Concentration: Molecular Biology
background
The Department of Biology offers a challenging curriculum for
students interested in Molecular Biology, a major area of modern
biology concerned with understanding the molecular basis of
gene structure and function and the role of macromolecules in
cellular processes. This discipline has played a dominant role
in establishing the molecular foundations of genetics, genomics,
cell biology, development, evolution, and human disease. The
Molecular Biology Concentration allows students to plan an integrated
program that culminates in laboratory research.
requirements
The program consists of courses in general
biology, molecular biology, genetics, cell biology, biochemistry,
and developmental biology. This is enriched with two semesters
of laboratory research, a written thesis and a presentation.
Completion of the Molecular Biology Concentration results in
a special notation on the transcript indicating that the student
completed the Biology major with a Molecular Biology Concentration.
Students with an academic average of 3.25 or higher in the required
courses are also eligible for Honors in the major. The required
courses for the Molecular Biology Concentration are:
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Choose from general
chemistry (1 or 101, 102, 51 or 53, 54) and organic
chemistry
(241, 242, 245) |
(1) |
Math |
104 and 115
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|
Calculus |
(2) |
Biology |
121
124
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|
Introduction to
Biology - The Molecular Biology of Life
Introduction to Organismal Biology Lab
|
(3) |
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202 |
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Cell Biology and
Biochemistry |
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221 |
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Molecular
Biology and Genetics |
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402 |
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Biochemistry |
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421 |
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Molecular Genetics |
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354 or |
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Developmental
Biology |
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406 or |
Molecular Mechanisms of Infectious
Disease Biology |
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407 or |
Cancer Cell Biology |
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422 or |
Human Genetics and Genomics |
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425 or |
Biochemistry and
Molecular Genetics Superlab |
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475 or |
Advanced Microbiology |
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480 or |
Advanced Cell
Biology |
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483 or |
Epigenetics |
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484 |
Cell Motility
and the Cytoskeleton |
(4) |
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399 |
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Independent Study |
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499 |
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Independent Study
|
(5) |
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(1)
|
Students who are interested in graduate school or medical
school are advised to take a full year of both organic
chemistry and physics.
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(2)
|
This requirement can be fulfilled with MATH 104 and
114 or 115 or one semester
each of calculus and statistics (BIOL
446 or STAT 111 or
STAT
102)
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(3) |
It is assumed that students are following Track 1
of the general biology major. Students following Track
2 (those with credit for BIOL 101 and 102) will need
only 2 (2.0 cu) of the elective courses listed above
(see *). |
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(4)
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Other advanced biology courses may be substituted for
these courses with permission of your concentration advisor.
Additional courses are
listed below.
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(5) |
It is possible to satisfy the requirement for one
year of independent research by completing BIOL 425 and
one semester of BIOL 399 with permission of the sponsor
and concentration advisor. BIOL 425 can count either
for independent research or as an elective
but not both. |
also required:
A written thesis based on the independent research project plus
a presentation of this work, typically as a poster in the Symposium
on Undergraduate Research in Biology (SURB) held at the end
of the Spring semester.
additional courses:
Although not required, the following courses may be of interest
to students in this concentration:
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BIOL 251
|
Molecular and Cellular
Neurobiology |
BIOL 275 |
Microbiology |
|
BIOL 482
|
Communication at the Cellular Level |
BIOL 486 |
Chromosomes and the Cell Cycle |
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BIOL 488
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Advanced Topics
in Behavioral Genetics |
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BIOL 526
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Experimental Principles of Cell and
Molecular Biology |
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BIOL 536
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Computational Biology |
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BIOL 537
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Advanced Computational Biology |
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BIOL 540
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Genetic Systems |
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BIOM 555
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Control of Gene Expression |
CAMB 545 |
Fundamental Virology |
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IMUN 506
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Immune Mechanisms |
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how to apply
Since it is very desirable to begin the Biology course series
as soon as possible, we strongly recommend that interested students
enroll in BIOL 121, 124 and begin the introductory chemistry
series as freshmen. If a student has already completed BIOL 101
and/or 102 before beginning their Molecular Biology Concentration,
these courses will be accepted as substitutes for BIOL 121 and
124. A sample curriculum that incorporates the requirements for
the Molecular Biology Concentration and the pre-medical program
is shown below.
Contact any of the following for more information on the concentration:
sample curriculum
Listed below is a sample curriculum that incorporates
the requirements for the Molecular Biology Concentration as well
as courses needed for the College requirements, foreign language
proficiency, and the pre-medical program.
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BIOL
121 (1.5 CU)
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|
BIOL
124 (0.5
CU)
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| MATH
104 (1.0 CU) |
|
CHEM
101 (1.0 CU) |
| GE
requirement (b) (1.0
CU) |
|
CHEM
053 (0.5 CU) |
| GE
requirement
(1.0 CU) |
|
MATH
115 (c)
(1.0 CU) |
| |
|
GE
requirement
(1.0 CU) |
| Total
4.5 CU |
|
Total
4.0 CU |
|
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BIOL
202 or 221 (1.0 CU)
|
|
BIOL
221 or 202 (1.0 CU)
|
| CHEM
102 (1.0 CU) |
|
BIOL
425 (d) (1.0 CU) |
| CHEM
054 (0.5 CU) |
|
CHEM
241 (1.0 CU) |
| GE
requirement
(1.0 CU) |
|
GE
requirement
(1.0 CU) |
| GE
requirement (1.0 CU) |
|
|
| Total
4.5 CU |
|
Total
4.0 CU |
|
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BIOL
421 (1.0 CU)
|
|
BIOL
399 (1.0 CU)
|
| CHEM
242 (m)
(1.0 CU) |
|
CHEM
245 (m) (1.0
CU) |
| PHYS
101 (m) (1.5 CU) |
|
PHYS
102 (m) (1.5 CU) |
| GE
requirement
(1.0 CU) |
|
GE
requirement
(1.0 CU) |
| GE
requirement (1.0 CU) |
|
|
| Total
5.5 CU |
|
Total
4.5 CU |
|
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BIOL
499 (1.0 CU)
|
|
BIOL
402 (1.0 CU)
|
| MB
elective (d) (1.0 CU) |
|
MB
elective (d) (1.0 CU) |
| GE
requirement (1.0 CU) |
|
GE
requirement (1.0 CU) |
| GE
requirement (1.0 CU) |
|
GE
requirement (1.0 CU) |
| GE
requirement (1.0 CU) |
|
|
| Total
5.0 CU |
|
Total
4.0 CU |
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(a)
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Freshmen with excellent high school preparation may
consider enrolling in an additional course during the
Fall semester (possibly the initial course in the foreign
language sequence)
but you must obtain permission from your pre-major advisor
and the College.
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(b)
|
The College requires all students to complete the General
Education curriculum. Usually, a total of 20.0 credit
units appropriately distributed for the sectors, foundational
approaches, and free electives are needed. These requirements
include competency in a foreign language. See specific
details at http://www.college.upenn.edu/curriculum/2010/index.php
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|
(c)
|
Choose three from:
BIOL 354 Animal Development (Spring
term)
BIOL 406 Molecular Mechanisms of Infectious
Disease Biology (Fall term)
BIOL 407 Cancer Cell Biology (Spring
term)
BIOL 422 Human Genetics and Genomics
(Spring term)
BIOL 425 Molecular Biology and Genetics Superlab
(offered both terms)
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BIOL 475 Advanced Microbiology
(Fall term)
BIOL 480 Advanced Cell Biology (Fall
term) |
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BIOL 483 Epigenetics (Spring term)
BIOL 484 Cell Motility and the Cytoskeleton (Fall
term)
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(m)
|
These courses are not required for the Molecular
Biology Concentration but are required for the pre-medical
curriculum.
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alternatives to this concentration
Students interested in molecular biology, but not able to complete
all the required courses for this Concentration are encouraged
to major in Biology and choose as many of the courses in the
curriculum as possible. If a student leaves the Molecular Biology
Concentration
he/she should be aware that four appropriately
distributed 200-level courses are required for the Biology major.
Please see the undergraduate coordinator (bio-undergraduate@sas.upenn.edu)
to discuss the remaining requirements for the general Biology
major.
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Undergraduate Program