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BA Program

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(Majors Application Form)

BS in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

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Minor in Biology
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The Programs

The Department of Biological Sciences offers three programs leading to baccalaureate degrees, and one leading to the combined B.A./M.S. degree.

• The Bachelor of Arts degree. Students qualify for the Bachelor of Arts degree by successfully completing at least 33 credits of coursework within the department plus 38 credits in chemistry, physics and mathematics. The curriculum of the BA program includes seven core courses, as well as elective laboratory and lecture courses. It is designed to provide broad-based education in the biological sciences.

• The Bachelor of Science degree. Students qualify for the Bachelor of Sciences degree by successfully completing 44 credits of coursework within the department plus 38 credits of chemistry, physics and mathematics. The BS program is designed to provide the opportunity for in-depth study within particular sub-disciplines of the biological sciences, and specific curricula have been formulated for study in (a) cell and molecular biology, (b) ecology and evolutionary biology and (c) pre-health studies.

• The Bachelor of Science degree in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology. In this highly interdisciplinary program, students integrate coursework in applied mathematics, computer science and the biological sciences, learning how to apply mathematics and computing to the study of genes and proteins. This training prepares students for graduate education in a bioinformatics-related field or for entry into the workforce of this emerging new discipline.

• The combined Bachelor of Arts/Master of Science degree. To qualify for the combined degree, a student completes 30 credits of coursework within the department and 38 credits of chemistry, physics and mathematics in three years as an undergraduate student. Then, following admission into the department's graduate program, an additional 38 credits of graduate coursework are completed over two years. A combined BA/MS degree is awarded after only five years of study, whereas completion of a BA degree normally takes four years and completion of an MS degree normally takes two years.

In addition to baccalaureate degrees, the Department of Biological Sciences offers a Minor in the Biological Sciences. To qualify, students complete a short list of required courses and elective courses within the department, achieving a total of 22 credits. There is also a special Biotechnology Minor available for chemical engineering students.

Acceptance Criteria

Except for the BS degree program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, the department accepts students as majors after they have successfully completed all three of the following with a combined GPA of at least 2.0:

• a two-semester course in general chemistry (CHE 102-102, or equivalent),

• a two-semester course in college calculus (MTH 121-122, 141-142, or equivalent), and

• two college-level biology courses (BIO 200, BIO 201, or equivalent).

These criteria apply to all students, regardless of whether they started college at UB or transferred to UB from another institution. The application form, including a current DARS report, is to be submitted directly to the Department of Biological Sciences. Each accepted student will be assigned a faculty advisor within the department at the time of acceptance. The advisor should be consulted concerning program requirements and the selection of courses to meet those requirements.

Important: The Department of Biological Sciences abides by UB's repeat policy, which states that a student may repeat a given course only once, and when a course is repeated, the grade counted in calculating GPA is the grade earned the second time. If a student enrolls in a course a third time, the grade earned will not be considered by the department either for admission into one of its programs or for credit toward a baccalaureate degree. This policy applies to all required and elective courses within any of the departmental's BA or BS degree programs.

Criteria for acceptance into the interdisciplinary program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology are an overall university GPA of at least 2.5 and a GPA of at least 3.0 in the following prerequisite courses:

• BIO 205 Fundamentals of Biological Chemistry

• CHE 101-102 General Chemistry

• CSE 115-116 Introduction of Computer Science

• MTH 141-141 College Calculus I & II

It is recommended that these prerequisite courses be completed by the end of the fourth semester.

For the B.A./M.S. combined degree program, undergraduate biology majors (B.A or B.S.) apply at the end of their sophomore year or the beginning of their junior year. A minimum GPA of 3.0 in both science and general education courses and three supportive letters of recommendation from faculty are needed. The combined degree is awarded at the completion of the fifth year of the program. Separate B.A. and M.S. degrees are not awarded.

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