2024-2025 Academic Catalog 
    
    Oct 06, 2024  
2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Combined Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, BS & Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, MS


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Program Description

The Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (BMB) offers a combined 4+1 degree program leading to Bachelor of Science (BS) and Master of Science (MS) degrees within a five-year plan of study. This program will focus on preparing students for careers in fields including, but not limited to, drug manufacturing and design, agriculture, forensic science (crime lab science), academic/clinical/industrial research, human and veterinary medicine, physical therapy, physician assistancy, dentistry, pharmacy and optometry with a focus on the development of student research skills. The program allows 9 Cr-h of “overlap” courses, where credit is given at both the undergraduate (UG) and graduate (GR) level facilitating both BS and MS completion in five years.

Admission Requirements   

Only exceptionally well-prepared students are admitted to the program. Qualified applicants must have the following:

  • At least 90 credit hours by the end of the semester in which they are applying;
  • A minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA on all undergraduate coursework, including undergraduate credits earned at other institutions and transferred to Wright State;
  • Completion of BMB 3850, BMB 4210, and BMB 4230 with a grade of “B” or better, and a minimum calculated GPA of 3.2 for these three courses;
  • Approval of the undergraduate advisor;
  • Approval of the BMB Department Chair.

Applicants are encouraged to submit a letter of intent to the department Vice-Chair for Education during the semester that they intend to complete the application criteria outlined above (typically Spring semester of Junior year). All qualified applicants will be given full consideration by the department Graduate Admissions Committee. 

Program Learning Outcomes

The main goal of our program is to prepare students for careers in fields related to biochemistry and molecular biology and/or admission into graduate and further professional degree programs. The BMB BS portion of the program will follow the foundational and threshold concepts and skills accredited by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) and uses innovative science education pedagogies such as active learning, flipped classrooms and formative assessment to build skills in teamwork, critical thinking, scientific reasoning and oral/written communication. Additionally, within the BMB MS portion of the program students will undertake research endeavors with the intention of becoming proficient readers and writers of BMB research literature, the understanding of various BMB research techniques and the development of experimental design and data analysis skills.

For More Information

Program Requirements:


Wright State Core: 43 Hours


Element 1: Communication: 6 Hours


Element 2: Mathematics: 4 Hours


Element 3: Global Traditions: 6 Hours


Element 4: Arts and Humanities: 3 Hours


Element 5: Social Sciences: 6 Hours


Element 6: Natural Sciences: 8 Hours


Additional Core Courses: 10 Hours


Departmental Requirements and Electives: 6.5 Hours


6.5 Credits from the folloiwng

General Electives: 3.0 Hours


Undergraduate and Graduate Overlap Requirements: 9


These courses are applied to the BMB electives portion of our standard 4 year degree under the Departmental Requirements and Electives.

Graduate Requirements


Additional Core Requirements: 3


Advanced Courses: 19


Graduate Seminars: 3


Three credits from the following (Courses may be repeated)

Research: 14


Total: 142 Hours


Additional Information


Other key aspects of the program are:
• Students in the 4+1 program must complete a minimum of 120 Cr-h to earn a BS degree by end of their 4th year, and a minimum of 30 Cr-h of graduate work to fulfill the requirements for the MS degree. This will require at least 14 Cr-h of laboratory research (BMB 8990) and a written thesis. Students must take BMB 8990 during the summer following completion of the BS degree in order to complete the program within 5-years (as shown in the Program of Study).
• The program allows 9 Cr-h of “overlap” courses, where credit is given at both the undergraduate (UG) and graduate (GR) level. These courses are indicated by a double-asterisk (**) in the Program of Study. An additional 3 credit hours of graduate course work can be completed as undergrad to a total of 12 graduate credits which can be applied to their graduate degree Program of Study.
• BMB 6020 (Research Perspectives; 3 Cr-h) is a requirement for the MS degree. Any BMB major who takes the UG version of this course (BMB 4020; 1 Cr-h), and later wishes to transition into the 4+1 program, can satisfy the GR requirement for Research Perspectives by taking 2 additional Cr-h of BMB 8990 (Research). This will reduce the total program hours to 30 from 31.
• Research Ethics is a course requirement for both the UG major (BMB 3030; 1 Cr-h) and the MS degree (BMB 7030; 0.5 Cr-h) in BMB. Students in the 4+1 program may take BMB 3030 and satisfy the graduate requirement for this course.
• The MS degree requires 5 Cr-h of seminars (BMB 8000 and/or BMB 9000). In the 4+1 program, this requirement can be fulfilled by a combination of seminars taken at the UG and GR level as follows: 2 Cr-h of BMB 4000/4870 plus 3 Cr-h of BMB 8000/9000.

Graduation Planning Strategy


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