Biochemistry, B.S.

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

West Virginia University

Program Overview

The West Virginia University B.S. in Biochemistry is an interdisciplinary 120-credit degree combining biology, chemistry and agricultural sciences, making it suitable for students interested in biotechnology, biomedical science, pharmaceuticals, health professions, research or environmental and agricultural applications. Students build their foundation in molecular biology, chemistry and biochemistry before choosing advanced electives in areas such as neuroscience, genetics, genomics, drug discovery, nutrition and pharmaceutical sciences.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students begin with the fundamentals of life and physical sciences through courses such as BIOL 115 Principles of Biology, BIOL 117 Introductory Physiology, and CHEM 115 Fundamentals of Chemistry 1, supported by mathematics, English and the First-Year Seminar. The year introduces students to biological systems, physiology, chemistry and scientific communication while establishing the foundation required for the more advanced laboratory sciences.

Second Year: The programme moves into molecular and quantitative science through BIOL 219 Cellular and Molecular Biology, CHEM 116 Fundamentals of Chemistry 2, CHEM 233 Organic Chemistry 1, and STAT 211 Elementary Statistical Inference. Students also begin physics and calculus, developing the mathematical, statistical and molecular understanding needed to analyse biochemical processes.

Third Year: Students enter the core of the biochemistry discipline with CHEM 234 Organic Chemistry 2, CHEM 362 Biochemistry 1, BIOL 423 Biochemistry of Nucleic Acids and Proteins, and CHEM 341 Physical Chemistry: Brief Course. Laboratory components and analytical chemistry strengthen students' ability to investigate molecular structures, biochemical reactions and the physical principles underlying biological systems.

Fourth Year: The final year develops advanced biochemical knowledge and gives students considerable scope to tailor the degree to their interests. AGBI 420 Principles of Biochemistry 2, advanced electives such as BIOL 420 Genomics, BIOL 426 Molecular Biology of Cancer, BIOL 409 Biochemical Basis of Therapeutics or CHEM 336 Fundamental Concepts in Early Drug Discovery, and a capstone such as AGBI 403 Applied Biochemistry Literature bring together the scientific knowledge and practical skills developed throughout the degree.

Focus Areas

Biochemistry, molecular biology, chemistry, neuroscience, physiology, nutrition, microbiology, pharmaceutical sciences, genetics, genomics, drug discovery, therapeutics, cancer biology, food science, environmental chemistry and agricultural science.

Learning Outcomes

Students learn to explain how chemical principles influence biological processes, analyse molecules and biochemical pathways using quantitative and statistical data, apply biochemical knowledge to problems in agriculture, health and the environment, communicate scientific information effectively, work collaboratively and recognise laboratory safety hazards and risks.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The B.S. in Biochemistry is accredited by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB). Students can also select CHEM 322 Inorganic Chemistry 1 as their advanced chemistry elective if they want to pursue the American Chemical Society certification pathway.

Reputation (Employability)

WVU reports that 64% of Biochemistry graduates over the last five years went directly to professional or graduate school, demonstrating the programme's strong progression into advanced education and professional pathways. WVU's official programme career information also reports median salaries of $103,650 for biochemists and biophysicists, $93,330 for biologists, $84,150 for chemists, and $52,000 for biological technicians; these are occupation-level figures rather than guaranteed salaries for WVU graduates.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Practical experience is a required part of the WVU Biochemistry degree rather than an optional addition. Students can gain experience through undergraduate research, professional field experience, internships and teaching, with dedicated Biochemistry teaching laboratories across the Biology, Chemistry and School of Agriculture and Food Systems departments. WVU also provides opportunities to participate in the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience and the WVU Cancer Institute's Summer Undergraduate Cancer Research Fellowship, while field trips expose students to major research, healthcare and teaching facilities.

Students can build this hands-on experience through:

Dedicated Biochemistry teaching laboratories: Teaching labs across three WVU departments contain instrumentation required for a full laboratory experience.
Undergraduate research: Students can complete AGBI 386 Undergraduate Research Experience, BIOL 386 Undergraduate Research or CHEM 497 Research, working with faculty research mentors.
Professional field experience: AGBI 491 Professional Field Experience provides an experiential learning route, while WVU also allows students to receive credit for internships, teaching and other approved experiences.
Cancer research: The Summer Undergraduate Cancer Research Fellowship through the WVU Cancer Institute gives students an opportunity to participate in cancer research, while the broader Biology research opportunities include clinical and basic cancer research.
NMR spectroscopy: WVU's Chemistry NMR facility provides modern Fourier Transform NMR access for undergraduate teaching and research, including 400 MHz and 600 MHz instruments and training in instrument operation and spectral interpretation.
Research instrumentation: Chemistry facilities include NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, mass spectrometry and ReactIR, alongside access to WVU shared research facilities.
Biological research facilities: The Department of Biology operates the Life Sciences Building, which houses faculty research laboratories, the Ecotron, greenhouses and the WVU Herbarium.
Field trips: Biochemistry students can visit major research, healthcare and teaching facilities to learn about internship and career opportunities.
Study abroad and enrichment: Students are eligible for enrichment funding from both participating colleges to support activities such as undergraduate research and study abroad.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Biochemistry prepares graduates for professional employment in agricultural and environmental sciences, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, biotechnology and biomedical industries, government and policy agencies and health professions. WVU also specifically identifies progression into medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, pharmacology, graduate biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, neuroscience, chemistry, food science, nutrition and toxicology.

Typical career directions include Biochemist, Biophysics Researcher, Analytical Research Chemist, Research Scientist. WVU's official career information also lists biochemists/biophysicists, biologists, chemists and biological technicians as career areas associated with the degree.

Students can strengthen their transition into employment and further study through:

Career and professional development: The programme connects students with the Undergraduate Research, Education Abroad and Pre-Health Professional Development offices, supporting research, international experience and preparation for health-professional pathways.
Employment and salary information: WVU reports occupation-level median salaries of $103,650 for biochemists and biophysicists, $93,330 for biologists, $84,150 for chemists and $52,000 for biological technicians. These figures describe the occupations nationally and should not be interpreted as a guaranteed WVU graduate salary.
Graduate and professional progression: 64% of Biochemistry graduates over the past five years went directly to professional or graduate school, according to WVU's programme page.
Research and healthcare connections: Students can participate in research through the WVU Cancer Institute, while the institute itself maintains an external partnership programme for developing pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and treatment strategies with industry and academic partners.
Health-sector environment: WVU Innovation Corporation identifies WVU Medicine as a major health-system partner, comprising 25 hospitals across West Virginia and the surrounding region, alongside the WVU Cancer Institute and other specialised institutes.
Professional accreditation value: ASBMB accreditation provides programme-level professional alignment in biochemistry and molecular biology, while students can pursue the ACS certification pathway through the specified chemistry elective.
Professional networks: Students can connect with professional organisations including the American Chemical Society and American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology through programme-related opportunities.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into medical, veterinary, dental, optometry, pharmacy and pharmacology programmes, or pursue graduate study in biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, neuroscience, chemistry, agricultural science, food science, nutrition and toxicology. The programme's interdisciplinary curriculum is specifically structured to provide coursework appropriate for these continued-education pathways.