Chemical Biology Major
The major in Chemical Biology addresses the growing interest that many biologists have in the molecular aspects of biology and the increasing emphasis that many chemists place on the significance of chemical interactions and reactions in biological systems. The mission of the major in Chemical Biology is to provide students with an inter-disciplinary and thorough training in both biology and chemistry so that they can understand and investigate the chemical processes that take place at the molecular level in living systems. Chemical Biology majors take a wide variety of chemistry and biology courses with the flexibility to focus on particular areas of their own interest. All students majoring in Chemical Biology engage in faculty-directed independent research projects as part of the major requirement. This gives students the opportunity to apply the principles that they have learned in the classroom and laboratory to the solution of real world scientific problems. In doing research, students gain hands-on experience in the use of state-of-the-art instrumentation, data analysis and interpretation. Students have presented their research at local and national conferences and in journal publications.
A major in Chemical Biology provides a strong academic background for students interested in pursuing graduate, professional and industrial careers at the interface between chemistry and biology. Students in the major benefit from the presence of pharmaceutical, chemical and biochemical industries, and many strong graduate and professional programs in the Philadelphia region. Chemical Biology majors have gone on to careers in cellular and molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, pharmacy and pharmacology, medicine, biotechnology, forensic science and neuroscience.
Goal 1: Students will understand the role of chemical properties in biological systems and processes.
Outcome 1.1: Students will understand and be able to describe biochemical processes of living organisms and the role of macromolecules in these processes.
Goal 2: Students will gain knowledge of problems at the chemistry-biology interface and learn the molecular approaches utilized to solve these.
Outcome 2.1: Students will acquire an in-depth understanding of fundamental chemical and biological principles to apply quantitative reasoning to biological problems and their solutions.
Goal 3: Students will acquire research experience through faculty-supervised independent projects in chemistry or biology.
Outcome 3.1: Students will be able to design an experiment, use modern instrumentation for data acquisition and processing in laboratory courses and in independent research.
Goal 4: Students will effectively communicate scientific information.
Outcome 4.1: Students will search the literature for published work relevant to a problem of interest and be able to develop cogent written and oral presentations of scientific content.
The traditional undergraduate programs includes a minimum of 120 credits distributed across three components: A General Education component divided into Signature Courses, Variable Courses, and an Integrative Learning requirement; a Major and Divisional component; and Free Electives. In addition to course requirements as specified in each area, students must complete one certified course in each of the following overlay areas1:
- Diversity, Globalization or Non-western Area Studies,
- Ethics Intensive
- Writing Intensive, and
- Diversity
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Overlay requirements are part of the 120 credit requirements
General Education Signature Courses
See this page about Signature courses.
General Education Variable Courses
See this page about Variable courses. Six to Nine courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | ||
| MAT 155 | Fundamentals of Calculus | 3 |
| or MAT 161 | Calculus I | |
| Natural Science | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
| PHY 102 & 102L | General Physics II and General Physics Laboratory II | 4 |
| PHY 106 & 106L | University Physics II and University Physics Lab II | 4 |
General Education Overlays
General Education Integrative Learning Component
See this page about Integrative Learning Component. Three courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 101 & 101L | Bio I: Cells and Bio I: Cells Lab | 4 |
| or BIO 150L | Bio I: Cells Lab Phage | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| CHM 120 & 120L | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry Lab I | 4 |
| CHM 121 & CHM 120L | General Chemistry Honors I and General Chemistry Lab I | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| PHY 101 & 101L | General Physics I and General Physics Laboratory I | 4 |
| PHY 105 & 105L | University Physics I and University Physics Lab I | 4 |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| MAT 128 | Applied Statistics | 3-4 |
| or MAT 162 | Calculus II | |
| BIO 102 & 102L | Bio II: Genetics and Bio II: Genetics Lab | 4 |
| or BIO 151L | Phage Lab | |
| BIO 201 & 201L | Bio III: Organismic Biology and Bio III: Organismic Biol Lab | 4 |
| CHM 125 & 125L | General Chemistry II and General Chemistry Lab II | 3-4 |
| or CHM 126 | General Chemistry Honors II | |
| CHM 330 & 330L | Instrumental Analysis and Instrumental Analysis Lab | 5 |
| CHM 210 & 210L | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry Lab I | 4 |
| CHM 215 & 215L | Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry Lab II | 4 |
| CHM 320 | Physical Chem for Chem Bio | 3 |
| or CHM 310 | Physical Chemistry I | |
| CMB 390 | Chemical Biology Seminar 1 | 0 |
| Select three of the following: | 12 | |
| Advanced Cell Biology and Advanced Cell Biology Lab | ||
| Molecular Genetics and Molecular Genetics Lab | ||
| Neurobiology and Neurobiology Lab | ||
| Immunology and Immunology Lab | ||
| Microbiology and Microbiology Lab | ||
| Applied&Environ Microbio and Applied & Environ Micro Lab | ||
| Molecular&Cellular Biophysics and Mol & Cell Biophysics Lab | ||
| Biotechnology and Biotechnology Lab | ||
| Bacterial Pathogenesis and Bacterial Pathogenesis Lab | ||
| Select one of the following in-depth Chemistry courses: | 3 | |
| Nanochemistry | ||
| Chemistry of the Earth | ||
| Biophysical Chemistry | ||
| Medicinal Chemistry | ||
| Atmospheric Environmental Chem | ||
| Mechanisms in Organic Chem | ||
| Tech Applications of Chemistry | ||
| Organometallic Chemistry | ||
| Aqueous Environmental Chem | ||
| Inorganic Biochemistry | ||
| Spectroscopy | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Biochemistry | ||
| Biochemistry | ||
| Select one of the following: 2 | 3 | |
| Undergraduate Research in Bio | ||
or BIO 494 | Undergraduate Research in Bio | |
| Junior Research I | ||
or CHM 394 | Junior Research II | |
| Senior Research I | ||
or CHM 494 | Senior Research II | |
| Total Hours | 51-54 | |
- 1
Students must register for CMB 390 each semester as a junior or senior (4 total).
- 2
The research requirement can also be satisfied with CMB 490 Introduction to Research and an in-depth Chemistry course or a Biology elective course listed above.
Free Electives
At least six courses.