Read full review“… Most biochemistry majors attend medical school or the MD/PhD program after their undergraduate career. But overall I would recommend this major only if you are very very very interested in both chemistry and biology and also the intensive amounts of labs to do.”
Difficulty
Moderately challenging
3.5/ 5
Share of students at each rating
Class-year breakdown needs more responses.It appears after at least two class years have 5 difficulty ratings each.
What makes this major demanding?
Worth it?
92% would recommend it
Read full review“Biochemistry is for students that actually like chemistry and enjoy the theoretical aspects of biology that then relate back to it all. I do not recommend for those that are looking for a broad major to open up their interests because of how heavy the workload is. This senator u have to take calc 2, molecular biology, and organic chemistry all in the same sem.”
Students’ starting certainty
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Read full review“It’s difficult but rewarding. There is a lot of math and science.”
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What you will study and do
Curriculum and careers
Biochemistry is the study of chemical processes within and related to living organisms. It combines principles of chemistry and biology to understand cellular processes, enzyme functions, and genetic information, equipping students with skills to pursue careers in research, healthcare, and biotechnology.
Core course themes
General Chemistry
Covers fundamental principles of chemistry, including atomic structure, chemical bonding, and reactions.
Organic Chemistry
Focuses on the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds and materials.
Biochemistry I
Introduces the study of biomolecules, enzyme kinetics, and the biochemical pathways of cells.
Biochemistry II
Explores metabolism, nucleic acids, and the regulation of biochemical processes in more depth.
Molecular Biology
Examines the molecular mechanisms of DNA replication, transcription, and translation.
Analytical Chemistry
Teaches techniques for analyzing chemical compounds, emphasizing quantitative and qualitative analysis.
Common roles
- Biochemist
- Pharmaceutical Scientist
- Clinical Research Associate
- Biotechnology Analyst
- Forensic Scientist
Why salary figures are not shownSalary data appears only when its source, geography, occupation mapping, and date can be verified.
Biochemistry by school
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Student reviews
I personally really enjoy learning about chemistry. However, I picked biochemistry because there’s one less physics class to take than a chem major. Learning about the concepts is difficult but the application in a laboratory setting could be more challenging. The workload is heavy and very challenging, but I enjoy this challenge. The good part is that there’s not too much math to do, besides the calc 1&2 requirement for biochemistry majors at USC. The faculty is supportive and professional, some are really good that teaching and are always happy to help. It might be hard to get internships/research opportunities because USC is such a big school, and therefore the competitive is intensive. Most biochemistry majors attend medical school or the MD/PhD program after their undergraduate career. But overall I would recommend this major only if you are very very very interested in both chemistry and biology and also the intensive amounts of labs to do.
Biochemistry is for students that actually like chemistry and enjoy the theoretical aspects of biology that then relate back to it all. I do not recommend for those that are looking for a broad major to open up their interests because of how heavy the workload is. This senator u have to take calc 2, molecular biology, and organic chemistry all in the same sem.
hardest class is organic chemistry. double majoring with math, classes are much easier for biochemistry/lifesciences-more memorization heavy
Switched from Molecular Biology
It is one of the longer majors and has several weeders. People freak out about it a lot but you just need to be calm and probably sacrifice some other things for studying.
Less math prereqs than I thought. Pretty fun major
It’s difficult but rewarding. There is a lot of math and science.
- Interested in Engineering · Tech & software +2
- Unsure about grad school
It's so fun! it challenges your ability to study and think. So many interesting concepts! I am excited to go to grad school, and would 100% recommend to others.
Very tough, it is going to be a lot of studying, a lot of procrastinating, and a lot of regretting the procrastinating
It is very interesting, make sure to stay on top of everything.
My passion for biochemistry comes from my father. Taking chemistry in high school opened my eyes to the world of the physical sciences
I love biology and i love chem. Biochemistry is great!!!
I haven’t had much experience tbh but excited to learn more! I love the courses and potential opportunities
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