Explore the chemical principles of biological functions.
The Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Biology in the College of Chemistry is intended for students who are interested in a range of careers including research in the biological sciences, medicine, pharmacology, and bioengineering. Chemical Biology offers a solid background in chemistry, so that students understand the chemical principles of biological functions. The Chemical Biology and the Chemistry BS majors share a common foundation in core chemistry, math, and physics, with Chemical Biology featuring biology and biochemistry classes at the upper division level. The Chemical Biology major is distinct from biochemistry, which is an emphasis within the Molecular and Cell Biology major housed in the College of Letters and Science.
Highlights
- Get involved with student groups like the American Chemical Society or Alpha Chi Sigma.
- Pursue a concentration in Computational Chemistry.
- Get introduced to research in the college with CHEM 96 Intro to Research.
Curriculum
The Chemical Biology curriculum provides an understanding of the chemical principles of biological function by emphasizing the development of a solid background in chemistry. In addition to an introductory set of math and physics courses and a broad selection of the same chemistry courses required for the Chemistry major, students pursuing the Chemical Biology major take general and cell biology, biochemistry, biological macromolecular synthesis, and bioinorganic chemistry. The curriculum highlights organic chemistry, quantitative thermodynamics, and kinetics, subjects necessary for understanding the logic of biological systems. Students in the major can also undertake a concentration in Computational Chemistry.
Learn more at chemistry.berkeley.edu/ugrad/degrees/chembio
Study Options
The College of Chemistry offers major programs in Chemical Biology, Chemical Engineering, and Chemistry leading to a Bachelor of Science degree, as well as minor programs in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry. A Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry is offered through the College of Letters & Science.
Additionally, the College of Chemistry offers two joint majors with the College of Engineering: Chemical Engineering / Materials Science and Engineering and Chemical Engineering / Nuclear Engineering.
Admission to the Major
First-year and transfer students accepted to UC Berkeley and who selected Chemical Biology on their undergraduate admissions application will be admitted directly to the College of Chemistry and the major.
Students from other colleges/schools who enter UC Berkeley as freshmen may apply for on-campus transfer to the College of Chemistry. Students who entered as junior transfers are generally ineligible to change into the College of Chemistry. For additional information, visit chemistry.berkeley.edu/ugrad/prospective-students/admission.
The Chemical Biology major prepares students for careers as professional chemists, or in the biological sciences including the biomedical, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical industries. Graduates find research or technical positions in a variety of industries such as oil, chemical, food processing, agriculture, photography, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and mining. Alumni also work in sales and plant development, quality control, customer relations, and many other aspects of modern business. Many graduates pursue a higher degree in another field, while those who earn a PhD in chemistry pursue careers in academics, private industry, and government research laboratories where chemistry research is a primary occupation.
UC Berkeley offers a number of career resources for students studying Chemical Biology. The College of Chemistry offers career counseling to help you explore career options and assist you in achieving your professional and educational goals. Additionally, Berkeley Career Engagement provides career counseling, professional and graduate school advising, job and internship listings, and events such as career and graduate school fairs.
Employment
Alumni find employment in a variety of fields and industries after graduation. Examples include:
- Business Consultant
- Clinical Research Coordinator
- Embryologist
- Medical Clinic Technician
- Quantum Engineer
- Research Assistant
- Scientist
- Software Engineer
Graduate Study
Alumni pursue graduate education to gain more depth of knowledge in their field as well as prepare for jobs that require advanced degrees. Examples include:
- Chemical Biology
- Chemistry
- Pharmacy
Ariel, class of 2023
While earning her bachelor’s in Chemical Biology, Ariel Wang worked with two different research groups on campus. One of her projects focused on biodegradable plastics and microplastics, which helped develop her interest in medicine and materials.
“I realized I really enjoyed organic chemistry when I got to the synthesis portion of CHEM 12B. I started getting a sense for puzzles and seeing lots of organic chemistry questions as intricate molecular puzzles to solve. I had a lot of fun with the subject, and this made me realize I wanted to commit to doing more chemistry in the future.”
First Year
Plan Your Studies
- Get your bearings with COC Info for Admitted and New Students.
- Familiarize yourself with the Chemical Biology major; check out sample program plans.
- Meet with your COC Advisor to discuss your academic plans.
- Begin lower division requirements in the major.
- Discover new interests in a Freshman Seminar, Berkeley Changemaker, or DeCal course.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Pay a visit to the Chemistry Library.
- Join a Chemistry student organization or other student group.
- Apply to the Covalent Program to be matched with a peer mentor.
- Get academic help from the Peer Tutoring and Study Center and Student Learning Center.
- Find support in the College of Chemistry Scholars Program and Biology Scholars Program.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out career resources on the COC and ChemBio websites.
- Begin making a plan to get career ready.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Start using Handshake to connect with career events and opportunities.
- Look into UC LEADS, MARC, and the Goldwater Scholarship.
Second Year
Plan Your Studies
- Continue with lower division requirements; enroll in CHEM 96 Intro to Research.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language; see options for Chemistry and Biology abroad.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as CalTeach or Science, Technology, and Society.
- Decide if you will pursue a concentration in Computational Chemistry.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Learn about research and events taking place in Chemistry.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Explore research opportunities on the OURS and COC websites; apply to URAP or Bakar Ignite Scholars to work on a faculty research project.
- Browse COC grants and scholarships; look into summer research stipends.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Learn about medical and health professional schools if pre-health.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division and BCE.
Third Year
Plan Your Studies
- Begin taking upper division requirements in the major, including Allied Subjects courses; start on courses towards your optional concentration and declare the concentration.
- Enroll in CHEM H194 or CHEM 196 if conducting undergraduate research.
- Review your degree progress with your COC Advisor.
- Consider applying to the COC Honors Program; look into the Haas Scholars and SURF programs.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Help other students as a COC Peer Advisor or Chem Scholars Educational Lead.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Mentor local youth through Bridging Berkeley, Expanding Your Horizons, or SENDforC.
- Get involved with Science at Cal, the Lawrence Hall of Science, or Berkeley Natural History Museums.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
- Join a professional association related to Chemical Biology.
- Interested in public service careers? Consider applying to the John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, or Truman Scholarship.
- Connect with alumni groups such as Berkeley College of Chemistry Alumni.
Fourth Year
Plan Your Studies
- Finish all upper division requirements and electives, including lab and Allied Subjects courses and any courses for your concentration.
- Enroll in CHEM H193 if doing an Honors Thesis; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
- Get published! Submit your work to Cell Mates or the Berkeley Scientific Journal.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs; look into the Hertz Fellowship and NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program.
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course.
- Learn the art of STEM communication in ENGIN 185.
- Engage in mentored research through the Amgen Scholars Program, National Science Foundation, or Department of Energy.
- Go abroad through UCEAP or Berkeley Study Abroad.
- Learn about health science with the UCSF Summer Research Training Program, Summer Student Research Program, or Undergraduate Research Internship.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate—check out programs in Electrochemistry and Sustainability.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
First Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Get your bearings with COC Info for Admitted and New Students; review info for ChemBio transfers.
- Meet with your COC Advisor to discuss your academic plans.
- Complete any outstanding lower division requirements in the major and begin upper division requirements including Allied Subjects courses; enroll in CHEM 96 Intro to Research.
- Decide if you will pursue a concentration in Computational Chemistry.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Pay a visit to the Chemistry Library.
- Join a Chemistry student organization or other student group.
- Connect with the Transfer Student Center or Re-entry Student Program.
- Get academic help from the Peer Tutoring and Study Center and Student Learning Center.
- Find support in the College of Chemistry Scholars Program and Biology Scholars Program.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out career resources on the COC and ChemBio websites.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Use Handshake to start connecting with career events and opportunities.
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
- Look into UC LEADS, MARC, and the Goldwater Scholarship.
Second Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Focus on upper division requirements and courses for your concentration (if pursuing).
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language; see options for Chemistry and Biology abroad.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as CalTeach or Science, Technology, and Society.
- Consider applying to the COC Honors Program; look into the Haas Scholars and SURF programs.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Learn about research and events taking place in ChemBio.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Explore research opportunities on the OURS and COC websites; apply to URAP or Bakar Ignite Scholars to work on a faculty research project.
- Browse COC grants and scholarships; look into summer research stipends.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Learn about medical and health professional schools if pre-health.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division and BCE.
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
Third Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Continue with upper division requirements.
- Review your degree progress with your COC Advisor.
- Enroll in CHEM H194 or CHEM 196 if conducting undergraduate research.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Help other students as a COC Peer Advisor, Chem Scholars Educational Lead, or Transfer Peer Advocate.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Get involved with Science at Cal, the Lawrence Hall of Science, or Berkeley Natural History Museums.
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Mentor local youth through Bridging Berkeley, Expanding Your Horizons, or SENDforC.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Join a professional association related to Chemical Biology.
- Interested in public service careers? Consider applying to the John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, or Truman Scholarship.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs; look into the Hertz Fellowship and NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program.
Fourth Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Finish all upper division requirements and electives, including lab and Allied Subjects courses and any courses for your concentration.
- Enroll in CHEM H193 if doing an Honors Thesis; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
- Get published! Submit your work to Cell Mates or the Berkeley Scientific Journal.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Connect with alumni groups such as Berkeley College of Chemistry Alumni.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Apply to the College of Chemistry Transfer Student Mentorship Program.
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course.
- Learn the art of STEM communication in ENGIN 185.
- Engage in mentored research through the Amgen Scholars Program, National Science Foundation, or Department of Energy.
- Go abroad through UCEAP or Berkeley Study Abroad.
- Learn about health science with the UCSF Summer Research Training Program, Summer Student Research Program, or Undergraduate Research Internship.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate—check out programs in Electrochemistry and Sustainability.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
Undergraduate Advising
Have questions about Chemical Biology or the College of Chemistry?
The College of Chemistry offers undergraduate advising to students in the Chemical Biology, Chemical Engineering, and Chemistry majors. College Advisors are available to guide you in course selection, completion of degree requirements, and other academic decision-making. Peer Advisors offer advice regarding selecting courses, designing a balanced workload, how to obtain research, and support with developing an academic plan.
In addition to staff and peer advising, you are encouraged to meet with a Faculty Mentor. Your Faculty Mentor is an expert in their academic discipline in research and teaching, and is available to talk with you about career planning, research, internships, graduate school, and many other questions related to becoming a scientist or engineer. For Faculty Mentor as well as College and Peer Advisor contacts, visit chemistry.berkeley.edu.
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