Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Texas at Arlington

Program Overview

The University of Texas at Arlington’s B.S. in Biochemistry is a 120-credit program designed for students interested in biochemistry, professional health programs, graduate study, and careers as biochemists. The curriculum combines chemistry, biology, mathematics and physics with substantial laboratory training, scientific communication, research skills and modern instrumentation.

Curriculum structure

First Year: Students establish the scientific foundation through CHEM 1341 General Chemistry I, CHEM 1342 General Chemistry II, BIOL 1441 Biology I for Science Majors: Cell and Molecular Biology, and calculus. Laboratory work begins immediately through CHEM 1181 and CHEM 1182 General Chemistry Laboratory for Advanced Chemical Technologies, giving students practical experience alongside their foundational science courses.

Second Year: The program moves into molecular and quantitative chemistry with CHEM 2321 Organic Chemistry I, CHEM 2322 Organic Chemistry II, CHEM 2335 Quantitative Chemistry, and CHEM 2283/2284 Synthesis and Analysis Laboratory I and II. Students also complete physics and BIOL 3315 Genetics, building the chemistry, biology and analytical background needed for advanced biochemistry.

Third Year: Students enter the core of the discipline through CHEM 3321/3322 Physical Chemistry I and II, CHEM 4311 Biochemistry I, CHEM 4312 Biochemistry II, and CHEM 4242 Laboratory Techniques in Biochemistry. BIOL 2444 General Microbiology complements this work, while the physical chemistry and biochemistry laboratories strengthen students’ ability to apply theory through experimentation.

Fourth Year: Advanced study includes CHEM 4313 Metabolism and Regulation or CHEM 4316 Biochemical Genetics, CHEM 4314 Enzymology, and CHEM 4461 Instrumental Analysis, with CHEM 4346 Advanced Synthetic Methods providing further training in chemical synthesis. Students can also select an inorganic chemistry option and electives, completing the 120-credit degree with a strong combination of advanced biochemical knowledge and instrumental laboratory skills.

Focus areas

Biochemistry, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry, molecular and cell biology, genetics, microbiology, metabolism and regulation, biochemical genetics, enzymology, chemical synthesis, instrumental analysis, laboratory techniques and scientific research.

Learning outcomes

Students develop knowledge across organic, inorganic, physical and biochemical chemistry; learn to communicate scientific topics orally and in writing; analyze scientific literature; develop standard laboratory techniques; and gain fundamental knowledge of modern chemical instrumentation.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The B.S. in Biochemistry is an American Chemical Society (ACS) certified program and meets ACS standards for professional baccalaureate education. UTA specifically recommends the program for students planning graduate study in biochemistry, professional careers as biochemists, premedical or predental study, and allied health sciences.

Reputation (employability rankings)

UTA does not identify a separate QS or Guardian ranking specifically for the B.S. in Biochemistry on the official program page. Its official program information highlights a research-active department with undergraduate access to high-level research, while the department's career resources identify a broad range of employment areas including biotechnology, clinical research, pharmaceutical chemistry, forensic science and life-science research.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

UTA gives Biochemistry students opportunities to move beyond classroom theory into research, laboratory work and professional development. The department describes its facilities as state-of-the-art and provides students with access to advanced instrumentation, while undergraduate students can work with tenured faculty and graduate researchers on projects ranging from anti-cancer drug discovery to environmental research and advanced instrumentation.

Practical opportunities and resources include:

Undergraduate research: Students are encouraged to become involved in research programs with faculty and graduate students, gaining experience with how practicing biochemists conduct scientific research.
Research projects: UTA highlights undergraduate research involving anti-cancer drug discovery and development, environmental consequences of fracking on groundwater pollution, solar carbon-dioxide-to-liquid-fuels technology, and analytical instrumentation for Mars landers.
Shimadzu Institute for Research Technologies: The program has access to approximately $20 million in modern instrumentation, supporting advanced research and analytical training.
NMR facility: Students have access to two high-field superconducting magnet FT-NMR instruments for advanced chemical analysis.
Tissue culture facility: The department provides a dedicated facility for human cell culture, directly relevant to biochemical and biomedical research.
Nanodrop spectrophotometer: A Nanodrop UV-visible spectrophotometer is available for small-scale DNA/RNA quantification.
X-ray diffraction: XRD facilities provide instrumentation relevant to structural and materials-related chemical research.
Laboratory techniques: CHEM 4242 Laboratory Techniques in Biochemistry provides dedicated laboratory training within the degree curriculum.
Instrumental analysis: CHEM 4461 Instrumental Analysis gives students advanced exposure to instrumental methods as part of the senior curriculum.
Internships and external research: UTA's Biochemistry experiential major map encourages students to pursue internal or external research opportunities and internships, including summer research outside UTA.
Research conferences: Students are encouraged to attend regional or national research conferences and present their work.
Career development: The Lockheed Martin Career Development Center provides career counselling, employer engagement, internships, job fairs and access to Handshake for employment opportunities.
Health-profession preparation: Students considering professional health programs can meet with health-professions advisers for mock interviews and personal-statement reviews.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Biochemistry prepares graduates for professional roles in biotechnology, clinical research, pharmaceutical science, laboratory work, life-science research and related areas. UTA also specifically identifies the degree as suitable preparation for graduate study in biochemistry and for students pursuing medical, dental and allied-health pathways.

Typical career roles and areas include: Analytical Chemist, Biomedical Scientist, Biotechnologist, Clinical Research Associate. UTA's Biochemistry experiential major map also lists medicinal chemist, clinical scientist in biochemistry, forensic scientist, pharmacologist, quality control/regulatory professional, life-science research scientist and scientific laboratory technician.

Students can develop their career pathway through:

Career services: The Lockheed Martin Career Development Center provides career consultants, employer partnerships, engagement opportunities, job fairs, internships and Handshake access.
Career preparation: UTA's major map encourages students to review resumes or CVs with Career Services, network with employers, discover internships and co-ops, and participate in career-development programs.
Research experience: Undergraduate research and opportunities to present at regional or national conferences can help students develop a research profile for employment or graduate/professional study.
Professional recognition: The ACS-certified status provides professional recognition and aligns the curriculum with standards for professional baccalaureate chemistry education.
Industry-relevant research: UTA highlights research involving anti-cancer drug discovery, biotechnology-related instrumentation, environmental research and solar-fuels technology, giving students exposure to areas connected with scientific and industrial work.
Professional-school preparation: Health-professions advising supports students considering professional programs, including mock interviews and personal-statement reviews.
Employment outcomes: I did not find a current Biochemistry-specific employment rate or salary figure on the official UTA program/major-map pages, so no programme-specific statistic is stated here.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into graduate study in biochemistry, chemistry and related scientific disciplines. UTA also offers a Biochemistry BS to Biomedical Engineering MS Fast-Track, allowing qualifying Biochemistry students to work toward the master's degree while completing their undergraduate studies; the university also offers graduate programs including an M.S. in Chemistry and Chemistry Ph.D.