BS in Chemistry with Concentration in Chemical Biology 48 months Undergraduate Program By Duke University |Top Universities

BS in Chemistry with Concentration in Chemical Biology

Subject Ranking

# =101QS Subject Rankings

Program Duration

48 monthsProgram duration

Main Subject Area

ChemistryMain Subject Area

Program overview

Main Subject

Chemistry

Degree

BS

Study Level

Undergraduate

Chemistry is typically described in introductory texts as the study of the properties and behavior of matter. A more modern definition might take the microscopic view and describe chemistry as the science of atoms, molecules, and their interactions. As such, chemistry crosses scales from isolated, individual atoms and molecules to complex interacting collections of molecules such as those found in the cell, and disciplines from biology and medicine to materials science and engineering. This broad range of applicability is why chemistry is often referred to as the central science. The field has traditionally been divided into sub-disciplines including analytical, biological, inorganic, organic, physical and theoretical chemistry, but the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of chemistry makes such categorizations limiting (although they largely persist within the undergraduate chemistry curriculum). Indeed some would describe chemistry in terms of what chemists do, for example designing and synthesizing new molecules and materials, developing new experimental methods and instrumentation to probe, characterize and manipulate molecules, and developing new theories and computational methods to understand and predict molecular behavior. Current interdisciplinary applications of chemistry at Duke range from elucidating and controlling signaling in biological systems, to designing chemical separation and identification technologies for genomics and proteomics, to developing new chemical contrast agents and imaging methods in biomedicine, to the synthesis, assembly, and theory of nanoscale materials and devices. Training in the discipline must then go beyond the traditional areas of chemistry and provide sufficiently general skills and a sufficiently broad understanding of molecular science that the power of chemical thinking can be brought to bear on complex scientific and technological problems for the betterment of society. The Department of Chemistry is pleased to offer B.S. degree in chemistry with a Concentration in Chemical Biology. Certification of the concentration is designated on the official transcript. Chemical Biology is a relatively new scientific area that explores the chemical nature of life. For decades the traditional disciplines of chemistry - synthetic, physical and theoretical chemistry - have been mapped onto the task of understanding discrete biological entities, from proteins to nucleic acids to lipids. In contrast, Chemical Biology focuses on studying biological processes on the molecular level with a chemical approach and on developing molecular tools to both interrogate and manipulate biological processes. Chemical Biology is highly interdisciplinary, and overlaps with many other areas, including molecular biology, structural biology, bioinformatics, proteomics, organic chemistry, pharmacology, and medicinal chemistry. The field is primarily concerned with research at the chemistry-biology interface, but is in practice largely focused on small molecules as research tools and potential therapeutics. Because chemical biology uses small molecules to probe and manipulate biology, the pharmacological treatment of human disease is a natural outgrowth of the discipline. This area of concentration requires that students take specific courses in biological sciences and chemistry, and at least two semesters of research in Chemical Biology. The required courses include BIOLOGY 201L and BIOCHEM 301, which provide the necessary biological background for Chemistry majors to proceed with studies in Chemical Biology, as well as CHEM 517 (Molecules in Life and Disease) and CHEM 518 (Chemical Biology); in certain cases other appropriate courses may be substituted with permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Program overview

Main Subject

Chemistry

Degree

BS

Study Level

Undergraduate

Chemistry is typically described in introductory texts as the study of the properties and behavior of matter. A more modern definition might take the microscopic view and describe chemistry as the science of atoms, molecules, and their interactions. As such, chemistry crosses scales from isolated, individual atoms and molecules to complex interacting collections of molecules such as those found in the cell, and disciplines from biology and medicine to materials science and engineering. This broad range of applicability is why chemistry is often referred to as the central science. The field has traditionally been divided into sub-disciplines including analytical, biological, inorganic, organic, physical and theoretical chemistry, but the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of chemistry makes such categorizations limiting (although they largely persist within the undergraduate chemistry curriculum). Indeed some would describe chemistry in terms of what chemists do, for example designing and synthesizing new molecules and materials, developing new experimental methods and instrumentation to probe, characterize and manipulate molecules, and developing new theories and computational methods to understand and predict molecular behavior. Current interdisciplinary applications of chemistry at Duke range from elucidating and controlling signaling in biological systems, to designing chemical separation and identification technologies for genomics and proteomics, to developing new chemical contrast agents and imaging methods in biomedicine, to the synthesis, assembly, and theory of nanoscale materials and devices. Training in the discipline must then go beyond the traditional areas of chemistry and provide sufficiently general skills and a sufficiently broad understanding of molecular science that the power of chemical thinking can be brought to bear on complex scientific and technological problems for the betterment of society. The Department of Chemistry is pleased to offer B.S. degree in chemistry with a Concentration in Chemical Biology. Certification of the concentration is designated on the official transcript. Chemical Biology is a relatively new scientific area that explores the chemical nature of life. For decades the traditional disciplines of chemistry - synthetic, physical and theoretical chemistry - have been mapped onto the task of understanding discrete biological entities, from proteins to nucleic acids to lipids. In contrast, Chemical Biology focuses on studying biological processes on the molecular level with a chemical approach and on developing molecular tools to both interrogate and manipulate biological processes. Chemical Biology is highly interdisciplinary, and overlaps with many other areas, including molecular biology, structural biology, bioinformatics, proteomics, organic chemistry, pharmacology, and medicinal chemistry. The field is primarily concerned with research at the chemistry-biology interface, but is in practice largely focused on small molecules as research tools and potential therapeutics. Because chemical biology uses small molecules to probe and manipulate biology, the pharmacological treatment of human disease is a natural outgrowth of the discipline. This area of concentration requires that students take specific courses in biological sciences and chemistry, and at least two semesters of research in Chemical Biology. The required courses include BIOLOGY 201L and BIOCHEM 301, which provide the necessary biological background for Chemistry majors to proceed with studies in Chemical Biology, as well as CHEM 517 (Molecules in Life and Disease) and CHEM 518 (Chemical Biology); in certain cases other appropriate courses may be substituted with permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Admission requirements

7+
Other English language requirements : TOEFL with a paper-based score of 600.
48 Months
Jan-2000

Tuition fee and scholarships

Domestic Students

0 USD
-

International Students

0 USD
-

One of the important factors when considering a master's degree is the cost of study. Luckily, there are many options available to help students fund their master's programme. Download your copy of the Scholarship Guide to find out which scholarships from around the world could be available to you, and how to apply for them.

In this guide you will find:
opportunities

Where to look for scholarship opportunities

how_to

How to apply to scholarships relevant to you

list

A list of available scholarships around the world

checklist

A scholarship application checklist

banner
download_icon Download Scholarship Guide

More programs from the university

Duke University offers two undergraduate paths: liberal arts and engineering.

 

Depending on your interests, you’ll be able to choose between 53 majors, including:

  • Russian

  • Visual arts

  • Romance studies

  • Mathematics

  • Global health

  • Environmental engineering

BA in Art History

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BA in English

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BA in German

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BA in History

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BA in Linguistics

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BA in Music

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BA in Philosophy

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BA in Russian

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BA in Visual Arts

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BA in Psychology

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BS in Psychology

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BA in Chemistry

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BA in Mathematics

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BA in Physics

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BS in Chemistry

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BS in Mathematics

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BS in Physics

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BA in Economics

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BA in Religion

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BA in Sociology

::type_cta_button:: View Details

BS in Economics

::type_cta_button:: View Details

Duke University’s graduate school runs over 70 certificates, master’s degrees and PhDs, including:

  • Genetics and genomics

  • Earth and ocean sciences

  • Molecular cancer biology

  • Public policy studies

  • Psychology and neuroscience

Undergrad programs 168