Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Students with an interest in biochemistry earn the Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and molecular biology. This provides flexibility in the selection of courses for those students who plan to seek employment in areas related to biochemistry, enter graduate or medical school, or teach in high schools or higher education institutions. The program provides training in biochemistry, botany, microbiology, zoology or in applied areas according to the student's interest. In addition to the courses in chemistry, physics and mathematics, an additional 16 credits in biological sciences, 18 credits of electives in the humanities and social sciences, nine credits in English, three credits in speech and two credits in wellness are required. The pre-medical student is encouraged to take a year of upper-level zoology.


Minor in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
This minor is designed to give students a firm background in the fundamentals of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and to develop critical thinking skills for the interpretation of new findings in these disciplines. Students will gain primary knowledge in modern biochemistry through two lecture courses (BIOC 3713 Biochemistry I and BIOC 3813 Biochemistry II). Hands-on training with experimental tools of these disciplines will be emphasized during the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology laboratory course (BIOC 3723 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory). The knowledge gained by this minor gives a science educator, a laboratory technician, an industrial employee or a life sciences researcher the ability to apply these disciplines. This minor will also demonstrate competency in these disciplines to post-graduate health institutions.

Graduate Programs
Many career opportunities in biochemistry require advanced coursework, and so part of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology's curriculum is focused on its graduate program leading to the MS or PhD degree. This graduate program is also an integral part of the extensive basic research activities supported by the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station.

Prerequisites
Students with a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Chemistry or with strong backgrounds in other biological or physical science disciplines are eligible to apply to the graduate programs in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Individuals should have at least two semesters of organic chemistry and one semester of biochemistry, molecular biology, calculus, analytical and physical chemistry. Students may be required to take appropriate undergraduate courses, if major deficiencies are identified. The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology graduate program also requires that students report their scores on the standardized GRE exam: Verbal Reasoning; Quantitative Reasoning; and Analytical Writing. In addition, a student must present an acceptable research thesis (six hours of BIOC 5000 Research) and pass a final oral examination covering their thesis work and related material. Research advisors are selected at the end of the student's first semester.

Degree Requirements
A non-thesis Master of Science degree is also available. It does not require a research thesis, but requires a report and extensive technical training in the laboratory. The non-thesis MS plan requires thirty (30) credit hours of coursework and two (2) hours of research. The non-thesis MS is not recommended for students wishing to pursue a PhD.
The Doctor of Philosophy Degree. The PhD program course requirements are determined with the assistance and approval of the student's advisory committee and are based on whether a BS or MS has previously been earned: a. a minimum total of (60) graduate credits are required if a student enters the PhD program having earned an MS in a related discipline; b. a minimum total of ninety (90) graduate credits are required if a student enters the PhD program having earned not higher than a BS in a related discipline.
A formal "Plan of Study" with a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate coursework, a minimum of 15 credit hours of research, and a minimum total of a. 60 credit hours, or b. 90 credit hours must be approved by the student's advisory committee and submitted to the OSU Graduate College before completing a. 17 credit hours, or b. 28 credit hours of graduate study.
The student's advisory committee is selected at the end of the student's second semester. All graduate students must maintain a B-average in their graduate coursework. A grade of C in a single graduate course can place the student on academic probation.
The Department offers research experience in a variety of areas. Formal PhD program graduate coursework includes all of the courses listed for the MS degree, at least four of the advanced graduate courses in biochemistry (6000-level) including BIOC 6740 Physical Biochemistry, and additional courses and lab experience appropriate to the student's interests. Each student will take a series of preliminary examinations in January of his or her third semester.
Each student also presents and defends their research thesis proposal sometime in their 4th-5th semester, and at the end of their program presents their research and defends their dissertation in a final oral examination. The doctoral dissertation must contain a substantial original contribution to the discipline of biochemistry and molecular biology.

Bioinformatics Graduate Certificate Program
The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology also offers the Bioinformatics Graduate Certificate Program-a multi-disciplinary program that involves faculty in Departments across the University. This Program's mission is to train post-baccalaureate students in the techniques required to generate, analyze and interpret complex biologically-derived data sets. The Graduate Certificate in Bioinformatics requires completion of 16 credit hours of coursework eligible for graduate credit. A minimum of 12 credit hours must be at the 5000level or above. Required courses include 9 credit hours from the core areas of life sciences, statistics and computer sciences. Additional information on this Certificate Program is available online: http:// www.bioinformatics.okstate.edu/.

Review Process for Admission
The Department's Graduate Studies Committee reviews all eligible applications for the graduate program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. To be eligible for committee review, each applicant must submit an application for admission to the Graduate College, along with transcripts of all academic records, GRE scores and TOEFL scores if their undergraduate education was in a language other than English. Applicants must submit to the Department three reference letters, a current resume and a statement of purpose.