BS in Biophysics

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Loyola University Chicago

Program Overview

The BS in Biophysics at Loyola University Chicago is an interdisciplinary degree combining physics, biology, chemistry and mathematics to understand biological systems using physical principles. It is particularly suited to students interested in biophysics, biomedical research, biotechnology, medical physics or health professions, with the curriculum developing strong laboratory, computational, quantitative and scientific-research skills.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students establish their foundation through PHYS 121 College Physics I with Calculus Lecture/Discussion, PHYS 111L College Physics Laboratory I, MATH 161 Calculus I, and CHEM 160 Chemical Structure and Properties with its laboratory. The spring semester continues with College Physics II, Calculus II, Chemical Reactivity I and its laboratory, while PHYS 126F Freshman Projects introduces students to research through the curriculum.

Second Year: Students move into more advanced scientific concepts through PHYS 235 Modern Physics, PHYS 235L Modern Physics Laboratory, MATH 263 Multivariable Calculus, and MATH 264 Ordinary Differential Equations. Biology and chemistry become increasingly important through General Biology I and II, Chemical Reactivity II, and Quantitative Methods in Chemistry, strengthening the interdisciplinary foundation required for biophysics.

Third Year: The curriculum develops deeper theoretical and biological understanding through PHYS 351 Electricity and Magnetism I, PHYS 314 Theoretical Mechanics I, BIOL 251 Cell Biology, and BIOL 282 Genetics. Students also begin their 300-level biophysics electives, with options such as PHYS 310 Optics and PHYS 310L Optics Lab, allowing them to connect physical principles with biological systems and experimental techniques.

Fourth Year: Students complete advanced biophysics electives while continuing their Core and general-elective requirements. The suggested sequence includes PHYS 328 Thermal Physical & Statistical Mechanics, BIO 366 Biochemistry, PHYS 351 Electricity and Magnetism, and a Senior Seminar capstone, with biophysics electives potentially including BIOL 387 Bioinformatics, BIOL 388 Genomics, or CHEM 460 Biophysical Chemistry.

Focus Areas

Biophysics, biological physics, biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, bioinformatics, genomics, computational physics, optics, medical physics, biotechnology, biomedical engineering and quantitative biological modelling.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop foundational knowledge of physics and biology, understand the connections between the physical and biological sciences, use laboratory techniques and computer skills, apply intermediate-level mathematics to physical and biological systems, collect and analyze scientific data, and collaborate effectively and ethically on scientific and technical projects.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

Loyola University Chicago's official sources identify the program as a BS in Biophysics offered jointly through the Departments of Physics and Biology. The official program and catalog pages reviewed do not identify a separate professional accreditation specific to the BS in Biophysics, so no program-specific accreditation should be claimed.

Reputation (Employability & University Recognition)

Loyola describes its biophysics degree as one of the relatively few undergraduate biophysics majors offered in the United States. For the university overall, Loyola reports that 99.5% of its 2025 graduates who reported an outcome were employed, continuing education, volunteering or enlisted, with a $57,089 median salary across all industries; these figures are university-wide rather than specific to biophysics.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Loyola's biophysics students gain practical experience through laboratory courses, freshman research projects, faculty-led research, computational work and advanced biophysics facilities. The Physics Department encourages undergraduates to work with faculty on research, and students can present their work at research symposia, pursue summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates and use research fellowships through the Loyola Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (LUROP).

The program provides several opportunities to develop hands-on scientific and research skills:

Freshman Projects: In PHYS 126F, first-year students work in small teams with a faculty member on a semester-long research project and present their projects in a seminar at the end of the semester.
Biophysics Laboratory: Cudahy Science Hall includes a dedicated Biophysics Lab equipped with a single-molecule fluorescence microscope, spectrophotometer, fluorimeter and gel electrophoresis equipment.
Computational Laboratory: Students have access to a dedicated Computational Lab, supporting computational approaches within the physics and biophysics curriculum.
Computer and 3D fabrication facilities: The department provides a Computer Lab with an adjoining 3D Fabrication Lab, alongside a machine shop for practical experimental work.
Optics and electronics: Students can use the Electronics and Optics Lab, while the curriculum includes PHYS 310 Optics and PHYS 310L Optics Lab.
Advanced experimental facilities: Additional facilities include the Modern Physics Lab and Quantum Optics Lab, providing further environments for experimental physics.
Faculty research: Current research includes experimental biophysics, including single-molecule imaging of DNA structural dynamics, and computational biophysics, including modelling stochastic behaviour of hair cells in the ear.
Undergraduate research fellowships: LUROP provides opportunities for one-to-one faculty mentoring, and Loyola physics students have received Carbon, Mulcahy and Provost Fellowships to support research.
Research presentations and publications: Undergraduate research can lead to presentations at local and national physics meetings, and some projects result in publications.
Summer research and internships: Loyola encourages students to pursue paid 8–10 week REU programs, while students have also participated in programs at Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, NASA and the National Institutes of Health.
Teaching experience: Physics students can work as teaching assistants for introductory physics laboratories, developing laboratory communication and teaching skills while earning money.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BS in Biophysics prepares graduates for research and technical careers across medical centers, research institutes, government laboratories, biotechnology, nanotechnology, medical physics, pharmaceutical industries, forensic science and other biologically oriented high-technology sectors. Loyola also specifically identifies graduate pathways in biophysics, biochemistry, biomedical engineering and physics, as well as professional pathways in medicine, optometry, dentistry and applied health sciences.

Typical career directions include Biophysicist, Biomedical Researcher, Biochemistry Researcher and Medical Physics Researcher.

Students can build their career pathway through:

Career advising: Loyola's Career Center provides career advising and job postings, with students able to schedule career counselling and search opportunities through Handshake.
Research opportunities: Students can approach faculty about laboratory research and apply through LUROP, which supports independent undergraduate research and faculty mentoring.
Internship and REU opportunities: The Physics Department highlights summer research opportunities through REUs and programs at organizations including Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, NASA and NIH.
Career outcomes: For the 2025 graduating class, Loyola reports 90% employed, 9.5% continuing education, 0.4% still seeking, and 0.1% military, volunteering or not seeking, with 99.5% reporting one of these outcomes. The university-wide median salary across industries was $57,089.
Broader graduate outcomes: Loyola's institutional data reports that 93% of baccalaureate degree recipients were employed or enrolled within six months of graduation for the Class of 2024.
Scientific networking: The Physics Department hosts a biweekly seminar series where students can meet Loyola alumni, graduate-school recruiters and researchers from different physics fields.
Industry and research environment: Loyola students have opportunities to connect with major scientific and healthcare research organizations through internships, REUs and research programs, while the university's Chicago location provides access to major research institutions and medical organizations.
Long-term professional preparation: The program's combination of physics, biology, mathematics, chemistry, laboratory and computational training provides a foundation for research careers and further education in biophysics, biochemistry, biomedical engineering, physics and health professions.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into master's or doctoral study in biophysics, biochemistry, biomedical engineering, physics and related biological or physical sciences. The degree also provides preparation for professional education in medicine, optometry, dentistry, physical therapy, radiation therapy and other applied health sciences, depending on the student's prerequisite planning and chosen pathway.