Is biochemistry major more concentrated on biology or chemistry??

[jungjh9001]

If I major in biochemistry.. would I be studying more about biology or chemistry?
I know that majoring in biochemistry could be helpful in pharmacy school..
Is biochemistry major more concentrated on biology or chemistry??

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[SHC1984]

Chemistry BS is the same as Biochemistry BS except for Biochemistry BS you are require to take Biochemistry, Cell Biology, and 1 or 2 more upper level biology classes....So its more like Chemistry.

 

[calisoca]

This is kind of like asking: is a spork more of a spoon or a fork? You get the surface area of the spoon but you also get the prongs of the fork, so neither. Biochemistry is a class all in it's own.

 

[SHC1984]

I have EVERY CLASS required for an BS in Biochemistry except for Physical Chemistry I and II which was a major pain in the a**, thats the hardest class I have ever taken in my life...so I when from a BS in Biochemistry to a BA in Chemistry (with W in Physical Chem...LOL)....kinda regret it now...but oh well...

Anyhow don't do Biochemistry BS unless you know are you can handle physical chem...

 

[bkiskadd]

I have EVERY CLASS required for an BS in Biochemistry except for Physical Chemistry I and II which was a major pain in the a**, thats the hardest class I have ever taken in my life...so I when from a BS in Biochemistry to a BA in Chemistry (with W in Physical Chem...LOL)....kinda regret it now...but oh well...

Anyhow don't do Biochemistry BS unless you know are you can handle physical chem...

OMG I am taking Pchem now and it's pretty much the worst thing of my life. UGHHHHH

 

[IrishOats]

I am taking P-Chem right now and I am loving it!
I am a biochem major, and to answer the OP's question I would say that biochem is generally more focused on chemistry (especially organic). However, in a nutshell biochem is all about the chemistry behind various physiological/biological processes and characteristics, so that's where the biology comes in.

 

[zazio]

OMG I am taking Pchem now and it's pretty much the worst thing of my life. UGHHHHH

ditto to that! I love all my other biochem classes, but pchem is required for the major and it is HELL. I think a lot of it may be the professor though..

 

[Sparda29]

Physical Chem cannot be harder than Organic Chem... can it?

 

[UES Girl]

Physical Chem cannot be harder than Organic Chem... can it?

That's what people usually think when they haven't taken Pchem. It's like infinitely harder, ochem is a joke compared to a regular Pchem and Pchem with calculus, don't even go there. I got As in both semesters of both classes, but Pchem I actually had to work for, Ochem on the other hand was natural.

 

[bacillus1]

They don't call it chemobiology for a reason.

 

[Farmercyst]

At CSUSB it was definitely more Chem centric. Biochem majors had the option of taking PChem (General Pchem) or BioPChem (enzyme kinetics emphasis). PChem could be used for ACS option or Biochem, BioPChem was only good for Biochem majors. BioPChem was supposed to be easier, but I couldn't decide so went for the one that I could use for either. It sucked hardcore. The only Cs I had since my Freshman year 8 years earlier.

 

[pilotg2]

That's interesting, I am a senior majoing in BCMB (biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology) at the University of TN. I honestly compare it more to biology and it's under our biology major here.

Although I am a few classes away from a Chem major (just need pchem and a lab I believe) I took Organic and Gen Chem, I've taken more biology classes over the past few years. Genetics, Microbiology, Ecology, Physiology of sorts and Neurobiology have been a few classes I took to fulfill the major and they're pretty bio heavy.

 

[sherlockRX]

I got my BS Biochem too, and yeah, I had to put up with Pchem the whole year, two consecutive semesters. Pchem was the hardest class I've ever taken in my life....while Ochem and especially Biochem, memorization is the key...just FYI, memorization doesn't work in Pchem class. You have to understand the concept and able to do excellent in calculus...there were probably a few hundreds equations or derivations you might have to go thru during the entire course...think you can memorize all those? I don't think so....I still remember thermodynamics very well, but vaguely recall any info. on Quantum Mechanics section of Pchem...no wonder why Schoedinger, Planck, and Einstein are all geniuses....

 

[fungikid]

Where I go biochemistry focuses more on biology than chemistry (you take PChem I/II, OChem I/II, Biochem courses). Biological chemistry, on the other hand, focuses more on chemistry than biology (PChem and OChem from I/II to III/IV/etc. level courses all the way up). Then there is chemistry, pharmacology, pharmaceutical chemistry, environmental chemistry.... I couldn't tell all of them apart until sometime ago.

 

[WhiteSnows]

I took biochem 1 and 2 already. I think biochemistry is not about "more biology or more chemistry", it is about things that are applied from the combination of both. Pure biology or pure chemistry is totally different.

 

[mitchy07]

If I major in biochemistry.. would I be studying more about biology or chemistry?
I know that majoring in biochemistry could be helpful in pharmacy school..
Is biochemistry major more concentrated on biology or chemistry??

]

The majority of my classes for my biochem major were chemistry classes (1 year gen chem, 1 year ochem, 1 year biochem, 1/2 year A. Chem, and 1/2 year P. chem) I was also required to take two upper level biology classes of my choice--i.e. genetics and microbiology. I think the majority of undergrad biochem programs focus on chemistry, but I have seen some schools designate a biochemistry major in the biology department and a seperate one for the chemistry department.

For pharmacy, with respect to the biochem major, you really want to focus on mastering O chem, microbio, and molecular bio.

 

[xhamburgersamx]

It depends at each school. For example, at some schools you can take more biology elective upper divisions if you like to choose so. The major difference between chemistry and biochemistry is that in the biochemistry major, you are required to take 1 or 2 more biochemistry classes and you take upper division biochemistry lab instead of inorganic physical chem lab. Biochems are still required to take pchem 1 etc.

Biochemistry is probably the best major to prep for pharm school

 

[virtue1]

Biochem major is an interface of both biology and chemistry. You only need few chemistry courses like analytical and physical chem to understand all the mechanisms involved in biochemistry. As for biology, you really don't need much as you would even know more as u go deeper into biochem. Essentially, you only need to know the cell components and that's it. The rest you will learn sub-consciously as you go along. Biochem was the most fulfilling major for me despite its rigor. Another major i would have chosen is chemical engineering lol

 

[SHC1984]

Physical Chem cannot be harder than Organic Chem... can it?

If you are very good at physics and calculus then you will like physical chemistry.

 

[ffpickle]

"Bio-Anything" almost invariably means it entails more of the "Anything"

Biostatistics is more Statistics
Biophysics is more Physics
Biochemistry is more Chemistry
Bioengineering is more Engineering

The bio just means they are looking at biological systems or medical topics...there is a huge movement of research towards this.