Demand leads to new offering of biochemistry degrees

With the Aug. 6 approval from the Colorado Department of Higher Education, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs now offers bachelor's of arts and sciences degrees in biochemistry.

Students now may select the degree as a course of study and replace a biochemistry option within the bachelor's degree in chemistry, said Tom Christensen, dean of the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

"This degree responds to a developing national trend toward a stand-alone major in biochemistry," Christensen said. "There is also demand from students in our current biochemistry option in chemistry and from students working on double majors in biology and chemistry."

Christensen said the new degree will help UCCS in recruiting and retaining students and also allow them to be placed in high-demand biochemistry jobs following graduation. The new degree has been planned for several years and was supported by chemistry and biology faculty. A biochemistry lab was included in the renovation of Centennial Hall.

Offering bachelor's degrees in both arts and sciences provides student flexibility without added cost, Christensen said.

With the approval of the degree, the chemistry department will now be renamed the department of chemistry and biochemistry.

UCCS now offers 36 bachelor's degrees, 19 master's degrees and five doctoral degrees.