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Fall 2025 Undergraduate Catalog
Biochemistry, BS
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Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology; College of Arts and Sciences
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry
Chair: Wali Karzai
Minors of particular interest to students majoring in Biochemistry: Applied Mathematics (AMS), Biomaterials (BES), Bioengineering (BNG), Chemistry (CHE)
5-year combined degree options: Biochemistry BS, MS Biochemistry and Cell biology; Biochemistry BS, MS Chemistry; or Biochemistry BS, MBA Masters in Business Administration
The Biochemistry Undergraduate Major Program provides a challenging and exciting introduction to the chemical basis of biological phenomena.
The major is designed to prepare students who intend to pursue graduate study, attend health-related professional schools, pursue secondary school teaching careers, and fill entry-level positions in private, state, and federal laboratories or in pharmaceutical and biotechnical industries.
The undergraduate curriculum provides a fundamental background in biology, chemistry, genetics, cell biology, and biochemistry, with courses in mathematics and physics necessary for advanced understanding of this broad field. Students may not declare a double major among biochemistry, biology, or pharmacology majors. To double major/minor in Biochemistry and Chemistry, Bioengineering, Marine Sciences, or Marine Vertebrate Biology, Biochemistry majors should consult with the Biochemistry Major Undergraduate Program Director and the respective second major/minor Undergraduate Program Director for acceptable course combinations.
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Degree Requirements
All courses offered for the major must be taken for a letter grade. A minimum grade of C must be obtained in fulfilling all biochemistry major requirements in: Foundational Courses in Related Fields, Foundational Courses in Biology, Advanced Courses in Biology, and Advanced Biology/Chemistry electives (see below). Completion of the major requires approximately 69 to 74 credits. Transfer students who wish to complete the requirements for the Biochemistry major must take Biochemistry I and II (BIO 361 and BIO 362 ) and must complete at least a minimum of nine additional credits at Stony Brook in required upper-division Biology courses (BIO 310 , BIO 320 , or BIO 365 ) and/or approved upper-division Biology elective courses. Foundational Courses in Related Fields
Foundational Courses in Biology
Advanced Courses in Biology
Advanced Biology/Chemistry Electives
Two additional courses, totaling at least five credits, chosen after consultation with an advisor from the following list. Upper-Division Writing Requirement
The Upper Division Writing Requirement for the Biochemistry major is consistent with the University Graduation Requirements for General Education, and successful completion will satisfy the Stony Brook Curriculum (SBC) learning outcomes for “Write Effectively within One’s Discipline” (WRTD). Registration: To satisfy the Upper-Division Writing requirement for the major in Biochemistry, students must co-register for the 0-credit BIO 459 course with either BIO 365 (Biochemistry lab) or an alternate approved advanced course in biological sciences or chemistry (see below). Students MUST enroll in BIO 459 at the same time they are registering for the respective advanced course. To receive WRTD credit and a satisfactory grade in BIO 459 , either a BIO 365 lab report or term paper from another approved advanced biology/chemistry course must be submitted for writing evaluation prior to the end of the term and pass the review process. How to submit writing sample: After submitting their lab report or term paper for BIO course credit, students should submit the same document via Brightspace to BIO 459 ”Assignments” for writing evaluation. It is the student’s responsibility to submit their writing sample early in the semester to allow adequate time for review and revision before end of term. Students are encouraged to submit their upper division writing requirement in their junior year or by the end of their next-to-last semester, since submission in the final semester could delay graduation clearance. Review process: The Program in Writing and Rhetoric will evaluate the BIO 459 submission, provide feedback, and will contact the student directly if remedial efforts are needed. Satisfactory completion of BIO 459 will fulfill the Stony Brook Curriculum (SBC) “Writing in the Discipline” WRTD learning objectives. If the writing assignment is initially found to be unsatisfactory, the student will be instructed by The Program in Writing and Rhetoric before resubmitting a revised version of their original paper. Alternate approved advanced courses: While BIO 459 co-registration with BIO 365 is highly recommended for Biochemistry majors, other upper division courses that routinely offer writing assignments which fulfill the WRTD requirement with co-registration in BIO 459 are listed below. When considering alternate courses, students should take into consideration the limited enrollment opportunities for biochemistry majors in upper division laboratory courses other than BIO 365 and verify that they have the required pre-or co-requisites. Students considering registering for an approved alternative course are strongly encouraged to discuss this option with the Biochemistry Undergraduate Program Director at biochem_ugpd@stonybrook.edu or make an appointment with a Division of Undergraduate Biology Advisor using Navigate. Biochemistry Honors Program
Graduation with Honors in Biochemistry requires the following: - A cumulative g.p.a. of at least 3.50 in all courses required for the major.
- Presentation of an acceptable thesis based on laboratory research project. Students interested in graduation with Honors must contact the Biochemistry Honors Coordinator for more detailed information no later that the second week of classes during their last semester.
Biochemistry BS/Biochemistry and Cell Biology MS
The Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (BCB) offers an accelerated BS/MS degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology, designed to be completed in five years. This program is designed to prepare students for careers in research, teaching, biotechnology, or further advanced studies in health and life sciences. Students will declare their intent to join in their junior year after completing BIO 361 (Biochemistry). They will identify a Research advisor and meet with both the Biochemistry Undergraduate advisor and the BCB MS Director to obtain permission and establish their course schedule for their 4th and 5th year. To complete the BS/MS in 5 years, students will take BSB 552 (Advanced Methods) and either MCB 520 (Graduate Biochemistry) or MCB 503 (Molecular Genetics) in their 4th year. These 6 credits can substitute for Biochemistry Major upper division Biology electives. In addition to these courses, they will take BCB 559 (Research Practicum) and begin research. This program of study will allow students to complete the remaining 24 credits required for the BCB MS, including one semester of research (for credit), Graduate Cell Biology, and thesis submission in their 5th and final year. See the Combined Degree section of the department website for more information. Biochemistry BS/Chemistry MS Program
A student interested in this research intensive graduate program, intended to prepare students for professional employment in the chemical or pharmaceutical industries, may apply for admission at the end of the junior year. The program leads to a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biochemistry at the end of the fourth year, followed by a Master of Science in Chemistry at the end of the fifth year. During the senior year the student is expected to take two 500-level CHE courses and begin research. In the fifth year, the student works full-time on research, earning 24 credits in CHE 599. The two 500-level CHE courses taken during the senior year may be counted toward the two electives required by the Biochemistry major. Please visit the Chemistry website for further information on the Chemistry graduate degree. SBC Courses
This table illustrates major courses that can also be used to fulfill SBC requirements. (See Note 1 & Note 2) | SBC Category | Required Major Courses | Optional Major Courses (see Note 3) | | ARTS | | | | GLO | | | | HUM | | | | LANG (see Note 4) | | | | QPS | | AMS 151, AMS 161, MAT 125, MAT 126, MAT 127, MAT 131, MAT 132 | | SBS | | | | SNW | BIO 201 | CHE 129, CHE 131, CHE 132, CHE 152, PHY 121, PHY 122, PHY 125, PHY 126, PHY 127, PHY 131, PHY 132, PHY 141, PHY 142 | | TECH | | BIO 312 | | USA | | | | WRT | | | | STAS | | BIO 358, BME 304 | | EXP+ | | AMS 333, BIO 486, BIO 487, BIO 488, BIO 489 | | HFA+ | | | | SBS+ | | | | STEM+ | BIO 202, BIO 203 | CHE 301, CHE 312, CHE 321, CHE 331 | | CER | | | | DIV (see Note 5) | | | | ESI | BIO 365 | BIO 312, BIO 327, BIO 335, BIO 358, CHE 383 | | SPK | | BIO 458 | | WRTD | BIO 459 | AMS 333 | Note 1: Some course information may be subject to change. Please contact your major advisor for additional consultation. Note 2: For majors that require study in a related area or completion of a minor, visit the respective program’s “Major SBC Courses” page to view expanded SBC options. Note 3: Denotes any course in which students can choose from more than one option. These may include, but are not limited to, major electives, concentration/track/specialization courses, or calculus/physics/chemistry sequences. Note 4: CEAS majors, the Athletic Training major, the Respiratory Care major, and the Clinical Laboratory Sciences major are exempt from the LANG learning objective. Students enrolled in the major in Social Work are exempt from the LANG learning objective, but are required to enroll in and pass with a letter grade of C or higher the first semester of an elementary foreign language course numbered 111, or satisfy through alternate methods. Note 5: Students are responsible for completing the general education requirements published in the Bulletin that was current as of the first semester of matriculation (or rematriculation). The following student groups must satisfy the DIV learning objective as part of their degree requirements: - Freshmen who matriculate in the Fall of 2019 or later
- Transfer students who matriculate in the Spring of 2020 or later
- Students who rematriculate in the Fall of 2019 or later
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