Did you know that the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major at UMass is accredited by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), a leading professional society in the molecular life sciences? Accreditation recognizes that our program meets national standards set by the ASBMB for the undergraduate curriculum, including experiential learning, student research opportunities, and ethics and safety training; facilities used by students, as well as advising and an emphasis on diversity; and faculty training, scholarship, and engagement with undergraduates. As an accredited program, we also offer BMB majors the opportunity to take the ASBMB proficiency exam as they near completion of their undergraduate studies. With a high score on the ASBMB exam, students can earn a national credential to add to their résumés.
A group of BMB majors elected to be among the approximately 930 undergraduates at 80 ASBMB-accredited programs across the country who took the ASBMB exam this year. Nationally, 31.7% of students scored in the top two categories, Mastery and Proficiency, with only 7% of the total scoring in the top category of Mastery. Overall, 3 BMB majors scored in the highest category (“Mastery”), with an additional 5 BMB majors scoring in the next highest category (“Proficiency”). We congratulate these students on their accomplishment!