The Department of Biology and the Department of Chemistry offer a joint curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biology. The focus is on the intersection of these two subject areas, encompassing Biochemistry and Chemical Biology. Students in the program are full members of both departments, with one academic advisor from each department.
Careers
The Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biology prepares students for careers that involve applications of both subjects, including the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, as well as further graduate study in biochemistry, molecular biology, and chemical biology. The interdepartmental major program also provides a strong foundation for the study of clinical and research careers in medicine and related health professions.
Curriculum
The curriculum provides strong foundations in both Chemistry and Biology, with flexibility in elective subjects that enables students to tailor their major program to their specific interests within the broad interface of Biology and Chemistry. The requirements listed below are effective for the 2019-2020 Academic Year. The prior degree requirements are available here; if you have questions about the different requirements please contact Jennifer Weisman (Academic Administrator).
Required Lecture Subjects
- 5.03 Principles of Inorganic Chemistry I
- 5.07 or 7.05 Introduction to Biological Chemistry or General Biochemistry
- 5.08 Fundamentals of Chemical Biology
- 5.12 Organic Chemistry I
- 5.13 Organic Chemistry II
- 5.601 Thermodynamics I
- 5.611 Introduction to Spectroscopy
- 7.03 Genetics
- 7.06 Cell Biology
Restricted Electives
Select 30 units of the following:
- 5.04 Principles of Inorganic Chemistry II
- Module 6 (5.363) Organic Structure Determination
- Module 7 (5.371) Continuous Flow Chemistry: Sustainable Conversion of Reclaimed Vegetable Oil into Biodiesel
- Module 8 (5.372) Chemistry of Renewable Energy
- Module 9 (5.373) Dinitrogen Cleavage
- Module 10 (5.381) Quantum Dots
- Module 11 (5.382) Time-and Frequency- resolved Spectroscopy of Photosynthesis
- Module 12 (5.383) Fast-flow Peptide Protein Synthesis
- 5.39 Research and Communication in Chemistry
- 5.43 Advanced Organic Chemistry
- 5.602 Thermodynamics II and Kinetics
- 5.612 Electronic Structures of Molecules
- 5.62 Physical Chemistry
- 7.093 Modern Biostatistics
- 7.094 Modern Computational Biology
- 7.19 Communication in Experimental Biology
- 7.20 Human Physiology
- 7.21 Microbial Physiology
- 7.23 Immunology
- 7.26 Molecular Basis of Infectious Disease
- 7.27 Principles of Human Disease and Aging
- 7.28 Molecular Biology
- 7.29 Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology
- 7.30 Fundamentals of Ecology
- 7.31 Current Topics in Mammalian Biology: Medical Implications
- 7.32 Systems Biology*
- 7.33 Evolutionary Biology: Concepts, Models, & Computation
- 7.371 Biological & Engineering Principles Underlying Novel Biotherapeutics
- 7.45 The Hallmarks of Cancer
- 7.46 Building with Cells
- 7.49 Developmental Neurobiology
*Subject has prerequisites that are outside the program.
Departmental Laboratory Requirement
- Module 1 (5.351) Fundamentals of Spectroscopy
- Module 2 (5.352) Synthesis of Coordination Compounds and Kinetics (CI-M)
- Module 3 (5.353) Macromolecular Prodrugs
- 7.002 Fundamentals of Experimental Molecular Biology
Select one of the following options:
Option 1
5.361 Recombinant DNA Technology
5.362 Cancer Drug Efficacy (CI-M)
Option 2
7.003 Molecular Biology Laboratory (CI-M)
Chemistry & Biology Major Roadmaps
Roadmap for Lab Option 1
First Year – Fall
First Year – Spring
- Biology GIR
- 5.12 Organic Chemistry I
Sophomore – Fall
- 5.13 Organic Chemistry II
- 5.351 (Lab Module 1)*
- 5.352 (Lab Module 2)*
- 5.353 (Lab Module 3)*
Sophomore – Spring
- 5.03 Principles of Inorganic Chemistry
- 7.05 General Biochemistry
- 7.002 Fundamentals in Experimental Microbiology*
Junior – Fall
- 7.03 Genetics
- 5.601 Thermodynamics I
- Restricted Elective Subject(s)
Junior – Spring
- 7.06 Cell Biology
- 5.08/7.08 Fundamentals of Chemical Biology
- 5.361 (Lab Module 4)
- 5.362 (Lab Module 5)
Senior – Fall
- 5.611 Introduction to Spectroscopy
- Restricted Elective Subject(s)
Senior – Spring
- Restricted Elective Subject(s)
*Alternative path: 7.002 in Sophomore – Fall & 5.351, 5.352, and 5.353 in Sophomore – Spring
Roadmap for Lab Option 2
First Year – Fall
First Year– Spring
- Biology GIR
- 5.12 Organic Chemistry I
Sophomore – Fall
- 5.13 Organic Chemistry II
- 5.351 (Lab Module 1)*
- 5.352 (Lab Module 2)*
- 5.353 (Lab Module 3)*
Sophomore – Spring
- 5.03 Principles of Inorganic Chemistry
- 7.05 General Biochemistry
- 7.002 Fundamentals in Experimental Microbiology*
Junior – Fall
- 7.03 Genetics
- 5.601 Thermodynamics I
Junior – Spring
- 7.06 Cell Biology
- 5.08/7.08 Fundamentals of Chemical Biology
- Restricted Elective Subject(s)
Senior – Fall
- 5.611 Introduction to Spectroscopy
- Restricted Elective Subject(s)
Senior – Spring
- 7.003 Molecular Biology Laboratory**
- Restricted Elective Subject(s)
*Alternative path: 7.002 in Sophomore – Fall & 5.351, 5.352, and 5.353 in Sophomore – Spring
** 7.003 may be taken anytime during the Junior or Senior year after 7.002 and 5.07/7.05 have been completed
Roadmap for Lab Option 1 - 1st Term Sophomore Start
First Year – Fall
First Year – Spring
Sophomore – Fall
- 5.12 Organic Chemistry I
- 5.351 (Lab Module 1)*
- 5.352 (Lab Module 2)*
- 5.353 (Lab Module 3)*
Sophomore – Spring
- 5.03 Principles of Inorganic Chemistry
- 7.05 General Biochemistry
- 7.002 Fundamentals in Experimental Microbiology*
Junior – Fall
- 5.13 Organic Chemistry II
- 7.03 Genetics
- 5.601 Thermodynamics I
Junior – Spring
- 7.06 Cell Biology
- 5.361 (Lab Module 4)
- 5.362 (Lab Module 5)
- Restricted Elective Subject(s)
Senior – Fall
- 5.611 Introduction to Spectroscopy
- Restricted Elective Subject(s)
Senior – Spring
- 5.08/7.08 Fundamentals of Chemical Biology
- Restricted Elective Subject(s)
*Alternative path: 7.002 in Sophomore – Fall & 5.351, 5.352, and 5.353 in Sophomore – Spring
Roadmap for Lab Option 2 - 1st Term Sophomore Start
First Year – Fall
First Year– Spring
Sophomore – Fall
- 5.12 Organic Chemistry I
- 5.351 (Lab Module 1)*
- 5.352 (Lab Module 2)*
- 5.353 (Lab Module 3)*
Sophomore – Spring
- 5.03 Principles of Inorganic Chemistry
- 7.05 General Biochemistry
- 7.002 Fundamentals in Experimental Microbiology*
Junior – Fall
- 5.13 Organic Chemistry II
- 7.03 Genetics
- 5.601 Thermodynamics I
Junior – Spring
- 7.06 Cell Biology
- 5.08/7.08 Fundamentals of Chemical Biology
- Restricted Elective Subject(s)
Senior – Fall
- 5.611 Introduction to Spectroscopy
- Restricted Elective Subject(s)
Senior – Spring
- 7.003 Molecular Biology Laboratory**
- Restricted Elective Subject(s)
*Alternative path: 7.002 in Sophomore – Fall & 5.351, 5.352, and 5.353 in Sophomore – Spring
** 7.003 may be taken anytime during the Junior or Senior year after 7.002 and 5.07/7.05 have been completed
Roadmap for Lab Option 1 - 2nd Term Sophomore Start
First Year & Sophomore – Fall
- Chemistry GIR
- Biology GIR
Sophomore – Spring
- 5.12 Organic Chemistry I
- 5.351 (Lab Module 1)
- 5.352 (Lab Module 2)
- 5.353 (Lab Module 3)
Junior – Fall
- 5.07 Introduction to Biological Chemistry
- 7.03 Genetics
- 7.002 Fundamentals in Experimental Microbiology
Junior – Spring
- 5.03 Principles of Inorganic Chemistry
- 7.06 Cell Biology
- 5.361 (Lab Module 4)
- 5.362 (Lab Module 5)
Senior – Fall
- 5.13 Organic Chemistry II
- 5.611 Introduction to Spectroscopy
- Restricted Elective(s)
Senior – Spring
- 5.08/7.08 Fundamentals of Chemical Biology
- 5.601 Thermodynamics I*
- Restricted Elective(s)
*5.601 can be taken at any time in the Junior or Senior year
Roadmap for Lab Option 2 - 2nd Term Sophomore Start
First Year & Sophomore – Fall
- Chemistry GIR
- Biology GIR
Sophomore – Spring
- 5.12 Organic Chemistry I
- 5.351 (Lab Module 1)
- 5.352 (Lab Module 2)
- 5.353 (Lab Module 3)
Junior – Fall
- 5.07 Introduction to Biological Chemistry
- 7.03 Genetics
- 7.002 Fundamentals in Experimental Microbiology
Junior – Spring
- 5.03 Principles of Inorganic Chemistry
- 7.06 Cell Biology
- 7.003 Molecular Biology Laboratory
Senior – Fall
- 5.13 Organic Chemistry II
- 5.611 Introduction to Spectroscopy
- Restricted Elective(s)
Senior – Spring
- 5.08/7.08 Fundamentals of Chemical Biology
- 5.601 Thermodynamics I*
- Restricted Elective(s)
*5.601 can be taken at any time in the Junior or Senior year
