MBB Curriculum

The required curriculum for majors in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry has four components:

1. Life Sciences Core Curriculum: This is the basic core curriculum that is required for all majors in the Division of Life Sciences. Most Life Sciences majors complete this core curriculum in the first two years. Note: It is important to take General Chemistry in the first year so that students can take Organic Chemistry in the second year. All students must have completed a full year of General Biology and General Chemistry and at least one semester of Organic chemistry before they can register as an MBB major.
2. MBB Core Curriculum: All MBB students must take the Molecular Biology and Biochemistry series (694:407 and 694:408), one of the Introduction to Research courses (694:315, 694:316, 694:215, or 694:214), the 694:383 and 694:484 Seminar in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry courses.
3. MBB Curricular Course Options: MBB students must choose either the Course Option I (two MBB Electives and one MBB or DLS Elective) or Course II Option (Multivariable Calculus, Physical Chemistry, one MBB Elective).
4. MBB Independent Research: Students must take at least 6, and preferably 12 or more, credits of independent research. Students taking less than 12 credits of research are required to take an additional MBB elective.

1. Life Sciences Core Courses and Suggested Time Table

This is the basic core curriculum that is required for all majors in the Division of Life Sciences.

2. MBB Core courses

1. All MBB students must take the Molecular Biology and Biochemistry series (694:407 is only offered in the fall semester and 694:408 is only offered in the spring semester). These courses that are designed to give students a strong background in biochemistry and molecular biology. These courses are to be taken in the junior year. However, sufficiently qualified sophomores may also take the courses if they have had organic chemistry.
2. Students must take either of the 694:315, 694:316, 694:215, or 694:214 Introduction to Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Research courses. The 694:315 (spring) course is for sophomore or junior students in the major. The 694:316 (fall) course is for sophomore or junior honors students in the major (space is very limited). The 694:215 course (Fall) is only for first year Honors students who have Advanced Placement (AP) Biology credit. The 694:214 course (Spring) is only for first year students who have AP Biology credit.
3. MBB students must take the 694:383 and 694:484 Seminar in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry courses. The MBB Seminar: Careers in Science (694:383) is taken by majors in the fall semester of their Junior year. This course has a series of outside speakers that discusses career options and how to find a laboratory on campus to conduct their independent research project. The MBB Seminar: Presentations (694:484) course is taken by students in the spring of their senior year. This is a capstone course in which students give both oral and poster presentations on their independent research projects.

3. MBB Curricular Options courses

MBB students must choose between one of two course options for the major.

Course Option I is for students with broad interests in molecular biology and biochemistry. Students taking this option with 12 credits or more of research are required to take three MBB/DLS electives. Students with less than 12 credits of research are required to take four MBB/DLS electives.

Course Option II is for students with a strong background in math and that may be pursuing research and graduate work in the physical biosciences. This course option requires a year of Physical Chemistry courses offered by the Chemistry Department. A prerequisite for Physical Chemistry is Multi-variable Calculus. Students taking this option with 12 credits or more of research are required to take one MBB elective. Students with less than 12 credits of research are required to take two MBB electives in addition to the Physical Chemistry and Calculus courses. Note: Students taking course Option II fulfill the requirements for a Minor degree in Chemistry.

MBB Course Option I

MBB Course Option II

4. MBB Research Requirements

All MBB students are required to perform an independent research project under the direction of a faculty advisor. Students may choose to work with faculty member from any of a number of Rutgers SAS, SEBS, or Medical School departments. Registration in research courses is by special permission only. Students must fill out a Special Permission Form for Undergraduate Research and have it signed by their research advisor and MBB academic advisor before they can get a special permission number from the MBB Department Undergraduate Secretary, Shalene Montgomery. Research is required in the senior year, but students are strongly encouraged to start their research in their sophomore and junior years and during the summers if possible. All students doing research must submit a paper through Sakai describing the work done, before credit will be given.

For FALL 2022 Registration:  Instead of collecting signatures, students should fill out their section of the Special Permission Form for Undergraduate Research and send it online to their Research Advisor. The research advisor should then forward the form to the MBB Undergraduate Director, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  Upon receipt of the form Dr. Gunderson will send the students a SPN to register for the course.  

Lab Option I: Students need a total of 12 or more credits of research.

Lab Option II: Students need only 6 credits of research and must take another MBB elective in addition to the required MBB elective for Course Option I (Calc. III, Physical Chemistry, and a MBB elective) or the three electives required for Course Option II (3 MBB electives or 2 MBB electives and a DLS elective)

Non-Lab Option: Non-lab students must take Literature Research in MBB (694:489/490) for 6 credits.

The number of electives required for the different combination of the Course and Lab Options is shown below.