Chemistry @ Maryville University

Over the past several decades, a growing arsenal of techniques and technologies have helped scientists dissect the innermost secrets of the cell and develop new ways to detect and treat disease. The new approaches also have been used to produce vast amounts of once rare drugs, trace the path of evolution, create instant tests for a host of illnesses, warn people when their children might inherit a deadly disease, and identify criminals and victims of disasters.

The leaders in this revolution have been the biochemists who explore the chemical realm inside cells, study the development of illness, and search for ways to improve life on Earth.

To prepare students to participate in this exciting field, Maryville University is launching a new B.S. program in biochemistry beginning in Fall 2008. Maryville currently offers majors in biology and chemistry. However, knowledge and career opportunities in the field of biochemistry are exploding; completing a biochemistry major will offer distinct advantages for those seeking to work at the interface between the biological and chemical sciences.

Our Faculty
Our professors are especially concerned that you, our student, develop an in-depth understanding of biochemistry. To this end, we have small classes and laboratory sections encourage student-faculty interactions. Students also benefit from the close cooperation that exists between faculty in the biological and chemical sciences at Maryville.

Career Preparation Reinforcement
Our faculty advisors and career planning and placement centers help students to choose an appropriate career direction when you graduate from college.

The Cooperative Education program allows students at the sophomore, junior and senior level the opportunity to gain paid work experience. This experience may improve employment opportunities if one seeks employment upon graduation with a BS.

As the very name suggests, biochemistry is a molecular approach to biological areas of research. The major will emphasize the cross-disciplinary ties between chemistry, biology and physics. The program provides theoretical and practical foundation in the biochemical sciences with instruction in both traditional and laboratory settings. Because biochemistry is a critical foundation for careers in the areas of medicine, pharmaceuticals, and the biotechnology industry, an understanding of biochemistry is foundational for careers in the biomedical sciences and biotechnology.

The Biochemistry Major at Maryville University
The program in biochemistry provides excellent preparation for students desiring to enroll in graduate and professional programs, particularly in medical, dental and veterinary medicine schools, and for a wide variety of career pathways. The curriculum serves as an entree to professional programs in dietetics, forensics, health professions and pharmacology, as well as traditional biology and chemistry fields, and prepares students for immediate employment following graduation in industry and academia.

Launching such a program in St. Louis is strategic. Long home to such international corporate giants as Monsanto, Mallinckrodt, Sigma-Aldrich, and now the Pfizer St. Louis Laboratories, the St. Louis region has an active and growing plant and life sciences community, encompassing world-class research institutions, strong plant and medical sciences companies, a fertile technology transfer, incubator and start-up environment, and an active venture capital initiative that provide a full spectrum of capital availability.

The St. Louis-centered BioBelt comprises companies engaged in the development and production of medicines, agricultural chemicals, organic chemical manufacturing, medical equipment manufacturing, and research and development. In total, nearly 400 plant and life science enterprises call the St. Louis region home, with about 15,220 employees. In almost all cases, each of these companies and industries employs large numbers of biochemists.

Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry

Required Courses:

Credits

General Education Requirements 42

66-69 credits in Chemistry and Biology

CHEM 103 General Chemistry I

4

CHEM 104 General Chemistry II

4

CHEM 203 Organic Chemistry I

4

CHEM 204 Organic Chemistry II

4

CHEM 301 Inorganic Chemistry

3

CHEM 320 Biochemistry

4

CHEM 431 Physical Chemistry I

3

CHEM 496 Independent Study or Internship

1-4

BIOL 117 General Biology I

4

BIOL 118 General Biology II

4

BIOL 206 General Microbiology

4

BIOL 351 Cell Biology

4

BIOL 353 General Genetics

4

BIOL 298 Biotechnology and Methods in Molecular Biology or BIOL 476 Gene Expression and Genome Organization

3

8 Credits in Mathematics

MATH 151 Calculus I

4

MATH 152 Calculus II

4

8 Credits in Physics

PHYS 103 or PHYS 153 General Physics I

4

PHYS 104 or PHYS 154 General Physics II 4