Biochemistry, B.S.

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Minimum Total Credit Hours: 120

Major Hours: 33

Minimum Upper-Division Hours: 48


Overall GPA - Combined and OU: 2.00

Major GPA - Combined and OU: 2.00

Program Code: B100

Major Requirements

  • Some courses required for the major may also fulfill University General Education and/or Dodge College of Arts & Sciences Requirements.
  • A grade of C or better must be earned in each Chemistry course presented for major credit. No grade below a C made in Chemistry courses at the upper-division level may be made up elsewhere without prior written approval by the OU Chemistry Department.
  • The introductory CHEM courses (CHEM 1315CHEM 1335CHEM 1415CHEM 1425, & CHEM 1435) do not count towards the 33 required major hours.
Major Requirements
General Chemistry
General Chemistry I: Signature Course
Choose one of the following:
General Chemistry (Continued)
Advanced General Chemistry (HONORS)
General Chemistry II: Signature Course
Choose one of the following groups:8
Group A:
Organic Chemistry I
Organic Chemistry II
Group B:
Organic Chemistry I: Biological Emphasis
Organic Chemistry Laboratory: Biological Emphasis
Organic Chemistry II: Biological Emphasis
CHEM 3005Quantitative Analysis5
CHEM 3421Physical Chemistry Laboratory1
CHEM 3423Physical Chemistry I3
CHEM 3521Physical Chemistry Laboratory1
CHEM 3523Physical Chemistry II3
CHEM 3753Introduction to Biochemical Methods3
CHEM 3853Biochemistry I3
CHEM 3953Biochemistry II3
BIOL/MBIO/PBIO 4843Molecular Biology3
Total Credit Hours33

Major Support Requirements

Math
MATH 1823Calculus and Analytic Geometry I3-4
or MATH 1914 Differential and Integral Calculus I
MATH 2423Calculus and Analytic Geometry II3-4
or MATH 2924 Differential and Integral Calculus II
Physics
Choose one of the following:8
General Physics for Life Science Oriented Majors
and General Physics for Life Science Oriented Majors
General Physics for Engineering and Science Majors
and General Physics for Engineering and Science Majors
Total Credit Hours14-16

General Education and College Requirements

Courses for fulfillment of General Education and Dodge College of Arts & Sciences requirements must be from the approved General Education course list published in the Class Schedule or at http://www.ou.edu/gened/coursesCourses graded P/NP will not apply.

UNIVERSITY-WIDE GENERAL EDUCATION (MINIMUM 40 HOURS) AND COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS
Core Area I: Symbolic and Oral Communication
English Composition (6 hours)
ENGL 1113Principles of English Composition3
ENGL 1213Principles of English Composition3
or EXPO 1213 Expository Writing
Language (0-13 hours in the same language)
The college requirement cannot be met by high school coursework.
Beginning Course0-5
Beginning Course, continued0-5
Intermediate Course (2000 level) 1,20-3
Mathematics (3 hours)
Choose one course from the General Education Mathematics list3
Core Area II: Natural Science (7 hours, including one laboratory component)
Biological Science
Choose an approved General Education Natural Science course with one of the following prefixes: BIOL, HES, MBIO, or PBIO 13-4
Physical Science
Choose an approved General Education Natural Science course with one of the following prefixes: AGSC, ASTR, CHEM, GEOG, GEOL, GPHY, METR, or PHYS 13-4
Core Area III: Social Science (6 hours)
P SC 1113American Federal Government3
Choose one course from the General Education Social Science list3
Core Area IV: Arts and Humanities (18 hours)
Artistic Forms
Choose one course from the General Education Artistic Forms list3
Western Culture
HIST 1483United States to 18653
or HIST 1493 United States, 1865 to the Present
Choose one course from the General Education Western Culture list (excluding HIST 1483/1493)3
World Culture
Choose one course from the General Education World Culture list3
Additional Core IV Upper-Division Arts & Humanities courses
Choose one course from Artistic Forms, Western Culture, or World Culture 1,33
Choose one course from Artistic Forms, Western Culture, or World Culture 1,33
Core Area V: First Year Experience (3 hours)
Choose one course3
Total Credit Hours56
1

College of Arts and Sciences Requirements: college requirements are not automatically fulfilled by a previous degree.

2

One course at the intermediate level or demonstrated competency at that level

3

6 upper-division hours, 2 courses, at the 3000- 4000-level. Must be outside the major.

Free Electives

Electives to bring total applicable hours to the minimum total required for the degree including 48 upper-division hours.

Information Concerning General Rules, Regulations and Minimum Requirements

Arts and Sciences Hours: At least 80 semester hours of liberal arts and sciences courses are required for a BA degree. At least 55 semester hours of liberal arts and sciences courses are required for a BS degree.
Pass/No Pass Enrollment: A maximum of 16 semester hours of free elective credit may be attempted under this option.
Individual Studies (e.g., courses titled “Independent Study”): A maximum of 12 total semester hours may be counted toward graduation, excluding Honors Reading and Honors Research.
P.E. Courses: No physical education activity courses will be counted toward the 120 semester hours of acceptable credit for graduation.
Senior Institution Hours: A minimum of 60 semester hours applied toward graduation must be earned at senior (4-year) institutions.
Residency:

  • At least 15 of the final 30 hours applied toward the degree or at least 50 percent of the hours required by the institution in the major field must be satisfactorily completed at the awarding institution.
  • At least 15 semester hours of upper-division major work must be completed in residence at OU.
  • OU correspondence courses are not considered resident credit.

Grade Point Averages: Students must earn a minimum over all 2.00 for each of the following: Combined Retention GPA (all college grades), OU Retention GPA, GPA for all major courses, and GPA for all major courses taken at OU. Some schools and departments of the College have higher minimum grade point averages required for their students.
 

Suggested Semester Plan of Study

This plan shows one possible grouping of courses that would allow students to graduate in four years. Please refer to the front of the degree checksheet for official requirements. Students must consult with Dodge College of Arts and Sciences and/or Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry academic advisors to verify that courses selected each semester fulfill the recommended plan and satisfy University, College of Arts and Sciences, and Biochemistry major requirements.

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
First SemesterCredit Hours
CHEM 1315
General Chemistry
or General Chemistry I: Signature Course
5
ENGL 1113 Principles of English Composition (Core I) 3
MATH 1823 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (Core I) 3
First Year Experience (Core V) 3
 Credit Hours14
Second Semester
CHEM 1415
General Chemistry (Continued)
or General Chemistry II: Signature Course
5
ENGL 1213
Principles of English Composition (Core I)
or Expository Writing
3
MATH 2423 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II 3
Artistic Forms (Core IV) 3
 Credit Hours14
Sophomore
First Semester
CHEM 3064 Organic Chemistry I 4
PHYS 2514
General Physics for Engineering and Science Majors
or General Physics for Life Science Oriented Majors
4
Biological Science (Core II) 4
HIST 1483
United States to 1865 (Core IV)
or United States, 1865 to the Present
3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
CHEM 3005 Quantitative Analysis 5
CHEM 3164 Organic Chemistry II 4
PHYS 2524
General Physics for Engineering and Science Majors
or General Physics for Life Science Oriented Majors
4
World Culture (Core IV) 3
 Credit Hours16
Junior
First Semester
CHEM 3421 Physical Chemistry Laboratory 1
CHEM 3423 Physical Chemistry I 3
CHEM 3853 Biochemistry I 3
Western Culture (Core IV) 3
Beginning Language (Core I) 5
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
CHEM 3521 Physical Chemistry Laboratory 1
CHEM 3523 Physical Chemistry II 3
CHEM 3753 Introduction to Biochemical Methods 3
P SC 1113 American Federal Government (Core III) 3
Beginning Language continued (Core I) 5
 Credit Hours15
Senior
First Semester
CHEM 3953 Biochemistry II 3
MBIO 4843 Molecular Biology 3
Arts & Humanities, upper-division, outside major (Gen. Ed.) 3
Intermediate Language 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective 1
 Credit Hours16
Second Semester
Arts & Humanities, upper-division, outside major (Gen. Ed.) 3
Social Science (Core III) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective 3
Free Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours120
1

CHEM 4913 and CHEM 4933 and are not offered every semester. Students should plan accordingly.