The curriculum, designed to meet the criteria of the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, will prepare students for a variety of careers including the pharmaceutical industry; and agriculture, food science, environmental and crime labs.

The huge expansion of biochemistry in industry and academic research has created a large job market for graduates. The new degree also will provide a solid background for students pursuing degrees in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary science, and other health related fields.

Gretchen Anderson, professor of chemistry, is the coordinator for the new degree. She said, the campus currently offers a minor in biochemistry, but students have been asking for the bachelor’s degree in the field.

She added that new faculty members in the sciences have strong research programs and a commitment for teaching in this field.

The BS degree in biochemistry will consist of 66 credit hours of required courses in chemistry, biology, physics and math, and 6 credit hours of elective courses in biology and chemistry. As part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) students will also take courses to satisfy the general education requirements of CLAS. The total credit hours required for this degree is 122.

For further information, contact Gretchen Anderson at (574) 520-4820 or ganderso@iusb.edu/.