The Bachelor of Science degree is intended primarily for students planning a career in research including those with a long-term goal of attending graduate school (PhD, MS, or MD/PhD) or obtaining a job as a research scientist or technician. Compared to the BA degree, the BS degree requires twelve additional semester hours of science and laboratory electives.
All students majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology will initially be placed in the BA degree program. Students in good academic standing can switch to BS degree after completing one semester of organic chemistry (CHEM:2230 or CHEM:2210). Students who wish to change to the BS degree can either complete the Major Program of Study Change Request Form or email clas-undergrad@uiowa.edu. (The email must come from your University of Iowa email account and include your University ID number and Hawk ID.)
Students have the opportunity to graduate with honors in the major.
Course Requirements
The Bachelor of Science with a major in biochemistry and molecular biology requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including at least 70 s.h. of work for the major. Students must maintain a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major. They must also complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core.
Please refer to the General Catalog for course names and numbers.
Regression Policy
Regression occurs when a student takes a lower-level or prerequisite course after having satisfactorily completed a more advanced course in the same or related subject. Hours earned by regression do not count toward the total number of hours required for graduation. Regression is identified only at the time of final graduation analysis.
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology considers it regression if BMB:3110 is taken after BMB:3120 or 3130. This is the only case of regression in the courses offered by Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.