Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
In This Section
Biochemistry Minor
The minor in biochemistry provides you with a sufficient concentration of chemistry and biology courses to be able to understand a wide range of biochemical phenomena and appreciate the underlying chemistry responsible for the behavior of living systems.
Coursework & Duration
Prerequisites
Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
---|---|---|
CH 101/CH 102 |
General Chemistry I and II or Principles of Chemistry I and II |
3 credits each |
CH 103/CH 104 or CH 113/CH 114 |
General Chemistry Laboratory I and II or Principles of Chemistry Laboratory I and II |
1 credit each |
MA 107 and MA 110 | Precalculus and General Calculus Note: MA 122 - Calculus I may be substituted for MA 110 |
3 credits each |
PY 201/PY 202 |
Introductory Physics I and II or Physics I and II |
4 credits each |
Required Courses
Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
---|---|---|
BS 461 or BS 466 |
Cell Biology |
4 credits each |
CH 201/CH 202 or CH 211/CH 212 |
Organic Chemistry I and II |
3 credits each |
CH 203/CH 204 or CH 213/CH 214 |
Organic Chemistry Laboratory I and II or Principles of Organic Chemistry Laboratory I and II |
1 credit each |
CH 341 or CH 346 |
Molecular Structure in Biochemistry or Biochemistry |
3 credits 4 credits |
CH 342 or CH 343 or CH 356 |
Nucleic Acid Biochemistry or Intermediary Metabolic Biochemistry or Molecular Biology and Genetics |
3 credits (See note “a” below) 3 credits 3 credits |
CH 444 | Biochemistry Laboratory I | 1 credit |
Elective Courses
Enough additional credits from the following courses to meet the 12-credit “outside the major” requirement in the General Requirements below. Other electives as approved by the department chair.
Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
---|---|---|
BI 450 | Bioinformatics I | 3 credits |
BI 475 | Proteomics | 3 credits |
BS 461 |
Cell Biology or Genetics |
4 credits each |
CH 320 |
Essentials of Physical Chemistry or Physical Chemistry I |
4 credits each |
CH 342 or CH 343 |
Nucleic Acid Biochemistry or Intermediary Metabolic Biochemistry |
3 credits each |
CH 361 or CH 366 |
Analytical Chemistry or Principles of Analytical Chemistry |
3 credits each |
CH 363 | Analytical Chemistry Laboratory | 1 credit |
CH 411 | Medicinal Chemistry | 3 credits |
CH 414 | Structure/Activity Relationships (SAR) | 3 credits |
CH 445 | Biochemistry Laboratory II | 1 credit |
CH 448 | Computer-Aided Drug Design | 3 credits |
CH 450 | Undergraduate Research | 1-3 credits |
Notes:
Students who take the CH 346/CH 356 sequence may not apply CH 341, CH 342, or CH 343
as electives toward the minor. CH 342 has CH 341 and BS 446 as prerequisites. BS 466
has CH 341 or CH 346 as prerequisites. BI 450 has CH 341 as a prerequisite. BI 450
is a prerequisite for BI 475. MA 221 is a prerequisite for CH 320 and CH 321. CH 411
and CH 448 have CH 341 as a prerequisite. A maximum of 3 credits of CH 450 can be
used to satisfy the elective requirement.
Requirements & Expectations
Not counting prerequisites, a minimum of 20 credits, including 19 credits of required courses and at least 1 credit of elective courses, is required for the biochemistry minor.
Interested students should apply to the minor program early in their academic career, usually by the fifth semester of college work, but no later than the end of the drop/add period of the first semester of their last year of didactic work.
General Requirements for all minors at USciences
- A minimum of 12 credits of minor coursework must be completed in addition to any courses (required courses or program electives) included in the major curriculum.
- Up to 6 credits of coursework, with an earned grade of “C” or better, taken at another accredited institution, may be applied to the course requirements of the minor upon prior approval of the department chair.
Contact:
Madhu Mahalingam, PhD
Interim Chair, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Office Location:
Griffith Hall, 140A
Address:
University of the Sciences
600 South 43rd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4495
Phone:
215-596-7549
Email: