The Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry provides you with a comprehensive curriculum that prepares you for graduate school or a career in health, or the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic industries.
Biochemistry, otherwise known as “biological chemistry,” is a subdiscipline of both biology and chemistry. Using advanced technologies to conduct scientific experiments and analysis, biochemists study chemical and physical principles of living things, including cell development, growth, and diseases. As a biochemistry major, you graduate with an interdisciplinary skill set that combines laboratory expertise with a strong foundation in biological processes.
Offered by St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biochemistry provides you with a comprehensive curriculum that prepares you for graduate school or a career in health, or the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic industries.
Available at the University’s Queens, NY, campus, the B.S. in Biochemistry program also offers electives in anatomy, neurobiology, and virology.
For more information about admission to this and other acclaimed undergraduate programs at St. John’s University, please visit Undergraduate Admission.
As a biochemist, there are several career paths you can follow, including biotechnology, cosmetics, education, health care, and research. Graduates often combine their scientific training with interests in other fields such as computer science, economics, engineering, mathematics, political science, and statistics.
St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences provides the opportunity to obtain practical experience and networking connections through valuable internships at top companies throughout the New York metropolitan area. Please visit University Career Services for more information.
You benefit from St. John’s focus on an international academic experience. The University offers extensive study abroad courses during the academic year, as well as during the winter and summer semesters. You can live and learn at St. John’s Rome, Italy, campus and our Paris, France, location. For more information, please visit Global Education.
To earn the B.S. in Biochemistry, you complete 120 credits including core, major sequence, and elective requirements. The major sequence and elective requirements are outlined below. For more information about courses, please see the St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section of our Undergraduate Bulletin.
| Course | Number | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIO | 1000 | Fundamentals of Biology | 4 |
| BIO | 2000 | Fundamentals of Biology II | 4 |
| BIO | 3000 | Fundamentals of Biology III | 4 |
| BIO/CHE | 3390 | Biochemistry | 4 |
| BIO | 3470 | Molecular and Cell Biology | 4 |
| CHE | 1210 | General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHE | 1220 | General Chemistry II | 5 |
| CHE | 2230 | Organic Chemistry | 5 |
| CHE | 2240 | Organic Chemistry II | 5 |
| CHE | 3250 | Quantitative Analysis | 4 |
| BIO/CHE | 3360 | Physical Chemistry for Life Sciences | 3 |
Please choose three Biochemistry electives from the following:
| Course | Number | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIO | 2270 | Introduction to Virology | 3 |
| BIO | 2280 | General Microbiology | 4 |
| BIO | 3300 | Advanced Anatomy and Physiology II | 3 |
| BIO | 3460 | Concepts of Immunology | 4 |
| BIO | 3830 | Bioinformatics | 4 |
| BIO | 4953 | Research in Biology | 2 |
| CHE | 3210 | Microscopic Physical Chemistry | 3 |
| CHE | 3220 | Macroscopic Physical Chemistry | 3 |
| CHE | 3330 | Bioorganic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHE | 3450 | Biological Inorganic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHE | 4351 | Research Participation I | 2 |
| CHE | 4361 | Research Participation II | 2 |
| CSC | 1380 | Introduction to Computer and Data Science | 3 |
| Course | Number | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MTH | 1730 | University Calculus | 4 |
| MTH | 1740 | University Calculus II | 4 |
| MTH | 1210 | Biostatistics | 4 |
| PHY | 1930 | University Physics I | 4 |
| PHY | 1940 | University Physics II | 4 |
As a biochemistry major at St. John’s, you gain a solid foundation in the theory and application of scientific concepts and principles.
You learn and are mentored by an enormously gifted, internationally-known faculty of scholar-teachers who care about each student’s progress. Faculty encourage students to serve as research partners in the University’s recently upgraded chemistry laboratories.
You gain a strong academic and professional edge by joining any of our more than 180 student clubs and organizations. Clubs and honor societies of particular interest to biochemistry majors include
The Skull and Circle Honor Society and the Lambda Kappa Phi Honor Society annually select students from St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences who combine scholarship, integrity, and dedicated service to the St. John’s community.
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