Ready to turn your curiosity about life and chemistry into hands-on research that supports medicine, innovation, and discovery?

Major in Biochemistry

What is Biochemistry?

Biochemistry explores the chemical processes that make life work. When you major in biochemistry, you’ll study how molecules like proteins, DNA, and enzymes drive living systems. Gain hands-on lab experience and build skills in problem-solving, data analysis, and molecular science while exploring areas like cell biology, genetics, and medicine. A degree in biochemistry prepares you for a career as a biotechnologist, geneticist, pharmaceutical researcher, medical professional, and more.

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Degree Details

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Program Highlights

Undergraduate Research Contribute to faculty-mentored research spanning diverse biological systems and exposing you to global scientific challenges—with access to the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Louisiana Sea Grant facilities, and Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium’s vessels and field stations.

World-Class Collections Explore LSU’s Museum of Natural Science and Herbarium, home to hundreds of thousands of specimens, supporting interdisciplinary research across biochemistry, biology, ecology, and environmental science.

Science Residential College Live and learn with your peers in a smaller network within the larger campus, offering academic enhancement programs, classes in your residence hall, and corporate sponsored events introducing you to internships and cooperative education programs.

Distinguished Communicator Certification Learn and successfully prove essential engineering-specific communication skills in leadership roles and community service. This coveted designation will give you a competitive edge in today’s job market.

What You Can Do

An LSU degree opens doors to a wide range of career paths and professional opportunities. With a strong academic foundation, real-world learning, and support from a powerful alumni network, you’ll graduate prepared for success in today’s competitive job market. Whether you’re planning to work in a corporate setting, nonprofit organization, government agency, creative industry, or research lab, LSU equips you with the in-demand skills and hands-on experience employers value most.

Potential Careers

Biochemist/Laboratory Scientist
Biotechnologist
Pharmaceutical Researcher
Geneticist/Molecular Scientist
Healthcare Professional
Research Analyst
Laboratory Technician
Professor

Workplace Settings

Research & Academic Laboratories
Biotech & Pharmaceutical Companies
Hospitals & Healthcare Systems
Government & Public Health Agencies
Agricultural & Environmental Research Facilities
Medical & Diagnostic Testing Laboratories
Universities & Research Institutions
Marine & Environmental Research Center

Building Skills

Laboratory & Research Techniques Get hands-on experience with proteins, DNA, enzymes, and molecular analysis techniques.

Biochemical Data Analysis Analyze experimental data to understand molecular processes and biological systems.

Experimental Design Design experiments, test hypotheses, and evaluate scientific outcomes with confidence.

Presentation & Communication Present scientific findings clearly through reports, presentations, and collaboration.

I’m most proud of my work in the laboratory. I’ve been named as an author on one publication and working on several more. At LSU, you’ll have the chance to explore yourself academically and creatively in an environment that cultivates success.Thomas Beckstrom,
BS in Biochemistry

I have had two opportunities to participate in research. HHMI EXROP Program allowed me to go to Harvard and study HIV. The second opportunity took place in France. I studied tuberculosis at the Pasteur Institute where the first TB vaccine was developed almost 100 years ago. While I was in France, I had the opportunity to meet the first person to ever be functionally cured of HIV/AIDS. He even told me thank you for the research that I had done in the HIV field, which was just incredible.Tiffany Lemon,
BS in Biochemistry

Related Majors

Biological Engineering