Biochemistry, BS

Requirements

  • Courses applying to the Biochemistry major, including required supporting courses, must be taken on a letter-grade basis.
  • At least 25 credit hours of the required Biochemistry, Chemistry, and/or Biology courses must be completed at Roosevelt University.
  • All Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Biology courses must be taken within eight years of graduation to be accepted for credit without examination.
  • Entering students with a score of at least 4 on the AP chemistry exam receive 3 credit hours of CHEM 1xx AP Chemistry credit and are waived from CHEM 201 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I.  Students with a 3 on the AP chemistry exam receive 3 credit hours of CHEM 1xx AP Chemistry credit and satisfy the physical science general education lecture requirement.

  • Biochemistry majors may not minor in either Biology or Chemistry. A mathematics minor is encouraged, but no minor is required

Biology Core15
ORGANISMIC BIOLOGY (3 credit hour lecture, 2 credit hour lab)
ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND GENETICS (3 credit hour lecture, 2 credit hour lab)
CELLULAR &MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (3 credit hour lecture, 2 credit hour lab)
Chemistry Core25
GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (3 credit hour lecture, 2 credit hour lab)
GENERAL CHEMISTRY II (3 credit hour lecture, 2 credit hour lab)
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I (3 credit hour lecture, 2 credit hour lab)
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II (3 credit hour lecture, 2 credit hour lab)
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY (3 credit hour lecture, 2 credit hour lab)
Biochemistry Core10
BIOCHEMISTRY (3 credit hour lecture)
EXPERIMENTAL METHODS IN BIOCHEMISTRY & BIOTECHNOLOGY (3 credit hour lecture and lab)
ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY (3 credit hour lecture)
BIOCHEMISTRY SEMINAR (1 credit hour seminar)
Physical Chemistry Core3
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY FOR BIOSCIENCE (3 credit hour lecture)
Advanced electives8-10
At least two additional BCHM, BIOL or CHEM courses, including at least two disciplines and at least one laboratory. Up to 3 credit hours of CHEM, BIOL or BCHM research may be applied to this requirement.
CHEM 3XX: Advanced chemistry elective, 300 level
BCHM 3XX: Advanced biochemistry elective, 300 level
Supporting Sequence26
TRIGONOMETRY AND PRECALCULUS
ELEMENTARY STATISTICS
CALCULUS I (5 credit hours)
CALCULUS II (5 credit hours)
INTRODUCTION TO NON-CALCULUS BASED PHYSICS I (4 credit hours)
INTRO TO NON-CALCULUS PHYSICS II (4 credit hours)
CALCULUS-BASED PHYSICS I DISCUSSION (1 credit hours)
CALCULUS-BASED PHYSICS II DISCUSSION (1 credit hours)
General Education Requirements including University Writing Requirement34
See College of Science, Health and Pharmacy General Education Requirements below. Some requirements are satisfied by the major courses.
Total Credit Hours121-123

CORE Requirements (General Education)

First Year Success Course or Transfer Success Course
FYS 101FIRST YEAR SUCCESS COURSE1
or TRS 101 TRANSFER SUCCESS 101
Communication Requirement
ENG 101COMPOSITION I: CRITICAL READING & WRITING3
ENG 102COMPOSITION II: INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC RESEARCH3
COMM 101PUBLIC SPEAKING (or program specific CORE communications course)3
Ideas of Social Justice
3 credits in coursework categorized as Ideas.3
Humanities and Fine and Performing Arts 2, 3
9 credits from the following subject areas: African-American Studies, Art History, English (excluding ENG 101 and ENG 102), History, Languages, Music, Philosophy, Theatre, Communication and Women's and Gender Studies9
Mathematics
MATH 110QUANTITATIVE LITERACY (or above) 13
Science
One biological science and one physical science required (one must include a one credit lab).7-8
Social Sciences 2,3
9 credits from the following subject areas: African-American Studies, Criminal Justice, Economics, History, Journalism, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology and Women's and Gender Studies9
Experiential Learning
6 credits from coursework categorized as Experiential Learning. 6
Total Credit Hours47-48
1

Higher level of Math may be required by major

2

Coursework must come from outside of students' major discipline

3

A maximum of 9 credits can be applied from a single discipline towards humanities and social science requirements

These quantitative requirements also apply to degrees.

  • Students must earn a minimum of 120 semester hours.
  • Students may apply no more than 60 credit hours of 100-level courses toward the degree.
  • Students must apply no fewer than 60 credit hours of 200- and 300-level courses toward the degree.
  • Students must have at least 18 credit hours (of the 60 credit hours above) at the 300 level.
  • Students may transfer in no more than 70 credit hours from community colleges.
  • Students earning less than 60 total hours in residence must take their final 30 hours at Roosevelt University. Note that some majors have additional requirements for RU hours.
  • Students must have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher to graduate. Note that some majors have additional GPA requirements.
  • Students may apply no more than 51 hours in the major (BA) or 57 hours in the major (BS)

Your degree map is a general guide suggesting courses to complete each term on the academic pathway to your degree. It is based on the most current scheduling information from your academic program. Your program’s degree map is reviewed annually and updated as schedules change (although you retain the same course requirements as long as you are continuously enrolled in your degree program).

Always work closely with your academic advisor to understand curriculum requirements and scheduling, as each student’s academic plan can look slightly different.

Year 1
FallCredit HoursSpringCredit Hours
FYS 1011BIOL 2025
CHEM 2015CHEM 2025
MATH 1213ENG 1023
ENG 1013Ideas of Social Justice3
Social Science Course #13 
 15 16
Year 2
FallCredit HoursSpringCredit Hours
BIOL 2015BIOL 301 (Experiential Learning #1)25
CHEM 2115CHEM 2125
MATH 2173MATH 1223
Humanities Course #13Social Science Course #23
 16 16
Year 3
FallCredit HoursSpringCredit Hours
BCHM 3553BCHM 3573
MATH 2315BCHM 3931
CHEM 3365MATH 2325
BIOL 3XX, CHEM 3XX, or BCHM 3XX13Humanities Course #23
 Social Science Course #33
 16 15
Year 4
FallCredit HoursSpringCredit Hours
PHYS 2014PHYS 2024
PHYS 2331PHYS 2341
BCHM 3563BCHM 3203
BIOL 3XX, CHEM 3XX, or BCHM 3XX13COMM 1013
Experiential Learning Course #223Humanities Course #33
 14 14
Total Credit Hours 122
1

Or any other course at the 300 level within the discipline except BIOL 301 CELLULAR &MOLECULAR BIOLOGY.

2

Experiential Learning class must be 200/300 level. Satisfies CORE Experiential Learning requirement. EXL courses can satisfy major requirements/electives or CORE requirement.