Mar 28, 2024  
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Concurrent B.S./M.S. Biochemistry


A combined B.S./M.S. program provides exceptional undergraduates an opportunity to obtain both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Biochemistry in 5 years. Admission and retention in the program requires a 3.0 GPA. Students may apply after they have accumulated 45-90 hours towards the B.S. degree. Degree requirements for the M.S. are as described in the Graduate Catalog, with the exception that up to 9 hours of credits obtained for the B.S. (Biochemistry I and II and associated laboratories) may be counted toward the M.S. program.

Entrance Requirements


Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, appropriate and adequate course work, and an average of B or better in the junior and senior years or an excellent postgraduate record at another institution. Provisional admission may occur when there are limited deficiencies in undergraduate course work that can be removed by course work taken at Kansas State University or when there is uncertainty in evaluation of transcripts, as may occur in the case of international students. In the latter case, removal of the provisional status occurs upon the accumulation of 9 hours of course work with a B or better average.

Undergraduate and postgraduate credits should include analytical, organic, and physical chemistry, calculus, physics, and a semester of biology including a laboratory. Physical chemistry may be completed as part of an M.S. or Ph.D. program, but all other deficiencies must be completed without graduate credit. No foreign language is required.

All applicants are required to take the Graduate Record Exam.

Students may apply for the concurrent B.S./M.S. program from the second semester of the sophomore year through the second semester of the junior year, when they have accumulated 45-90 credit hours toward the B.S. degree and have completed at least one semester of organic chemistry. Students may apply during the senior year with special permission from the chair of the Graduate Biochemistry Group.

The application process will be the same as for the traditional M.S. degree except that completion of the B.S. degree is not required prior to enrollment for the M.S., and the application must include a recommendation from the student’s undergraduate advisor. Minimum standards for regular admission and for retention in the program require a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a GPA of 3.0 in requireed math and science courses. The requirement for the Graduate Record Exam will be waived.

Freshman Spring Semester (16 credit hours)


  • Social Science or Humanities elective Credits: 3

Sophomore Fall Semester (12-16 credit hours)


  • Biology elective Credits: 2-6
  • Social Science and/or Humanities elective Credits: 3

Sophomore Spring Semester (16 credit hours)


  • Social Science or Humanities elective Credits: 2

Junior Fall Semester (15-16 credit hours)


  • Biology elective Credits: 2-3
  • Modern Languages Credits: 4
  • Modern Languages Lab Credits: 1
  • Social Science or Humanities elective Credits: 3

Junior Spring Semester (16 credit hours)


  • Modern Languages elective Credits: 4
  • Modern Languages laboratory Credits: 1
  • Social Science or Humanities elective Credits: 3

Senior Fall Semester (~15 credit hours)


  • Social Science or Humanities elective Credits: 3
  • Free electives Credits: 3-6
  • BIOCH 806 - Biochemistry Seminar Credits: 0-1

Senior Spring Semester (~16 credit hours)


  • Upper level Biochemistry, Biology, or Bioinformatics electives Credits: 3-5
  • Free Electives Credits: 6
  • Social Science or Humanities Elective Credits: 3-6
  • BIOCH 806 - Biochemistry Seminar Credits: 0-1

Year Five Fall Semester (~12 credit hours)


  • M.S. Research Credits: 4-6
  • Upper level Biochemistry, Biology, or Bioinformatics electives Credits: 4-6
  • BIOCH 806 - Biochemistry Seminar Credits: 0-1

Year Five Spring Semester (~10 credit hours)


  • M.S. Research Credits: 4-6
  • Upper level Biochemistry, Biology, or Bioinformatics electives Credits: 4-6
  • BIOCH 806 - Biochemistry Seminar Credits: 0-1