← Departments

BIOCHEM

Biochemistry

Get a feel for the department. Find your next class.

Explore prerequisite map →

Browse all Biochemistry courses →

The department at a glance

All recorded grades
average GPA
A / AB grades
letter grades

How grades break down

Grades over time

Red: department · Gray: UW–Madison

About these statistics

GPA and percentages are weighted by recorded letter grades. UW comparisons use the same terms. Cross-listed courses count once within this department and once across UW; department totals should not be added together. Grade counts are not unique students. Offering counts reflect captured records, not a complete historical schedule.

Fall 2026

Recorded this term
courses with offerings
instructors recorded

Grades have not been recorded for this term. Historical results remain in the overview above.

Find your next class

35 courses

Historical grades cover up to five years through the selected term. Grade sorting prioritizes courses with at least 100 letter grades.

BIOCHEM 100 introduces students to the biochemistry discipline, department, faculty research, university resources, and career paths.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

BIOCHEM 104 introduces molecular life and evolution, exploring current biotechnology and genetic topics to foster scientific literacy.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Homework requires approximately 30 minutes per week, indicating a manageable workload.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

BIOCHEM 299 is an independent study course where students conduct research under the direct guidance of a Biochemistry faculty member.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

BIOCHEM 375 is a variable-content course examining special topics in biochemistry, with specific themes determined by the instructor and semester.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

The course was rated as having low difficulty by one historical reviewer.

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026 · limited sample

Covers the chemistry, nutrition, and metabolism of biological systems.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

The course involves four noncumulative exams requiring significant memorization of cycles and pathways. Some reviewers find their specific sections dense and difficult, particularly those focusing on catabolism, while others note that exams are fair if students study practice problems.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

Covers the chemistry of biological materials, intermediary metabolism, and protein structure.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Aaron Hoskins, Michael Cox, Timothy Grant: Students must read the textbook to succeed, as lectures alone are insufficient. Exams cover vast amounts of information, including small details, and can be challenging with easy point loss despite preparation.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY II covers biosynthesis, signal transduction, nucleic acid metabolism, and protein synthesis.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

The course requires significant memorization of metabolic pathways and reactions. Students report that dense content and difficult exams necessitate creating condensed study tables and dedicating ample time to preparation to finish exams on time.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

BIOCHEMICAL METHODS introduces modern biochemical laboratory techniques and current literature through lab experiments and student seminars.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Lynne Prost: Reviewers report that lectures move too fast to take notes and lab grading criteria are unclear. The lab work is described as tedious and repetitive for those with prior experience, while exams are considered easy.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

BIOCHEM 601 covers protein structure, dynamics, folding, and the physical organic chemistry of enzymatic catalysis and reaction mechanisms.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2025 · limited sample

BIOCHEM 681 is a senior honors thesis course for Biochemistry undergraduates in an Honors program, involving individual study arranged with a faculty member.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

No recorded grade history

BIOCHEM 682 is the second semester of an individual study senior honors thesis in Biochemistry.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2022 · limited sample

BIOCHEM 691 is a course for undergraduate students to complete a Biochemistry thesis under faculty arrangement.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

No recorded grade history

BIOCHEM 692 is a second-semester individual study course for undergraduates completing a biochemistry thesis.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2022 · limited sample

BIOCHEM 699 offers academic credit for research, library, or laboratory work conducted under faculty guidance.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Aaron Hoskins receives a single negative review citing poor communication and judgment, which the reviewer claims negatively impacts student career prospects.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

BIOCHEM 719 covers advanced topics in protein, nucleic acid, and membrane biochemistry, emphasizing primary literature analysis and experimental design.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2025 · limited sample

BIOCHEMICAL COMMUNICATION introduces written and visual communication of biochemical research to scientists and general audiences.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2025 · limited sample

BIOCHEM 729 covers specialized subjects of current interest in biochemistry.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

BIOCHEM 799 is a practicum providing instructional orientation, direct teaching experience, and evaluation analysis for biochemistry teaching at the higher education level.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

No recorded grade history

An advanced seminar covering special topics and literature reports in molecular virology.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Fall 2025 · limited sample

SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY SEMINAR covers understanding and designing biological systems from biomolecules to ecosystems.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026 · limited sample
BIOCHEM 990

Research

1–12 credits

BIOCHEM 990 is a research course for graduate students to conduct independent laboratory work under faculty supervision in preparation for a thesis or dissertation.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

No recorded grade history

A seminar for CIBM program trainees discussing current research in computation and informatics in biology and medicine.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

BIOCHEM/BMOLCHEM 701 provides introductory training in professional standards, ethical research practices, and graduate career development for bioscience scientists.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2025 · limited sample

A seminar for Biotechnology Training Program trainees to present their research for critical review by an audience.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

CHEMICAL BIOLOGY covers the chemistry and biology of macromolecules and applies organic chemistry to cell biology and biomedicine.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Andrew Buller: The course requires reading papers and completing assignments, characterized as heavy biology with a high difficulty rating.

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2025

This graduate course covers various selected topics in contemporary macromolecular and biophysical chemistry.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

The course difficulty is rated as moderate, with a rating of 3 out of 5.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

A graduate seminar focusing on presentations and discussions of recent chemical biology research.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Fall 2025

Covers genetics and genomics applied to plant development, including breeding systems, linkage, and genome structure.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2025

Across course levels

Recorded this term

No released grades for this term.

Recorded offerings over time

Offering snapshots currently cover Fall 2026. Earlier grade records do not provide a complete offering history.