The following courses must be taken for a letter grade:

1. General Chemistry (CHEM 6A or 6AH, 6B or 6BH, and 6C or 6CH)
2. General Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 7L or 7LM)
3. Physics (PHYS 1A, 1B, AND 1C)**
4. Physics Labs (1AL, 1BL, AND 1CL)** 
5. Calculus (MATH 10A, 10B, and 10C)
6. Calculus Based Introductory Probability and Statistics (MATH 11)***
   1. If students complete the MATH 20 series (MATH 20A, 20B, 20C), they have the option of taking MATH 20D OR MATH 11 to complete their calculus requirement. 
7. General Cell Biology (BILD 1 and 2)
8. Organic Chemistry (CHEM 41A, 41B and 41C)
9. Organic Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 43A or 43AM)

**The PHYS 2 series (PHYS 2A, 2B, 2C and 2BL or 2CL or 2DL) is also accepted.

***The MATH 20 series (MATH 20A, 20B, and 20C) is also accepted. 

The following courses must be taken for a letter grade: 

1. Physical Biochemistry (BCHM 126A and 126B)
2. Biochemistry (BCHM 114A*, 114B*, and 114C*)
3. Protein Biochemistry Laboratory (BCHM 108*)
4. Recombinant DNA Laboratory (BCHM 109*)
5. Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 100A)
6. Three restricted biochemistry electives chosen from the following courses:
   1. Physical Chemistry of Biological Macromolecules (BCHM 113)
   2. Genome, Epigenome, and Transcriptome Editing (BCHM 115)
   3. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry (BCHM 114D)
   4. Chemical Biology (BCHM 116)
   5. Pharmacology and Toxicology (BCHM 118)
   6. RNA Biochemistry (BCHM 119)
   7. Introduction to Glycosciences (CHEM 142)
   8. Structural Biology of Viruses (BCHM 164)
   9. 3D Electron Microscopy of Macromolecules (BCHM 165)
   10. Medicinal Chemistry (BCHM 167)
   11. Drug Synthesis and Design (BCHM 168)
7. One additional elective chosen from the following options:
   1. A four-unit (minimum) upper division undergraduate course (numbered 100-191) offered by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and taken for a letter grade
   2. A course from the following list of courses offered by the Division of Biological Sciences:
      1. Genetics (BICD 100)
      2. Cell Biology (BICD 110)
      3. Immunology (BICD 140)
      4. Virology (BIMM 114)
      5. Microbiology (BIMM 120)
      6. Human Physiology I (BIPN 100)
      7. Human Physiology II (BIPN 102)
      8. Cellular Neurobiology (BIPN 140)
   3. 4 units of a non-letter graded courses such as BCHM 199, may be petitioned to fulfill this elective. See details here

• All courses for the major, lower-division and upper-division, must be taken for a letter grade.
  • This excludes Special Studies courses, like BCHM 199, which only allow P/NP grading option
• All lower division coursework for the major must be completed with a "D" grade or higher 
• All upper division coursework for the major must be completed with a "C-" grade or higher 
• A minimum 2.0 major GPA is required for graduation
• No more than one (1) "D" grade is allowed in upper-division coursework. You may graduate with only one "D" in upper division coursework so long as your GPA remains in good standing. Given extenuating circumstances, a petition may be submitted to graduate with 2 Ds if one of them occurs in your graduating quarter. You will need to include details of why the exception should be granted
• To receive a Bachelor of Science from UC San Diego, all students must complete 48 or more units of upper-division course work within the major
• All Biochemistry majors are required to complete at least six (6) upper-division courses within the Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Department

It is the students' responsibility to read and understand all policies listed here.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Courses listed above and on the long-term plan below only include major requirements. Speak with your college advisor for planning completion of general education and university requirements.
• The quarter in which a course is offered is subject to change based on space and instructor availability.   
   
• The best time to study abroad is Fall quarter of Sophomore or Junior Year. Education Abroad Program deadlines for upcoming year vary by country. See EAP website. See the Biochemistry Undergraduate Advisor for assistance in planning to study abroad.
• Recommended but not required.

Sample Academic Plan for the Biochemistry (CH38) Major

*Both CHEM 108 and 109 are required but one can be substituted by two quarters of BCHM199 by petition.

**Choose from BCHM 113, 115, 114D, 116, 118, 119, 125, 142, 157, 164, 165, 167, 168, or 184. 

***Choose from an upper-division elective in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics or BICD 100, 110, 140, BIMM 114, 120, BIPN 100, 102, 140.

Please reach out to us in the Virtual Advising Center (VAC) if you have further questions.

Biochemistry Major 4-Year Sample Plan (Printer Friendly PDF)

Biochemistry Major 2-Year Sample Plan (Printer Friendly PDF)