Apr 05, 2025  
Rensselaer Catalog 2015-2016 
    
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Rensselaer Catalog 2015-2016 [Archived Catalog]

Chemical Biology

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Chemical Biology refers to the application of Chemistry to biological problems. The “Chemical Biology” track to the B.S. in Chemistry is intended for students interested in this area or in careers in the medical field. Like the “Chemistry” track, it provides a sound background in Chemistry but also includes a solid core of Biology courses so that students completing it will not only have the chemical knowledge to understand the methods they are using, but also will have the knowledge of Biology necessary to understand the systems they intend to study.

Both tracks require 128 credit hours for graduation. In the Chemical Biology track twenty-one of these are completely free electives. Participation in undergraduate research is stongly encouraged, and CHEM 4010 Inorganic Chemistry II is a recommended but not required elective. Students considering medical school should include a semester of General Psychology and a semester of Sociology among their HASS or elective courses.

First year

Fall

  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4

Spring

  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4

Second year

Fall

  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4

Spring

  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4

Third year

Fall

  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4
  • Elective Credit Hours: 4 (or MATH 2400 if not taken previously)

Spring

  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4

Fourth year

Fall

  • Electives Credit hours: 10 (If BIOL 2500 was not taken previously, it should replace an elective here.)

Spring

  • Electives Credit hours: 7

Electives

Students should work with their adviser to select the electives that best fit their needs. Students interested in medicine as a career should register with the pre-health committee and take the recommended courses before the senior year as preparation for the qualifying exams required for admission to medical school. In addition, two English courses and at least one semester of General Psychology and one semester of Sociology should be included among their HASS or elective courses.

Footnotes

  1. May be delayed to the third year and replaced by an elective. Students with a limited background in biology should consider taking BIOL 1010/1015 Introduction to Biology here.

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