recommended Plan of Study

First Year
FallTCCNSCHs
CHEM 1001Horizons of Chemistry and Biochemistry I: Career Possibilities 1
CHEM 1213
CHEM 1211
Principles of Chemistry I
and Principles of Chemistry Laboratory I
4
MATH 2014Calculus I MATH 24134
BIOL 1113
BIOL 1111
Principles of Biology I
and Principles of Biology I Laboratory
BIOL 1406
& BIOL 1106
4
UNIV 1231Learning Frameworks: First-Year Seminar EDUC 1100, EDUC 1200, EDUC 13001
Wellness/Math CAO Core2
 SCHs 16
SpringTCCN
CHEM 1101Horizons of Chemistry and Biochemistry II: Current Applications 1
CHEM 1223
CHEM 1221
Principles of Chemistry II
and Principles of Chemistry Laboratory II
4
BIOL 1123
BIOL 1121
Principles of Biology II
and Principles of Biology II Laboratory
BIOL 1407
& BIOL 1107
4
Multicultural Women's Studies CAO Core3
Select one of the following4
Calculus II MATH 2414 
OR
 
Probability and Statistics  
Independent Study
or Undergraduate Research
 
 SCHs 16
Second Year
FallTCCN
CHEM 2213
CHEM 2211
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
CHEM 2323
& CHEM 2123
4
PHYS 2153
PHYS 2151
General Physics I
and General Physics Laboratory I
PHYS 2325
& PHYS 2125
4
HIST 1013History of the United States, 1492-1865 HIST 13013
ENG 1013Composition I ENGL 13013
 SCHs 14
SpringTCCN
CHEM 3223
CHEM 3221
Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
4
PHYS 2163
PHYS 2161
General Physics II
and General Physics Laboratory II
PHYS 2326
& PHYS 2126
4
ENG 1023Composition II ENGL 13023
CHEM 3333
CHEM 3331
Quantitative Chemical Analysis
and Quantitative Chemical Analysis Laboratory
4
 SCHs 15
Third Year
FallTCCN
CHEM 3633
CHEM 3632
Biochemistry I
and Biochemistry I Laboratory
5
BIOL 3XXX or 4XXX4
POLS 2013U.S. National Government GOVT 23053
Elective4
 SCHs 16
SpringTCCN
CHEM 3313Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences 3
CHEM 3643Biochemistry II 3
CHEM 4983Undergraduate Research 3
Elective (Global Perspectives course)3
POLS 2023Texas Government GOVT 23063
 SCHs 15
Fourth Year
FallTCCN
Elective3
CHEM 4983Undergraduate Research 3
Creative Arts Core3
Language, Philosophy, and Culture Core3
Elective2
 SCHs 14
SpringTCCN
CHEM 4001Research Presentations in Chemistry and Biochemistry 1
HIST 1023History of the United States, 1865 to the Present HIST 13023
Elective - Upper Level4
Elective3
Social & Behavioral Science Core3
 SCHs 14
 Total SCHs:  120