Contact
James L. Hougland: 454 Life Sciences Complex
315-443-1134: hougland@syr.edu
Faculty
Atanu Acharya, Melanie Blanden, Carlos A. Castañeda, Joseph Chaiken, Arindam Chakraborty, John D. Chisholm, Heather D. Coleman, Steve Dorus, Robert P. Doyle, Scott E. Erdman, Chris Fernandez, Jonathan French, Sarah E. Hall, Heidi Hehnly, James A. Hewett, James L. Hougland, Xiaoran Hu, Timothy M. Korter, Katharine Lewis, Sarah Lucas, Yan-Yeung Luk, Jessica MacDonald, Mathew M. Maye, Davoud Mozhdehi, Melissa E. Pepling, Ramesh Raina, Surahbi Raina, James T. Spencer, Michael B. Sponsler, Rachel C. Steinhardt, Shahar Sukenik, Nancy I. Totah, and Roy D. Welch
Program Description
Biochemistry is the study of the molecular basis of life. Lying at the interface between chemistry and biology, biochemistry is concerned with the structure and interaction of proteins, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules as related to their function in biological systems. As one of the most dynamic areas of science, biochemistry has led to improved medicines and diagnostic agents, new ways of controlling disease, and greater understanding of the chemical factors that control our general health and well-being.
The bachelor of science degree in biochemistry is appropriate for students pursuing advanced degrees in biochemistry, molecular biology, and biophysics, as well as in the biomedical fields and health professions.
Additional Information
For further information, contact the biochemistry major advisors:
James Hougland, 454 Life Sciences Complex, 315-443-1134, hougland@syr.edu; Roy Welch, 234 Life Sciences Complex, 315-443-2159, rowelch@syr.edu; or Carlos Castaneda, 240 Life Sciences Complex, 315-443-3673, cacastan@syr.edu.
BS Degree Requirements
To Declare the BS Major in Biochemistry
Students declared in the Biochemistry BS program earning less than a C+ in the following courses will be placed on "Major Probation".
- CHE 106 General Chemistry Lecture I or CHE 109 General Chemistry Lecture I (Honors and Majors)
- and BIO 121 General Biology I
- and CHE 275 Organic Chemistry I
- and BIO 322 Cell and Molecular Biology
Students on “major probation” must successfully pass the following courses with higher than a C+ in their next attempt of the respective course:
1. CHE 106 or CHE 109
2. and BIO 121
3. and CHE 275
4. and BIO 322
Failure to complete the respective course on the second attempt with a grade greater than C+ will result in “Major suspension." Students in the category of Major suspension will be required to change their major with the college.
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| BIO 121 | General Biology I | 3 |
| BIO 122 | General Biology I Laboratory (or Advanced Placement Biology Credit for BIO 121/BIO 122) | 1 |
| 4 |
| General Chemistry Lecture I
and General Chemistry Laboratory I | |
| General Chemistry Lecture I (Honors and Majors)
and General Chemistry Laboratory I (Honors and Majors) | |
| 4 |
| General Chemistry Lecture II
and General Chemistry Laboratory II | |
| General Chemistry Lecture II (Honors and Majors)
and General Chemistry Laboratory II (Honors and Majors) | |
CHE 275
& CHE 276 | Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | 5 |
CHE 325
& CHE 326 | Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry II Laboratory | 5 |
| CHE 474 | Structural and Physical Biochemistry | 3 |
| MAT 285 | Life Sciences Calculus I | 3 |
| or MAT 295 | Calculus I |
| MAT 286 | Life Sciences Calculus II | 3 |
| or MAT 296 | Calculus II |
PHY 211
& PHY 221 | General Physics I
and General Physics Laboratory I | 4 |
PHY 212
& PHY 222 | General Physics II
and General Physics Laboratory II | 4 |
| BIO 322 | Cell and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BIO 224 | Integrative Biology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIO 326 | Genetics | 3 |
| BIO/BCM 478 | Biochemistry Laboratory | 3 |
| or BCM 477 | Proteins and Nucleic Acids Lab |
| BCM 475 | Biochemistry I | 3 |
| BCM 476 | Biochemistry II | 3 |
| 12 |
| Research in Biochemistry | |
| Biomolecular Modeling (w/lab) | |
| General Microbiology | |
| General Microbiology Laboratory (*) | |
| Brain & Behavioral Plasticity | |
| Bioinformatics for Life Scientists (*) | |
| Basic Immunology | |
| Biotechnology Lab (*) | |
| Principles of Human Toxicology | |
| Molecular Genetics | |
| Molecular Biotechnology | |
| Applied Biotechnology (*) | |
| Molecular Biology Laboratory (*) | |
| Cell and Developmental Biology Laboratory (*) | |
| Biology of Cancer | |
| Developmental Biology | |
| Chemical and Biochemical Analysis with Laboratory (*) | |
| Physical Chemistry I | |
| Physical-Analytical Chem Lab (*) | |
| Physical Chemistry II | |
| Metals in Medicine | |
| Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry | |
| Organic Chemistry of Biological Molecules | |
| Molecular Spectroscopy and Structure | |
| Organic Spectroscopy | |
| FSC 441 | Forensic Analysis of Biological Evidence with lab | 3 |
| Total Credits | 72 |
Additional Information
If both BIO 478 Biochemistry Laboratory/BCM 478 Biochemistry Laboratory and CHE 477 Proteins and Nucleic Acids Lab/BCM 477 Proteins and Nucleic Acids Lab are taken, one may count toward the 12-credit elective requirement, thereby also meeting the instructional lab requirement.
BCM 460 Research in Biochemistry counts once (up to 3 credits) toward the elective requirement but does not count as an instructional lab course.
Recommended Electives
For a Career in Biology, Biochemistry, or Molecular Biology
Preparation for Graduate School in a Department of Biology, Biochemistry, or Molecular Biology
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| BCM 460 | Research in Biochemistry | 1-3 |
| BCM 484 | Biomolecular Modeling (w/lab) | 3 |
BIO 409
& BIO 410 | General Microbiology
and General Microbiology Laboratory | 4 |
| BIO 414 | Brain & Behavioral Plasticity | 3 |
| BIO 447 | Basic Immunology | 3 |
| BIO 457 | Principles of Human Toxicology | 3 |
| BIO 462 | Molecular Genetics | 3 |
| BIO 463 | Molecular Biotechnology | 4 |
| BIO 464 | Applied Biotechnology | 4 |
| BIO 465 | Molecular Biology Laboratory | 3 |
| BIO 501 | Biology of Cancer | 3 |
| BIO 503 | Developmental Biology | 3 |
| CHE 412 | Metals in Medicine | 3 |
| CHE 427 | Organic Chemistry of Biological Molecules | 3 |
For a Career in Chemistry
Preparation for Graduate School in a Department of Chemistry
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| BCM 460 | Research in Biochemistry | 1-3 |
| BCM 484 | Biomolecular Modeling | 3 |
| BIO 465 | Molecular Biology Laboratory | 3 |
| CHE 335 | Chemical and Biochemical Analysis with Laboratory | 4 |
| CHE 346 | Physical Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHE 347 | Physical-Analytical Chem Lab | 2 |
| CHE 356 | Physical Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHE 412 | Metals in Medicine | 3 |
| CHE 414 | Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry | 3 |
| CHE 427 | Organic Chemistry of Biological Molecules | 3 |
| CHE 546 | Molecular Spectroscopy and Structure | 1-9 |
| CHE 575 | Organic Spectroscopy | 3 |
For a Career in Health Professions (M.D., D.D.S., D.V.M.)
Preparation for Health Professions (M.D., D.D.S., D.V.M.)
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| BCM 460 | Research in Biochemistry | 1-3 |
BIO 409
& BIO 410 | General Microbiology
and General Microbiology Laboratory | 4 |
| BIO 447 | Basic Immunology | 3 |
| BIO 457 | Principles of Human Toxicology | 3 |
| BIO 462 | Molecular Genetics | 3 |
| BIO 465 | Molecular Biology Laboratory | 3 |
| BIO 501 | Biology of Cancer | 3 |
| BIO 503 | Developmental Biology | 3 |
| CHE 412 | Metals in Medicine | 3 |
| CHE 414 | Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry | 3 |
For a Technical Career in Pharmaceutical or Biotechnology Industry
Preparation for Technical Careers in Pharmaceutical or Biotechnology Industry
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| BCM 460 | Research in Biochemistry | 1-3 |
| BCM 484 | Biomolecular Modeling (w/lab) | 3 |
BIO 409
& BIO 410 | General Microbiology
and General Microbiology Laboratory | 4 |
| BIO 447 | Basic Immunology | 3 |
| BIO 462 | Molecular Genetics | 3 |
| BIO 463 | Molecular Biotechnology | 4 |
| BIO 464 | Applied Biotechnology | 4 |
| BIO 465 | Molecular Biology Laboratory | 3 |
| BIO 501 | Biology of Cancer | 3 |
| BIO 503 | Developmental Biology | 3 |
| CHE 335 | Chemical and Biochemical Analysis with Laboratory | 4 |
| CHE 347 | Physical-Analytical Chem Lab | 2 |
| CHE 412 | Metals in Medicine | 3 |
| CHE 414 | Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry | 3 |
| CHE 427 | Organic Chemistry of Biological Molecules | 3 |
| CHE 575 | Organic Spectroscopy | 3 |
Distinction in Biochemistry
The biochemistry B.S. program encourages all of its students to participate in research through its BCM 460 Research in Biochemistry course. For students whose research culminates in a written thesis, it is possible to graduate with Distinction in Biochemistry if the following requirements are met.
First, the student must have an overall cumulative GPA of 3.4 and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.4 in all natural sciences and mathematics courses taken at Syracuse University.
Second, the student must have taken a minimum of 6 credits of BCM 460 Research in Biochemistry
Third, before completion of the final semester at Syracuse University, the student must make an oral presentation (either poster or platform) on his/her research at one of the following:
- Syracuse University’s Annual Life Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference in April; or
- an external conference sponsored by an outside (non-S.U.) educational institution with its own accredited 4-year biochemistry degree program; or
- an external conference sponsored by a nationally-recognized scientific society with a biochemistry component (e.g., ACS, FASEB, Biophysical Society).
A symposium specifically designed for undergraduate researchers from multiple institutions and sponsored by a regional or local chapter of a national scientific society does qualify as external, even if it is physically located at Syracuse University.
Fourth, the written thesis must be judged by a committee of readers selected from among the biochemistry program faculty listed in the Syracuse University Course Catalog. The student is responsible for selecting potential readers and obtaining their consent. The committee of readers should include the research supervisor, but in any case, must include at least one member whose primary appointment is in the Biology Department, and one member whose primary appointment is in the Chemistry Department.
College of Arts and Sciences Requirements
For all Arts and Sciences|Maxwell students, successful completion of a bachelor’s degree in this major requires a minimum of 120 credits, 96 of which must be Arts and Sciences|Maxwell credits, completion of the Liberal Arts Core requirements, and the requirements for this major (30 credits) that are listed above.
Dual Enrollments:
Students dually enrolled in Newhouse* and Arts and Sciences|Maxwell will complete a minimum of 122 credits, with at least 90 credits in Arts and Sciences|Maxwell coursework and an Arts and Sciences|Maxwell major.
*Students dually enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences|Maxwell as first year students must complete the Liberal Arts Core. Students who transfer to the dual program after their first year as singly enrolled students in the Newhouse School will satisfy general requirements for the dual degree program by completing the Newhouse Core Requirements.
Undergraduate University Requirements
The following requirements and experiences apply to all Syracuse University Undergraduate matriculated degree programs.
