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Molecular Biology and Related Studies is a degree category that consists of the following common degrees:
- Read more about Molecular BiologyMolecular biology undergraduates study diverse areas, such as gene regulation and structure, cellular organization, protein biochemistry and transport, developmental biology, neurobiology, immunology, virology, oncology, structural biology, biophysics, and bioinformatics. Students learn how the body (and other organisms) work — from how DNA determines body features and health to how bacteria and viruses compete with the immune system, how the brain functions, and the molecular basis and current treatments of cancers. Most students go on to medical school or to graduate school. Others take positions in government and industry or study law or public health.
- Read more about Biochemistry
Biochemistry degree programs teach the chemical processes that occur in living matter. In other words, a biochemistry major learns about life’s molecular basis and the substances like proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and the nucleic acids that make up the genetic code.
This field is particularly connected to health research, to identifying the causes of disease and leading researchers to preventions, treatments, and cures. It also has applications to industry and manufacturing by producing new and more efficient materials. Forensics benefits from discoveries in the field that improve biochemical-based evidence.
Fundamental courses in a biochemistry program include the following:
• Organic Chemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Analytic Chemistry
• Microbiology
• Cell Biology
• Genetics
• Physics
• Calculus