Below is a list of the required courses for the MBB major and a suggested time table for when most students choose to take the courses. In addition to the required core courses that all MBB students must take, the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry offers two course options to students to fulfill the requirements for the major. Course Option I is intended to expose MBB students to different current topics in molecular biology and biochemistry. Students with a strong math background, who are interested in biophysical questions and research are recommended to take Course Option II, which requires Physical Chemistry and Multivariable Calculus to fulfill their requirements for the MBB major. MBB students considering a minor in Chemistry are encouraged to take Course Option II with the Physical Chemistry courses because it will fulfill their minor requirements.
Students are strongly urged to contact Dr.
Click to download a .pdf file of the checklist
Course Option I (9 credits)
- Two 3-credit elective courses offered by the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.
- One 400 level 3-credit elective course from Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry or a course from a department in the Division of Life Sciences that has approved by the MBB Department (see list below).
Course Option II (13 credits)
- 01:160:327-328 Physical Chemistry (3,3) (requires 01:640:251 as a prerequisite) or 01:160:341-342 Physical Chemistry: Biochemical Systems (3,3)
- 01:640:251 Multivariable Calculus (4) (Calculus 640:151,152 are required for this course)
- One 3-credit elective course offered by the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.
MBB: Suggested Path
First Year
| Course # | Title | Credits |
| 119:115/116 | General Biology | 4,4 |
| 119:117 | Bio Research Lab (Gen Bio Lab) | 2 |
| 160:161/162 or 160:163/164 (H=Honors) | General Chemistry I & II | 4,4 |
| 160:171 | Intro. To Experimentation (Chem. Lab) | 1 |
| 640:151/152 or 640:135/138 | Calculus I & II Calc II may be replaced by Statistics: 960:401 (3cr) or Statistics 960:211(2cr) and 212(2cr) | 4,4 |
| *First Year students with AP Biology credit may opt for Intro to MBB Research lab 694:214 (3cr,Spring only) or 694:215 Honors (4cr, Fall only) | (3 or 4, see year 2*) | |
Second Year
| 160:307/308 or 160:315/316 (H) | Organic Chemistry I & II | 4,4 |
| 160:309 or 311(H) | Organic Chemistry Lab (may be deferred to Year 3) | 2 |
| 750:203/204 | Physics I & II (other Physics Lecture+Lab are allowed, see DN) | 3,3 |
| 750:205/206 | Physics I & II Lab | 1,1 |
| 447:380 | Genetics | 4 |
| 694:316 (4cr,Honors Fall only) or 694:315 (3cr, Spring only) | Intro to MBB Research lab (or take in First Year - see above) | 3 or 4 |
| Student wanting the MBB Major Option 2 (P-Chem) may want Calc III (640:651) in Year 2 | ||
Third Year
| 694:383 (Fall only) | MBB Seminar: careers in science (only for MBB majors) | 1 |
| 694:407 (Fall only) or 694:301 Fall,Spring | Molecular Biology & Biochemistry-I (mostly Biochem.) | 3 |
| 694:408 (Spring only) | Molecular Biology & Biochemistry-II (mostly Mol. Biol.) | 3 |
| MBB electives (3x3 credits) see list below, typically split between Years 3 and 4 | 3,3,3 | |
| 694:381 Fall 694:382 Spring |
MBB research in a P.I.'s lab, see below | 3 3 |
Fourth Year
| 694:484 (Spring only) | MBB Seminar: Research Presentations (only for MBB majors) | 1 |
| 694:481 Fall 694:482 Spring Honors thesis option - see below |
Continue with MBB research in a P.I.'s lab, see below | 3, 3 |
| Students doing the MBB Major Option 2 (P-Chem) take two semesters of P-Chem + 1 Elective - see below | 3,3 | |
MBB Electives --- see DN (Degree Navigator)
- - Analytical Methods in Biology (694:230 [Fall])
- - Biochem. Pathways and Signal Transduction (694:411 [Fall)])
- - Proteomics & Functional Genomics (694:412 [Spring])
- - Chromosomes and Epigenomics (694:413, [Fall])
- - Membrane Dynamics (694:420 [Fall, but not always offered)
- - Biology of Aging (694:421 [Spring, but not always offered)
- - Gene Regulation in Cancer and Development (694:492 [Spring])
MBB Major Option I (9 credits) "Electives"
- Two 3-credit MBB electives
- One 400 level 3-credit elective from MBB or a department in the Division of Life Sciences (DLS) or approved by the UG Director
MBB Major Option II (13 credits) "P-Chem"
- Multivariable Calculus (640:251, 4) (Calculus 640:151,152 are required for this course)
- Physical Chemistry (160:327-328, 3,3) (requires 640:251 as a prerequisite) or Physical Chemistry: Biochemical Systems (160:341-342, 3,3). See DN for alternative P-Chem course numbers.
- One 3-credit MBB Elective course.
MBB Research Options (research in a P.I.'s lab)- only research in the third and fourth years counts towards the major – also see Degree Navigator (exceptions will need the UG Director's approval).
- Lab Option I: Students must accumulate 12 or more credits of research
- Lab Option II: Students accumulating 6-11 credits of research must take an additional MBB elective.
- Non-lab option is almost never used, see DN and contact UG Director for more information.
- MBB Dept. Honors Thesis: only in final year, see dept. web site and contact UG Director
MBB Undergraduate Director Prof. Sam Gunderson
Requirements for the SAS Life Sciences Majors
| Life Sciences Core Courses - most often-used format | |||
| year | Course # | Title | Credits |
| First Year | 119:115/116 | General Biology | 4,4 |
| 119:117 | Bio Research Lab (Gen Bio Lab) | 2 | |
| 160:161/162 or 160:163/164 (H) | General Chemistry I & II | 4,4 | |
| 160:171 | Intro. To Experimentation (Chem. Lab) | 1 | |
| 640:151/152 or 640:135/138 | Calculus I & II . Calc II may be replaced by Statistics: 960:401 (4cr) or 960:211(2cr) and 212(2cr) | 4,4 | |
| Second Year | 160:307/308 or 160:315/316 (H) | Organic Chemistry I & II | 4,4 |
| 160:309 or 311 | Organic Chemistry Lab this can be deferred to Year 3 | 2 | |
| 750:203/204 | Physics I & II | 3,3 | |
| 750:205/206 | Physics I & II Lab | 1,1 | |
| Total Credits | 45 | ||
| MBB (694) | Genetics (447) | CBN (146) | Biology (119) |
| avg/yr- 35 | avg/yr- 50 | avg/yr- 200 | avg/yr- 450 |
| Genetics (447:380) (4 cr) (2nd yr) | Genetic Analysis I (447:384) (4 cr) | Genetics (447:380) (4 cr) | Genetics (447:380) (4 cr) |
| MBB-1 (mostly Biochem) (694:407) (3 cr) (3rd yr Fall) or 694:301 (3 cr) (3rd yr) | Biochemistry. (694:301 or 694:407) (3 cr) | Biochemistry. (694:301 or 407) (3 cr) | 24 cr of Life Science Electives, (18 cr at 300-400 level) Including at least one of the following |
| MBB-2 (mostly Mol. Biol.) (3 cr) (694:408) (3rd yr Spring) | Genetic Analysis II (447:385) (4 cr) | Fund. Neurobiology (146:270) (3 cr) & Fund. Cell & Devel. Biol. (146:245) (3 cr) | MBB Elective (694) (3 cr) |
| Introduction to Research (694:214 or 215) (1st yr) or 315 or 316 (2nd or 3rd Yr). (3 cr) | Introduction to Research (447:203, 302, 303 or 315 or 694:214 215 or 316) (3 cr) or) | CBN Elective (146) (3 cr) | |
| MBB Sem. 694:383- Careers (1 cr) (3rd yr Fall Semester) 694:484- Presentations (1 cr) 4th yr Spring | 447:430 Effective Communication Skills in Genetics (3) or Thesis Writing (447:415) | Any 3 CBN Advanced courses (9-10 cr): Adv. Neuro I 146:445; Adv. Neuro II 146:447; Adv. Cell 146:470; Adv. Dev. 146:472; Immunology 146:474; Human Histology 146:322 | Genetics Elective (447) (3 cr) |
| Course option II Multi Var. Calc (640:251) Phys Chem. (160:327/328) MBB Elective (3 cr) | Electives (12 cr) – Must be two elective courses from approved list. Other 6 credits may be research or lecture courses. | General Track (6-8 cr.) 2 x 300-400 level Life Science Elective (one must have lab included or associated) | Nat. Resource Elective (216) (3 c) |
| Course Option I 3rd & 4th 2 MBB Electives (6 cr) 1 MBB/DLS Elective (3 cr) | Honors Track (12 cr.) 1 x 300-400 level elective course (3 cr.) Honors Sem. (3 cr.); Honors Research (6 cr. over 2 semesters, written thesis and oral defense) | 3 lab courses or courses with lab component (not GB Lab, research may fulfill 1 lab req.) | |
| Research (required) I. 12 or more credits II. 6-11 cr + MBB Elec | Research (required) Research/Indep, Study (6 cr over two semesters project.) | Research (required for Honors only, 6 credits) | Research (optional, 6 cr max, Honors ) |