2024-25 Academic Catalog

Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition, and Health Promotion

Department Head: Daniel Peterson (Interim)
Undergraduate Advisor: Aswathy Rai
Graduate Advisor: Natraj Krishnan
 

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program

The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology program within the Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Promotion (BCHNHP) involves disciplines at the cutting edge of a revolution in biology. Molecular methods and the use of genetic engineering have given scientists unprecedented power to explore the chemistry of life processes. The Department of BCHNHP prepares students at Mississippi State for this exciting area. In addition to the undergraduate curriculum in biochemistry and molecular biology, the department provides opportunities for an M.S. degree in Agricultural Life Sciences with a concentration in Biochemistry and a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology (See the Graduate Bulletin for description of programs and requirements for advanced degrees).

For the Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry, the objective of this curriculum is to provide the student with a strong background in science, and to prepare the student for entry into professional schools, graduate study and/or highly technical scientific careers after graduation. The program is accredited by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), located at 900 7th Street, NW, Suite 550, Washington, DC 20001; telephone 202-783-1783; www.asbmb.org. This accreditation ensures that graduates are well-equipped for advanced studies and professional opportunities in biochemistry and molecular biology, and that the curriculum aligns with national standards in biochemistry and molecular biology. There are sufficient individual choices in the curriculum to allow students to tailor their programs to any of several areas of specialization by appropriate use of elective hours.

Biochemistry Minor

The Biochemistry minor is offered to allow undergraduate students in other majors to develop specific skills needed by graduates entering the science-related workforce. Students will enhance their written and oral communication skills and develop problem-solving/application skills. Students must complete 19 to 20 hours of approved coursework.

Graduate Studies Track

Students aiming for a career requiring graduate education should take Genetics and Cell Biology as technical electives. Since many graduate programs require some form of physical chemistry, it is strongly suggested that students take CH 4413/CH 4423 Quantum Mechanics and Spectroscopy or CH 4403 Biophysical Chemistry as technical electives.

Preparation for entry into an accelerated Master's Program (THESIS) in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

This program requires careful planning by the student in order to complete the requirements for the B.S. while beginning a research program that should result in successful completion of a Master’s thesis at the end of the second summer after the B.S. Only exceptional and motivated students should attempt this program. It is critical that BCH 4603 General Biochemistry I be scheduled in the spring of the sophomore year. The student will be expected to begin a research project in the senior year by taking up to nine hours of Directed Individual Study courses (BCH 4000). Research will continue during the summer after completion of the B.S. degree. The student must register for BCH 8000 (3 hours) Thesis Research during the summer. In addition, the student should schedule a graduate level BCH course and ST 8114 in the spring of the senior year.

The student interested in the five-year program should apply early in the undergraduate program to facilitate the scheduling of courses to conform to time constraints. The student must complete the courses required for completion of the BS degree with no more than 10 hours remaining in the semester of expected graduation.

Preparation for entry into an accelerated Master's Program (NON-THESIS) in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

This program requires careful planning by the student to complete the requirements for the B.S. while initiating graduate work that should result in completion of courses leading to a Master’s Degree, non-thesis concentration. This curriculum allows completion of the two degrees in a minimum of five years. Required courses and electives must be scheduled so that the student has only eight hours of undergraduate course work remaining in the spring of the senior year. The student should then schedule ST 8114 Statistical Methods and an 8000 level BCH course in that same semester. Graduate work must include BCH 8654 Intermediary Metabolism or BCH 8633 Enzymes and BCH 7000 (3 hrs) Directed Individual Study (to allow completion of an independent research paper).

The student interested in the five-year program should apply early in the undergraduate program to facilitate the scheduling of courses to conform to time constraints. The student must complete the courses required for completion of the B.S. Degree with no more than 10 hours remaining in the semester of expected graduation.

Preparation for entry into an accelerated Ph.D. Program in Molecular Biology

This program requires careful planning by the student in order to complete the requirements for the B.S. while beginning a research program that should meaningfully accelerate progress towards early completion of the Ph.D. degree in Molecular Biology. By initiating a research program in the senior year, a student should reduce the time to completion of the Ph.D. by a year. Only exceptional and motivated students should attempt this program. It is critical that BCH 4603 General Biochemistry I be scheduled in the spring of the sophomore year.

The student will be expected to begin a research project in the senior year by taking the Directed Individual Study Courses. Research will continue during the summer after completion of the B.S. degree. The student must register for BCH 9000 Research in Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Promotion during the summer.

The student should plan his/her complete graduate program of study in conjunction with research Director and Graduate Committee. Since the Ph.D. is primarily a research degree, ultimate time to completion will be dependent upon the period necessary to satisfy the research requirements of the Graduate Committee. This concentration allows the student to begin that research substantially earlier than usual.

Preparation for entry into  Pharm.D. Program University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Pharmacy.

This program requires careful planning by the student to complete the requirements for the B.S. while initiating professional studies that should result in completion of courses leading to a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. It allows students to finish their general education requirements and at least 30 hours of upper-level coursework for a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry at Mississippi State University within three years. After successfully applying to and completing the first year of professional studies at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Pharmacy, students must request that their UTHSC transcript be sent to Mississippi State University's Office of the Registrar. Once reviewed, the transcript will be applied to the student's academic record, and the appropriate Bachelor of Science degree will be awarded upon application for graduation.

Guaranteed Interview Agreement Eligibility and Process: Students at Mississippi State University who meet the following minimum requirements are eligible for a Guaranteed Interview Agreement (GIA) with the UTHSC College of Pharmacy, regardless of their degree path or participation in the 3 + 1 program:

  1. Cumulative Science GPA: A cumulative science GPA of 2.75 or higher must be maintained at the time of application.
  2. Application Process: GIA applicants must apply for admission through PharmCAS using the Early Decision designation.

For further details, please contact the undergraduate coordinator for the Biochemistry program.
 

Preparation for entry into Pharm.D. Program University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy. 

This program requires careful planning by the student in order to complete the requirements for the B.S. while initiating professional studies that should result in completion of courses leading to a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. It allows students to finish their general education requirements and at least 30 hours of upper-level coursework for a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry at Mississippi State University (MSU) within three years. After successfully applying to and completing the first year of professional studies at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, students must request that their transcript from the University of Mississippi be sent to MSU's Office of the Registrar. Once reviewed, the transcript will be applied to the student’s academic record, and the appropriate Bachelor of Science degree will be awarded upon application for graduation.

Additional Requirements:

  • Continuous Enrollment: Students must maintain continuous enrollment at MSU throughout the program.
  • Pre-Pharmacy Courses: All required pre-pharmacy courses must be completed at Mississippi State University. The only exception is if a course is not available at MSU and is taken at the University of Mississippi or another four-year institution approved by the University of Mississippi.
  • GPA Requirement: A cumulative science GPA of 2.75 or higher must be maintained at the time of application.
  • Course Grades: Students must earn a grade of C or higher in all required courses.
  • Transfer Option: Students will have the option to transfer courses completed during their first year at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy back to MSU to fulfill the requirements for their Bachelor's degree.

Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion

The Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion major offers the opportunity to gain a broad education in food science, nutrition, and health, as well as the specific academic background to pursue careers as food scientists and dietitians/nutritionists. It involves the integration of new knowledge and advances in technology and the physical and biological sciences with psychological, sociological, and behavioral sciences in the provision of a safe, nutritious food supply. Research, teaching, and outreach extend the continuum from the processing of food to its marketing, consumption, and impact on public health and community.

Food scientists integrate knowledge from engineering, biological, and physical sciences to study the nature of foods, the causes of deterioration, the principles underlying food processing, and the improvement of foods for the consuming public. Food technology is the application of food science to the selection, preservation, processing, packaging, distribution, and use of safe, nutritious, and wholesome foods (http://www.ift.org/knowledge-enter/learnabout-food-science.aspx, 2013).

The Department offers a degree in Culinology®. This is a dual degree program in which students take courses at Mississippi State University and the Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, MS. The Culinology® curriculum includes courses that combine the disciplines of food science and culinary arts. Culinologists work in diverse areas within the food industries - from experimental chefs to food manufacturing and product development.

The Pre-Health Professions concentration is designed to develop students who have a thorough understanding of the principles of food science and have also fulfilled the prerequisites for medical school or other health-related professional or graduate school programs (examples include but are not limited to: medicine, nursing, physician's assistant, physical therapy, pharmacy, occupational therapy, public health, optometry, podiatry, and others). 

Dietitians are food and nutrition experts studying the relationship of nutrition and diet in promoting health and treating disease. Studies include nutritional science, medical nutrition therapy, community nutrition, food service, food production and management of food service operations, chemistry, physiology, plus a variety of supporting coursework in related disciplines. The Food and Nutrition concentration is an accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) through the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, providing the required course work needed to apply for a supervised practice program required for Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) eligibility. (The terms Registered Dietitian (RD) and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) are used interchangeably.)

Students in Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion have many exciting and diverse career opportunities. Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion careers include Research Scientist (Industrial, Government, Academic); Food Engineer; Food Microbiologist; Research and Development; Product Development Technologist; Research Chef; Food Manufacturing Operations Manager; Quality Control Technician; Regulatory Affairs; Food Packaging Specialist; Processing Engineer; Technical Sales in the Food Industry; Technical Services; Public Health/Community Nutritionist; Clinical Nutrition Educator; Nutrition Educator; Registered Dietitian (Pediatric, Cardiovascular, Renal, Private Practice, Sports/Wellness, Weight Management, Business and Industry, and Journalism and Communications); Healthcare/School Food Service Director; Pharmaceutical Sales Representative; and Public Relations and Marketing Specialists.

A major in Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion is also an excellent choice for students interested in pursuing pre-professional career paths like Veterinary School, Medical School, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Nursing School, and Dental School.

The following concentrations are offered in the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion:

  • Food Processing/Business
  • Food Science
  • Food Safety (pre-vet)
  • Food and Nutrition
  • Pre-Health Professions

Food and Nutrition Concentration

The Food and Nutrition concentration prepares students for a wide variety of careers. For students interested in becoming a Registered Dietitian, the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) at Mississippi State University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL, 60606-6995; telephone 800-877-1600 or 312-899-0040, http://www.eatright.org/ACEND. Upon completion of the DPD program, graduates may pursue participation in a supervised practice program/dietetic internship.

Didactic Program in Dietetics:

  1. To enter the Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPD) Food and Nutrition concentration, students must have a 3.0 GPA and have completed the following courses with a grade of "C" or better: CH 1213 Chemistry ICH 1211 Investigations in Chemistry I, CH 1223 Chemistry II, CH 1221 Investigations in Chemistry II, CH 2503 Elementary Organic Chemistry, CH 2501 Elementary Organic Chemistry Laboratory, BIO 1134 Biology I, FNH 2293 Individual and Family Nutrition, ST 2113 Introduction to Statistics.
  2. A grade of "C" or better is required in all DPD courses. A course with a final grade lower than a "C" must be repeated.
  3. Students who wish to receive a Letter of Intent and/or verification statement from the MSU Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA and a minimum grade of "C" or better in all of the required DPD courses.
  4. Six (6) hours are available for electives, and students are encouraged to consider an academic minor.
  5. Transfer credits with a grade of "C" or better will be considered toward fulfilling degree requirements. After completion of the DPD undergraduate degree, successful completion of the supervised practice program/dietetic internship, followed by passing the Registration Exam, a student fulfills the requirements to become a Registered Dietitian. Beginning in January 2024, a minimum of a Master's degree will be an eligibility requirement to take the Registration Exam.