Biochemistry Major
This major is administered jointly by the Department of Biology and the Department of Chemistry.
Chris Yahnke, Chair, Department of Biology
Room 167A, Trainer Natural Resources Building
Phone: 715-346-2159
E-mail: biology@uwsp.eduWeb: http://www.uwsp.edu/biologyPaul Hladky, Chair, Department of Chemistry
Room D129, Science Building
Phone: 715-346-3711
E-mail: chemistry@uwsp.eduWeb: http://www.uwsp.edu/chemistry
Biochemistry
is a major that combines the knowledge of biology and chemistry to
explain life processes in terms of molecular structure and chemical
reactions within living cells. This interdisciplinary major has a
chemistry-based curriculum, coupled with a significant biology
component. The role of a biochemist is to look for understanding of
organismal diversity in the principles and concepts of chemistry and
physics, as well as in the structure, mechanisms and chemical processes
that are common to all organisms. The biochemistry major provides the
student with a course of study that links biological sciences, like
molecular biology and genetics, to physical sciences, like chemistry and
physics. In addition, the biochemistry major combines the
interdisciplinary foundation inherent to biochemistry with all the
advantages of a liberal arts education.
If you are interested in the biochemistry
major, then complete details about the curricula are available in the
Student Handbook for the Department of Chemistry or in the course catalog. We also encourage you to read the notes under the chemistry and biology majors in the course catalog because all items in those sections also apply to the biochemistry Major.
The Department of Biology encourages you to
graduate in four years. Below is a suggested sequence of courses that
was designed to illustrate how a student could successfully complete the biochemistry major in 4 years.