Major program

The MAJOR program becomes more specialized in Biochemistry during the final two years, providing and building on knowledge from diverse areas of chemistry, biology, physiology, microbiology and immunology, statistics, and pharmacology.

For students aiming for a professional career in the biological sciences or in medicine, these programs can lead to post-graduate studies and careers in a variety of sceince-related careers in R&D, in the hospital, university and government sectors and in the biomedical and biotechnology industries.

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Major Biochemistry (64 Credits)

U1 Required Courses (23 credits)

*Note: Students with CEGEP-level credit for the equivalents of CHEM 212 and/or CHEM 222 (see Transfer credits for accepted equivalents) may not take these courses at McGill and should replace them with elective courses to satisfy the total credit requirement for their degree.

BIOC 212 Molec Mechanisms of Cell Funct 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOC 220 Lab Meth in Biochem&Mol Biol 1 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOL 200 Molecular Biology 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOL 202 Basic Genetics 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

CHEM 204 Physical Chem/Biological Scis1 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

CHEM 212 Intro Organic Chemistry 1 4 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

CHEM 222 Intro Organic Chemistry 2 4 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

** Students transferring to Biochemistry after U1 may take BIOC 220 in Winter U2

U1 Complementary Courses (6 credits)

6 credits from:

BIOL 205 Functional Biol of Plnts&Anmls 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

MIMM 211 Introductory Microbiology 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

MIMM 214 Intro Immun: Elem of Immunity 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

PHGY 209 Mammalian Physiology 1 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

PHGY 210 Mammalian Physiology 2 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

U2 Required Courses (20 credits)

ANAT 262 Intro Molecular &Cell Biol 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOC 311 Metabolic Biochemistry 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOC 312 Biochemistry of Macromolecules 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOC 320 Lab Meth in Biochem&Mol Biol 2 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

CHEM 214 Physical Chem./Biol. Sci. 2 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

CHEM 302 Intrdctry Organic Chemistry 3 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

CHEM 362 Advanced Organic Chem Lab 2 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

** Students transferring to Biochemistry after U1 may take BIOC 320 in Fall U3

U2 Complementary Courses (3 credits)

3 credits from:

BIOL 309 Mathematical Models in Biology 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOL 373 Biometry 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

COMP 202 Foundations of Programming 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

COMP 204 Comp. Programming for Life Sci 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

CHEM 267 Introductory Chemical Analysis 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

MATH 203 Principles of Statistics 1 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

MATH 222 Calculus 3 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

PSYC 204 Intro to Psychological Stats 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

U3 Required courses (6 credits)

BIOC 450 Protein Structure and Function 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOC 454 Nucleic Acids 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

U3 Complementary Courses (6 credits)

At least 3 credits from:

BIOC 404 Biophysical Methods in Biochem 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOC 458 Membranes & Cellular Signaling 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOC 470 Lipids&Lipoproteins in Disease 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOC 462 Research Lab in Biochemistry 6 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOC 503 Biochemistry of ImmuneDiseases 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

PSYT 455 Neurochemistry 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

*** BIOC 462 is worth 6 credits in the Major Program; only 3 credits will be counted against the requirement for 6 total Complementary credits.

The remainder, if any, from:

BIOL 300 Molecular Biology of the Gene 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOL 303 Developmental Biology 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOL 304 Evolution 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOL 313 Eukaryotic Cell Biology 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

BIOL 314 Molecular Biology of Cancer 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

CHEM 267 Introductory Chemical Analysis 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

CHEM 482 Organic Chem:Natural Products 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

CHEM 502 Advanced Bio-Organic Chemistry 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

CHEM 532 Structural Organic Chemistry 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

CHEM 552 Physical Organic Chem 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

CHEM 572 Synthetic Organic Chem 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

EXMD 502 Advanced Endocrinology 1 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

MIMM 324 Fundamental Virology 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

PHAR 300 Drug Action 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

PHGY 311 Channels, Synapses & Hormones 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

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