Biochemistry, B.S.
Undergraduates apply to NJCU with a Priority Deadline for Freshman and Transfer Students:
Fall Semester Start: April 15
Spring Semester Start: December 1
Candidates must apply for and be accepted into the University. There are no requirements for admission to this degree track, but students are encouraged to begin taking MATH 192 and MATH 193 Calculus and Analytical Geometry I and II (Prerequisite MATH 175 Enhanced Precalculus), PHYS 140 and PHYS 141 Principles of Physics I and II (Prerequisite PHYS 100, Preparation for Physics), CHEM 105 and CHEM 106 General Chemistry I & II (Prerequisite CHEM 100 Preparation for General Chemistry), and BIOL 130 and BIOL 131 Principles of Biology I and II as early as possible in their academic careers.
Program Curriculum
The program of study is rigorous and designed for sequential learning. It consists of 41 credits (minimum) in general education courses, followed by seven required courses in Physics and Mathematics for 17 credits (up to 9 credits may be counted toward General Education Tier II Quantitative Literacy Mode of Inquiry), nineteen interdisciplinary major courses between Chemistry and Biology for 55 credits, and two to five elective courses (7-16 credits) for a total of 120 credits including:
General Education (total 41 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 101 | Critical Writing and Analysis | 4 |
| ENGL 102 | Critical Writing and Research | 4 |
| 4 Tier I Seminars | 12 | |
| 6 Tier II Seminars 1 | 18 | |
| Tier III Capstone Course | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 41 | |
- 1
Up to 9 credits of Tier II Seminars in Quantitative Literacy Mode of Inquiry may come from Math and Physics requirements.
Pre-requisite courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 175 | Enhanced Precalculus | 4 |
| CHEM 100 | Preparation for General Chemistry | 3 |
| PHYS 100 | Preparation for Physics | 3 |
Required courses (total 72 credits)
Mathematics and Physics (17 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 140 | Statistics I | 3 |
| MATH 192 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | 4 |
| MATH 193 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry II | 4 |
| PHYS 140 | Principles of Physics I - Lecture | 3 |
| PHYS 1140 | Principles of Physics I - Laboratory and recitation | 1 |
| PHYS 141 | Principles of Physics II - Lecture | 3 |
| PHYS 1141 | Principles of Physics II - Laboratory and Recitation | 1 |
| Total Credits | 19 | |
- 1
Counts towards General Education Quantitative Literacy Mode of Inquiry (Tier II Seminars) for up to 9 credits total.
Chemistry and Biology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 105 | General Chemistry I Lecture | 3 |
| CHEM 1105 | General Chemistry I Recitation/Laboratory | 2 |
| CHEM 106 | General Chemistry II Lecture | 3 |
| CHEM 1106 | General Chemistry II Recitation/Laboratory | 2 |
| CHEM 205 | Analytical Chemistry Lec | 3 |
| or CHEM 316 | Instrumental Analysis, Lecture | |
| CHEM 2205 | Analytical Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| or CHEM 3316 | Instrumental Methods of Analysis, Laboratory | |
| CHEM 207 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 2207 | Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | 1 |
| CHEM 208 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 2208 | Organic Chemistry II Laboratory | 1 |
| CHEM 305 | Physical Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 307 | Biochemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 308 | Biochemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 405 | Seminar | 1 |
| BIOL 130 | Principles Biology I | 4 |
| BIOL 131 | Principles Biology II | 4 |
| BIOL 230 | Cell Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 303 | Microbiology | 4 |
| BIOL 304 | Genetics | 4 |
| Total Credits | 54 | |
Required elective courses: select from the following courses (total of 7 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 220 | Environmental Chemistry | 4 |
| CHEM 316 | Instrumental Analysis, Lecture | 3 |
| CHEM 3316 | Instrumental Methods of Analysis, Laboratory | 2 |
| CHEM 401 | Medicinal Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 420 | Food Chemistry | 4 |
| CHEM 492 | Chemical Research 2 | 2-3 |
| or CHEM 493 | Chemical Research | |
| or BIOL 350 | Biology Research | |
| or BIOL 450 | Biology Research | |
| BIOL 252 | Evolution: A Biological and Geological Approach | 3 |
| BIOL 301 | General Physiology | 4 |
| BIOL 404 | Immunology | 3 |
| BIOL 406 | Molecular Genetics | 4 |
- 2
Only one research course (CHEM 492/493, BIOL 350/450) may be counted toward major required elective.
The B.S. in Biochemistry program will focus on the development of durable, translatable skills and strong fundamental knowledge. The program enables students to develop life-long learning capability with a vigorous grounding in its core concepts nurtured through a continual, progressive emphasis on critical reasoning skills, experiential learning, and the ability to communicate information and concepts in a clear, accurate, and organized form using both the written and spoken word.
The B.S. in Biochemistry consists of foundation courses in chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics with core courses in biochemistry focusing on the molecular and cellular understanding of biological processes in terms of energy, structure and function, information storage and processing, in the context of the pervasive role of evolution and homeostasis.