People usually take their first biochemistry course in college. Students in high school usually don’t study biochemistry, unless they study it at a community college. Generally, high school students have had overview courses in both biology and chemistry, and they might need to take some introductory courses in each subject again, prior to progressing to a biochemistry course. Once introduction to the topic has been thoroughly studied there are many more classes to take, should students decide to make this subject a focus.
First off, there are many majors that might require at least one biochemistry course. A number of nursing schools require students to take biochemistry after completing introductory level classes in biology and chemistry. Students who major in biochemistry or pre-med can expect to probably take these classes too, and then study biochemistry with much more vigor. Those students progressing to masters level work in biochemistry or medical school will take even more biochemistry courses.
When people are just beginning college, they will have a series of prerequisite courses they must take in order to advance in their subject. The best tip in choosing which biochemistry course to take is to enroll in the one the college requires. Get counseling from the biochemistry department or from the counseling department to determine if all undergraduate requirements are met.
Once people enter the last two years of school, they may have more choice in what classes in biochemistry to take. These classes still have to fill graduation requirements and there are upper level courses all students in a particular program may have to take too, which depends on how each program is structured. Yet students can also begin to branch out in their studies, and they have more time to take a biochemistry course or two that are of interest or in area in which students would like to focus.
Another thing some people might want to consider is which biochemistry classes offer the best preparation for taking the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) in biochemistry. The names or numbers of these classes can vary depending on the school, but teachers or teaching assistants should be able to advise on which ones to take. Knowing which classes will most prepare people for the GRE is valuable if students plan to study at the graduate level in biochemistry. Many MS and PhD programs require GRE scores.
The goals then in choosing biochemistry courses include fulfilling prerequisites or requirements for graduation, choosing classes that give adequate preparation for graduate school testing, and finding classes in the upper grades that are most intriguing. Don’t forget that it’s also worthwhile to take classes sometimes because of the subject matter or its presentation. Every college campus has professors who excel in the art of teaching and make the material incredibly fun or present it in a way that is exciting and new. Taking a class or two with a very good professor is important, and most students can rely on the recommendation of their peers to find out which biochemistry course or courses they absolutely must take.
