Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry

University of North Texas

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in Biochemistry is a four-year major designed to prepare students to teach sciences at the high school level in the areas of biochemistry, chemistry and biology. Additionally, the program serves well those who wish to go into medicine, dentistry or other biologically related professional programs of study. The program includes advanced coursework in biochemistry, associated credits in biology, physics, and mathematics, plus fulfillment of university and college core curriculum requirements. The BA allows a less structured curriculum with more elective options than the Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry.

Your Future In Biochemistry

Many of our students complete the program in preparation for medical school. Other potential employers include:

• Agricultural chemical manufacturers
• Biotechnology companies
• Consulting agencies
• Cosmetic manufacturers
• Educational institutions
• Environmental organizations and labs
• Food manufacturers
• Independent research firms
• Pharmaceutical companies

With some additional course work, this major also will help prepare you to enter dental, medical or veterinary school or a training program to become an allied health care professional.

What we offer

Our success is measured through your achievements as well as the quality of our intellectual contributions to the improvement of society. We offer course work leading to a:

Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry degree if you’re planning a research career in biochemistry, medicine, clinical chemistry or other areas of biochemistry or molecular biology
Bachelor of Arts degree that provides a strong foundation in biochemistry and molecular biology, but with more flexibility to support careers in teaching, medicine and other non-research focused pursuits

We also administer a joint program with the UNT Health Science Center at Fort Worth that allows you to combine college and medical school. This saves you time and money by reducing the usual eight-year program to seven.

You’ll learn from faculty members who are dedicated to excellence and represent a wide range of research interests. Many have been honored nationally by various organizations.

Through our affiliation with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science Education Alliance, we provide you opportunities to receive hands-on experience in complex research at the undergraduate level. You may also receive course credit by working on a project in one of our research centers or laboratories. For example, you may study plant biochemistry in the BioDiscovery Institute. In addition, you can pursue research in avian genomes, cyanide biodegradation, molecular motors and response of organisms to stress.

UNT’s Life Sciences Complex is a state-of-the-art research facility for biochemistry and molecular biology, developmental physiology and genetics and plant science. It features an open research laboratory concept, a climate-controlled rooftop greenhouse for advanced plant science research and an aquatics lab that incorporates fresh and salt water facilities.

What to expect

As a Biochemistry major, you’ll take courses focusing on:

• Cell biology
• Chemical reactions
• Compounds and solutions of chemical elements
• Macromolecules
• Metabolic pathways
• Molecular biology of genes
• Organic chemistry
• Physical chemistry
• Quantitative analysis in chemistry

You’ll also be required to take technical writing, calculus-based physics and calculus courses. To be prepared for upper-division course work in Biochemistry, you must complete foundational courses in biology, chemistry and math with minimum acceptable grades and GPAs.