Graduation Requirements for the Major

Students matriculating fall 2015 or after and transfer students matriculating in 2016 and after must complete a goal-based Core Curriculum in place of general education requirements. The goal-based core is described here: http://sebs.rutgers.edu/core. Courses are certified for the Core Curriculum by a faculty committee. A current list of certified courses can be found here: http://sebs.rutgers.edu/core. Biochemistry major requirements are as described below.

Proficiency in Biochemistry (94 credits)

The major in Integrated biochemistry consists of the six parts listed immediately below. They are described briefly here; the specific requirements are listed below.

• Life and Physical Sciences Core           
  These courses prepare students to enter the major. These courses are normally completed in the first two years of college.
  
  
• Quantitative Methods           
  Quantitative reasoning, computational facility, and a grasp of the calculus are essential skills for people to be well educated in the molecular biosciences. As with the Life and Physical Sciences Core, students should normally complete this requirement within the first two years of college.
  
  
• Biochemistry Core
  This set of courses is required of all majors and prepares the student for both advanced course work and for research experience.
  
  
• Professional Ethics
  Ethical conduct has at least two components: general ethical behavior and the ethical implications for society at large as a consequence of advances in biochemistry.  Although Contemporary Issues in Biochemistry will meet the formal requirement, all courses within the major will include ethical components and examples. In addition, all students in the major and in any of our courses will be required to adhere to a strict honor code.
  
  
• Research Experience
  It is important that students be able to apply their knowledge of biochemistry in a laboratory setting. Therefore, all students will be required to take 6 credits of research experience.This can be accomplished through working in an academic laboratory at Rutgers, either at SEBS or the other campuses. This requirement can also be met through the George H. Cook Honors program, or through research experience through the Cooperative Education option. Research experience, however it may be structured, will satisfy the college's experience-based education requirement.
  
  
• Biochemistry Options:
  
  
  • Biochemistry of Microbial Systems
    This option blends biochemistry with microbiology, allowing students to become proficient in the biochemistry of microbial organisms and systems.  This will include aspects of clinical microbiology and infection, as well as environmental microbiology. Microbial infections of higher organisms are of continuing importance in human and animal heath. Microorganisms also have profound environmental implications. Microbial systems detoxify toxic substances and contribute to nutrient cycling in the ecosphere. Another area of study is the use of microbial organisms to synthesize useful materials and to convert biomass to fuels. 
    
    
  • Biochemical Toxicology
    This option will allow the student to gain specific understanding of the study of toxic compounds. Toxicology is of critical importance in food and nutrition, the environment and in pharmacological science. Understanding the biochemical effects allows one to design appropriate treatments of illness, and to learn what exposures must be avoided. An equally important second purpose, the study of how biochemical systems are made to go awry by toxic substances, illuminates normal functioning and development of organisms.  This understanding applies equally to all animals, including humans, as well as to plants and microorganisms. It applies also to ecological communities of organisms, as toxic substances alter the interactions within ecosystems.
    
    
  • Biochemistry of Plant Systems
    Plants are not only at the root of the human and animal food chains, they are one of the dominant components of the planet's ecosphere. Understanding their biochemistry is a large and growing area of basic and applied research and public policy development.
     
  • Protein and Structural Biochemistry
    Biochemistry stands on two legs: structure and function. Neither can be understood without the other. The principles that confer thermodynamic stability--or the lack of it--on proteins, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules are universal to all forms of life as are the principles by which enzyme catalysis and other functions arise from three-dimensional structure. Evolution drives the formation of structure based on the functional needs of the organism and on the prior constraints imposed by the species' evolutionary history. In addition to basic understanding, study in this area develops the bases for protein design to solve practical problems.

Detailed Requirements

I.  Life and Physical Sciences Core
     The following are required with the exception of 01:160:251
      01:119:115/116  General Biology I,II (4,4)
      01:118:117  Biological Research Laboratory (2)
      01:160:161,162  General Chemistry I,II (4,4) or equivalent
      01:160:171  Introduction to Experimentation (1)
      01:750:193,194  Physics for the Sciences^* (4,4) or
      01:750:201,202  Extended General Physics (5,5) or
      01:750:203,204  General Physics I,II (3,3)
      01:160: 307,308 or 315,316  Organic Chemistry I,II (4,4)
      01:160:309 or 311  Organic Chemistry Laboratory (2)
      01:447:380  Genetics (4)

II.  Biochemistry Core
      11:115:201  Contemporary Issues in Biochemistry^** (2)
      11:115:403/404  General Biochemistry I, II (4,3)

To enroll in 11:115:403,404 General Biochemistry (4,3), students, be they majors in biochemistry or not, must have completed 01:160:307-308 Organic Chemistry (4,4) or 160:315-316 Principles of Organic Chemistry with grades of C or higher.

      11:115:413/414  Experimental Biochemistry I,II (3,3)
      11:115:409  Principles of Biophysical Chemistry (3) or
      01:160: 342 Physical Chemistry: Biochemical Systems (3) or equivalent
          [Note: at present 160:342 requires 01:640:251 Multivariable Calculus (4)]
      11:115:406  Problem Solving in Biochemistry (2)
                      

IV.  Quantitative Methods
      01:640:151,152  Calculus for Math and Physical Sciences I,II (4,4)

V.  Research Experience
The curriculum is designed to provide students with the basics of laboratory experimentation followed by independent research experience in a research lab.  A minimum of two semesters of research is required. With approval of the undergraduate program director, Cooperative Education may be accepted to meet this requirement. Biochemical Communications provides the opportunity for students to present their own research, in both written and oral formats, as well as research from the biochemical literature.

     11:115:493,494  Research Problems in Biochemistry (6)  May be replaced by 11:015:497, 498 George H. Cook Honors Research (6-12)
      11:115:491  Biochemical Communications (3)

VI.  Options: 
Requires four classes from the specific lists below. Biochemistry electives, including option requirements, must equal at least 12 credits; at least one course with a laboratory.

Course(s) indicated by an * in each option is(are) required.

Biochemistry of Microbial Systems
11:680:390  General Microbiology (4)*
11:680:394  Applied Microbiology (4)
01:447:498  Bacterial Physiology (3)
11:126:486  Analytical Methods in Microbiology (3)
11:126:407  Comparative Virology (3)
01:146:474  Immunology (3)
01:146:475  Laboratory in Immunology (1)
11:680:480  Microbial Genetics and Genomics (3)

Biochemical Toxicology
11:115:422  Biochemical Mechanisms of Toxicology (3)*
11:067:450  Endocrinology (3)
11:115:436  Molecular Toxicology Laboratory (3)
11:115:421  Biochemistry of Cancer (3)
11:067:300  Integrative Physiology (4)
11:067:301  Integrative Physiology Lab (1)
11:067:491  Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology (3)
01:146:356  Systems Physiology (3)
01:146:357  Systems Physiology Laboratory (1)
01:146:474  Immunology (3)
01:146:475  Laboratory in Immunology (1)*
30:718:304  Pathophysiology (3)
30:718:405  Pharmacology I (2)
30:718:406  Pharmacology II (2)

Biochemistry of Plant Systems
16:765:520  Plant Biochemistry and Metabolism (3)*
11:776:382  Plant Physiology (4)
11:770:301  General Plant Pathology (3)
11:770:311  General Plant Pathology Laboratory (1)
11:776:242  Plant Science (3)
11:776:305  Plant Genetics (4)
11:776:312  Medicinal Plants (3)
11:776:403  Plant Science Techniques (3)
11:776:452  Plant Tissue Culture (3)

General Option
11:126:481  Molecular Genetics (3)
11:115:412   Proteins and Enzymes (3) or
11:115:452   Biochemical Separations (3)
Two additional courses chosen from the options above
11:126:481  Molecular Genetics (3)
11:115:412   Proteins and Enzymes (3) or
11:115:452   Biochemical Separations (3)
Two additional courses chosen from the options above

Unspecified Electives

In addition to courses meeting the above requirements, students can take any other courses offered by the university, for which they meet the course eligibility requirements, to bring their total number of credits to the minimum of 128 required for graduation.