Biochemistry

College: Arts and Sciences
Degree: BS or BA
Specialized Admission: No

Description of Major

*Please Note: Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program is available ONLY at the main campus in Tallahassee, FL. This program is NOT available via Online/Distance Learning.*

Biochemistry, as a science, attempts to understand the chemical basis for all life processes. It draws information from and has an impact on many fields: chemistry, zoology, botany, microbiology, virology, physiology, pharmacology, genetics, medicine, agriculture, and even ecology. The major is intended to provide the student with a strong background in chemistry, physics, and math, together with a broad introduction to biochemistry and biology, which will equip him or her with the tools needed for more specific applications or for advanced, more specialized study. Biochemistry is a great pre-health or pre-med major, meeting most medical school prerequisites.

Prerequisite Coursework

Students must complete the following prerequisites (or acceptable substitutes) for admission in preparation for the upper division major. All may also apply toward General Education and/or major coursework.

BSC X010, X010L (4) Biological Sciences I and Lab or acceptable alternative
BSC X011, X011L (4) Biological Sciences II and Lab or acceptable alternative
CHM X045, X045L (4) General Chemistry I and Lab or acceptable alternative
CHM X046, X046L (4) General Chemistry II and Lab or acceptable alternative
CHM X210, X210L (4) Organic Chemistry I and Lab or acceptable alternative*
CHM X211, X211L (4) Organic Chemistry II and Lab or acceptable alternative
MAC X311 (4) Calculus I or acceptable alternative
MAC X312 (4) Calculus II (students may be admitted prior to completion of this course)

Note: State-wide common prerequisites are always under review. For the most current information and for acceptable alternative courses, visit the “Common Prerequisites Manual.” This is available from the “Student Services” section of http://www.flvc.org.

*If taken at FSU, CHMX210 does not require a lab. If taken at any other community/state college or university in the state of Florida, students must take both CHM X210 and CHM X210 Lab.

Requirements
Major Program of Studies at FSU: (72-73 hours)

Chemistry and Biochemistry courses: (40-41 hours)
CHM 1045, 1045L (3, 1) or 1050, 1050L (3, 1) General Chemistry I and Lab
CHM 1046, 1046L (3, 1), or 1051, 1051L (3, 2) General Chemistry II and Lab
CHM 3120, 3120L (3, 1) Analytical Chemistry I and Lab
CHM 4130, 4130L (3, 1) Advanced Analytical Chemistry and Lab
CHM 2210 (3) Organic Chemistry I
CHM 2211, 2211L (3, 3) Organic Chemistry II and Lab
CHM 4410, 4411 (3, 3) Physical Chemistry I and II
BCH 4053, 4054 (3, 3) General Biochemistry I and II

Select one of the following:
CHM 4410L and 4411L (1, 2) Physical Chemistry Labs
BCH 4053L (3) Biochemistry Lab
CHM 4906 (3) Honors Work

Collateral Courses: (32 hours)
BSC 2010, 2010L (3, 1) Biological Sciences I and Lab
BSC 2011, 2011L (3, 1) Biological Sciences II and Lab
PCB 3063 (3) General Genetics
XXX XXXX (3) Biological science elective from approved list (see website or consult advisor)
MAC 2311 (4) Calculus with Analytic Geometry I
MAC 2312 (4) Calculus with Analytic Geometry II
PHY 2048C (5) General Physics A
PHY 2049C (5) General Physics B

Digital Literacy: (3 hours)
Students must choose a University approved course to meet this requirement.

Oral Communication Competency: (0-3 hours)
Students must demonstrate the ability to orally transmit ideas and information clearly. This requirement may be met with an approved college-level course. See: http://liberalstudiescourses.fsu.edu/care/LS-courses/course-display.php

Minimum Program Requirements - Summary
Total Hrs. Required 120
General Education 36*
Prerequisites 0 beyond other requirements
Major Coursework 72-73*
Minor Coursework 0
Foreign Language 0-12 (depending on placement)
Digital Literacy 3 beyond major
Oral Communication Competency 0-3
Electives to bring total hours to 120

*Some coursework required for the major may also be applied towards General Education and/or minor requirements." placeholder="Requirements for the Program">

Requirements for graduation in the College of Arts and Sciences include:
The College of Arts and Sciences requires proficiency in a foreign language through the intermediate (2200 or equivalent) level or sign language through the advanced (2614 or equivalent) level.

Requirements for Progression to the Upper-Division Major:
Students must complete at least 52 hours of credit with a minimum grade point average of 2.0, at least half the required General Education hours including English and mathematics, or an A.A. Degree.

Academic Performance
All State Common Program Prerequisites listed as Term 1-4 Milestones must be completed with a “C” range (C minus, C, or C+) grade or better. Students earning less than the necessary grade in any of these courses will be required to retake those courses until the standard is met. Note: retaking a course may delay graduation and incur increased fee liability (i.e., repeat course surcharge and excess credit surcharge).

All courses applicable to the major must be completed with a “C minus“ grade or better. Students must earn a "C minus" or better in the first course of a two-semester sequence to continue that sequence (or file an undergraduate appeal with the Student Affairs Office, to be reviewed by the Undergraduate Advising and Awards Committee, to request taking the year-sequence course out of sequence).

A student who has received more than three unsatisfactory grades (U, F, D minus, D, or D+) in courses required for the major, excluding the Term 1-4 State Common Program Prerequisites milestone courses, taken after enrolling at FSU will not be permitted to graduate with a degree in that major.

Major Program of Studies at FSU: (72-73 hours)

Chemistry and Biochemistry courses: (40-41 hours)
CHM 1045, 1045L (3, 1) or 1050, 1050L (3, 1) General Chemistry I and Lab
CHM 1046, 1046L (3, 1), or 1051, 1051L (3, 2) General Chemistry II and Lab
CHM 3120, 3120L (3, 1) Analytical Chemistry I and Lab
CHM 4130, 4130L (3, 1) Advanced Analytical Chemistry and Lab
CHM 2210 (3) Organic Chemistry I
CHM 2211, 2211L (3, 3) Organic Chemistry II and Lab
CHM 4410, 4411 (3, 3) Physical Chemistry I and II
BCH 4053, 4054 (3, 3) General Biochemistry I and II

Select one of the following:
CHM 4410L and 4411L (1, 2) Physical Chemistry Labs
BCH 4053L (3) Biochemistry Lab
CHM 4906 (3) Honors Work

Collateral Courses: (32 hours)
BSC 2010, 2010L (3, 1) Biological Sciences I and Lab
BSC 2011, 2011L (3, 1) Biological Sciences II and Lab
PCB 3063 (3) General Genetics
XXX XXXX (3) Biological science elective from approved list (see website or consult advisor)
MAC 2311 (4) Calculus with Analytic Geometry I
MAC 2312 (4) Calculus with Analytic Geometry II
PHY 2048C (5) General Physics A
PHY 2049C (5) General Physics B

Digital Literacy: (3 hours)
Students must choose a University approved course to meet this requirement.

Oral Communication Competency: (0-3 hours)
Students must demonstrate the ability to orally transmit ideas and information clearly. This requirement may be met with an approved college-level course. See: http://liberalstudiescourses.fsu.edu/care/LS-courses/course-display.php

Minimum Program Requirements - Summary
Total Hrs. Required 120
General Education 36*
Prerequisites 0 beyond other requirements
Major Coursework 72-73*
Minor Coursework 0
Foreign Language 0-12 (depending on placement)
Digital Literacy 3 beyond major
Oral Communication Competency 0-3
Electives to bring total hours to 120

*Some coursework required for the major may also be applied towards General Education and/or minor requirements.

Mapping
Mapping is FSU’s academic advising and monitoring system. Academic progress is monitored each Fall and Spring semester to ensure that students are on course to earn their degree in a timely fashion. Transfer students must meet mapping guidelines to be accepted into their majors. You may view the map for this major at www.academic-guide.fsu.edu/.

Remarks
1. A minimum of 45 hours at the 3000 level or above, 30 of which must be taken at this University. (Note: calculus, organic chemistry and physics courses apply toward meeting this requirement.)
2. Half of the major course semester hours must be completed in residence at this University.
3. The final 30 hours must be completed in residence at this University.
4. The B. A. Degree requires an additional 9 hours in the fields of history and humanities beyond General Education.
5. All 3000 and 4000 level chemistry and biochemistry courses must be taken at FSU.
6. Students with more than five grades below C minus in required courses or their prerequisites, including transfer courses, will be dropped from the program.
7. Any student enrolled in a major program offered within the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, cannot double major in any other program offered within the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Employment Information
Salary Information: For more information go to: National Association of Colleges and Employers (www.naceweb.org) or the Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm) provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Representative Job Titles Related to this Major: Baccalaureate level: Laboratory Assistant/Technician, Laboratory Tester/Analyst, Inspector (ex: food & drug), Medical Technologist, Environmental Analyst, Crime Laboratory Analyst, Technical/Scientific Writer, Technical Sales and/or Service Representative, Teacher - high school (with appropriate education preparation), Consumer Safety Officer. With further study: Biochemist/Researcher/Engineer, Physician, Pharmacist, Veterinarian, Dentist, Chemist/Researcher/Engineer, Food Scientist, Teacher - college or university, Geneticist.

Representative Employers: Pharmaceutical manufacturers; professional & technical journals; chemical industries; medical laboratories; hospitals; government agencies (local, state, national); and schools, colleges, and universities.