This B.S. program is suitable for students with interests that integrate the organismal, cellular and subcellular levels of biology, including the areas of biochemistry, cell biology, developmental biology, genetics and genomics, and microbiology, as well as their applications in biotechnology and medical science. Many opportunities for independent research projects in these areas are available to undergraduates.

A minor in Molecular and Cell Biology is offered. A minor in Bioinformatics is offered jointly by the College of Engineering and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Both programs are described in the “Minors” section of this Catalog.

Requirements for the Major

BIOL 1107 Principles of Biology I is required in addition to the general CLAS requirements for the B.S. degree.

A minimum of 27 credits of MCB courses are required, at least nine credits of which must be at the 3000 level or above. A maximum of three credits from among MCB 3189 Clinical Research Laboratory, MCB 3899 Independent Study, MCB 4896 Undergraduate Research, and MCB 4996 Honors Undergraduate Research may count toward the 27-credit requirement. 

Required Courses

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
Group 1
MCB 2400	Human Genetics	3
or MCB 2410	Genetics
MCB 2210	Cell Biology	3
or MCB 2215	Honors Cell Biology
MCB 2610	Fundamentals of Microbiology	4
MCB 2000	Introduction to Biochemistry	4-5
or MCB 3010	Biochemistry
Group 2
CHEM 2443 & CHEM 2444	Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry	6
Group 3
Laboratory Requirement
Select one laboratory course chosen from the following list:		3-4
MCB 2225	Cell Biology Laboratory
MCB 2612	Honors Core: Microbe Hunters - Crowdsourcing Antibiotic Discovery
MCB 3220	Developmental Biology Laboratory
MCB 3413	Concepts of Genetic Analysis
MCB 3421	Introduction to Molecular Evolution and Bioinformatics
MCB 3633	Pathogenic Microbiology
MCB 3637	Practical Methods in Microbial Genomics
MCB 4026W	Advanced Biochemistry Laboratory
MCB 4624	Experiments in Bacterial Genetics
MCB 4896	Undergraduate Research (three credits)
MCB 4996	Honors Undergraduate Research (three credits)
Group 4
One MCB W course.
Group 5
At least six credits of 3000-level or higher MCB coursework in addition to courses taken to fulfill groups 1 – 4.		6

For breadth of study in biology, it is recommended that students take PNB 2250 Comparative Animal Physiology and EEB 2244E General Ecology or EEB 2245 Evolutionary Biology.