Biochemistry, B.S.

Mission Statement

The biochemistry program at Coastal Carolina University is an interdisciplinary program housed within the Department of Chemistry. The mission of the biochemistry program is to develop strong student competencies in biochemistry through a selective blending of biology and chemistry coursework, and to develop strong critical reasoning skills in students that they can apply to all areas of study. The program’s faculty is committed to providing meaningful undergraduate experiences for both majors and non-majors through high-quality, student-centered teaching and undergraduate research mentoring. Students completing a degree in biochemistry should be well prepared for entering a career, graduate school or medical school.

Student Learning Outcomes

Biochemistry students will complete the following as part of their program of study:

1. Students will understand the principles of biochemistry and apply concepts from different areas of chemistry to solve problems that may require a multidisciplinary approach.
2. Students will use biochemical concepts to explain the functional roles of biochemical molecules in complex processes, such as metabolic pathways or diseases.
3. Students will design experiments to solve scientific problems using knowledge of biochemical concepts and laboratory techniques.
4. Students will analyze and interpret research data derived from the scientific literature and laboratory experiments in pursuit of results that answer scientific questions in biochemistry.
5. Students will create oral presentations that explain biochemical processes to their peers.
6. Students will write formal reports that analyze data and evaluate results of laboratory experiments.

Students must earn a grade of ‘C’ or better in all foundation and major electives.