Major
Explore and Discover. The fields of biochemistry and chemical biology have much in common and rely on a shared set of fundamental concepts, unified by chemical and quantitative principles and knowledge. While there is just one major, students may choose courses that focus on biochemistry or chemical biology.
Chemical biology and biochemistry use chemical insight, techniques, and tools to study or manipulate biological systems. To provide students with training in modern principles at a chemistry-biology interface, Vanderbilt’s interdisciplinary major in biochemistry and chemical biology incorporates expertise from multiple departments in the university. Students receive a broad background in the natural sciences (chemistry, biology, physics) and mathematics, followed by fundamental training in principles of biochemistry and chemical biology that involves both theoretical and laboratory course work. Students then pursue an area of emphasis in either biochemistry or chemical biology through upper-level elective courses. Students participate in independent research in laboratories of biochemistry and chemical biology faculty. Additional research experience is available in the Honors Program.
Requirements-BA degree | Requirements-BS degree | Major Declaration
Requirements-BA degree
For students who have matriculated prior to Fall 2025.
The biochemistry and chemical biology major tracks share fundamental elements but have a distinct set of foundational courses, track-specific electives, and laboratory requirements. All students are required to complete a set of basic science and mathematics courses. The major consists of 32 credit hours beyond these basic science and mathematics courses. All students complete 12 credit hours of foundational courses, 14 credit hours of either biochemistry or chemical biology track, and 6 credit hours of general electives.
Biochemistry Track | Chemical Biology Track
Prerequisites
Biological Sciences
BSCI 1510 and 1510 L: Molecules and Cells and lab (offered in fall)
BSCI 1511 and 1511L or 1512L: Organisms and Ecosystems and lab (offered in spring)
Prerequisite: BSCI 1509: Biological Systems
Chemistry
CHEM 2221 and 2221L: Organic Chemistry and lab (offered in fall)
CHEM 2222 and 2222L: Organic Chemistry and lab (offered in spring)
Prerequisite: CHEM 1602: General Chemistry
Physics
PHYS 1501 or 1601 and 1601L: Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences I (offered in fall)
PHYS 1502 or 1602 and 1602L: Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences II (offered in spring)
Prerequisite: MATH 1300: Accelerated Single-Variable Calculus I
Mathematics
MATH 1200: Single-Variable Calculus or MATH 1300: Accelerated Single-Variable Calculus (offered in fall)
MATH 1201: Single-Variable Calculus or MATH 1301: Accelerated Single-Variable Calculus II (offered in spring)
Foundational Classes
BSCI 2520: Biochemistry
Prerequisites: CHEM 2221 or 2211 and BSCI 1510 or CHBE 2150: Molecular and Cell Biology for Engineers
CHEM 3320: Biophysical Chemistry (offered in spring)
Prerequisite: PHYS 1501 or 1601 and MATH 1201 or 1301
CHEM 3710: Bioorganic Chemistry (offered in fall)
Prerequisite: CHEM 2222 or 2212: Organic Chemistry for Advanced Placement Students (BSCI 1510 advised)
BCB 4965: Advanced Integrated Lab (offered in fall)
Prerequisite or Corequisite: CHEM 3710: Bioorganic Chemistry and BSCI 2520: Biochemistry
Two semesters of BCB 4999: Honors Research can be used to replace BCB 4965
General Electives
Six credit hours of general electives must be selected from the general electives list (a second semester of BCB 3201 can be used to replace one general elective).
Biochemistry Track
Biochemistry is the study of the molecules, chemical reactions and pathways that take place in living systems, and is concerned with quantifying the structures, interactions, and activities of biomolecules in pure form. For example, biochemistry includes:
- Molecular biology, understanding the functions and interactions of biomolecules at the molecular level.
- Structural biology and biophysics, exploring the atomic structures, mechanisms, and assembly of biomolecules through chemical and physical principles.
- Enzymology, how protein and RNA machines catalyze chemical reactions, and how their regulation influences cellular pathways.
See a sample course track for biochemistry.
Requirements
Choose one from the following list:
- BSCI 4274: Proteins
- BSCI 4275: Molecular Biology
- BSCI 4285: Membrane Biochemistry
Prerequisites: CHEM 2221 and BSCI 2520
Laboratory requirement:
BCB 3201: Independent Laboratory Research
Prerequisites: CHEM 1602 and BSCI 1510
Choose three from the following list:
- BSCI 2201: Introduction to Cell Biology (offered in spring)
Prerequisites: CHEM 2221 and BSCI 1510 - BSCI 2210: Principles of Genetics
Prerequisite: BSCI 1511 - BCB 2200 and 2200L: Bioanalytical Chemistry and lab (offered in spring) or CHEM 2100 and 2100L: Analytical Chemistry and lab (offered in fall)
Prerequisite advised: CHEM 1602 - CHEM 4720: Drug Design & Development (offered in spring)
Prerequisite: BSCI 2520 or CHEM 3710 - BCB 4320: Advanced Chemical Biology (offered in spring)
Prerequisite: CHEM 3710
Chemical Biology Track
Chemical biology emphasizes the use and development of chemical insight, new techniques, and molecular tools to study and/or manipulate biological systems. For example, chemical biology encompasses:
- Synthetic chemistry, the application of chemical synthesis to generate tools for studying biological systems.
- Synthetic biology, the engineering of organisms to make small molecules, from biofuels to pharmaceuticals.
- Bioanalytical chemistry, inventorying the molecular species in biological systems by developing new methods and instrumentation.
- Biomaterials, the development of new materials (e.g. nanomaterials) for drug delivery and biomedical engineering.
See a sample course track for chemical biology.
Requirements
BCB 2101: Chemical Biology Focus (offered in fall every other year)
Prerequisites: CHEM 2221 and BSCI 1510
BCB 2200 and 2200L: Bioanalytical Chemistry and lab (offered in spring) or CHEM 2100 and 2100L: Analytical Chemistry and lab (offered in fall)
Prerequisite advised: CHEM 1602
Choose two from the following list:
- BCB 4320: Advanced Chemical Biology (offered in spring)
- BSCI 4274: Proteins, BSCI 4275: Molecular Biology, or BSCI 4285: Membrane Biochemistry
- CHEM 4720: Drug Design and Development (offered in spring)
Choose one from the following list:
- BCB 3201: Independent Laboratory Research
- BCB 4966: Advanced Integrated Lab
Prerequisite: BCB 4965 or instructor permission
Requirements-BS degree
For students who have matriculated Fall 2025 or later.
The biochemistry and chemical biology major consists of foundational courses, BCB major electives, and several laboratory requirements. All students are required to complete a set of basic science and mathematics courses. The major consists of 40 credit hours beyond these basic science and mathematics courses. All students complete 13 credit hours of foundational courses, 6 credit hours of laboratory requirements, 15 credit hours of BCB elective coursework, and 6 credit hours of general electives.
Prerequisites
Biological Sciences
BSCI 1510 and 1510 L: Molecules and Cells and lab (offered in fall)
BSCI 1511 and 1511L or 1512L: Organisms and Ecosystems and lab (offered in spring)
Prerequisite: BSCI 1509: Biological Systems
Chemistry
CHEM 2221 and 2221L: Organic Chemistry and lab (offered in fall)
CHEM 2222 and 2222L: Organic Chemistry and lab (offered in spring)
Prerequisite: CHEM 1602: General Chemistry
Physics
PHYS 1501, 1601, or 1911 and 1601L or 1911L: Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences I (offered in fall)
PHYS 1502, 1602, or 1912 and 1602L or 1912L: Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences II (offered in spring)
Prerequisite: MATH 1300: Accelerated Single-Variable Calculus I
Mathematics
MATH 1200: Single-Variable Calculus or MATH 1300: Accelerated Single-Variable Calculus (offered in fall)
MATH 1201: Single-Variable Calculus or MATH 1301: Accelerated Single-Variable Calculus II (offered in spring)
Foundational Classes
BSCI 2520: Biochemistry
Prerequisites: CHEM 2221 or 2211 and BSCI 1510 or CHBE 2150: Molecular and Cell Biology for Engineers
CHEM 3320: Biophysical Chemistry (offered in spring)
Prerequisite: PHYS 1501 or 1601 and MATH 1201 or 1301
CHEM 3710: Bioorganic Chemistry (offered in fall)
Prerequisite: CHEM 2222 or 2212: Organic Chemistry for Advanced Placement Students (BSCI 1510 advised). Prerequisite or corequisite: BSCI 2520.
BCB 2200 and 2200L: Bioanalytical Chemistry and lab (offered in spring)
Prerequisite or corequisite: PHYS 1501, 1601, or 1901, BSCI 2520. Prerequisite: MATH 1201 or 1301.
General Electives
Six credit hours of general electives must be selected from the general electives list (a second semester of BCB 3201 can be used to replace one general elective).
Laboratory Requirements
Choose two from the following list:
- BCB 3201: Independent Laboratory Research-(limit 3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: BSCI 1510 and CHEM 1602 - BCB 4965: Advanced Integrated Lab
Prerequisite or corequisite: CHEM 3710 and BSCI 2520 - BCB 4966: Advanced Integrated Lab
Prerequisite: BCB 4965 or instructor permission - BCB 4999: Honors Research I
BCB 4999: Honors Research II
Prerequisite: BCB 3201
BCB Electives
Choose five from the following list:
- BSCI 2250: General Microbiology
Prerequisite: BSCI 1511 - BSCI 2201: Introduction to Cell Biology
Prerequisite: BSCI 1510 - BSCI 2210: Principles of Genetics
Prerequisite: BSCI 1511 - BSCI 4274: Proteins
Prerequisite: BSCI 2520 - BSCI 4275: Molecular Biology
Prerequisite: BSCI 2520 - BSCI 4285: Membrane Biochemistry
Prerequisite: BSCI 2520 - CHEM 4720: Drug Design & Development
Prerequisite: BSCI 2520 or CHEM 3710 - BCB 4320: Advanced Chemical Biology
Prerequisite: CHEM 3710
Declaring a BCB Major
Complete the Declaration of Major form. See the user guide for more information about the declaration form.