The NSU Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry bridges the studies of biology and chemistry to prepare you for success.

    About The Program

    As a student in the NSU biochemistry bachelor's degree program, you’ll receive the foundation and skills that will give you an edge and prepare you to succeed in in a host of well-established, continually evolving fields. Biochemistry merges the chemical, biological and physical sciences to explain biological processes on a molecular level, preparing you for immediate employment in medical, industrial, and government positions (scientists, lab technicians, research assistants, and chemists), a professional degree program (medical, dental, veterinary, pharmaceutical, genetic counseling, and other clinical or health professions), or a graduate degree program (biochemistry, chemistry, and biology).

     

    Studying biochemistry at Northern will maximize your opportunities for hands-on lab experiences and student research in our state-of-the-art $25 million Jewett Regional Science Education Center. Research skills are emphasized, combining comprehensive laboratory exercises with the independent nature of real-world, applied novel research.

     

    The curriculum for Northern’s B.S. in biochemistry includes core requirements with an overall objective of providing a comprehensive, interdisciplinary learning opportunity to bridge the physical sciences with biology and chemistry. Biochemical skills and required content include a holistic understanding of general, organic and physical chemistry together with general biology, genetics, microbiology and developmental biology.

     

    Careers

    The knowledge you gain from this program will prepare you to succeed in fields including:

    • Medical, industrial, and government positions (scientists, lab technicians, research assistants, and chemists)
    • Pharmaceuticals
    • Plant and animal agriculture
    • Biotechnology
    • Biochemical, biomedical and chemistry research
    • Environmental and energy fields
    • Food industries and professions
    • Entry into a professional degree program (medical, dental, veterinary, pharmaceutical, genetic counseling, and other clinical or health professions), or a graduate degree program (biochemistry, chemistry, and biology)
    • Northern's placement rate the past five years was 82 percent for medical school and 83 percent for dental school - see what our graduates have to say about the advantages of earning their undergraduate degree at Northern!
    Internships

    We'll work closely with you and our connections to find internships and field experiences that accord with your scientific interests.

     

    NSU College of Arts and Sciences Internships

    Sample Plans of Study
    Contact Information

    For more information about this degree, contact Jessica Ness, or call 605-626-2272 or 605-626-7900. Or, contact NSU Admissions at 605-626-2544 or admissions@northern.edu.

    Susan Citrak

    Ph.D. University of California, Santa Cruz

    B.Sc.  Mills College

     

    Dr. Susan Citrak joined the faculty at Northern in 2020. She grew up in the northern California Bay area and spent 26 years in San Francisco before moving to Aberdeen. She earned a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Mills College in Oakland, Calif., and then went on to the University of California, Santa Cruz, for doctoral work. At Mills College, she conducted undergraduate research in physical organic chemistry studying unimolecular solvolysis reactions involving carbocationic intermediates in ionic liquid solvent systems. During her tenure at UCSC, she moved into inorganic materials chemistry and studied the exchange capabilities, structure, stability and anion properties of metal-organic coordination polymers, as well as ionothermal synthesis of metal-substituted aluminophosphate molecular sieves for potential…

    Guangwei Ding
    Postdoc. South Dakota State University
    Ph.D University of Massachusetts at Amherst
    MSc. University of London
    DIC. University of London
    MSc. Beijing Agricultural University
    BSc. Shanxi Agricultural University
     
    Dr. Guangwei Ding joined Northern's chemistry department in 2005. He has served on the editorial boards for the Scientific World Journal and the Journal of Experimental Chemistry, and as a reviewer for Geoderma, Chemosphere, and Organic Geochemistry.
     
    Courses Taught
    Chemistry Survey
    General Chemistry I
    General Chemistry II
    Analytical Chemistry
    Physical Chemistry I
    Physical Chemistry II
    Inorganic Chemistry…
    John Long

    Ph.D. Montana State University

    M.S. Montana State University

    B.S. State University of New York

     

    Dr. John Long joined the NSU faculty in the summer of 2015. He has a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics from the State University of New York, a master’s degree in environmental and ecological statistics and a Ph.D. in ecology and environmental sciences, both from Montana State University. His area of expertise is the mathematical and physical aspects of the environment.

     

    Dr. Long is a part of the SEA-PHAGES team trained by Howard Hughes Medical Institute to discover new viruses in environmental samples and to sequence their genome. Dr. Long is a retired U.S. Air Force major with 21 years of service as a B-52 electronic warfare officer. 

     

    Courses Taught

    Introduction to Physics I and II

    University Physics I and II

    Biological Statistics I and II

    R Programming

    Geographic Information…

    George Nora

    Dr. George Nora began at Northern State University in 2010 and has been promoted to associate professor of chemistry.

    Courses Taught
    Organic Chemistry
    Samantha St. Clair

     

    Ph.D., Nutrition Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison

    B.S., Nutrition Science, Indiana University-Bloomington

     

    Courses Taught

    • Genetics
    • Cell and molecular biology
    • Nutrition and disease
    • Human health and biology

    Research Interests

    • Mechanisms of type II diabetes and diet-induces obesity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) 
    • Development of biological reasoning skills in undergraduate biology majors and non-majors