Biochemistry

The study of biological chemistry will allow you to understand living systems on the atomic and molecular levels and use that knowledge, along with problem-solving skills, to understand the reactions and mechanisms that govern life.  

Highlights 

  • Our biochemistry program is excellent preparation for many careers and graduate programs, including those in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, veterinary medicine, graduate-level nursing, physician assistant, physical sciences and biological sciences.
  • The program is customizable, allowing you to choose the upper-level courses that mesh with your interests and goals. 
  • A low student to faculty ratio will allow you to receive personalized guidance and mentoring from faculty experts inside and outside of the classroom. 
  • You will have hands-on laboratory training with access to modern scientific instrumentation, including high-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry (GC-MS), infrared, UV-visible, and fluorescence spectroscopy.
  • You will have valuable research opportunities in chemistry and biology — including molecular and atomic level work in molecular biology, cellular biology, developmental biology, natural product chemistry, synthetic chemistry and organometallic chemistry.
  • You will have access to merit and need-based scholarships and awards that can be used to supplement your investment in your undergraduate education or can be applied towards your graduate studies.
  • You will have opportunities to gain experience as a supplemental instructor or a laboratory teaching assistant in general and organic chemistry courses.
  • AERO-STEM scholarships are available to academically talented, low-income students interested in pursuing degrees in certain STEM fields. Visit our scholarship page to learn more. 

Outcomes 

In the last ten years, nearly all of our graduates who applied to professional or graduate schools have been accepted, many to more than one program. Some of our recent alumni are training at or have recently graduated from U. of Illinois School of Medicine (many in the rural medicine program), Southern Illinois U. College of Medicine, Midwestern U. College of Pharmacy, U. of Tennessee College of Pharmacy, Indiana U. School of Optometry, U. of Wisconsin (biochemistry Ph.D.), and U. of Iowa (biochemistry Ph.D.).

Nearly all recent alumni who have applied to the biological and chemical industry or the government sector have received offers of employment.