Computational Biology, BS (Pending Chancellor’s Office Approval)

This program is pending Chancellor’s Office approval.

The BS Computational Biology degree, offered by the Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Computer Science , prepares students for careers in the biotechnology industry including research, drug development, marketing, and management, for jobs with government agencies overseeing ecosystem management, and for graduate or professional school (PhD, MD, other health science-related programs). The program includes a strong theoretical background as well as intensive hands-on laboratory experiences.

Program Learning Outcomes

Program Roadmaps

The 4-Year Roadmap is available online. Roadmaps should be used in consultation with the catalog and your advisor to identify additional requirements for completing the major (for example, course grade minimums). Associate Degrees (ADT) Pathways are also available online.

1. Complete the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

Students must satisfy the specific degree requirements for their undergraduate major and fulfill the following University degree requirements:

Academic (program total units with an average 2.0 GPA - “C” or better)
General Education (GE) (34 Lower Division + 9 Upper Division)
American Institutions (AI) (0-6 units) (may be satisfied in GE Areas 3B, 4, UD 3, UD 4)
Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) (3 units)
Physical Education (PE) (0-2 units)
Units in Residence (30 units, including 24 upper division and 12 in major)
Upper Division Units (40 units, including 12 upper div in major for BA, 18 upper div in major for BS)
Undergraduate Policies & Procedures
Apply for Graduation
Information about the Commencement Ceremony and Conferral of the Degree

Exceptions for University Graduation Requirements including exemptions and waivers, are approved for specific majors and on a case-by-case evaluation only.

Summary of Degree Units

Core Lower Division GE: 18 (10 units may be satisfied by major coursework: Areas 2, 5A, 5B, 5C)

6 required units of American Institutions/US123 may be satisfied by selecting applicable GE courses in Areas 3B and/or 4

Upper Division GE: 3 (6 units may be satisfied by UD 2/5, UD 3)

Physical Education: 2

GWAR/ WID: 0 (3 units may be satisfied by BIOL 100W )

Major Preparation: 26

Major Requirements: 62

University Electives: 3

Total: 120

2. Major Preparation (26 units)

CHEM 1A - General Chemistry 5 unit(s) (GE Area 5A+5C/ Formerly B1+B3)
CHEM 1B - General Chemistry 5 unit(s) (GE Area 5A+5C/ Formerly B1+B3)
BIOL 100W - Scientific Communication Workshop 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 2or5 + WID / Formerly R + WID)
MATH 30 - Calculus I 3 unit(s) (GE Area 2 / Formerly B4)
MATH 31 - Calculus II 4 unit(s) (GE Area 2 / Formerly B4)
MATH 42 - Discrete Mathematics 3 unit(s)
PHIL 133 - Ethics in Science 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 3 / Formerly V)

3. Major Requirements (62 units)

Major Electives (24 units)

Complete 12 units of Upper Division Biology Electives:

BIOL 105 - Principles of Developmental Biology 3 unit(s)
BIOL 107 - Immunology 3 unit(s)
BIOL 107L - Immunology Laboratory 2 unit(s)
BIOL 111 - Fire Ecology 4 unit(s)
BIOL 113 - Principles of Systematics 3 unit(s)
BIOL 116 - Molecular Genetics 4 unit(s)
BIOL 116L - Molecular Genetics Laboratory 3 unit(s)
BIOL 117 - Human Genetics 3 unit(s)
BIOL 119 - Neurogenetics 3 unit(s)
BIOL 124 - Systems Physiology 3 unit(s)
BIOL 125 - Systems Physiology Laboratory 2 unit(s)
BIOL 132 - Computational Marine Biology 3 unit(s)
BIOL 136 - Vertebrate Neurophysiology 3 unit(s)
BIOL 138 - Stem Cell Biology 3 unit(s)
BIOL 139 - Cancer Biology 3 unit(s)
BIOL 143 - Biogeography 3 unit(s)
BIOL 148 - Molecular Ecology 4 unit(s)
BIOL 160 - Ecology 4 unit(s)
BIOL 161 - Introduction to Marine Ecology 4 unit(s)
BIOL 162 - Marine Biology and Oceanography 4 unit(s)
BIOL 163 - Conservation Biology 3 unit(s)
BIOL 170 - Cellular and Molecular Physiology 3 unit(s)
BIOL 180 - Individual Studies 1-4 unit(s) *
BIOL 198 - Undergraduate Research 0.5-4 unit(s) **
MICR 101 - General Microbiology 5 unit(s)
MICR 122 - Bacterial Diversity 2 unit(s)
MICR 122L - Bacterial Diversity Laboratory 2 unit(s)
MICR 166 - Bacterial Genetics 4 unit(s)
MICR 170 - General Virology 3 unit(s)
CHEM 112A - Organic Chemistry 3 unit(s)
CHEM 112B - Organic Chemistry 3 unit(s)
CHEM 135 - General Biochemistry 4 unit(s)
(or other courses with prior advisor approval)
Complete 12 units of Computer Science or Math Electives:
CS 22A - Python for Everyone 3 unit(s) (with prior department consent) (GE Area 2 / Formerly B4)
CS 131 - Processing Big Data - Tools and Techniques 3 unit(s)
CS 132 - Computational Marine Biology 3 unit(s)
CS 133 - Introduction to Data Visualization 3 unit(s)
CS 136 - Introduction to Computer Vision 3 unit(s)
CS 151 - Object-Oriented Design 3 unit(s)
CS 155 - Introduction to the Design and Analysis of Algorithms 3 unit(s)
CS 156 - Introduction to Artificial Intelligence 3 unit(s)
CS 171 - Introduction to Machine Learning 3 unit(s)
CS 176 - Introduction to Social Network Analysis 3 unit(s)
CS 180 - Individual Studies 1-3 unit(s) *
CS 190 - Internship Project 1 unit(s) **
CS 190I - Internship Project 3 unit(s) **
MATH 39 - Linear Algebra I 3 unit(s)
MATH 162 - Statistics for Bioinformatics 3 unit(s)
(or other courses with prior advisor approval)
*Any combination of BIOL 180 and CS 180 may be taken for a maximum of 4 units.
**A maximum of three combined units of BIOL 198, CS 190, and CS 190I may be used.

4.University Electives (3 units)

University electives selected in consultation with major advisor

About