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)

*Due to CH38 Biochemistry being a new major, you do not automatically have the clearance to take CHEM 7LM despite being a major in our department. We are working to fix this, but you will be cleared to enroll in CHEM 7LM before enrollment. 

**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. 

****If you have questions about the new organic chemistry restructuring or the honors sequence, please see our FAQ page. 

The following courses must be taken for a letter grade: 

1. Physical Biochemistry (CHEM 126A and 126B)
2. Biochemistry (CHEM 114A, 114B, and 114C)
3. Protein Biochemistry Laboratory (CHEM 108)
4. Recombinant DNA Laboratory (CHEM 109)
5. Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 100A)
6. Three restricted biochemistry electives chosen from the following courses:
   1. Physical Chemistry of Biological Macromolecules (CHEM 113)
   2. Genome, Epigenome, and Transcriptome Editing (CHEM 115)
   3. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry (CHEM 114D)
   4. Chemical Biology (CHEM 116)
   5. Pharmacology and Toxicology (CHEM 118)
   6. RNA Biochemistry (CHEM 119)
   7.  Bioinorganic Chemistry (CHEM 125)
   8. Introduction to Glycosciences (CHEM 142)
   9. Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry (CHEM 157)
   10. Structural Biology of Viruses (CHEM 164)
   11. 3D Electron Microscopy of Macromolecules (CHEM 165)
   12. Medicinal Chemistry (CHEM 167)
   13. Drug Synthesis and Design (CHEM 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 CHEM 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 CHEM 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 Chemistry/Biochemistry majors are required to complete at least six (6) upper-division courses within the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department

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

• 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.  Please check the department website (https://chemistry.ucsd.edu/ext/ugcourses.html?year=2019-2020) each academic year to see a projection of classes offered by quarter.

• 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 Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Advisor for assistance in planning to study abroad.
• Recommended but not required.

*Both CHEM 108 and 109 are required.

**Choose from CHEM 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 Chemistry and Biochemistry (CHEM 100-193) or BICD 100, 110, 140, BIMM 114, 120, BIPN 100, 102, 140.

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

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

Completion of the the following courses:

1.  CHEM 120A

2.  CHEM 105A 

3. AND one of the following: CHEM 100B, 123, 143B*, 143C, 143D, or 105B 

*If you wish to take CHEM 143B, please submit a request via EASy before your enrollment period begins because CHEM 143B is currently not available to CH38 majors.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The information below is intended for students who have already declared the CH31 major. If you have not declared the CH31 major and are interested in majoring in biochemistry, you will need to declare the CH38 major, regardless of admit year. 

BIOCHEMISTRY/CHEMISTRY (CH31)

Major requirements for students who matriculated Fall 2019 or earlier.

The following courses must be taken for a letter grade:

LOWER-DIVISION REQUIREMENTS

1. The following courses must be taken for a letter grade: 
   
   1. General Chemistry (CHEM 6A, 6B & 6C or 6AH, 6BH & 6CH)
   2. General Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 7L or 7LM)
   3. Physics (PHYS 2A, 2B & 2C or 2D)
   4. Physics Laboratory (PHYS 2BL, 2CL or 2DL)
   5. Calculus (MATH 20A, 20B, 20C & 20D)
   6. Organic Chemistry (CHEM 40A, 40B & 40C or 40AH, 40BH & 40CH)
   7. Organic Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 43A or 43AM)

UPPER-DIVISION REQUIREMENTS

1. 1. Physical Chemistry (CHEM 126A & 126B recommended; CHEM 130, 131 & 132 acceptable)
   2. Inorganic Chemistry (CHEM 120A)
   3. Biochemistry (CHEM 114A, 114B, & 114C)
   4. Required Laboratory Courses:
      • Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 100A)
      • Organic Chemistry Laboratory II (CHEM 143B)
      • Physical Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 105A) and  
      • Protein Biochemistry Laboratory (CHEM 108) or Recombinant DNA Laboratory (CHEM 109)
   5. Laboratory Elective (Select 1 of the following courses):  
      • Instrumental Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 100B)
      • Advanced Physical Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 105B)
      • Protein Biochemistry Laboratory or Recombinant DNA Laboratory (CHEM 108 or CHEM 109)
      • Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 123)
      • Organic Chemistry Laboratory III (CHEM 143C)
      • Molecular Design and Synthesis (CHEM 143D)
      • Reading and Research (CHEM 199): 8 units with of research with the same instructor may be petitioned to fulfill one elective lab. See details here.
   6. Biochemistry Electives (Select 2 of the following courses):
      • Physical Chemistry of Biological Macromolecules (CHEM 113)
      • Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry (CHEM 114D)
      • Chemistry of Enzyme Catalyzed Reactions (CHEM 116)
      • Pharmacology and Toxicology (CHEM 118)
      • Bioinorganic Chemistry (CHEM 125)
      • Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry (CHEM 157)
      • Structural Biology of Viruses (CHEM 164)
      • 3D Electron Microscopy of Macromolecules (CHEM 165)
      • Medicinal Chemistry (CHEM 167)
      • Drug Synthesis and Design (CHEM 168)
   7. One Additional Elective: This elective is defined as a four-unit (minimum) upper division undergraduate course offered by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry OR a course from the following list of courses offered by the Division of Biological Sciences (some biology courses will require additional coursework to fulfill prerequisites): BICD 100, BICD 110, BICD 140, BIMM 114, BIMM 120, BIPN 100, BIPN 102, BIPN 140.  CHEM 199 may be petitioned to fulfill this elective. See details here. 
      
      (Some upper-division biology elective options will require additional course work to fulfill any prerequisites).The following courses must be taken for a letter grade: 

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.
• Priority enrollment in CHEM 123 is granted to Molecular Synthesis majors, and seats are highly limited. Please plan for an alternate lab elective.
• The quarter in which a course is offered is subject to change based on space and instructor availability.  Please check the department website (https://chemistry.ucsd.edu/ext/ugcourses.html?year=2019-2020) each academic year to see a projection of classes offered by quarter.
• 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 Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Advisor for assistance in planning to study abroad.
• Recommended but not required.

*Recommended but not required.