Bachelor of Arts

Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

Major

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Why study molecular biology and biochemistry at Goshen?

You do real chemistry and lab work early, so you graduate with the proof med schools, grad programs and employers look for.

The Molecular Biology and Biochemistry program at Goshen College studies the structure and function of proteins, DNA and RNA in living systems. In a recent five-year stretch, 86% of applicants headed to medical school were accepted.

With small classes and faculty who mentor you by name, you learn how gene expression is regulated and how biological macromolecules behave. That preparation points you toward medical school, graduate research, biotechnology or the life sciences.

  • 86%
    of molecular biology and biochemistry applicants to medical school were accepted over a recent five-year period
  • 7
    career paths this program prepares you for, from research scientist to physician or surgeon
  • 8
    weeks of paid, faculty-mentored summer research through the Maple Scholars program

    Built around your life

    If you are the first in your family to head into science, you belong here. Pursue the full major, with small classes that mean you are never just a face in a lecture hall.

    Many students commute from nearby Indiana counties, and staying close to home is the norm here, not a compromise. Whether you are a 30-minute drive away, or come from across the hemisphere, you will find a place in our Goshen College labs. 

    What you’ll study

    CORE and elective courses cover the molecular machinery of life: Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Microbial Biology, Molecular Genetics and Organic Chemistry. You learn the science by doing it, in weekly labs from early on.

    You will finish with a collaborative research project that serves as your senior thesis, the kind of work you can name on a med-school or graduate-school application. View the complete program requirements in our catalog.

    program requirements

    • My time at Goshen College nurtured curiosity, compassion, humility, critical thinking, and commitment to peace and justice, laying a strong foundation for my work as a physician. Cross-cultural engagement, including time in Senegal and Morocco, broadened my perspectives and taught me the power of connection while the campus community’s culture of support showed me the importance of growing deep roots. I’m deeply grateful for GC’s enduring commitment to helping each student grow, learn, and thrive.

      Joelle Friesen, M.D. '17

      Chief Medical Resident at Mayo Clinic

    Where graduates go

    Graduates are prepared for roles such as biomedical engineer, clinical lab technologist, geneticist, molecular biologist, pharmacologist, physician or surgeon and research scientist. Alumni have gone on to graduate from medical schools and now work in research institutions, hospitals, government agencies, and biotech companies.

    Pay for Goshen College

    You may qualify for general academic scholarships or science awards through Goshen College. To see your own price after aid, run the net price calculator or  explore your options at the financial aid and scholarships pages.

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    Facilities & resources

      Common questions about molecular biology and biochemistry

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