University of Tampa CSSME and CNHS
Bachelor in BiochemistryTampa, USA
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline *
EARLIEST START DATE
Request earliest start date
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* early action; applications completed before March 1 - regular decision; applications completed after March 1 are evaluated on a rolling basis
Key Summary
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
The Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry degrees prepare chemistry students for entering the job market or for continuing their education at the graduate level. Research projects, publishing opportunities, internships, and classes provide students with both lecture and laboratory experience.
Biochemistry majors are assigned to a faculty member who serves as an adviser and whose specialty coincides with the student’s area of interest. Students are encouraged to learn by experience through research opportunities in areas such as the design of enzyme inhibitors, protein chemistry, bio-organic reaction mechanisms, biosensor development, and tumorigenesis.
Students interested in obtaining a graduate degree in biochemistry and molecular biology or who wish to attend a professional school (dental, medical, or veterinary) may wish to consider the Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry degree.
Curriculum
What Will You Learn?
Students receive a solid foundation in the five major areas of chemistry: analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, and physical. The B.S. or B.A. in biochemistry is a degree option for students interested in science at the intersection of biology and chemistry. The B.S. is ideal for students interested in graduate study in biochemistry and molecular biology or in the health professions. The B.A. is also appropriate for students considering the health professions.
The B.S. in biochemistry/MBA is a five-year joint degree program designed to develop scientists who can serve as managers, group leaders, and analysts in chemical, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical diagnostic, and investment companies. Graduates are awarded both a B.S. and an MBA.
ACS-Accredited Program
The University of Tampa’s undergraduate chemistry program is accredited by the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society and one of the leading sources of authoritative scientific information. ACS reviews programs based on their institutional environment, faculty and staff, infrastructure, curriculum, undergraduate research, development of student skills, and program self-evaluation.
Practical Experience
Research and Internships
Students are encouraged to participate in faculty research projects or pursue their own independent work under the guidance of faculty. They learn how to design and conduct experiments and to interpret empirical data. Students not only receive academic credit but also may present their findings in scientific publications and at conferences. On campus, the CNHS Undergraduate Research Symposium provides an opportunity for students to present their current or recently completed research projects in a poster format. Research topics encompass areas such as atmospheric chemistry, marine nutrient analysis, protein chemistry, organic synthesis, and genetic regulation of cancer.
Internships help students relate their classroom studies to real-world experiences. Students have interned at locations such as Moffitt Cancer Center, Thornton Labs, Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Tampa General Hospital, and The Florida Aquarium.
Career Opportunities
What Can You Do With These Degrees?
Career opportunities in chemistry, biochemistry, and forensic science are virtually limitless. The knowledge and application of chemical principles are part of every industrial, scientific, educational, and government enterprise. Mastery of chemistry requires excellent analytical and mathematical skills. Students learn to solve problems and think things through — skills useful in any job.
Employment options depend on how far you take your education. A bachelor’s degree can be used to gain acceptance to medical school, law school and other graduate or professional programs.
Graduate schools attended by UT chemistry, biochemistry, and forensic science majors include the University of Texas at Austin, Auburn University, Memphis Southern College of Optometry, Illinois Institute of Technology, University of Iowa, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and Tufts University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Purdue University, among many others.
With a bachelor’s degree, entry-level jobs for chemistry or biochemistry undergraduates are often either industrial quality control jobs (chemical analysis work) or research assistant jobs (helping to develop new products or improving existing ones).
Federal, state, and local governments also operate research labs and regulatory agencies that employ chemists to perform research and analytical services. Other areas to be considered are food chemistry, textile and fabric chemistry, industrial hygiene, toxicology, chemical sales or instrumentation development, and teaching high school chemistry.
Biochemistry is one of the major growth areas in chemistry, and an expansion of startup biotechnology companies is creating new opportunities for graduates.