Biochemistry, B.A.

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About the Biochemistry Bachelor’s Program

The B.A. in Biochemistry degree requires 120 credit hours for graduation and is primarily designed to prepare an undergraduate student for entry into medical school or other medically related professional schools. Graduates with a B.A. in Biochemistry are also qualified for industrial employment in areas in which a strong biochemistry background is an asset, such as technical sales or management. The B.A. degree provides sufficient background in biochemistry and chemistry for admission to a graduate program in biochemistry or biotechnology.

Communication Literacy Requirement. Students attending Texas Tech University for the first time in the Fall 2017 term or later will complete a Communication Literacy requirement in their program(s) of study.

Texas Tech University’s transition from the Writing Intensive requirement to the Communication Literacy requirement signals the university’s awareness that in addition to the fundamental role that writing plays in enabling students to explore, develop, focus, and organize a message, other types of communication must also be taught as appropriate for a student’s discipline. Throughout each program of study, then, students must be given ample opportunity to develop their skills in forms of communication central to that program.

Communication Literacy courses for the B.A. in Biochemistry are CHEM 4101 plus two other CL courses (see degree plan for specific requirements).

Recommended Curriculum

First Year

Fall

CHEM 1307 - Principles of Chemistry I 3 Semester Credit Hours
CHEM 1107 - Experimental Principles of Chemistry I 1 Semester Credit Hours
BIOL 1403 - Biology I 4 Semester Credit Hours (See Below)
U.S. History 3 Semester Credit Hours*
ENGL 1301 - Essentials of College Rhetoric 3 Semester Credit Hours
CHEM 1100 - Introduction to Biochemistry Research 1 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 15

Spring

CHEM 1308 - Principles of Chemistry II 3 Semester Credit Hours
CHEM 1108 - Experimental Principles of Chemistry II 1 Semester Credit Hours
BIOL 1404 - Biology II 4 Semester Credit Hours (See Below)
U.S. History 3 Semester Credit Hours*
ENGL 1302 - Advanced College Rhetoric 3 Semester Credit Hours
Personal Fitness and Wellness 1 Semester Credit Hour*

Total: 15

Second Year

Fall

CHEM 3105 - Experimental Organic Chemistry I 1 Semester Credit Hours
CHEM 3305 - Organic Chemistry I 3 Semester Credit Hours §
Personal Fitness and Wellness 1 Semester Credit Hour*
CHEM 3341 - Analytical Chemical Methods 3 Semester Credit Hours
§
CHEM 3141 - Experimental Analytical Chemical Methods 1 Semester Credit Hours ^§ ^‡
MATH 1451 - Calculus I with Applications 4 Semester Credit Hours (See Below)
Foreign Language 3 Semester Credit

Total: 16

Spring

CHEM 3106 - Experimental Organic Chemistry II 1 Semester Credit Hours
CHEM 3306 - Organic Chemistry II 3 Semester Credit Hours
Foreign Language 3 Semester Credit Hours
BIOL 3416 - Genetics 4 Semester Credit Hours ^#
MATH 1452 - Calculus II with Applications 4 Semester Credit Hours (See Below)

Total: 15

Third Year

Fall

PHYS 1408 - Principles of Physics I 4 Semester Credit Hours
OR
PHYS 1403 - General Physics I 4 Semester Credit Hours
English 3 Semester Credit Hours*
POLS 1301 - American Government 3 Semester Credit Hours
Creative Arts 3 Semester Credit Hours^*†
CHEM 3311 - Biological Chemistry I 3 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 16

Spring

CHEM 3312 - Biological Chemistry II 3 Semester Credit Hours
CHEM 3313 - Experimental Biological Chemistry 3 Semester Credit Hours ^‡
CHEM 3314 - Biological Chemistry III 3 Semester Credit Hours
POLS 2306 - Texas Politics and Topics 3 Semester Credit Hours
Creative Arts Elective 3 Semester Credit Hours*^†

Total: 15

Fourth Year

Fall

CHEM 4311 - Physical Chemistry for the Biological Sciences 3 Semester Credit Hours
Social & Behavioral Sciences Elective 3 Semester Credit Hours*^†
BIOL 3320 - Cell Biology 3 Semester Credit Hours ^#
Oral Communications 3 Semester Credit Hours
Minor (BIOL 3000 Level) 3 Semester Credit Hours^#

Total: 15

Spring

English 3 Semester Credit Hours*
Language, Philosophy, & Culture Elective 6 Semester Credit Hours*^†
Elective 1 Semester Credit Hour
Social and Behavioral Sciences 3 Semester Credit Hours*^†

Total: 13

Total Hours: 120

* Select from Arts and Sciences General Requirements  for B.A. degree.
^† At least one should also be multicultural. If not, students must complete an additional course from the university’s Multicultural list.
^‡ Communication Literacy Course
^§ Can substitute CHEM 3351  and CHEM 3251  for CHEM 3341  and CHEM 3141
^# BIOL 3416   and BIOL 3320 , plus the 3000-level BIOL minor course will complete a minor in the biological sciences

Biology

Failure to complete BIOL 1403 and BIOL 1404 in the first year will make the B.A. degree difficult to complete in four years without taking courses during summer sessions.

Calculus

Adequate training in algebra, trigonometry, and analytic geometry is a prerequisite for calculus. A score of 7 on the Math Placement Exam is necessary to take calculus the first year. Scores below 7 will require additional coursework.

Foreign Language

A student must complete 6 hours at the sophomore level or above in a single language. The prerequisite for all sophomore language courses is credit for the freshman level. This credit can be determined through a credit by examination. The score attained on the exam will determine whether the student is placed in a second-year course, a 5-hour review course, or in some cases the first or second semester of a beginning (first-year) language course. See Arts and Sciences General Degree Requirements for further explanation.