Biochemistry
Download as PDF
Program Requirements
Students must fulfill the Oakland University General Education Requirements, the General College of Arts and Sciences Requirements, the College of Arts & Sciences Exploratory Requirement, and the Major Requirements. Additionally, students must complete a sufficient number of free elective courses to meet the overall credit requirement for their degree. A minimum of 120 credits is required, although some degree programs may require a higher total credit count.
General Education Requirements
In order to graduate on-schedule without taking additional courses, it is highly recommended that students meet with an Undergraduate Academic Adviser concerning the selection of all of their General Education courses.
Each candidate for an Oakland University baccalaureate will need to satisfactorily complete approved courses in each of the following areas: Foundations, Explorations, and Integration. For details, refer to the General Education Requirements section of the catalog.
Requirements for Biochemistry, B.S.
This interdepartmental program offers a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Biochemistry. The Biochemistry program is based on faculty resources and research facilities in the departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for a career in biochemical research, graduate study in biochemistry or molecular biology, or professional education in medicine, dentistry or other health sciences.
Undergraduate students in the Biochemistry program have access to faculty research laboratories and are encouraged to participate in various ongoing research programs such as studies in metabolism, gene expression, neurodegeneration, cancer research, hormone action, immunochemistry, molecular biology, molecular genetics and macromolecular structure.
The minimum requirement for a B.S. in Biochemistry is 120 credits, including coursework in biological sciences (16 credits), chemistry (32 credits) and biochemistry (12 credits). No more than 8 credits of coursework used to fulfill the requirements of a major or minor in Biology may be used to fulfill the requirements of a major in Biochemistry. Courses used to fulfill the requirements for a major in Biochemistry may not be used simultaneously to fulfill the requirements for a major or minor in Chemistry.
Admission to Major Standing
Students may apply for major standing after completion of 18 credits of chemistry and at least 8 credits of biology from the requirements listed below, with a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.50 in those courses. The Biochemistry Committee must approve major standing and a detailed plan of study at least 3 semesters prior to graduation.
Students wishing to select the Biochemistry major should prepare a detailed plan of study in consultation with a Biochemistry Coordinator. To earn the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Biochemistry, students must complete:
1. Required Biology Courses
2. 8 or More Credits of Biology Chosen in Consultation with the Biochemistry Program Coordinator from the Following Courses
course Developmental Biology (4)
course Biology of the Cell (4)
course Biology of the Cell Laboratory (1)
course Genetics (4)
course General Microbiology (4)
course General Microbiology Laboratory (1)
course Medical Physiology (4)
course Physiology Laboratory (1)
Other appropriate courses may be approved on an individual basis
3. Required Chemistry Courses
course General Chemistry I (4) and course General Chemistry Laboratory I (1)
course General Chemistry II (4) and course General Chemistry Laboratory II (1)
course Organic Chemistry I (4)
course Organic Chemistry II (4)
course Organic Chemistry Laboratory (2)
course Analytical Chemistry (4)
course Physical Chemistry I (4)
course Physical Chemistry II (4)
4. Required Biochemistry Courses (Minimum of 12 credits)
And Additional Credits Selected from the Following Courses
course Biochemistry Research (1 TO 4)
course Molecular Biology (4)
course Immunology (4)
course Cellular Biochemistry (4)
course Principles of Evolutionary Medicine (4)
course Advanced Genetics (4)
course Human Genetics (4)
course Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics (4)
course Medical Microbiology (4)
course Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry (3)
course Atmospheric Chemistry (3)
course Environmental Aquatic Chemistry (3)
course Biochemistry Projects (2)
course Advanced Biochemistry (3)
course Biochemical Toxicology (3)
course Topics in Biochemistry (3)
Other appropriate courses may be approved on an individual basis
5. Corequisites
course Calculus I (4)
course Calculus II (4)
course Introductory Physics I (4) and course General Physics Lab I (1)
course Introductory Physics II (4) and course General Physics Lab II (1)
6. Admission to Major Standing at Least 3 Semesters Prior to Graduation
Students may apply for Major Standing after completion of 18 credits of chemistry and at least eight credits of biology, with a grade-point average (GPA) of 2.50 in those courses. The Biochemistry Committee must approve major standing and a detailed plan of study at least 3 semesters prior to graduation.
Recommended Electives
course Introduction to Computational Chemistry (2)
course Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry (3)
course Applied Probability and Statistics (4)
Pre-Medical Studies: Medicine, Dentistry, Optometry and Veterinary Medicine Concentration
Students interested in a medical career may also refer to the program and consult with the Biology or Biochemistry Adviser and with the College of Arts and Science Advising Office or a Department of Biological Sciences Adviser.
The department offers selected courses from this catalog as warranted by student needs and faculty availability.
Applicable Minors
All Minors are applicable to this major with the exception of the following Minor(s): Child Welfare, International Orientation for EGR/CS, Sustainability Engineering, Two Science, and Three Science.