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Undergraduate Majors, Minors & Programs of Study

Program: Biochemistry

Program Overview

Biochemistry studies the chemical composition of living systems or biological substances. Research is an essential component of quality biochemistry education, and WIU focuses on research opportunities even at the undergraduate level. Students are able to learn by discovery to reinforce the basic concepts of biochemistry and put these concepts into practice.

Biochemistry is an option in the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and provides students with a wide range of career opportunities in industry, government agencies, and non-profit organizations or graduate study. Types of work include basic research, applied research, analytical services, product development, marketing and sales, manufacturing, and teaching. Biochemistry is also a foundational major for graduate or professional study in Biochemistry, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine or other disciplines.

Students planning to major in Biochemistry should take four years of high school mathematics and English, and one year each of chemistry and physics.

Why Biochemistry at WIU?

The Department of Chemistry is certified by the American Chemical Society in the areas of chemistry and biochemistry. The ACS, with over 120,000 members, is the largest scientific society in the country. In addition to certification of undergraduate programs, it publishes many primary chemical journals such as Chemical Abstracts. Of the country's 2,000 undergraduate chemistry programs, fewer than 500 meet ACS certification requirements.
Courses in the department are taught by faculty holding doctoral degrees from distinguished universities around the world such as the University of Mysore (India), Kansas State University, Lucknow University (India), University of Victoria (Canada), and University of Loyola. All are dedicated educators, skilled in fostering active student participation. They are also active researchers and have to their credit many research publications and presentations in the areas of their specialties.