BS in Biochemistry

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Colorado State University

Program Overview

The Biochemistry B.S. at Colorado State University connects chemistry, biology, physical science and mathematics to explore how molecules interact to create and regulate living systems, with applications ranging from human and veterinary medicine to agriculture and biotechnology. It is a strong fit for students interested in scientific research, biotechnology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals or further professional study, with concentration options in ASBMB Biochemistry, Data Science, Health and Medical Sciences, and Pre-Pharmacy.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

Students establish their scientific foundation through BC 192 Biochemistry Freshman Seminar, CHEM 111/113 General Chemistry I and II with their associated laboratories, and LIFE 102 Attributes of Living Systems. Depending on the concentration, students also begin genetics, calculus, physics and university core coursework, building the chemistry, biological-science and quantitative skills needed for advanced biochemistry.

Year 2

The second year moves deeper into molecular and cellular science through CHEM 341 Modern Organic Chemistry I, CHEM 343 Modern Organic Chemistry II, and CHEM 344 Modern Organic Chemistry Laboratory, alongside LIFE 210 Introductory Eukaryotic Cell Biology and LIFE 212 Introductory Cell Biology Laboratory. Students begin connecting organic chemistry with cellular structure, biological reactions and experimental laboratory methods.

Year 3

Students enter the central biochemistry sequence with BC 401 Comprehensive Biochemistry I, BC 403 Comprehensive Biochemistry II, and BC 404 Comprehensive Biochemistry Laboratory. These courses explore macromolecular structure and dynamics, membranes, enzymes, bioenergetics, metabolic pathways, cellular biochemistry and experimental approaches to macromolecules, metabolism and gene expression, while BC 360 Responsible Conduct in Biochemical Research introduces research ethics.

Year 4

The final year develops advanced biochemical and molecular expertise through BC 411 Physical Biochemistry, BC 463 Molecular Genetics, BC 465 Molecular Regulation of Cell Function, and BC 493 Senior Seminar. Students complete a research- or literature-based thesis through BC 499A/BC 499B and can tailor their remaining coursework toward areas such as data science, health and medical sciences or pre-pharmacy preparation.

Focus Areas

Macromolecular structure and function, cellular biochemistry, metabolism, gene expression, DNA and protein structure, DNA replication and repair, cell organization and communication, molecular genetics, physical biochemistry, molecular regulation, biotechnology, biomedical science, data science, health and medical sciences and pharmaceutical science.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop knowledge of chemistry, biology, biochemistry, molecular biology and cellular biology; learn to critically analyze and communicate scientific literature; use laboratory instruments and techniques, interpret experimental results and design experiments; and develop the ability to conduct original research in biochemistry and molecular biology.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

Colorado State University's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is an ASBMB-accredited program. Students in the accredited Biochemistry concentrations can identify their degree as coming from an ASBMB-accredited program, and eligible seniors may take the ASBMB certification examination for additional degree certification.

Reputation (Employability / Official Statistics)

Colorado State University's Biochemistry program brings together physical, biological and computational sciences and supports research in areas including cell biology, structural biology, gene expression, cancer biology and infectious diseases. The university's official career information identifies opportunities across bioscience, biomedical research, biotechnology, medical laboratories and health-related professions, while the department reports substantial externally funded bioscience research and specialized research infrastructure.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Biochemistry B.S. is strongly research-oriented, with independent study, internships, mentored research and thesis options allowing students to work closely with faculty and potentially contribute to original publications. Students can also use advanced laboratory and research infrastructure for biochemical, molecular-biology and structural-biology work, while concentration-specific options can add medical internships, data-science training or specialized laboratory experiences.

Key opportunities include:

BC 404 Comprehensive Biochemistry Laboratory: Hands-on experimental work involving macromolecules, metabolism and gene expression.
BC 475 Mentored Research: Faculty-supervised research experience in biochemistry and molecular biology.
BC 487A Internship: Structured internship experience that can connect academic preparation with professional environments.
BC 495 Independent Study: Opportunity to pursue focused independent academic or research work.
BC 496 Group Study: Collaborative study experience within the biochemistry curriculum.
BC 499A Laboratory Research-Based Thesis: Students can complete a substantial laboratory research thesis.
BC 499B Literature-Based Thesis: Students can develop a thesis based on biochemical literature and analysis.
BC 441 3D Molecular Models for Biochemistry: Provides an additional route into molecular visualization and structural understanding.
Data Science concentration: Students can develop skills in computer science, mathematics, statistics, data organization, data analysis, data visualization and computational tools for biochemical questions.
Health and Medical Sciences concentration: Includes options for independent research or a medical internship, together with anatomy, physiology and disease-focused coursework.
Pre-Pharmacy concentration: Adds physiology, microbiology, immunology and public-speaking preparation for students targeting pharmacy education.
Research facilities: Departmental infrastructure includes a Macromolecular Resource Facility, fluorescence microscopy and image analysis resources, recombinant DNA facilities, analytical ultracentrifugation, X-ray crystallography and molecular-modeling workstations.
Chemistry Research Building and laboratories: Students have access to modern teaching and research laboratory environments supporting collaborative work in chemistry and related biosciences.
Summer REU: The department's NSF-supported Research Experience for Undergraduates provides independent molecular-bioscience research opportunities involving areas such as gene expression, protein characterization, proteomics, molecular neurobiology, DNA repair, cancer and plant molecular biology.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Biochemistry B.S. prepares graduates for careers across biomedical and pharmaceutical research, biotechnology, laboratory science, environmental analysis and other scientific fields, while also providing preparation for professional and graduate education. CSU's official career information identifies roles ranging from molecular biologist, biophysicist and toxicologist to medical/clinical laboratory technologist, research analyst and pharmaceutical researcher.

Typical career directions include biomedical/pharmaceutical researcher, biotechnologist, molecular biologist and medical/clinical laboratory technologist:

Career resources: The College of Natural Sciences provides dedicated Biochemistry and Molecular Biology career resources covering common employers, job functions and factors associated with career success.
Research preparation: Independent study, internships, mentored research and thesis work provide opportunities to develop laboratory, research, analytical and scientific-communication skills.
Industry and employer connections: CSU's official Biochemistry career resources identify employers including BioMARC, GT Molecular, Summit Pathology, Tolmar, Columbine Health Systems and Southwest Conservation Corps.
Professional accreditation value: The ASBMB-accredited program provides students with the opportunity to identify their degree as coming from an ASBMB-accredited program and, where eligible, pursue ASBMB certification through the senior examination.
Career breadth: Official CSU career information identifies opportunities in biomedical/pharmaceutical research, biotechnology, medical laboratories, government and local law enforcement, education and environmental work.
Research environment: The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology reports extensive externally supported bioscience research and specialized research facilities, giving students an environment closely connected to active scientific investigation.
Graduation preparation: Students can select concentrations according to their intended direction, including Data Science for life-science data analysis, Health and Medical Sciences for health professions, and Pre-Pharmacy for pharmacy-school preparation.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the Biochemistry B.S., students can continue into graduate or professional education. CSU offers M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Biochemistry, as well as accelerated master's pathways in Biochemistry and Biomanufacturing and Biotechnology, while the Health and Medical Sciences and Pre-Pharmacy concentrations can support progression toward medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and other health professions.