Major in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics
All Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics majors are required to complete 47 units of required courses and an additional 27-35 units within one of three concentrations (Molecular Biology, Biochemistry or Bioinformatics) for a total of 74-82 units.
| 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 202 | INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION | 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 | 47 | |
| 1 | Or an approved elective in BIOL, CHEM, COSC, CIS or MBBB 3XX, 4XX. |
Molecular Biology Concentration (27-29 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 408 | CELL BIOLOGY | 4 |
| 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 Laboratory Course | ||
| Select one of the following: | 2-3 | |
| GENETICS LABORATORY | ||
| MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY | ||
| CELL BIOLOGY LABORATORY | ||
| Biology Upper (300-400) Level Elective | 3-4 | |
| Total Units | 27-29 | |
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 OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 356 | BIOCHEMISTRY LAB | 2 |
| CHEM 357 | BIOCHEMISTRY II | 3 |
| or BIOL 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.) should consult their advisor. |
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 |
| CHEM 131 & 131L (Core 7) | 4 | BIOL 200 & 200L | 4 |
| MATH 273 or 237 (Core 3) | 4 | CHEM 132 & 132L (Core 8) | 4 |
| Core 1 (or Core 2) | 3 | Core 2 (or Core 1) | 3 |
| Core 4 | 3 | Core 5 | 3 |
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| BIOL 202 | 4 | BIOL 309 | 4 |
| CHEM 331 | 5 | CHEM 332 | 5 |
| MBBB 201 or COSC 175 | 4 | MATH 237 or 273 | 4 |
| Core 6 | 3 | Core 10 | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| CHEM 210 | 5 | BIOL 409 or MBBB 301 | 4 |
| MBBB 301 or BIOL 409 | 4 | CHEM 351 | 3 |
| PHYS 211 or 241 | 4 | CHEM 356 | 2 |
| Core 11 | 3 | PHYS 212 or 242 | 4 |
| Core 12 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| CHEM 357 or BIOL 450 | 3 | CHEM 345 | 3 |
| Research | 3 | CHEM 372 | 2 |
| Core 9 | 3 | MBBB 493 | 1 |
| Core 13 | 3 | Core 14 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 1 | ||
| 15 | 13 | ||
| Total Units 120 | |||
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 | BIOL 202 | 4 |
| CHEM 131 & 131L (Core 7) | 4 | CHEM 132 & 132L (Core 8) | 4 |
| Core 1 (or Core 2) | 3 | MATH 273 or 237 (Core 3) | 4 |
| Core 4 | 3 | Core 2 (or Core 1) | 3 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| BIOL 309 | 4 | MATH 237 or 273 | 4 |
| MBBB 201 or COSC 175 | 4 | MBBB 493 | 1 |
| Core 5 | 3 | PHYS 211 | 4 |
| Core 6 | 3 | Elective | 4 |
| Core 9 | 3 | ||
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| CHEM 331 | 5 | BIOL 409 | 4 |
| PHYS 212 | 4 | CHEM 332 | 5 |
| Core 10 | 3 | Elective | 3-4 |
| Core 11 | 3 | Core 12 | 3 |
| 15 | 15-16 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| BIOL 312, 410, or 412 | 2-3 | BIOL 408 | 4 |
| CHEM 351 | 3 | Upper Level Bio Elective | 3-4 |
| MBBB 301 | 4 | Core 14 | 3 |
| Research | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Core 13 | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15-16 | 16-17 | ||
| Total Units 120-123 | |||
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 | BIOL 202 | 4 |
| COSC 175 | 4 | COSC 236 | 4 |
| Core 1 (or Core 2) | 3 | MATH 273 (Core 3) | 4 |
| Core 4 | 3 | Core 2 (or Core 1) | 3 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| CHEM 131 & 131L (core 7) | 4 | BIOL 309 | 4 |
| COSC 237 | 4 | CHEM 132 & 132L (core 8) | 4 |
| MATH 274 | 4 | COSC 336 | 4 |
| Core 5 | 3 | Core 10 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| CHEM 330 or 331 | 5 | CHEM 332 (if CHEM 331 taken instead of CHEM 330) | 5 |
| COSC 457 or CIS 458 | 3 | MBBB 301 | 4 |
| MATH 237 | 4 | MBBB 315 or MATH 263 | 3 |
| Core 11 | 3 | MBBB 493 | 1 |
| Core 12 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| BIOL 409 | 4 | MBBB 401 | 3 |
| CHEM 351 | 3 | Research | 3 |
| Core 6 | 3 | Core 9 | 3 |
| Core 13 | 3 | Core 14 | 3 |
| Elective | 2-3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15-16 | 15 | ||
| 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.