Biochemistry (BA)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Kansas State University

Program Overview

The B.A. in Biochemistry at Kansas State University combines the study of chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics to help students understand the molecular events behind life processes, while also providing the broader liberal-arts education characteristic of a Bachelor of Arts. With 120 credits and options including the Medical Biochemistry sub-plan, the program can suit students preparing for professional schools as well as those interested in developing a strong scientific foundation for careers across the life sciences.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students establish their scientific and university foundations while beginning the broader requirements of the B.A. curriculum. Key subjects include BIOCH 110 – Biochem & Society, CHM 210 – Chemistry 1, and BIOL 198 – Principles of Biology, alongside mathematics, the K-State Core and the first level of the required foreign-language sequence.

Second Year: The curriculum develops stronger chemistry and quantitative skills through CHM 230 – Chemistry 2, CHM 350 – General Organic Chemistry, and MATH 221 – Analytic Geometry and Calculus 2. Students also continue building their biological foundation and complete the second level of the foreign-language requirement, while beginning to move toward more advanced scientific study.

Third Year: Students move deeper into molecular and cellular science through courses such as BIOCH 521 – General Biochemistry, BIOCH 522 – General Biochemistry Laboratory, and BIOL 450 – Modern Genetics. CHM 371 – Chemical Analysis, BIOL 455 – General Microbiology, and BIOL 541 – Cell Biology further develop the analytical and biological knowledge needed to understand biochemical processes.

Fourth Year: The final year emphasizes advanced biochemical understanding through BIOCH 755 – Biochemistry 1 and BIOCH 765 – Biochemistry 2, supported by upper-division electives and a statistics requirement. Students can use upper-level BIOCH, BIOL, CHM, CIS, MATH, PHYS or STAT courses to tailor their final studies toward their interests and longer-term academic or professional plans.

Focus areas

Molecular basis of life processes, biochemistry, chemistry, molecular and cellular biology, genetics, microbiology, chemical analysis, physics, mathematics, medical biochemistry, liberal-arts education and preparation for professional or advanced study.

Learning outcomes

Students develop an understanding of biochemical and molecular processes, together with analytical, laboratory, scientific reasoning and quantitative skills through integrated study of biochemistry, chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics and statistics.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

K-State's official program information does not identify a separate professional accreditation specifically for the B.A. in Biochemistry. The degree is offered by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics within the College of Arts and Sciences, and its curriculum is structured to provide science preparation for certain professional schools.

Reputation (employability rankings)

K-State's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics reports a 97% placement rate for biochemistry graduates in a career or graduate/professional school within six months of graduation. K-State also reports that more than 90% of biochemistry students find relevant jobs or continue their education within three months of graduation.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

K-State gives biochemistry students opportunities to connect classroom learning with research and laboratory experience. The department's research environment covers areas including lipid metabolism, infectious disease, structural biochemistry, cell and developmental biology, aging and longevity, and drug discovery, while undergraduate research can involve direct interaction with faculty mentors and work in laboratory or field settings.

Students can build practical scientific experience through the following opportunities:

General Biochemistry Laboratory: BIOCH 522 provides dedicated laboratory experience alongside General Biochemistry.
Advanced research: The department's research opportunities allow undergraduates to participate in independent research and interact directly with faculty members.
Research facilities: K-State's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics has 14 large research facilities, including the Biomolecular NMR Facility for nuclear magnetic resonance studies.
Research areas: Students can encounter research involving NMR spectroscopy, computational biophysics, molecular recognition, protein structure and function, infectious disease, metabolism and therapeutic design.
Faculty mentoring: Undergraduate research can involve creating experiments with a faculty mentor, learning laboratory or field techniques, presenting at scientific forums and contributing to peer-reviewed publications.
Chalmers Hall: The department is based in Chalmers Hall, which also houses research laboratories and the Johnson Cancer Research Center.
Study abroad: K-State offers education-abroad opportunities in more than 85 countries, providing an additional way for students to broaden their academic experience.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.A. in Biochemistry provides a foundation for careers and further study across biochemistry, healthcare, research and the life sciences. K-State identifies career possibilities including biochemist or chemist, clinical research scientist, physician, nurse, epidemiologist, pharmacist, forensic technician and geneticist, while the department also highlights research scientist, forensic scientist, clinical researcher, pharmacologist and science writer among potential directions.

Typical job roles: Biochemist, Clinical Research Scientist, Research Scientist, Forensic Technician

Students can build their career pathway through several K-State resources and outcomes:

Career support: The K-State Career Center provides career advising, career assessments, job-search training, an extensive career library and employer connections. Students and alumni can also use Handshake to find jobs and internships, connect with employers and access career events.
Employment outcomes: K-State's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics reports a 97% placement rate in a career or graduate/professional school within six months of graduation. A university-wide 2025 outcomes report also found 97% of K-State graduates were employed or continuing their education, based on an 80% knowledge rate.
Salary information: K-State maintains a salary-by-major dashboard for reported graduate salaries. The university's 2025 overall graduate outcomes report reported an average salary of $60,000 across K-State graduates; this is a university-wide figure and should not be treated as a B.A. in Biochemistry-specific salary.
Industry connections: K-State maintains university-wide industry collaboration infrastructure, including 80 industry master agreements and $28 million in industry-funded research. The university also provides pathways for sponsored research, joint grant submissions, technology licensing and other industry collaborations.
Biochemistry research environment: Departmental research is supported by more than $7 million in extramural support, with faculty research spanning structural biochemistry, infectious disease, metabolism, aging, cell biology and drug discovery.
Graduation outcomes: The department's reported 97% placement figure includes students entering careers as well as graduate or professional school, making the outcome relevant to both employment-focused and further-study pathways.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.A., students can continue into graduate or professional education depending on their goals. K-State offers M.S. and Ph.D. study in biochemistry, and the university also identifies professional-school pathways in areas such as medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and nursing; the department additionally offers a five-year accelerated B.S./M.S. route for eligible undergraduates, although that specific accelerated route is a B.S./M.S. pathway rather than a direct continuation of the B.A.