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What To Learn

High School

What high school courses should you take if you're interested in this career? Get your answers from the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics cluster Science and Mathematics pathway.

Beyond High School

Here's a list of programs that you should consider if you're interested in this career:

Education Level

Education training and experience are required at different levels for success in different occupations.

Doctoral degree

Biochemists and biophysicists need a Ph.D. to work in independent research and development positions. Most Ph.D. holders begin their careers in a temporary postdoctoral research positions. Bachelor’s and master’s degree holders are qualified for some entry-level positions in biochemistry and biophysics.

Insider Info

Additional Information

If you're still in high school, take at least one year of biology, chemistry and physics, along with algebra, geometry and trigonometry.

English courses that emphasize writing skills are highly recommended. Scientists must be able to communicate their results clearly and accurately.

The best way to prepare for a career in biochemistry is to get a bachelor's degree in this area. However, you can get similar training if you get a degree in chemistry and choose courses in biology, biochemistry and molecular genetics. You could also get a degree in biology and take chemistry, physics and mathematics courses.

A bachelor's degree in biochemistry or a related discipline is the minimum requirement for any work in the field. Many biochemists, especially those at universities and research facilities, have PhDs.

"There's definitely lots of opportunities at the bachelor's and master's level as well," says biochemist Jan Rainey. "As with any science, the level of originality you can bring to your position depends on how high your training is, so most of the positions at bachelor's and master's levels might be a little more routine -- more lab technician or that sort of supporting level orientation -- whereas once you're at the PhD level then jobs tend to be more along the lines of designing your own projects and having more high level independence of your work."

Biochemist Penny Beuning also sees people with bachelor's degrees in biochemistry getting jobs.

"I'm in Boston [and] there are so many biotech companies here that hire bachelor's level people all the time," says Beuning. "They do lots of things... They'll do things like purify proteins and develop assays (tests used for analysis).

"[If] a company has some protein they think is involved in a disease but they don't know, maybe that person is going to try to figure out a way to make the protein in a way... that is suitable for experiments to test their ideas," Beuning says.

A master's degree or doctoral degree can be required for employment as a research biochemist with universities, government or private firms.

Biochemists in academic positions have normally completed a post-doctoral fellowship, especially if research is a large part of their job. Five years is a typical length of time for such a fellowship. They are usually completed at a university but sometimes in industry or at a government lab.

Contact

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    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900
  • North Dakota Career Resource Network
    ndcrn@nd.gov | (701) 328-9733

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