Career preparation
Biochemistry and molecular biology majors receive excellent training to prepare for careers in the health sciences, for technical employment at the B.S. level, or for graduate study in the life sciences. Thanks to their rigorous research experiences, classroom training, and advising by faculty, BMB majors are highly successful in gaining admission to medical and dental school, graduate school, pharmacy and other professional schools, as well as finding employment in universities, government, research institutes, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies and other industries.
Faculty in the department provide research strength in many arenas of biochemistry and molecular biophysics and we encourage our majors to extend their education outside the classroom by taking advantage of opportunities for undergraduate research. The BMB major is a good fit for students who are curious and excited about the cellular, genetic, and molecular mechanisms in living organisms. Students receive in-depth training in the life sciences, chemistry, physics, quantitative and computational sciences and are thus well prepared to pursue rewarding careers in healthcare, dentistry, genetic technologies, pharmacology, pharmaceutical development, neuroscience, basic and applied research, agricultural science, food science and technology, environmental sciences, forensics, nutrition, and patent law.
Prospective students
High school students interested in careers in BMB should prepare for college by taking four years of mathematics and at least one year each of physics and chemistry. Additional coursework in biology, computer science, written and spoken English, and foreign languages is highly desirable.
Students transferring from a community college should have completed one year each of the following by the end of the sophomore year if they plan to graduate in four years’ total time: general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, general biology, two-quarters of college-level math should have been taken, starting with calculus, or 90 total quarter credits including baccalaureate core courses and electives.
High school students, community college, and other transfer students interested in the BMB program are encouraged to contact Kari van Zee, the lead advisor for advice about preparatory courses before they attend or apply to OSU. She welcomes opportunities to meet with potential students and their families. Tours of BB facilities are also available through van Zee and members of the advising team, Lauren Dalton and Kate Shay. Students are also encouraged to seek out any other member of the faculty for informal advice.
