Major

Semester Hours required for the B.S. in Biochemistry: 78 - 100 semester hours

The Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry is comprised of Core Courses plus one of the listed concentrations. The Biochemistry Concentration meets the requirement of an American Chemical Society certified degree (see Footnotes 1 and 2) and consists of Biochemistry Foundation, Biochemistry Electives, and Biochemistry Laboratory Electives courses. The Health Sciences Concentration does not meet the requirements of an American Chemical Society degree (see Footnote 3) and consists of Health Sciences Foundation, Behavior and Social Sciences Foundation, and Health Sciences Electives courses.

A five-year accelerated BS/MS program is available. Detailed information is available at http://www.eiu.edu/eiuchemgrad/accelerated_MS.php.

Core Courses:

Total Semester Hours: 58

• CHM 1310G - General Chemistry I. Credits: 3

• OR

• CHM 1390G - General Chemistry I, Honors. Credits: 3

•  

• CHM 1315G - General Chemistry Laboratory I. Credits: 1

• OR

• CHM 1395G - General Chemistry Laboratory I, Honors. Credits: 1

•  

• CHM 1410 - General Chemistry II. Credits: 3
• CHM 1415 - General Chemistry Laboratory II. Credits: 1
• CHM 2310 - Inorganic Chemistry I. Credits: 3
• CHM 2440 - Organic Chemistry I. Credits: 3
• CHM 2445 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory I. Credits: 1
• CHM 2730 - Quantitative Analysis. Credits: 3
• CHM 2840 - Organic Chemistry II. Credits: 3
• CHM 2845 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory II. Credits: 1
• CHM 3000 - Undergraduate Seminar. Credits: 0
• CHM 3001 - Undergraduate Seminar. Credits: 1
• CHM 3450 - Biochemistry I. Credits: 3
• CHM 3455 - Biochemistry Laboratory. Credits: 2
• CHM 3460 - Biochemistry II. Credits: 3
• CHM 3500 - Introduction to Chemical Research. Credits: 1
• CHM 3910 - Physical Chemistry Foundations. Credits: 3
• CHM 4860 - Advanced Biochemistry. Credits: 3
• BIO 1500 - General Biology I. Credits: 4
• MAT 1441G - Calculus and Analytic Geometry I. Credits: 5

Biochemistry Concentrations

Footnotes:

(Major GPA based on all chemistry courses taken at EIU.)

¹ Satisfies certification requirements of the American Chemical Society if 1 credit hour of Undergraduate Research CHM 4400X or Honors Research CHM 4555X is taken.
² Recommended for graduate studies in the chemical and biochemical sciences.
³ Designed to meet requirements for entry into prescribing healthcare professions (pre-medicine, pre-veterinarian, pre-pharmacy, pre-dental, pre-physicians assistant (PA), pre-optometry, etc.) Professional health program requirements vary. It is important to review the admissions requirements of the specific programs where you plan to apply and to consult your academic advisor.
⁴ Note: MAT 2442 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry II is a corequisite.
⁵ The following may not be used as electives towards the Biochemistry Concentration: CHM 1040G, 3025G, 3200, and 3300.
⁶ Completion of additional prerequisite courses may be necessary.
⁷ Only 3000-level or higher-level BIO courses selected in consultation with student’s major advisor and approved by the Chemistry and Biochemistry department chair may count for electives.
⁸ Electives must include two semester hours of 3000-level or higher chemistry laboratory work. Courses that may be used to satisfy this requirement include Undergraduate Research I-IV: CHM 44001-44004, Honors Research I-II: CHM 45551 and CHM 45552, CHM 4770 or CHM 4915. A maximum of 3 semester hours of Undergraduate Research I-IV, CHM 44001-44004, and Honors Research I-II, CHM 45551-45553, and/or Clinical Rotations, BIO 3460 may be used to satisfy the requirements for a biochemistry degree.
⁹ The following may not be used towards the Health Sciences Concentration: CHM 1040G, 3025G, 3200, 3300, 4001.