Course planning
Students completing combined Bachelor's/MS in Biochemistry degrees can choose to do so in 8 semesters (4 years) or more. Students can complete both degrees in 4 years by planning their courses such that:
- senior year includes all or most of the 30 credits of graduate courses required for the MS in Biochemistry
- a course required for their undergraduate degree is taken in the last semester (to preserve undergraduate standing and eligibility for undergraduate financial aid and scholarships)
- an average of >17 credit hours of courses are taken each semester (assuming no AP/IB/transfer credits)
Students can also choose to complete both degrees in more than 8 semesters. This will still represent less time and tuition expense than pursuing their two degrees sequentially, but students should be aware that they may exhaust their undergraduate financial aid and/or scholarships if they enroll in more than 8 semesters.
Sample plans of study
Students are not required to major in Biochemistry in order to combine their undergraduate degree with the MS in Biochemistry. Students majoring in Biochemistry may combine their undergraduate with an MS in a department other than Biochemistry.
For students who wish to combine their Biochemistry BA or BS with an MS in Biochemistry, sample plans of study are provided here:
These sample plans of study assume that the student has no AP/IB/transfer credits and would like to complete both their Biochemistry undergraduate and MS in 4 years. Students should refer to the MS in Biochemistry curriculum and course requirements in planning their own courses.
How to apply
For early admission to the MS in Biochemistry as part of a combined Bachelor's/Master's program, students must meet two sets of requirements:
2) Biochemistry requirements of i) a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5, ii) completion of BIOC 101, and iii) completion of a 300-, 400-, or 500-level BIOC course worth 3 credits or more, with a letter grade of A or B
The Division of Student Affairs provides detailed application instructions.