Arts & Sciences

Curriculum: Biochemistry

Biochemistry Summer Research Opportunities

Zach Mazanek working in a biotechnology lab at SBU

The biochemistry program, under the direction of Dr. Xiao-Ning Zhang, provides a basic understanding of living systems that emphasizes the molecular and cellular aspects of biology. A new biotechnology lab equipped with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ultracentrifuge, and electrophoresis equipment provides the technical component for the program and affords research opportunities for the students during their junior and senior years. The final year of study features independent laboratory research.

Advances in the area of molecular biology have led to expanded job opportunities in the general field of biotechnology. The biochemistry program is of special interest to students with a strong science and mathematics background who are preparing for graduate school, medical or dental school as well as law school.

Requirements for a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry

The following table summarizes all requirements for a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry. For an overview of a particular course, click on its title. Our Course Descriptions page lists all biology and biochemistry courses. For one possible breakdown of the major by semester, see the Plan of Study.

Requirements	Credits

Biology	33
BIO 105. Biological Science I BIO 106. Biological Science II BIO 291. Genetics BIO 321. General Microbiology BIO 371. Biochemistry BIO 418-419. Research Participation III, IV BIO 460. Biochemistry Seminar BIO 466. Molecular Cell Biology BIO 472. Immunology Biology Elective*	4 4 3 3 4 4 1 4 3 3

Mathematics	11
MATH 151. Calculus I MATH 152. Calculus II MATH 252. Ordinary Differential Equations	4 4 3

Chemistry	27
CHEM 101. General Chemistry I & CHML 101. General Chemistry I Lab CHEM 102. General Chemistry II & CHML 102. General Chemistry II Lab CHEM 201. Analytical Chemistry & CHML 201. Analytical Chemistry Lab CHEM 301. Organic Chemistry I & CHML 301. Organic Chemistry I Lab CHEM 302. Organic Chemistry II & CHML 302. Organic Chemistry II Lab CHEM 401. Physical Chemistry I & CHML 401. Physical Chemistry I Lab CHEM 470. Mechanisms in Biological Systems	4 4 4 4 4 4 3

Physics	8
PHYS 103. General Physics I & PHYL 103. General Physics Lab I PHYS 104. General Physics II & PHYL 104. General Physics Lab II	4 4

Foreign Language	3
One course at the 202 level or above**	3

Clare College (Core Curriculum at St. Bonaventure) †	36
CLAR 101. The Intellectual Journey CLAR 110. Composition and Critical Thinking I CLAR 111. Composition and Critical Thinking II Core Area Courses: CLAR 103. Foundations of the Western World CLAR 105. Inquiry in the Social World CLAR 206. Foundational Religious Texts of the Western World CLAR 207. The Catholic-Franciscan Heritage CLAR 208. World Views CLAR 209. Arts and Literature CLAR 302 & CLRL 302. Inquiry in the Natural World CLAR 304. The Good Life CLAR 401. The University Forum	3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 2

General Electives	2

Total	120

* The biology elective must be chosen from among the following: BIO 294, BIO 308, BIO 318, BIO 319, BIO 331, BIO 332, BIO 341, BIO 350, BIO 380, BIO 390, BIO 403, BIO 406.

** The School of Arts and Sciences requires all majors to complete a foreign language course at the 202 level or higher. Students not prepared to begin at this level will need to take additional courses in the language, which count as general electives.

† The Clare College curriculum also includes a three-credit quantitative reasoning requirement. Biochemistry majors satisfy this requirement by passing any of the courses listed in the above table under Mathematics.

The comprehensive requirement for biochemistry majors is the successful completion of BIO 460. Biochemistry Seminar.