It looks like there’s new light for molecular biology in the undergraduate world.
Often times, the pursuit of a degree in a particular scientific field ends before it begins; there are plenty of fields of scientific study that are reserved for more specialized professional or graduate programs. But that is no longer the case at Penn State’s Berks campus, as the just received approval from the flagship University Park campus to award bachelor of science in biochemistry and molecular biology. This rounds out the selection of degree programs offered at Penn State Berks.
And to everyone who believes that the United States is slipping when it comes to science? Not so fast- the program coordinator of the degree program, Maureen Dunbar, has declared that the biochemistry and molecular biology degrees are on pace to becoming the highest enrolled biology-related programs that Berks offers. There are several reasons for this, chief among them being that the MCAT is undergoing several major changes. Namely, biochemistry will be involved in the newer test format. On another note, both biochemistry and molecular biology open up very wide career paths of which the students will surely take advantage.
Some of you may already know the difference between biochemistry and molecular biology, and their respective applications, but it is worth it to some to touch up on the matter.
Biochemistry is a field of biology that combines the foundational principles of chemistry and physics to explore the molecular, genetic, and cellular worlds from a biological perspective. Students who take this up as a study develop a solid foundation in several specialized areas of the biological sciences, such as enzymology, cell biology, and metabolism. Studying biochemistry preps students for careers in the pharmaceutical industry, biotech and health industries, government, and lab work. And of course, graduate school.
Those that take the molecular biology path (studying cells and their varying relationships), find themselves interested in and well-suited for many of the same industries as biochemistry, as well as education, medicine, and research.