Biochemistry: Integrated Program (BSBioch/MA)
Integrated Degree Program (BSBioch/MA)
The graduate program in Biochemistry offers an integrated program to enable currently enrolled, highly motivated undergraduate students with strong intellectual capacities to earn a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and a Master of Arts with a major in Biochemistry within a six-year period. The program requires 150 total credit hours: 120 for the BSBioch and 30 for the MA. The integrated program is designed to prepare students for competitive post-graduate programs and provide strong leadership skills and technical depth to students entering professional positions in the life sciences, medicine or the biotechnology industry.
The integrated program is a 4+2 program of undergraduate and graduate coursework that allows the student to earn the BS and the Master of Arts (MA) degrees. The curriculum, which usually begins in the student's junior year, prepares undergraduate students to enter into the biotechnology workforce (pharmaceuticals, advanced personalized treatments, diagnostics, medical devices, etc.) or into advanced degree programs (MD/PhD, MD, PhD, etc.) for impactful careers in the life sciences.
Because BS/MA graduates are expected to become leaders, highly motivated students with the personal qualities and intellectual capacity to establish successful careers in life science industry or academia are encouraged to apply.
Admission to the integrated Bachelor of Science (BS) and Master of Arts in Biochemistry is open only to undergraduate students within The University of Texas at Austin. It results in the awarding of a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry followed by the Master of Arts in Biochemistry (BS/MA). The integrated program requires completion of a total of 150 credits: 120 hours for the undergraduate degree program and 30 hours of graduate coursework. Students can complete the integrated program in six academic years of full-time study.
Total Hours Required: 150
Plan of Study
The Plan of Study is a suggested four-year course sequence to support academic planning and serves as a helpful guide. Currently enrolled students should meet with their academic advisor to tailor their course selections and timelines to their individual goals and circumstances.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
| M 408C | Differential and Integral Calculus | 4 |
| CH 301 | Principles of Chemistry I | 3 |
| BIO 311C | Introductory Biology I | 3 |
| Visual and Performing Arts (050) | 3 | |
| First-Year Signature Course (090) | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| M 408D | Sequences, Series, and Multivariable Calculus | 4 |
| CH 302 | Principles of Chemistry II | 3 |
| BIO 311D | Introductory Biology II | 3 |
| CH 204 | Introduction to Chemical Practice | 2 |
| RHE 306 | Rhetoric and Writing | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| BIO 325 | Genetics | 3 |
| CH 320M | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| SDS 320E | Elements of Statistics | 3 |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| American and Texas Government (070) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| BCH 339F | Foundations of Biochemistry | 3 |
| BCH 219L | Introduction to Biochemical Laboratory Practices and Skills | 2 |
| C S 303E | Elements of Computers and Programming | 3 |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| American and Texas Government (070) | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| PHY 317K | General Physics I | 3 |
| PHY 105M | Laboratory For Physics 302K, 303K, and 317K | 1 |
| MBS 344 | Molecular Biology | 3 |
| BCH 370 | Physical Methods of Biochemistry | 3 |
| Humanities (040) | 3 | |
| Upper-division BCH, BIO, CH, C S, NEU, or SDS course | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| PHY 317L | General Physics II | 3 |
| PHY 105N | Laboratory For Physics 302L, 303L, and 317L | 1 |
| BCH 339J | Chemical and Synthetic Biology | 3 |
| BCH 339N | Systems Biology and Bioinformatics | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (080) | 3 | |
| Upper-division BCH, BIO, CH, C S, NEU, or SDS course | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| BCH 339M | Structure and Function of Molecular Machines | 3 |
| CH 455 | Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry | 4 |
| Upper-division BCH, BIO, CH, C S, NEU, or SDS course | 3 | |
| Upper-division BCH, BIO, CH, C S, NEU, or SDS course | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 2 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| BCH 368W | Supervised Literature Review | 3 |
| CH 353M | Physical Chemistry I for Life Sciences | 3 |
| BCH 175C | Biochemistry Capstone Seminar | 1 |
| Upper-division BCH, BIO, CH, C S, NEU, or SDS course | 3 | |
| Upper-division BCH, BIO, CH, C S, NEU, or SDS course | 3 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Year 5 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| Graduate Coursework | 15 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| Graduate Coursework | 15 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 150 | |
Requirements
All requirements are listed below, starting with the most specialized moving to the most general. Additional requirements may follow the table, so be sure to read the entire page. Some required courses listed below may also satisfy General Education requirements, including Core Curriculum.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | ||
| Major | ||
| Hours chosen from a single sequence below: | 8 | |
| Sequence 1 | ||
| Differential and Integral Calculus | ||
| Sequences, Series, and Multivariable Calculus | ||
| Sequence 2 | ||
| Differential Calculus for Science | ||
| Integral Calculus for Science | ||
| Multivariable Calculus | ||
| SDS 320E | Elements of Statistics | 3 |
| Hours chosen from a single sequence below: | 8 | |
| Sequence 1 | ||
| General Physics I (recommended) | ||
| Laboratory For Physics 302K, 303K, and 317K | ||
| General Physics II | ||
| Laboratory For Physics 302L, 303L, and 317L | ||
| Sequence 2 | ||
| Engineering Physics I | ||
| Laboratory For Physics 302K, 303K, and 317K | ||
| Engineering Physics II | ||
| Laboratory For Physics 302L, 303L, and 317L | ||
| Sequence 3 | ||
| Mechanics | ||
| Laboratory for Physics 301 | ||
| Electricity and Magnetism | ||
| Laboratory for Physics 316 | ||
| CH 301 | Principles of Chemistry I | 3 |
| or CH 301C | Foundations of Chemistry I | |
| CH 302 | Principles of Chemistry II | 3 |
| or CH 302C | Foundations of Chemistry II | |
| Hours chosen from: | 2 | |
| Introduction to Chemical Practice I and Introduction to Chemical Practice II | ||
| Introduction to Chemical Practice | ||
| Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry | ||
| CH 320M | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| BCH 219L | Introduction to Biochemical Laboratory Practices and Skills | 2 |
| BCH 339F | Foundations of Biochemistry | 3 |
| BCH 339J | Chemical and Synthetic Biology | 3 |
| BCH 339M | Structure and Function of Molecular Machines | 3 |
| BCH 339N | Systems Biology and Bioinformatics | 3 |
| BCH 370 | Physical Methods of Biochemistry | 3 |
| CH 353 | Physical Chemistry I | 3 |
| or CH 353M | Physical Chemistry I for Life Sciences | |
| CH 455 | Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry | 4 |
| Select one of the following sequences: | 6 | |
| Introductory Biology I and Introductory Biology II and Genetics | ||
| Advanced Introduction to Genetics: Honors and Genetics: Honors | ||
| MBS 344 | Molecular Biology | 3 |
| 3 hours of a capstone experience chosen from the following: | 3 | |
| Supervised Literature Review | ||
| Supervised Capstone Research | ||
A second semester of BCH 379H | ||
A course/experience approved by the Capstone Advisor | ||
| BCH 175C | Biochemistry Capstone Seminar | 1 |
| Hours chosen from: | 15 | |
15 additional semester hours of upper-division biochemistry, biology, chemistry, computer science, neuroscience, or statistics and data science | ||
A transcript-recognized certificate or a transcript-recognized minor | ||
| Subtotal | 82 | |
| Free electives: Additional coursework to reach total hours required. | 8 | |
| Subtotal | 8 | |
| General Education | ||
| Remaining Core Curriculum (42 hours total) | 30 | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Beginning Proficiency | ||
| Subtotal | 30 | |
| College Requirements - Natural Sciences | ||
| General University Requirements | ||
| Graduate | ||
| Graduate Coursework | 30 | |
| Subtotal | 30 | |
| Total Hours | 150 | |