Associate in Science, Emphasis in Biochemistry

The Associate in Science (AS), Emphasis in Biochemistry provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who wish to specialize in biochemistry or are preparing for graduate programs in the area. With an associate's degree, students may qualify as a chemical technician. With a bachelor's degree, students may pursue a career as a biochemist or biochemical engineer. With a graduate degree, students may pursue a career as a medical research scientist.

What You'll Learn

Apply fundamental theories of physical, chemical, and life sciences to construct models to demonstrate an understanding of fundamental biochemical principles, such as the structure/function of biomolecules, metabolic pathways, and the regulation of biological/biochemical processes.
Utilize basic laboratory techniques and technology in both chemistry and biology to apply the scientific inquiry to the processes of experimentation and hypothesis testing.
Adhere to standard safety protocols when performing experiments and collecting data.
Critically evaluate primary scientific research.
Apply and effectively communicate scientific reasoning and data analysis in both written and oral forums.
Demonstrate professional and ethical behavior appropriate to scientific research.
Collaborate with other scientists, including people of diverse backgrounds.
Integrate social and ethical responsibility in decision making and actions.
Serve the community by assisting in the care of underserved populations.
Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.

Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this degree. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

Biochemists and Biophysicists

$97,350 Show expanded career information for Biochemists and Biophysicists

Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers

$120,970 Show expanded career information for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders

$42,540 Show expanded career information for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders

Chemical Technicians

$54,180 Show expanded career information for Chemical Technicians

Chemists

$83,410 Show expanded career information for Chemists

Forensic Science Technicians

$64,780 Show expanded career information for Forensic Science Technicians

Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists

$78,890 Show expanded career information for Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists

* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources.

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your to manage your plan.
The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.

Pathway Map Options

There are multiple options available for this pathway map. These options vary depending on the available transfer institutions and what degrees you may be able to transfer into.

These pathway map options may share some common coursework. To explore what additional coursework may be required, select your desired option from the list below. Once selected, the list of courses and any associated details will be automatically updated in the course sequence below. The differences between individual pathway map options may only be a few courses.

Associate in Science, Emphasis in Biochemistry
Arizona State University (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry
Arizona State University (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), Bachelor of Arts, Biochemistry

Full-time
Part-time

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Awareness Areas
In addition to the requirements identified in the sequence below, students must complete the following awareness areas if not otherwise met by other program requirements: Cultural [C] and Global [G] or Historical [H] Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to ensure completion of all graduation requirements.

Term 1Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1Term 1
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
( and ) or or ( and ) or	( and ) or or ( and ) or	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [( and ), or , or one year of high school chemistry taken within the last five years] and (a grade of C or better in or higher level mathematics course, or satisfactory placement), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: or . or Prerequisites: C or better in [( & ), or , or 1 yr of high school chemistry taken within the last 5 yrs] & C or better in or higher or satisfactory score on placement exam or permission of the Instructor or Dept or Div Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [( and ) or or one year of high school chemistry taken in the last five yrs] and ( or higher or satisfactory placement) or permission of the Instructor or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: or . or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [( and ), or , or one year of high school chemistry taken within the last five years] and (a grade of C or better in or higher level mathematics course, or satisfactory placement), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair.	Critical course Gateway course	SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL and SQ in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151 or SQ or SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL and SQ in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151 or SQ	4–5
or	or	Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in or or ) or (B or better in ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ). or Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in or or ) or (B or better in ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ).		FYC or FYC	3
or	or	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or an appropriate District placement. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or an appropriate District placement.	Critical course	MA or MA	4–5
				SB	3
or	or				1–3
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 101 Level		See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 101 Level		Completion of second language courses at the intermediate level (202 or equivalent) OR demonstrate proficiency through this level as indicated by assessment is required for this university program. The second language requirement may be taken after transfer to avoid exceeding your program's maximum transferable credits (typically 64).		0–5

Term 2Term 2Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2Term 2Term 2
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
or ( and )	or ( and )	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [( or ) and ], or , or , or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [( or ) and ], or , or , or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: .	Critical course	SQ or SQ in combo w/ CHM152LL and SQ in combo w/ CHM152	4
		Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [( or ) and ( or or or or or )] or a grade of B or better in or an appropriate district placement or permission of Instructor.		L	0–3
Transfer Option	Transfer Option			SQ	4
or	or	Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in . or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in .		FYC or FYC	3
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 102 Level		See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency
		Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in or or or or or eligibility for as indicated by appropriate placement or 1 yr high school Trigonometry with a grade of C or better or permission of Department or Division.		SQ	4
or	or	Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in , or , or equivalent. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or equivalent.		MA or MA	4–5
or	or	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or higher level mathematics course, or eligibility for or higher as indicated by appropriate placement. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in or or or or or eligibility for as indicated by appropriate placement or 1 yr high school Trigonometry with a grade of C or better or permission of Department or Division.	Students considering graduate school or health professions should complete and . All other students may complete .	SQ or SQ	4
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 102 Level		Completion of second language courses at the intermediate level (202 or equivalent) OR demonstrate proficiency through this level as indicated by assessment is required for this university program. The second language requirement may be taken after transfer to avoid exceeding your program's maximum transferable credits (typically 64).		0–5

Term 3Term 3Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3Term 3Term 3
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
( and ) or	( and ) or	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( and ), or , or ( and ), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in or Corequisites: . Completion of prerequisites within the last two years recommended. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( and ), or , or ( and ), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair.			4
Transfer Option	Transfer Option			SQ	4
or	or	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or higher, or eligibility for . One year of high school or one semester of college-level biology and chemistry is strongly recommended. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or higher, or eligibility for . One year of high school or one semester of college-level biology and chemistry is strongly recommended.	Subject Option	SQ or SQ	4
				HU	3
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 201 Level		See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency
		Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in .		SQ	4
		Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in .	Students considering graduate school or health professions should complete and . All other students may complete .	SQ	0–4
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 201 Level		Completion of second language courses at the intermediate level (202 or equivalent) OR demonstrate proficiency through this level as indicated by assessment is required for this university program. The second language requirement may be taken after transfer to avoid exceeding your program's maximum transferable credits (typically 64).		0–5

Term 4Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4Term 4
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
( and ) or	( and ) or	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( and ) or , or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in or Corequisites: . Completion of prerequisites within the last two years recommended. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( and ) or , or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair.			4
or	or	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or permission of Department or Division. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in or .		SG or SG	4
or or or	or or or	No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or equivalent. or No requisites	COM Requirement, Recommend selecting a course that satisfies COM and SB or COM and L requirements simultaneously	SB or SB or L or SB	0–3
				SB	3
				HU	3
			Recommend selecting a course that satisfies [L] and [SB] or [L] and [HU] or [L] and (COM) or [L] and requirements simultaneously.	L	3
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 202 Level		See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 202 Level		Completion of second language courses at the intermediate level (202 or equivalent) OR demonstrate proficiency through this level as indicated by assessment is required for this university program. The second language requirement may be taken after transfer to avoid exceeding your program's maximum transferable credits (typically 64).		0–5

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Awareness Areas
In addition to the requirements identified in the sequence below, students must complete the following awareness areas if not otherwise met by other program requirements: Cultural [C] and Global [G] or Historical [H] Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to ensure completion of all graduation requirements.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
or	or				1–3
( and ) or or ( and ) or	( and ) or or ( and ) or	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [( and ), or , or one year of high school chemistry taken within the last five years] and (a grade of C or better in or higher level mathematics course, or satisfactory placement), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: or . or Prerequisites: C or better in [( & ), or , or 1 yr of high school chemistry taken within the last 5 yrs] & C or better in or higher or satisfactory score on placement exam or permission of the Instructor or Dept or Div Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [( and ) or or one year of high school chemistry taken in the last five yrs] and ( or higher or satisfactory placement) or permission of the Instructor or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: or . or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [( and ), or , or one year of high school chemistry taken within the last five years] and (a grade of C or better in or higher level mathematics course, or satisfactory placement), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair.	Critical course Gateway course	SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL and SQ in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151 or SQ or SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL and SQ in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151 or SQ	4–5
or	or	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or an appropriate District placement. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or an appropriate District placement.	Critical course	MA or MA	4–5

Term 2Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2Term 2
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
or ( and )	or ( and )	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [( or ) and ], or , or , or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [( or ) and ], or , or , or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: .	Critical course	SQ or SQ in combo w/ CHM152LL and SQ in combo w/ CHM152	4
or	or	Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in , or , or equivalent. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or equivalent.		MA or MA	4–5

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
or	or	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or higher, or eligibility for . One year of high school or one semester of college-level biology and chemistry is strongly recommended. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or higher, or eligibility for . One year of high school or one semester of college-level biology and chemistry is strongly recommended.	Subject Option	SQ or SQ	4
or	or	Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in or or ) or (B or better in ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ). or Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in or or ) or (B or better in ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ).		FYC or FYC	3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Area	Credits
or	or	Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in . or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in .	FYC or FYC	3
or	or	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or permission of Department or Division. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in or .	SG or SG	4
		Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [( or ) and ( or or or or or )] or a grade of B or better in or an appropriate district placement or permission of Instructor.	L	0–3

Term 5Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5Term 5
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
( and ) or	( and ) or	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( and ), or , or ( and ), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in or Corequisites: . Completion of prerequisites within the last two years recommended. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( and ), or , or ( and ), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair.			4
or or or	or or or	No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or equivalent. or No requisites	COM Requirement, Recommend selecting a course that satisfies COM and SB or COM and L requirements simultaneously	SB or SB or L or SB	0–3
				SB	3
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 101 Level		See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 101 Level		Completion of second language courses at the intermediate level (202 or equivalent) OR demonstrate proficiency through this level as indicated by assessment is required for this university program. The second language requirement may be taken after transfer to avoid exceeding your program's maximum transferable credits (typically 64).		0–5

Term 6Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6Term 6
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
( and ) or	( and ) or	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( and ) or , or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in or Corequisites: . Completion of prerequisites within the last two years recommended. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( and ) or , or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair.			4
				HU	3
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 102 Level		See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 102 Level		Completion of second language courses at the intermediate level (202 or equivalent) OR demonstrate proficiency through this level as indicated by assessment is required for this university program. The second language requirement may be taken after transfer to avoid exceeding your program's maximum transferable credits (typically 64).		0–5

Term 7Term 7Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7Term 7Term 7
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
Transfer Option	Transfer Option			SQ	4
				SB	3
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 201 Level		See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency
		Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in or or or or or eligibility for as indicated by appropriate placement or 1 yr high school Trigonometry with a grade of C or better or permission of Department or Division.		SQ	4
or	or	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or higher level mathematics course, or eligibility for or higher as indicated by appropriate placement. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in or or or or or eligibility for as indicated by appropriate placement or 1 yr high school Trigonometry with a grade of C or better or permission of Department or Division.	Students considering graduate school or health professions should complete and . All other students may complete .	SQ or SQ	4
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 201 Level		Completion of second language courses at the intermediate level (202 or equivalent) OR demonstrate proficiency through this level as indicated by assessment is required for this university program. The second language requirement may be taken after transfer to avoid exceeding your program's maximum transferable credits (typically 64).		0–5

Term 8Term 8Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8Term 8Term 8
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
Transfer Option	Transfer Option			SQ	4
				HU	3
			Recommend selecting a course that satisfies [L] and [SB] or [L] and [HU] or [L] and (COM) or [L] and requirements simultaneously.	L	3
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 202 Level		See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency
		Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in .		SQ	4
		Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in .	Students considering graduate school or health professions should complete and . All other students may complete .	SQ	0–4
Second Language	Second Language Requirement, 202 Level		Completion of second language courses at the intermediate level (202 or equivalent) OR demonstrate proficiency through this level as indicated by assessment is required for this university program. The second language requirement may be taken after transfer to avoid exceeding your program's maximum transferable credits (typically 64).		0–5

Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

C = Cultural Diversity in the US
CS = Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application
FYC = First Year Composition
G = Global Awareness
H = Historical Awareness
HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design

L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
MA = Mathematics
SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
SG = Natural Sciences General
SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative

Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s for additional details regarding the requirements of this award .

Previous Catalog Years

The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.

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