Requirements for the MB&B Major

Below are the required courses that make up the MB&B major. Although the sequence of courses shown is the ideal one the major can be readily accomodated even if begun after the freshman year.

	FALL	SPRING
Freshman	MB&B/BIOL 181 or 195 Principles of Biology I MB&B 191 Principles of Biology Lab CHEM 141 or 143 Introductory Chemistry	MB&B/BIOL 182, 192 CHEM 142 or 144 Introductory Chemistry II and CHEM 152 Introductory Chemistry Lab
Sophomore	MB&B 208 Molecular Biology CHEM 251 Principles of Organic Chemistry I	CHEM 252 Organic Chemistry II MB&B 209 Frontiers in Molecular Biology (not required)
Junior	Either MB&B 395 Structural Biology Lab MB&B/CHEM 383 Biochemistry	or MB&B 294 Molecular & Biochemical Approaces to Biological Problems *MB&B 381 Physical Chemistry for Life Scientists
Senior	MB&B Elective	MB&B Elective

*MB&B 381 may be replaced by two semesters of Introductory Physics (PHYS 111 and 112, or 113 and 116) or Physical Chemistry (CHEM 337 and CHEM 338).

One advanced laboratory course is required, either M&B 395 (offered every other year in the fall) or MB&B 294 offered each spring).

Also required is one course in Mathematics (e.g. calculus or statistics).

Electives: Two electives are required. One of the electives must be a 300-level MB&B course. The second may be an MB&B course or an approved course from the Biology or Chemistry departments.   Two credits of laboratory or library research (MB&B 421/422 or MB&B401/402) with an MB&B faculty member (or a pre-approved faculty member in another department conducting research in molecular biology/biochemistry/biophysics) can also be  substituted for the second elective provided that grades of B or higher are obtained. Honors (MB&B 409/410) does not count as an elective.  

Approved courses outside of MB&B that can be taken for elective credit include BIOL218 and BIOL323 (if BIOL323 is used for elective credit, then students must  choose MB&B395 for their required lab course).

Pre-meds and pre-grads: Organic Chemistry laboratory courses (CHEM 257 and CHEM 258) are requirements for virtually all graduate and medical schools. Most medical schools also require one year of Physics with related labs and two semesters of Mathematics.