Bachelor of Science (Chemistry, with a concentration in Biochemistry)

The program gives students substantial hands-on experience through required chemistry, biology and physics laboratories and through opportunities to participate in faculty-mentored research. The Department of Chemistry provides access to advanced instrumentation and specialized facilities, including NMR, mass spectrometry, spectroscopy, chromatography, cell-culture and computational resources, allowing students to connect classroom concepts with real chemical and biochemical research.

Students can develop practical scientific experience through:

• Biochemistry laboratory: CHEM 4511/4501 Biochemistry 1, Lecture and Laboratory gives students direct laboratory experience alongside advanced biochemical study.
• General chemistry laboratories: CHEM 1111 and CHEM 1121 provide laboratory training from the beginning of the degree, while analytical and organic chemistry courses continue the experimental component.
• Undergraduate research: Students can enroll in CHEM 4901, CHEM 4902 and CHEM 4903 Chemical Research I, II and III while working under a faculty mentor on campus or off campus.
• Biochemistry research: Faculty research includes enzyme kinetics, lipid metabolism, high-throughput screening, site-directed mutagenesis, mass spectrometry and computational methods.
• Research presentations: Undergraduate researchers can present their research results on campus and at regional and national scientific meetings.
• Advanced analytical equipment: The J.M. Smith Chemistry Building houses equipment including a 500 MHz NMR spectrometer, liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer, X-ray diffractometer and circular-dichroism/fluorescence spectrometer.
• Biochemical laboratory resources: Facilities include a plate reader, FPLC system, electrophoresis equipment, PCR thermocycler, CO₂ incubator and bacterial/insect-cell culture equipment, providing resources directly relevant to biochemical research.
• Computational resources: The department provides substantial computational chemistry infrastructure and access to the University's High Performance Computing Center, with software including ADF, ADFGUI and AIM 2000.
• Research centers: Students can benefit from nearby interdisciplinary facilities including the Bioinformatics facility, Biosurface Center, Biomaterials Lab, FedEx Institute of Technology, Integrated Microscopy Center and High Performance Computing.
• Internship opportunities: The College of Arts & Sciences identifies research and internship opportunities as important hands-on components of its STEM education, while Career Services supports students in finding internships and experiential opportunities.

The Biochemistry concentration is particularly suited to students who want to continue into medicine, pharmacy, dentistry or related health professions, while the chemistry foundation also supports careers in research, healthcare, government, manufacturing and other scientific industries. The University of Memphis Chemistry department provides undergraduate research opportunities, while the College of Arts & Sciences and Career Services provide career exploration, internship and professional-development support.

Typical career directions include Biomedical Researcher, Analytical Chemist, Forensic Scientist and Toxicologist; the University's Chemistry fact sheet also lists Chemical Engineer, Food Scientist, Geochemist, Nanotechnologist, Patent Agent and Process Chemist among chemistry-related career options.

• Career Services: Students can receive career advising, resume and cover-letter assistance, interview preparation, job-search guidance and graduate/professional-school support through University of Memphis Career Services.
• TigerLink powered by Handshake: Students can search employment and internship opportunities, connect with employers, access recruiting events and receive career-related communications through the University's platform.
• Career exploration: PathwayU and Steppingblocks allow students to investigate career paths, industries, salary information and institutional outcomes using University of Memphis resources.
• Employment and salary data: The official Chemistry fact sheet reports 71% employed in Tennessee, 73% employed in Memphis, $48,000 average annual salary at 1–3 years post-graduation, and $79,000 at 7–10 years for chemistry graduates overall.
• Research connections: Faculty research covers analytical, biological, computational/theoretical, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry, with research applications including biomedical implants, environmental contaminants, enzyme kinetics, drug-delivery polymers and biochemistry.
• Industry and external research exposure: Undergraduate researchers may work on projects supported by university, government or industry funding, and research results can be presented at regional and national scientific meetings.
• Graduation and career preparation: The Chemistry fact sheet reports 34 bachelor's degrees awarded in the Spring 2024 reporting period across the chemistry programs represented in the fact sheet, with outcomes based on self-reported University of Memphis bachelor's graduates from the previous ten years.
• Professional-school preparation: The concentration is explicitly recommended for postgraduate study in pharmacy, medicine, dentistry and related health professions, making continued professional education a central progression route.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.S. in Chemistry with a Biochemistry concentration, students can continue into medical, dental, pharmacy or other health-professional programs, or pursue graduate study in areas such as chemistry and biochemistry. The University of Memphis also lists an Accelerated BS/MS in Chemistry, an M.S. in Chemistry with Biochemistry, and a Ph.D. in Chemistry with Biochemistry as graduate pathways within the department.