Biochemistry Bachelor of Arts

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Indiana University Bloomington

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry at Indiana University Bloomington combines biology and chemistry to explore the chemical processes that make living organisms function, while giving students the flexibility to shape their studies toward professional schools and broader careers. It is particularly suited to students considering medicine, dentistry, law, business, scientific writing, teaching, or other pathways beyond traditional laboratory research.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students build their scientific foundation through courses such as CHEM-C 117 & C127 – Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I with Laboratory, BIOL-L 112 – Introduction to Biology: Biological Mechanisms, and MATH-M 119 or M211 – Calculus I. These subjects establish the chemistry, biology, and quantitative skills needed for the more advanced biochemistry coursework that follows.

Year 2: The curriculum progresses into CHEM-C 341 – Organic Chemistry I, CHEM-C 342 – Organic Chemistry II, and CHEM-C 343 – Organic Chemistry I Laboratory or A316 – Bioanalytical Chemistry Laboratory. Students develop a stronger understanding of organic molecules and laboratory methods while also completing the physics and general education requirements of the B.A. degree.

Year 3: Students move into the biological chemistry core with CHEM-C 484 – Biomolecules and Catabolism, CHEM-C 485 – Metabolism and Drug Design, and B486 – Gene Expression and Physiology. These courses connect molecular structure and biological function with metabolism, genetic information, physiology, and the chemical basis of disease and therapeutic development.

Year 4: Advanced study includes CHEM-C 487 – Enzymology Laboratory together with at least 8 additional credits selected from subjects such as C372 – Chemical Informatics II: Molecular Modeling, C481 – Physical Biochemistry, A314 – Biological and Environmental Chemical Analysis, or C416 – Surface Analysis and Surface Chemistry. This flexibility allows students to strengthen areas that complement their professional or postgraduate goals while completing the broader B.A. requirements.

Focus areas:

Biochemistry, biological chemistry, organic chemistry, biomolecules, metabolism, drug design, gene expression, physiology, enzymology, bioanalytical chemistry, chemical informatics, molecular modeling, physical biochemistry, biological analysis

Learning outcomes:

Students develop an understanding of chemical processes in living organisms, biomolecular structure and function, metabolism, gene expression, physiology, laboratory methods, quantitative analysis, and the application of chemistry and biology to biological problems.

Professional alignment (accreditation):

The B.A. in Biochemistry is part of IU Bloomington's College of Arts and Sciences and is covered by Indiana University's institutional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). IU's official accreditation listing identifies the B.S. in Chemistry as ACS-accredited, but does not list the B.A. in Biochemistry as a separately specialized ACS-accredited program.

Reputation (employability/research):

IU Bloomington is an R1 research university, placing it among institutions with the highest level of research activity under the Carnegie classification. The university also reports more than 200 research centers and institutes, giving students access to a large research environment beyond the classroom.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students can complement the B.A.'s classroom-based scientific foundation with hands-on research, laboratory experiences, internships, and professional practice. IU Bloomington allows undergraduates to join research teams alongside faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers, while the Department of Chemistry provides access to advanced facilities supporting areas such as biological mass spectrometry, proteomics, biomolecular NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and cryo-electron microscopy.

The program's chemistry coursework also provides practical exposure through laboratory subjects such as CHEM-C 343, A316 Bioanalytical Chemistry Laboratory, and C487 Enzymology Laboratory, while elective options can introduce students to chemical informatics, molecular modeling, physical biochemistry, and analytical chemistry. Students can additionally pursue internships and career-related work through IU's broader experiential-learning and career infrastructure.

Students can put their scientific knowledge into practice through opportunities such as:

Enzymology Laboratory (C487): Develop practical experience with biochemical laboratory techniques and enzymology.
Bioanalytical Chemistry Laboratory (A316): Provides an option for students to build analytical laboratory skills within the B.A. curriculum.
Chemical Informatics II: Molecular Modeling (C372): Introduces computational approaches to chemical and biochemical information and molecular modeling.
Physical Biochemistry (C481): Explores biological macromolecules, their structure and conformation, and the thermodynamics and kinetics of biochemical reactions.
Physical Biochemistry Instrumentation Facility (PBIF): IU's state-of-the-art facility supports biomolecular research, training, instrumentation access, and data interpretation.
METACyt Biomolecular NMR Laboratory: Provides access to 600 MHz and 800 MHz NMR instruments for studying protein and nucleic-acid structures and dynamics at atomic resolution.
Biological mass spectrometry and proteomics: IU Chemistry identifies biological mass spectrometry and proteomics among the research facilities available within its interdisciplinary research environment.
X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy: Students interested in structural biology can benefit from IU's research infrastructure in these areas through faculty-led research opportunities.
Undergraduate research: Students can join faculty-led research teams, earn academic credit, and present or publish their findings through IU's undergraduate research opportunities.
Internships and professional experience: IU's career infrastructure provides access to internships, career fairs, Handshake listings, on-campus internships, micro-internships, and research opportunities.
Eli Lilly engagement: IU Chemistry has hosted Eli Lilly's analytical and synthetic chemistry teams for scientific exchange, career discussions, and networking with students.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.A. in Biochemistry is designed with flexibility in mind, particularly for students planning to continue into professional education or pursue careers that apply scientific knowledge outside traditional laboratory research. IU specifically identifies medicine, dentistry, law, business, scientific writing, teaching, and nontraditional chemistry-related careers as potential directions for B.A. students.

Typical career directions include medical professional, dental professional, scientific writer, science teacher, business professional, healthcare professional, pharmaceutical professional, technical writer, science communicator, and chemistry-related professional.

Students can strengthen their transition into employment or further study through:

Career coaching and advising: IU Bloomington provides school-based career centers as well as Career Exploration & Student Employment, with support for career exploration, resumes, interviews, internships, job opportunities, and graduate or professional programs.
Internships and employer connections: Students can use career fairs, Handshake, internships, micro-internships, on-campus opportunities, and other professional experiences to build practical experience and networks.
Research-to-career opportunities: IU's undergraduate research infrastructure allows students to work with faculty and research teams and present or publish their work, helping connect undergraduate study with graduate education and scientific careers.
University–industry partnerships: IU LAB serves as the university's gateway for bioscience industry engagement and has major agreements with Cook Medical and Eli Lilly and Company. The Lilly agreement is a five-year, $40 million partnership focused on clinical-trial infrastructure, research, and workforce development.
Industry networking: IU Chemistry has provided students with direct exposure to Eli Lilly analytical and synthetic chemists through scientific exchange, career discussions, and networking events.
Graduation and employment outcomes: IU's published Bloomington baccalaureate outcomes data reports employment rates of 64.5% one year after graduation, 75.2% five years after graduation, and 74.9% ten years after graduation; median earnings were $38,000 one year out, $54,000 five years out, and $70,000 ten years out. These are campus-wide baccalaureate figures, not Biochemistry B.A.-specific figures.
Long-term accreditation value: IU Bloomington's HLC institutional accreditation supports the recognition and quality framework of the university's degrees, while the university maintains specialized accreditation separately for programs where applicable.

Further Academic Progression:
Graduates can use the B.A. as preparation for professional programs such as medical school, dental school, or law school, depending on the prerequisite courses required by the institution they plan to attend. Students interested specifically in graduate-level biochemistry or research-intensive careers should note that IU itself recommends the B.S. in Biochemistry for students planning graduate work or employment in industry, making the B.A. particularly suited to students seeking the more flexible professional-school and interdisciplinary pathway.