Bachelor of Science [B.S] [Biochemistry and Molecular Biology] From University of California

The School has recently redesigned the curriculum to remain on the cutting edge of biological education. All first-year students are introduced to basic concepts in ecology and evolutionary biology, as well as cellular and molecular biology. The core set of courses in biology continues into the second year, featuring genetics, biochemistry, and molecular biology, followed in the third and fourth year by a choice of advanced courses in biology. Since biology is a laboratory discipline, students complete a series of laboratory courses in which they learn both the techniques and approaches needed to solve problems in biology.

Finally, the faculty expect that most students will engage in cutting-edge research in one of more than 250 laboratories and medical clinics in the Francisco J. Ayala School of Biological Sciences and the UCI School of Medicine. It is in these situations that faculty train students to think in a sophisticated way about real-world problems. There is also no feeling of excitement greater than finding out something about the world that no one has ever known before, a feeling afforded in biology only by participation in research. The Excellence in Research Program allows students to present their work and be recognized for their performance with a series of awards and publication of their reports in the School’s online Journal of Undergraduate Research. The set of core classes that instructs students in the concepts of biology, the advanced classes that allow a deep understanding of specialized aspects of biology, the laboratory courses that convey the practical aspects of problem-solving in biology, and the research experiences that engage students in the real excitement in revealing new information about biology, come together to provide an extraordinary experience for students. The Honors Program in the Francisco J. Ayala School of Biological Sciences further enhances the educational experience for the best students.

Biology students have the option of specializing in areas of biology that best fit their interests, completing courses for degree programs in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology/Education, Developmental and Cell Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Exercise Sciences, Genetics, Human Biology, Microbiology and Immunology, or Neurobiology.

Those students who wish to receive a broader education in the area can opt to complete a major in Biological Sciences. Completion of any of these majors forms an excellent basis for application to either graduate or professional studies such as medical school, and graduates of the Francisco J. Ayala School of Biological Sciences are routinely accepted to the most prestigious programs in the country.