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Biological Sciences, B.S.

Overview

The department offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biological Sciences. This program has a distinctive core curriculum that provides a foundation in biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, and physics. In addition to the core courses, the program includes six biology electives, free electives as well as humanities, social science and fine arts electives. With these electives, students can shape a degree program according to their own interests and career goals. For students who have an interest in a particular field of biology and wish to have a specialized focus, the department offers tracks in biochemistry, biomedical sciences, cell and developmental biology, genetics and molecular biology, and neuroscience that provide the relevant training in each area. The tracks are especially recommended for students who are considering graduate school in one of these areas.

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biological Sciences is built around a core program and elective units as detailed in the following section. For schedule planning feedback, advising support, and/or sample four year schedules please contact the Biological Sciences Undergraduate Programs Office. 

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation recipients of the B.S. degree in Biological Sciences will:

  • Recall and understand foundational knowledge in genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, computational biology, and experimental methodology (i.e. core courses required of all majors).
  • Apply foundational knowledge to develop an understanding of specialized fields in Biological Sciences (i.e. topics covered in advanced electives 300-level+).
  • Apply the scientific method to generate knowledge and solve problems.
  • Apply acquired knowledge to analyze and interpret data.
  • Identify and critically evaluate scientific information relevant to Biological Sciences from multiple sources. 
  • Clearly, logically, and accurately communicate Biological Sciences content in written and oral formats.
  • Practice working collaboratively in teams and demonstrate effective teamwork.
  • Recall and understand the principles of the responsible conduct of research and apply selected aspects of the responsible conduct of research (i.e. data management and citation of sources.

Degree Requirements

Biological Sciences Units
03-151Honors Modern Biology10
or 03-121 Modern Biology
03-201Undergraduate Colloquium for Sophomores2
03-231Honors Biochemistry9
03-320Cell Biology
*New course number (03-240) starting Fall 2027		9
02-250Introduction to Computational Biology12
03-220Genetics
*New course number (03-330) starting Fall 2027		9
or 03-221 Genomes, Evolution, and Disease: Introduction to Quantitative Genetic Analysis
03-343Experimental Techniques in Molecular Biology12
03-344Experimental Biochemistry12
or 03-345 Experimental Cell and Developmental Biology
or 03-346 Experimental Neuroscience
03-411Topics in Research1
03-412Topics in Research1
03-xxxBiological Sciences Electives 154
Total Biology units131
1

Details on electives can be found in the "Biological Sciences Electives" section (see below).

Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science Units
02-120Programming for Scientists12
or 15-110 Principles of Computing
or 15-112 Fundamentals of Programming and Computer Science
21-120Differential and Integral Calculus
(prerequisite: 21-090)		10
21-122Integration and Approximation10
33-121Physics I for Science Students12
or 33-141 Physics I for Engineering Students
33-122Physics II for Biological Sciences and Chemistry Students9
or 33-142 Physics II for Engineering and Physics Students
Total Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science units53
Chemistry Units
09-105Introduction to Modern Chemistry I 210
or 09-107 Honors Chemistry: Fundamentals, Concepts and Applications
09-106Modern Chemistry II10
09-217Organic Chemistry I9
09-218Organic Chemistry II9
09-207Techniques in Quantitative Analysis9
09-208Techniques for Organic Synthesis and Analysis9
Total Chemistry units56
2

Students who complete 09-107 with an A grade will be exempted from the requirement to take 09-106 Modern Chemistry II.

Elective Units Units
Free Electives45
MCS Nontechnical Breadth Requirements 375
Total Elective units120
3

For more information on the MCS Technical and Nontechnical Breadth Requirements, please refer to the MCS General Education Requirements section of this catalog. MCS Technical Breadth Requirements are all met through the required curriculum for the Biological Sciences degree (see below).

Minimum number of units required for degree:360
MCS Technical Breadth Requirements

Majors entering CMU and majoring in Biological Sciences (or affiliated majors) in the Fall of 2015 or beyond will fulfill the MCS Technical Breadth requirements as follows:

  1. Life Sciences: any courses in this category except for the 03-xxx courses. For the B.S. in Biological Sciences, this will be fulfilled by 02-250.
  2. Physical Sciences:  09-105, 09-106, 33-121 and 33-122
  3. Math/CS/Stats:  21-120 and 21-122 
  4. STEM Elective:  will be filled by courses above or any STEM course from the approved list.
Biological Sciences Electives

The following specifications apply to Biological Sciences electives:

  • At least 18 units must be at the 03-3xx level or above, exclusive of 03-445 and 03-545 and interdisciplinary electives.

  • Up to three interdisciplinary electives may count as general biology electives.

  • Up to 18 units of 03-445 Undergraduate Research and/or 03-545 Honors Research may count as general biology electives; a maximum of 36 units of research can count for the minimum units required for graduation.

  • Courses in biology taken through cross-registration or study abroad at another university may count as electives if prior permission is obtained from the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Amanda Willard.

Departmental Electives Group
03-113Biologies in Text and Film *Offered only in Doha9
03-117Frontiers, Analysis, and Discovery in Biological Sciences6
03-118Beer: A Yeast's Perspective6
03-119Biology for Life Special Topics Micro3
03-120Biology for Life Special Topics Mini6
03-124Modern Biology Laboratory9
03-125Evolution9
03-128Biology for Life Special Topics9
03-129Human Health and Disease *Offered only in Doha9
03-132Basic Science to Modern Medicine9
03-133Neurobiology of Disease9
03-135Structure and Function of the Human Body9
03-140Ecology and Environmental Science9
03-161Molecules to Mind9
03-230Human Anatomy and Physiology *Offered only in Doha9
03-350Developmental Biology9
03-351Computation and Biology Integrated Research Lab9
03-360/02-319Genomics and Epigenetics of the Brain9
03-362Cellular Neuroscience9
03-363Systems Neuroscience9
03-365Neural Correlates of Learning and Memory9
03-366Neuropharmacology: Drugs, Brain and Behavior9
03-380Virology *Offered only in Doha9
03-390Molecular and Cellular Immunology9
03-391Microbiology9
03-410Special Topics in Biological SciencesVar.
03-435Cancer Biology9
03-439Introduction to Biophysics10
03-442Molecular Biology9
03-444Precision Medicine *Offered only in Doha9
03-445Undergraduate ResearchVar.
03-451Advanced Developmental Biology and Human Health9
03-511Computational Molecular Biology and Genomics9
03-545Honors Research9
03-711Computational Molecular Biology and Genomics12
03-713Bioinformatics Data Integration Practicum6
03-728Genome Editing Biotechnology6
03-729Entrepreneurship and protein-based drug development6
03-730Advanced Genetics12
03-737Biosensors6
03-738Synthetic Biology6
03-740Advanced Biochemistry12
03-741Advanced Cell Biology12
03-742Advanced Molecular Biology12
03-751Advanced Developmental Biology and Human Health12
03-762Advanced Cellular Neuroscience12
03-763Advanced Systems Neuroscience12
03-766Advanced Neuropharmacology: Drugs, Brain and Behavior12
03-791Advanced Microbiology12
Interdisciplinary Electives Group
Up to three of the following courses may count as general biology electives:
02-331Modeling Evolution12
02-425Computational Methods for Proteogenomics and Metabolomics9
02-450Automation of Scientific Research9
02-510Computational Genomics12
02-512Computational Methods for Biological Modeling and Simulation9
02-518Computational Medicine12
02-740Bioimage Informatics12
09-518Bioorganic Chemistry: Nucleic Acids and Carbohydrates9
09-519Bioorganic Chemistry: Peptides, Proteins and Combinatorial Chemistry9
09-530Chemistry of Gene Expression9
21-127Concepts of Mathematics12
21-259Calculus in Three Dimensions10
21-260Differential Equations9
36-200Reasoning with Data9
42-202Physiology9
85-170Foundations of Brain and Behavior9

Core Areas of Study

Students who are pursuing a B.S. in Biological Sciences and wish to specialize in a particular area of biology can do so through a set of departmentally defined tracks. Tracks are not required and need not be declared. The elective courses required for each of the tracks are listed below. Students can elect to complete a maximum of two tracks. Please discuss interest in these tracks with your Carnegie Mellon Department of Biological Sciences advisor to plan out any prerequisite coursework and identify appropriate course alternatives in the event that a graduate-level course is not being offered during a particular academic year. Completed tracks are listed on the transcript, not on the diploma. All tracks are available for B.S. Biological Sciences students at the Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh and Qatar campuses, with the exception of the Biochemistry Track, which is currently only offered for students at the Pittsburgh campus. Electives for the following degree tracks are detailed below:

Biochemistry TRACK*

FIVE (5) courses total:
TWO (2) required biology electives:
03-442/742Molecular Biology9
03-740Advanced Biochemistry12
And any THREE (3) of the following:
02-542Biological Circuit Design12
03-445Undergraduate Research
(with advisor approval - 1 semester of 9+ units)		Var.
03-728Genome Editing Biotechnology6
03-737Biosensors6
06-685Bioseparations and Bioprocess Analytical Technologies12
06-722Bioprocess Design12
09-403Hooked: The Chemical Basis of Drug Addiction9
09-518/719Bioorganic Chemistry: Nucleic Acids and Carbohydrates9
09-519/719Bioorganic Chemistry: Peptides, Proteins and Combinatorial Chemistry9
09-530Chemistry of Gene Expression9
09-563Molecular Modeling and Computational Chemistry9
09-737Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Development12
*

The biochemistry track is only available for students at the CMU-Pittsburgh campus.

BioMEDICAL SCIENCES TRACK

FIVE (5) courses total:
At least TWO (2) of the following courses:
03-350Developmental Biology9
03-390Molecular and Cellular Immunology9
03-391/791Microbiology 19
And any TWO (2) or THREE (3) of the following for a total of FIVE (5) courses (no more than 9 units at the 100-level):
02-518Computational Medicine12
03-132Basic Science to Modern Medicine *Only offered in Summer9
03-133Neurobiology of Disease9
03-135Structure and Function of the Human Body 29
or 42-202 Physiology
03-435Cancer Biology9
03-444Precision Medicine *Only offered at Doha9
03-445Undergraduate Research
(with advisor approval - 1 semester of 9+ units)		Var.
03-451/751Advanced Developmental Biology and Human Health9
03-728Genome Editing Biotechnology6
03-730Advanced Genetics12
09-403Hooked: The Chemical Basis of Drug Addiction9
09-737Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Development12
A maximum of one elective can be (with advisor approval):
42-612Tissue Engineering12
or 42-624 Biological Transport and Drug Delivery
or 42-650 Introduction to Biomedical Imaging
or 42-695 Special Topics: Engineering Protein Therapeutics
or 80-245 Medical Ethics
1

Students completing this track at the CMU-Qatar campus can take 03-380 Virology

2

Students completing this track at the CMU-Qatar campus can take 03-230 Human Anatomy and Physiology

Cell AND DEVELOPMENTAL Biology TRACK

FIVE (5) courses total:
THREE (3) required biology electives:
03-350Developmental Biology9
03-442/742Molecular Biology9
03-741Advanced Cell Biology 112
And any TWO (2) of the following:
03-362/762Cellular Neuroscience9
03-390Molecular and Cellular Immunology9
03-435Cancer Biology9
03-445Undergraduate Research
(with advisor approval - 1 semester of 9+ units)		Var.
03-451/751Advanced Developmental Biology and Human Health9
03-737Biosensors6
1

Students completing this track at the CMU-Qatar campus can take 03-362 Cellular Neuroscience

Genetics and Molecular Biology TRACK

FIVE (5) courses total:
TWO (2) required biology electives:
03-442/742Molecular Biology9
03-730Advanced Genetics 112
And any THREE (3) of the following (no more than 9 units at the 100-level):
03-125Evolution9
03-161Molecules to Mind9
03-351Computation and Biology Integrated Research Lab9
03-360/02-319Genomics and Epigenetics of the Brain9
03-390Molecular and Cellular Immunology9
03-391/791Microbiology9
03-435Cancer Biology9
03-445Undergraduate Research
(with advisor approval - 1 semester of 9+ units)		Var.
03-511Computational Molecular Biology and Genomics9
03-728Genome Editing Biotechnology6
A maximum of one elective can be:
02-331Modeling Evolution12
or 02-510 Computational Genomics
or 02-544 Introduction to Statistical Genetics
1

Students completing this track at the CMU-Qatar campus can take 03-444 Precision Medicine

Neuroscience Track

FIVE (5) courses total:
At least TWO (2) of the following:
03-362/762Cellular Neuroscience9
03-363/763Systems Neuroscience9
03-365Neural Correlates of Learning and Memory9
And TWO (2) or THREE (3) of the following for a total of FIVE (5) courses (no more than 9 units at the 100-level):
03-133Neurobiology of Disease9
03-161Molecules to Mind9
03-135Structure and Function of the Human Body 19
or 42-202 Physiology
03-350Developmental Biology9
03-351Computation and Biology Integrated Research Lab9
03-445Undergraduate Research
(with advisor approval - 1 semester of 9+ units)		Var.
03-360/02-319Genomics and Epigenetics of the Brain9
03-366/766Neuropharmacology: Drugs, Brain and Behavior9
85-170Foundations of Brain and Behavior9
85-110Cognitive Psychology9
or 85-213 Human Information Processing and Artificial Intelligence
1

Students completing this track at the CMU-Qatar campus can take 03-230 Human Anatomy and Physiology

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