Major in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics
All students are required to complete 43 units of required courses offered by the MB3 Program or by the departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Computer and Information Sciences, and an additional 27-35 units within one of the three concentrations.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| BIOL 200 & 200L | INTRODUCTION TO CELLULAR BIOLOGY AND GENETICS [LECTURE] and INTRODUCTION TO CELLULAR BIOLOGY AND GENETICS [LAB] | 4 |
| BIOL 309 | GENETICS | 4 |
| BIOL 409 | MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | 4 |
| CHEM 131 & 131L | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LECTURE and GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY | 4 |
| CHEM 132 & 132L | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LECTURE and GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY | 4 |
| CHEM 351 | BIOCHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| MATH 237 | ELEMENTARY BIOSTATISTICS | 4 |
| MATH 273 | CALCULUS I | 4 |
| MBBB 201 | PROGRAMMING FOR BIOLOGISTS | 4 |
| or COSC 175 | GEN COMPUTER SCI | |
| MBBB 301 | INTRO TO BIOINFORMATICS | 4 |
| MBBB 493 | SEMINAR IN BIOETHICS | 1 |
| Select one of the following (courses may be repeated for a total of 6 units toward the major): 1 | 3 | |
| CAPSTONE PROJECT IN MBBB | ||
| ELECTIVE IN INDEPENDENT RESEARCH | ||
| RESEARCH IN CHEMISTRY | ||
| INDEPENDENT STUDY | ||
| Total Units | 43 | |
| 1 | Or an approved elective in BIOL, CHEM, COSC, CIS or MBBB 3XX, 4XX |
Students must select one of the following Concentrations:
Molecular Biology Concentration (27-28 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 408 | CELL BIOLOGY | 4 |
| Choose one of the following laboratory courses | 2 | |
| GENETICS LABORATORY | ||
| MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY | ||
| CELL BIOLOGY LABORATORY | ||
| Required Chemistry and Physics courses | ||
| CHEM 331 & CHEM 332 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II | 10 |
| PHYS 211 & PHYS 212 | GENERAL PHYSICS I; NON CALCULUS-BASED and GENERAL PHYSICS II; NON CALCULUS-BASED | 8 |
| Biology upper-level elective | 3-4 | |
| Total Units | 27-28 | |
Biochemistry Concentration (33 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 210 | ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| CHEM 331 & CHEM 332 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II | 10 |
| CHEM 345 | PRINCIPLES PHYSICAL CHEM | 3 |
| CHEM 356 | BIOCHEMISTRY LAB | 2 |
| CHEM 357 | BIOCHEMISTRY II | 3 |
| or BIOL/CHEM 450 | ECOLOGICAL BIOCHEMISTRY | |
| CHEM 372 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY | 2 |
| PHYS 211 & PHYS 212 | GENERAL PHYSICS I; NON CALCULUS-BASED and GENERAL PHYSICS II; NON CALCULUS-BASED | 8 |
| or PHYS 241 & PHYS 242 | GENERAL PHYSICS I CALCULUS-BASED and GENERAL PHYSICS II CALCULUS-BASED | |
| Total Units | 33 | |
Bioinformatics Concentration (30–35 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 330 | ESSENTIALS OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY 1 | 5-10 |
| or CHEM 331 & CHEM 332 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II | |
| COSC 236 & COSC 237 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE I and INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE II | 8 |
| COSC 336 | DATA STRUCTURES AND ALGORITHM ANALYSIS | 4 |
| COSC 457 | DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS | 3 |
| or CIS 458 | ORGANIZATIONAL DATABASE MANAGEMENT | |
| MATH 263 | DISCRETE MATHEMATICS | 3 |
| or MBBB 315 | GENOMICS | |
| MATH 274 | CALCULUS II | 4 |
| MBBB 401 | ADVANCED BIOINFORMATICS | 3 |
| Total Units | 30-35 | |
| 1 | Note: Many graduate and professional programs require two terms of physics and two terms of organic chemistry and/or calculus. Students who are contemplating education beyond the undergraduate level (graduate school, medical school, etc.) need to talk with an adviser. |
Note: Below are idealized plans of study for each of the three concentrations within the MB3 major. Actual plans of study will vary significantly between students depending on high school preparation, performance in classes, additional commitments and career goals.
Biochemistry Concentration Suggested Four-Year Plan
Based on course availability and student needs and preferences, the selected sequences will probably vary from those presented below. Students should consult with their adviser to make the most appropriate elective choices.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| MATH 273 or 237 | 4 | BIOL 200 & 200L | 4 |
| CHEM 131 & 131L | 4 | CHEM 132 & 132L | 4 |
| TSEM 102 or ENGL 102 (Core 1 or Core 2) | 3 | TSEM 102 or ENGL 102 (Core 1 or Core 2) | 3 |
| Core 4, 5 or 6 | 3 | Core 4, 5 or 6 (do not repeat from Term 1) | 3 |
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| CHEM 331 | 5 | CHEM 332 | 5 |
| BIOL 309 | 4 | MATH 237 or 273 | 4 |
| MBBB 201 or COSC 175 | 4 | MBBB 493 | 1 |
| Core | 3 | Core | 3 |
| Core | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| CHEM 210 | 5 | CHEM 351 | 3 |
| MBBB 301 or BIOL 409 | 4 | CHEM 356 | 2 |
| PHYS 211 or 241 | 4 | BIOL 409 or MBBB 301 | 4 |
| Core | 3 | PHYS 212 or 242 | 4 |
| Core | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| CHEM 357 | 3 | CHEM 345 | 3 |
| Research | 3 | CHEM 372 | 2 |
| Elective | 3-4 | Elective | 3-4 |
| Core | 3 | Elective | 2-3 |
| Core | 3 | Core | 3 |
| 15-16 | 13-15 | ||
| Total Units 120-123 | |||
Molecular Biology Concentration Suggested Four-Year Plan
Based on course availability and student needs and preferences, the selected sequences will probably vary from those presented below. Students should consult with their adviser to make the most appropriate elective choices.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| BIOL 200 & 200L | 4 | CHEM 132 & 132L | 4 |
| CHEM 131 & 131L | 4 | MATH 273 or 237 | 4 |
| TSEM 102 or ENGL 102 (Core 1 or Core 2) | 3 | TSEM 102 or ENGL 102 (Core 1 or Core 2) | 3 |
| Core 4, 5 or 6 | 3 | Core 4, 5 or 6 (do not repeat from Term 1) | 3 |
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| BIOL 309 | 4 | PHYS 211 | 4 |
| MBBB 201 or COSC 175 | 4 | MATH 237 or 273 | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | MBBB 493 | 1 |
| Core | 3 | Elective | 4 |
| Core | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| CHEM 331 | 5 | CHEM 332 | 5 |
| PHYS 212 | 4 | BIOL 409 | 4 |
| Core | 3 | Elective | 3-4 |
| Core | 3 | Core | 3 |
| 15 | 15-16 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| MBBB 301 | 4 | BIOL 408 | 4 |
| CHEM 351 | 3 | Upper Level Bio Elective | 3-4 |
| BIOL 410, 312, or 412 (Lab) | 2 | Elective | 3 |
| Research | 3 | Core | 3 |
| Core | 3 | Core | 3 |
| 15 | 16-17 | ||
| Total Units 120-122 | |||
Bioinformatics Concentration Suggested Four-Year Plan
Based on course availability and student needs and preferences, the selected sequences will probably vary from those presented below. Students should consult with their adviser to make the most appropriate elective choices.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| BIOL 200 & 200L | 4 | COSC 236 | 4 |
| COSC 175 | 4 | MATH 273 | 4 |
| TSEM 102 or ENGL 102 (Core 1 or Core 2) | 3 | TSEM 102 or ENGL 102 (Core 1 or Core 2) | 3 |
| Core 4, 5 or 6 | 3 | Core 4, 5 or 6 (do not repeat from Term 1) | 3 |
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| COSC 237 | 4 | CHEM 131 & 131L | 4 |
| MATH 274 | 4 | COSC 336 | 4 |
| Core | 3 | Elective | 2-3 |
| Core | 3 | Core | 3 |
| Core | 3 | ||
| 14 | 16-17 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| BIOL 309 | 4 | CHEM 330 | 5 |
| CHEM 132 & 132L | 4 | MBBB 301 | 4 |
| Elective | 3 | MBBB 315 or MATH 263 | 3 |
| Core | 3 | MBBB 493 | 1 |
| Core | 3 | ||
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| CHEM 351 | 3 | MBBB 401 | 3 |
| MATH 237 | 4 | BIOL 409 | 4 |
| Research | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Core | 3 | Core | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Total Units 120-121 | |||
- Demonstrate mastery of content in the disciplines of Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics.
- Ability to solve problems by the application of relevant concepts and analytical tools.
- Ability to conduct quantitative analysis of Molecular Biology and Biochemical data.
- Ability to correctly summarize and critically analyze new scientific information in the literature.
