Interdisciplinary Major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
A degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Elizabethtown College helps students to integrate the perspectives of chemistry and biology. Key to our approach is getting students to integrate chemistry and biology to solve science problems! By developing and fine-tuning critical thinking skills through intentional course work (both in the classroom and especially in the laboratory), our Biochemistry and Molecular Biology majors develop hands-on laboratory skills sought after by both employers and graduate programs.
Students looking to pursue pre-medical, and other health professional program studies, have found that studying Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Etown College has provided them with the education, practical experience, and critical thinking skills necessary to enter into top medical schools like the Penn State Hershey College of Medicine, Wake Forest, and the University of Pennsylvania.
Armed with an Etown College Biochemistry and Molecular Biology degree, our graduates pursue life-long careers in a variety of areas including biomedical and pharmaceutical research, medical and dental practice, patent law, and professional science writing.
Where do our graduates go?
40%
into workforce
30%
enter graduate school
30%
enter professional school
Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology program is geared towards getting you into chemistry and biology labs early and often. By the time you begin your first biochemistry lab in your junior year you will have completed laboratory experiences in general chemistry and general biology, organic chemistry, chemical instrumentation, and genetics, to name a few. Through these multi-disciplined lab experiences, you gain confidence and mastery in a variety of relevant laboratory techniques, instrumental methods, and data analysis. You will also gradually develop more autonomy in the design of experimental work and the use of state of the art instrumentation. All Biochemistry and Molecular Biology majors will complete faculty-supervised research within either the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry or Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences
See the full academic requirements for the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major.
Regardless of what path you intend to follow once you graduate, we recognize that first and foremost you will be a professional citizen of the department. As such, we are intentional in developing a strong sense of professionalism, especially in the areas of ethics, scientific writing, and oral communication. Our students routinely present the results of their independent research at professional meetings ranging from the local through national levels.
Students in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences have the opportunity to complete off-campus study programs, including international summer research! You can spend a semester at programs such as the University of Otago in New Zealand, recently named in the top 200 universities in the world, through our on campus study abroad office! While studying abroad, you will have the opportunity to complete relevant, international, field work and practicums that will give you real-world experience, making you competitive in a global market.
Biochemistry Minor
Students majoring in another discipline are able to add a minor in Biochemistry to their studies. Whether you're majoring in another STEM field or not, our minor is very flexible and compliments many different areas of study.
Biochemistry Minor Information
After Graduation
As one of the top colleges in the northeast, we integrate cross-curricular courses to ensure our graduates understand, and can practice, their area of study in the context of the world around them. We understand that students studying biochemistry and molecular biology have a variety of professional/career interests once they leave us. Some may elect to go directly into the workforce, while others will formally extend their education by pursuing studies in graduate school, medical or dental school, optometry school, or physician assistant programs. Our graduates have found careers in all the major sectors including academic, medical, industrial, and government. Regardless of their intended career path, our majors are prepared to make a difference in the world around them once they graduate!
A degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology will prepare you for graduate programs as well as the professional world.
| Recent graduates from our program now work as: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Research scientist – Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | Research Technician – Johns Hopkins University | Project Manager – Sommer Consulting |
| Forensic Chemist – Michigan and Pennsylvania State Police Laboratories | High School Chemistry Teacher – Steelton-Highspire School District | Outreach Coordinator – Science in Motion at Juniata College |
| Graduate schools attended include: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Penn State College of Medicine | University of Michigan | University of Florida |
| University of Buffalo | Temple University | Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine |
| University of Delaware | West Virginia University | Binghamton University |
| University of Pennsylvania | Vanderbilt University | University of Arizona |
| Emory University | Villanova University: Charles Widger School of Law | Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine |