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.
Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Major | Minor
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.
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.
Joelle Friesen, M.D. '17
Chief Medical Resident at Mayo Clinic
Cost and Scholarships.
There is no scholarship reserved only for this major, but 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 and talk with a real person in the financial aid office.
Facilities & Resources
Common Questions About Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Yes. Many Goshen students commute from nearby Indiana counties, and staying close to home is the norm here, not a compromise. The campus sits in Goshen, Indiana, and small classes mean you are known by name whether you live on campus or drive in for labs and lectures.
Graduates pursue medical school, graduate research, biotechnology, and life-science careers, working as geneticists, molecular biologists, research scientists, pharmacologists, biomedical engineers, and clinical lab technologists. Over a recent five-year average, 86% of applicants to medical school were accepted, and 93% of graduates were employed, in grad school, or in service within a year.
Goshen College is a small, values-centered community where students who arrive from across the world find people quickly. Students work alongside faculty in the same small labs regardless of where they are from, or what they believe in. If you are an international student, contact Goshen admissions and the international student office directly for visa, advising, and scholarship details.
Ready to get started?
Phil Allman
Professor of Marine Biology
Andy Ammons
Professor of Biology
Luke Kreider
Associate Professor of Religion and Sustainability
Raquel Montanez Gonzalez
Associate Professor of Biology
Jonathon Schramm
Professor of Sustainability and Environmental Education
Department ChairDan Smith
Professor of Chemistry
Department Chair
