Chemistry: Biochemistry - Bachelor of Arts

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Portland State University

Program Overview

The Biochemistry Bachelor of Arts at Portland State University (PSU) combines chemistry and biology with quantitative study of chemical and physical systems, making it a strong choice for students interested in life sciences, healthcare, research and biotechnology. The program is built around hands-on laboratory and research experiences and is designed to prepare students either for employment in STEM and life-science fields or for graduate and professional education.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish the scientific foundation through the CH 221Z, CH 222Z and CH 223Z General Chemistry sequence, supported by CH 227Z, CH 228Z and CH 229Z laboratory courses. They also complete MTH 251Z, MTH 252Z and MTH 253Z, building the calculus and quantitative skills needed for more advanced chemistry and biochemistry study.

Year 2: Students move into the organic chemistry and physics foundations of biochemistry through CH 334, CH 335 and CH 336, together with CH 320, CH 321, CH 337 and CH 339. The PH 211, PH 212 and PH 213 sequence, accompanied by PH 214, PH 215 and PH 216, adds the physical-science background required to understand biochemical systems.

Year 3: The focus shifts directly toward biochemistry, with BI 221Z, BI 222Z and BI 223Z providing the biology sequence and CH 490, CH 491, CH 492 and CH 493 developing the upper-division chemistry and biochemistry component. Students also complete a 4XX Science Elective, allowing them to broaden their scientific preparation while reaching the program's milestone of completing biochemistry by the end of the year.

Year 4: Students complete advanced chemistry through CH 440, CH 441, CH 426 and CH 427, alongside a 4XX Science Elective and the BA's upper-division requirements. The degree concludes with a Senior Capstone or Honors Thesis, giving students an opportunity to bring together their scientific knowledge and demonstrate advanced academic work.

Focus Areas

Biochemistry, general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, physical sciences, quantitative chemistry, physics, scientific research, life sciences, healthcare, biotechnology and STEM careers.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop knowledge of chemical and physical systems and the biological processes underlying life, while gaining hands-on laboratory and research experience. The program also develops critical thinking, problem solving, communication, teamwork and project-management skills that PSU identifies as valuable for scientific employment and further study.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

PSU's Department of Chemistry states that its curriculum, faculty, library and facilities are accredited by the American Chemical Society (ACS). The department also states that graduating chemistry majors become eligible for ACS certification after two years of professional service.

Reputation (Employability & Research Profile)

Portland State reports $83.8 million in university research expenditures and $83 million in research awards, while the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences reports $19.2 million in FY2025 research expenditures and 94 active principal investigators. PSU also reports that it is ranked No. 1 in Oregon for service learning and No. 1 in Oregon for social mobility, while its university-wide rankings include recognition from U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. These are university-level indicators rather than rankings specific to the Biochemistry BA

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

PSU's Biochemistry BA emphasizes learning through teaching laboratories and research laboratories, with research discoveries actively incorporated into teaching. Students can work directly with chemistry faculty in research laboratories and develop technical expertise through undergraduate research, while the department provides access to sophisticated analytical and structural instrumentation.

Students can build practical scientific experience through these opportunities:

Hands-on teaching laboratories: The degree map includes laboratory components throughout the General Chemistry sequence and advanced chemistry curriculum, giving students repeated opportunities to apply concepts experimentally.
Undergraduate research laboratories: The majority of PSU Chemistry science professors maintain independent research programs and involve undergraduate students in their laboratories; students can contact faculty or submit an interest form to join a research lab.
Biochemistry research: Faculty research includes biochemistry, biophysics, chemical biology, molecular imaging, therapeutics and environmental chemistry, providing several areas for students interested in life-science research.
Advanced instrumentation: Chemistry facilities include 400 and 600 MHz NMR spectrometers, gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, LC-MS/MS, GC/X, HPLC, ion chromatography, X-ray diffraction and scattering, electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy.
Research safety training: Students working in Chemistry research laboratories must complete safety training within six weeks of beginning their work and annually thereafter.
Senior Capstone or Honors Thesis: The final year includes a Senior Capstone or Honors Thesis, providing an opportunity for students to complete advanced academic work and demonstrate their learning.
Departmental Honors: PSU's Chemistry Honors structure includes preparation of an Honors thesis and presentation of the research to the Chemistry Department at a special seminar.
Internships and jobs: The Chemistry Department maintains student opportunities including research positions and a PSU Semiconductor Internship Program, developed with the Physics Department and regional industry for workforce training and experiential learning in semiconductor technologies.
Career and internship platform: Handshake, PSU's official career resource, connects students with jobs and internships and supports creation of an online portfolio.
Pre-health experiences: PSU's Pre-Health programs provide volunteer and internship opportunities that connect students with healthcare professionals and patients.
Undergraduate research programs: PSU's Center for Internship, Mentoring, and Research (CIMR) supports practical training, internships and hands-on research, while programs such as BUILD EXITO, LSAMP and McNair Scholars provide additional research and professional-development opportunities for eligible students.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Biochemistry BA is designed for students who want to enter life-science and STEM careers or continue into graduate and professional education. PSU identifies opportunities in professional health, STEM business and industry, education and policy, scientific communication and research, including applications in pharmaceuticals, medical products, environmental science, agriculture and food science.

Typical career directions include: Biochemist, Research Scientist, Laboratory Technician, Medicinal Chemist

Students can develop their career pathway through:

Career counseling: PSU's University Career Center provides career-choice and job-search support to undergraduate students, graduate students and alumni, including access to internship information.
Handshake: Students can use PSU's official career platform to find jobs and internships that match their interests and create an online portfolio.
Employer connections: PSU states that its location in Portland allows it to create partnerships with regional employers and facilitate real-world learning through internships and other experiential opportunities.
Industry exposure: The Chemistry Department's semiconductor internship program is delivered in collaboration with regional industry and provides workforce training in semiconductor technologies.
Biochemistry-related employers and roles: PSU's career resources list employers and positions including AbSci, Abcam, OHSU, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, MilliporeSigma, Patheon, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Seattle Children's Hospital and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, with roles ranging from research assistant and analytical research associate to clinical data manager and biopharmaceutical production technician. These are examples from PSU's career-resource database rather than guaranteed graduate destinations.
Research preparation: PSU states that undergraduate research helps students develop technical expertise and that employers and graduate/professional schools prefer or require research or other direct experience for some pathways.
Employment and salary statistics: The official PSU Biochemistry career page does not publish a program-specific graduate employment rate or average salary for the Biochemistry BA. It instead directs students to Oregon and U.S. government career resources for occupation-level employment and salary information, so a program-specific salary should be recorded as NA rather than estimated.
Research environment: PSU's College of Liberal Arts & Sciences reports 94 active principal investigators, $19.2 million in FY2025 research expenditures and 235 active external grants, providing a substantial university research environment for students considering research-based careers or postgraduate study.
Long-term professional value: The Chemistry Department states that its curriculum, faculty, library and facilities are ACS accredited, providing an established professional framework for chemistry education and ACS-related certification pathways.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BA, students can continue into graduate or professional education in areas such as biochemistry, chemistry, biology, biomedical science and related life-science disciplines. PSU specifically notes that its biochemistry students may continue into graduate or professional school and offers healthcare preparation through its Pre-Health programs; research experience can also prepare students for advanced study in science, medicine and related professional fields.