This instructional program incorporates courses from biology, computer science and mathematics. Students will obtain skills for the analysis of complex data, extraction of information from genomic and proteomic databases, and the design and development of software and algorithms to support these activities.

The curriculum of general education and biology majors courses, combined with the mathematics, chemistry and physics components is designed to provide undergraduate students with a clear program for the undergraduate background needed for a career in bioinformatics or to provide them with a solid, biologically oriented curriculum to pursue graduate level research in this area.

A. Biology course requirements

1. The following core courses (17 credit hours):

                                                Hours  
BIOLOGY 108       General Biology I                 3  
BIOLOGY 108L      General Biology I Laboratory      1
BIOLOGY 109       General Biology II                3
BIOLOGY 109L      General Biology II Laboratory     1
BIOLOGY 202       Cell Biology                      3
BIOLOGY 206       Genetics                          3  
LS-BIOC 341       Basic Biochemistry                3

2. Emphasis course requirements (9 credit hours)

                                                Hours
LS-BIOC 425      Bioinformatics                     3
LS-BIOC 430      Molecular Biology and Genetic
                  Engineering                       3
BIOLOGY 405       Introduction to Evolution         3

3. Biology laboratory courses: LIFE-SCI 360WL taken with the writing intensive option and one additional lab course are required for a minimum of 5 credit hours.

                                                Hours
LS-BIOC 360WL    Laboratory in Biochemistry
                  and Molecular Biology (WI)        3
BIOLOGY 302L    Ecology Laboratory                 2
BIOLOGY 312WL    Lab in Developmental Biology,
                  Genetics & Cell Biology (WI)      3LS-MCRB 313L or
LS-MCRB 313WL    Laboratory in Microbiology (WI)    3
BIOLOGY 328L or  Lab in Histology and Cellular
BIOLOGY 328WL     Ultrastructure (WI)               3
LS-ANATO 118L     Introductory Anatomy Lab          2

4. Biology Synthesis requirement (Choose a total of 3 credit hours)

                                                Hours
BIOLOGY 498WI    Critical Analysis of
                  Biological Issues (WI)            3
LIFE-SCI 490WI   Senior Seminar (WI)                3
LIFE-SCI 499     Undergraduate Research           1-3
LIFE-SCI 497     Special Topics                   1-3

5. Students must complete additional biology majors coursework for a total of 42 credit hours of biology courses with grades of C- or better. At least 26 of these must be at the 300- or 400-level. A minimum of 21 credit hours of biology courses must be taken from the School of Biological Sciences.  The UM Biology GPA must be 2.0 or higher.

B. Physical sciences and mathematics requirements

All of the following courses are required. A grade of C- or better is required in each course used to fulfill these requirements.

                                                Hours
COMP-SCI 101     Problem Solving and Programming I  3
COMP-SCI 191     Discrete Structures                3
COMP-SCI 201     Problem Solving and Programming II 3
MATH 216 or MATH 210  Biomath I or Calculus  I           4
MATH 226 or MATH 220  Biomath II or Calculus II          4
STAT 235         Statistics                         3
PHYSICS 210 or   General Physics I orPHYSICS 240      Physics for Science and
                  Engineering I                   4-5
PHYSICS 220 or   General Physics II orPHYSICS 250*     Physics for Science and
                  Engineering II*                 4-5
CHEM 211         General Chemistry I                4
CHEM 211L        Experimental General Chemistry I   1
CHEM 212R        General Chemistry II               4
CHEM 212LR       Experimental General Chemistry II  1
CHEM 321         Organic Chemistry I                3
CHEM 321L        Organic Chemistry Laboratory I     1
CHEM 322R        Organic Chemistry II               3
CHEM 322L        Organic Chemistry Laboratory II    1

*Students may choose LIFE-SCI 401, Biophysical Principles (3 credit hours), as an alternative to PHYSICS 250. A minimum of 120 credit hours is required; and 36 of these must be at the junior/senior level. Electives may be taken from any area once other degree requirements have been met.