Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)
This program is available at the following locations:
- Corvallis
- OSU-Cascades
Options available:
- Advanced Molecular Biology
- Computational Molecular Biology
- Pre-Medicine/Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Administered by the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics under the School of Life Sciences.
The BS degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology provides a degree path centered on the molecular basis of living systems with training in molecular genetics, biochemistry, and cell biology, as well as in rapidly developing areas such as bioinformatics. Majors must select an option either in Advanced Molecular Biology, Computational Molecular Biology, or Pre-Medicine/Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The first two options are designed for students interested in careers in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries or graduate work in the molecular life sciences, with the second especially well-suited for students interested in computational aspects of molecular biology. The third option is ideal for students interested in careers in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and related health professions.
Major Code: 971
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Demonstrate a core knowledge base in the theory and practice of modern Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB).
- Demonstrate experimental design and laboratory skills relevant to biochemistry and molecular biology, including preparation, experimental design, evaluation of data, and safe laboratory practices.
- Critically evaluate data and design experiments to test hypotheses relevant to the practice of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
- Read and evaluate primary literature in the discipline.
- Effectively communicate scientific data and ideas, using various formats appropriate for different target audiences.
- Use databases, computational tools and other online resources effectively.
- Demonstrate awareness of ethical issues in the practice of science.
Students majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology cannot seek a double major in Biochemistry and Biophysics, Biology, BioHealth Sciences, Botany, Microbiology or Zoology.
Students are required to declare one of three options in Advanced Molecular Biology, Computational Molecular Biology, or Pre-Medicine/Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. For further information, see MyDegrees or the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics website.
Grade Requirements
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology majors must complete the following courses with a grade of C- or better: BB 314, BI 221Z, BI 222Z, BI 223Z, CH 221Z, CH 222Z, CH 223Z, CH 227Z, CH 228Z, CH 229Z, CH 334, CH 335, CH 336, MTH 251Z, MTH 252Z.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core | ||
| BB 111 | INTRODUCTION TO BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS RESEARCH | 1 |
| BB 211 | +PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT I FOR BIOCHEMISTS AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENTISTS | 1 |
| BB 314 | CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | 4 |
| BB 315 | MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY | 3 |
| BB 317 | ^SCIENTIFIC THEORY AND PRACTICE | 3 |
| BB 332 | +*MOLECULAR MEDICINE 1 | 3 |
| or BI 344 | +*DNA, IDENTITIES, AND SOCIETIES | |
| or CH 380 | +CHEMISTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM | |
| or GEOG 333/ENSC 333 | +*ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE | |
| or MB 330 | +*DISEASE AND SOCIETY | |
| BB 345 | PYTHON FOR MOLECULAR BIOLOGISTS | 3 |
| BB 460 | ADVANCED CELL BIOLOGY | 3 |
| or BI 445 | EVOLUTION | |
| BB 470 | CELL BIOPHYSICS | 3 |
| or BB 481 | MACROMOLECULAR STRUCTURE | |
| BB 486 | ADVANCED MOLECULAR GENETICS | 3 |
| BB 490 | BIOCHEMISTRY 1: STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION | 3 |
| BB 491 | BIOCHEMISTRY 2: METABOLISM | 3 |
| BB 492 | BIOCHEMISTRY 3: GENETIC BIOCHEMISTRY | 3 |
| BB 494 | BIOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY MOLECULAR TECHNIQUES | 4 |
| BB 498 | +PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT II FOR BIOCHEMISTS AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENTISTS | 1 |
| BI 221Z & BI 222Z & BI 223Z | +*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION | 15 |
| CH 221Z & CH 227Z | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and +*GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY | 5 |
| CH 222Z & CH 228Z | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY | 5 |
| CH 223Z & CH 229Z | GENERAL CHEMISTRY III and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY III LABORATORY | 5 |
| CH 334 & CH 335 & CH 336 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 9 |
| CH 337 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY | 4 |
| or CH 324 | QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS | |
| MTH 251Z | +*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| MTH 252Z | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| PH 201 & PH 202 & PH 203 | +*GENERAL PHYSICS and *GENERAL PHYSICS and *GENERAL PHYSICS | 15 |
| ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| Required Option | ||
| Complete one of three options in Advanced Molecular Biology, Computational Molecular Biology, or Pre-Medicine/Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2 | 22 | |
| Additional Requirements | ||
| Remaining Core Ed and Electives | 47 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course
- 1
MB 330 will only be available to BMB majors on the Cascades campus. Corvallis students must take one of the other listed courses to meet their Core Education requirement for Difference, Power, and Oppression - Advanced
- 2
Courses taken in the major core cannot also count in the option
Major Code: 971
Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| BB 111 | INTRODUCTION TO BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS RESEARCH | 1 |
| BI 221Z | +*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS | 5 |
| CH 221Z & CH 227Z | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and +*GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY | 5 |
| WR 121Z | +*COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| Core Ed: Transitions | 2 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Winter | ||
| BI 221Z | +*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS | 5 |
| CH 222Z & CH 228Z | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY | 5 |
| MTH 251Z | +*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| Core Ed: Communication, Media & Society | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| BI 223Z | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION | 5 |
| CH 223Z & CH 229Z | GENERAL CHEMISTRY III and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY III LABORATORY | 5 |
| MTH 252Z | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BB 211 | +PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT I FOR BIOCHEMISTS AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENTISTS | 1 |
| BB 314 | CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | 4 |
| CH 334 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| PH 201 | +*GENERAL PHYSICS | 5 |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities General | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| CH 335 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| PH 202 | *GENERAL PHYSICS | 5 |
| ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| Core Ed: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BB 315 | MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY | 3 |
| CH 336 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| PH 203 | *GENERAL PHYSICS | 5 |
| Core Ed: Difference, Power & Oppression Foundations | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BB 345 | PYTHON FOR MOLECULAR BIOLOGISTS | 3 |
| BB 490 | BIOCHEMISTRY 1: STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION | 3 |
| CH 337 or CH 324 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY or QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS | 4 |
| Core Ed: Writing Elevation | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| BB 317 | ^SCIENTIFIC THEORY AND PRACTICE | 3 |
| BB 491 | BIOCHEMISTRY 2: METABOLISM | 3 |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities Global | 3-4 | |
| Option Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BB 332 | +*MOLECULAR MEDICINE or +*DNA, IDENTITIES, AND SOCIETIES or +CHEMISTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM or +*ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE or +*DISEASE AND SOCIETY | 3 |
| BB 492 | BIOCHEMISTRY 3: GENETIC BIOCHEMISTRY | 3 |
| Option Course | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BB 470 or BB 481 | CELL BIOPHYSICS or MACROMOLECULAR STRUCTURE | 3 |
| Core Ed: Seeking Solutions | 3-4 | |
| Option Course | 3 | |
| Option Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| BB 486 | ADVANCED MOLECULAR GENETICS | 3 |
| BB 494 | BIOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY MOLECULAR TECHNIQUES | 4 |
| BB 498 | +PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT II FOR BIOCHEMISTS AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENTISTS | 1 |
| Option Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BB 460 or BI 445 | ADVANCED CELL BIOLOGY or EVOLUTION | 3 |
| Option Course | 3 | |
| Option Course | 3 | |
| Electives | 5 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course