Semester Requirements
http://www.rit.edu/cos/lifesciences/programs.html#MBB
Program overview
The BS degree in biotechnology and molecular bioscience prepares students to immediately assume challenging positions in research, development, and management in biotechnology. Students are also well-prepared for positions in the fields of plant biotechnology, human genetics, agriculture, food products, pharmaceuticals and vaccine development, environment and energy, forensic science, and genetic counseling.
The advanced nature of the third- and fourth-year courses, as well as the opportunity to participate in faculty-sponsored undergraduate research, provides a sound foundation to those graduates wishing to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree.
The program also can be designed to include the education necessary for the pursuit of a career in a medical field.
Specialized areas of emphasis include recombinant DNA, microbial and plant genetic engineering, mammalian and plant tissue culture, monoclonal antibody production and purification, large-scale fermentation techniques (bacterial and mammalian cell), and methods for characterization and separation of proteins and nucleic acids in yeast, bacterial, viral, and plant systems.
Cooperative education
This program provides students the option of participating in cooperative education. More than 65 organizations in industry, government, and academia employ our students in full-time paid positions directly related to students’ academic areas of interest. Co-op positions can be held during the summer and/or during the regular academic year. Tuition is not charged while a student is on co-op. If a student elects to pursue a co-op during the regular academic year, they may need to extend the date of graduation beyond the traditional four years.
Curriculum
Biotechnology and molecular bioscience, BS degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| BIOL-121 | Introduction to Biology I | 4 |
| CHMG-141 | LAS Perspective 5: General and Analytical Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHMG-145 | LAS Perspective 5: General and Analytical Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
| LAS Perspective 1 | 3 | |
| LAS Foundation 1: First Year Seminar† | 3 | |
| BIOL-122 | Introduction to Biology II | 4 |
| CHMG-142 | LAS Perspective 6: General and Analytical Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHMG-146 | LAS Perspective 6: General and Analytical Chemistry II Lab | 1 |
| MATH-161 | LAS Perspective 7A: Applied Calculus | 4 |
| ENGL-150 | LAS Foundation 2: First Year Writing | 3 |
| Second Year | ||
| BIOL-201 | Cell and Molecular Biology w/ Lab | 4 |
| BIOL-204 | Microbiology w/ Lab | 4 |
| CHMO-231 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHMO-235 | Organic Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| STAT-145 | LAS Perspective 7B: Introduction Statistics | |
| STAT-155 | LAS Perspective 7B: Biostatistics | |
| BIOL-321 | Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL-325 | Bioinform Anal Macromole | 3 |
| CHMO-232 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHMO-236 | Organic Chemistry II Lab | 1 |
| LAS Perspective 2 | 3 | |
| Third Year | ||
| CHMB-402 | Biochemistry I | 3 |
| Program Electives | 14 | |
| LAS Perspective 3, 4 | 6 | |
| CHMB-403 | Biochemistry II | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| LAS Immersion 1 | 3 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Program Electives | 24 | |
| LAS Immersion 2, 3 | 6 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| LAS Elective | 3 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 121 | |
Please see New General Education Curriculum–Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) for more information.
(WI) Refers to a writing intensive course within the major.
* Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information.
† The First Year Seminar requirement is replaced by an LAS Elective for the 2013-14 academic year.
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Click to view program requirements in the Quarter Calendar
Quarter Curriculum - For Reference Only
Effective fall 2013, RIT will convert its academic calendar from quarters to semesters. The following content has been made available as reference only. Currently matriculated students who began their academic programs in quarters should consult their academic adviser for guidance and course selection.
Program overview
The BS degree in molecular bioscience and biotechnology prepares students to immediately assume challenging positions in research, development, and management in biotechnology. Students are also well-prepared for positions in the fields of plant biotechnology, human genetics, agriculture, food products, pharmaceuticals and vaccine development, environment and energy, forensic science, and genetic counseling.
The advanced nature of the third- and fourth-year courses, as well as the opportunity to participate in faculty-sponsored undergraduate research, provides a sound foundation to those graduates wishing to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree.
The program also can be designed to include the education necessary for the pursuit of a career in a medical field.
Specialized areas of emphasis include recombinant DNA, microbial and plant genetic engineering, mammalian and plant tissue culture, monoclonal antibody production and purification, large-scale fermentation techniques (bacterial and mammalian cell), and methods for characterization and separation of proteins and nucleic acids in yeast, bacterial, viral, and plant systems.
Cooperative education
This program provides students the option of participating in cooperative education. More than 65 organizations in industry, government, and academia employ our students in full-time paid positions directly related to students’ academic areas of interest. Co-op positions can be held during the summer and/or during the regular academic year. Tuition is not charged while a student is on co-op. If a student elects to pursue a co-op during the regular academic year, they may need to extend the date of graduation beyond the traditional four years.
Curriculum
Molecular bioscience and biotechnology, BS degree, typical course sequence (quarters)
| Course | Qtr. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| 1001-200 | Freshman Symposium | 1 |
| 1001-251, 252, 253 | Introduction to Biology I, II, III | 12 |
| 1011-215, 216, 217 | General and Analytical Chemistry I, II, III | 10 |
| 1011-205, 206 | Chemical Principles Lab I, II | 2 |
| 1011-227 | General and Analytical Chemistry Lab | 1 |
| 1016-214, 215 | Elementary Calculus I, II | 6 |
| Liberal Arts* | 12 | |
| 1105-051, 052 | First-Year Enrichment | 2 |
| Wellness Education† | 0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| 1001-311 | Cell Biology | 4 |
| 1001-312 | Immunology | 3 |
| 1001-314 | Tissue Culture | 5 |
| 1001-350 | Molecular Biology | 4 |
| 1013-231, 232, 233 | Organic Chemistry I, II, III | 9 |
| 1013-235, 236, 237 | Organic Chemistry Lab I, II, III | 3 |
| 1016-319 | Data Analysis I | 4 |
| Liberal Arts* | 12 | |
| Third and Fourth Years‡ | ||
| 1001-404 | Introductory Microbiology | 4 |
| 1001-421 | Genetics | 4 |
| 1008-312 | Analytical Chemistry: Separations | 3 |
| 1008-319 | Analytical Chemistry: Separations Lab | 1 |
| 1009-502 | Biochemistry: Conformation and Dynamics | 3 |
| 1009-503 | Biochemistry: Metabolism | 3 |
| Biotechnology Electives | 24 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 12 | |
| General Education Courses | 9 | |
| University-wide Electives | 27 | |
| 1001-499 | Cooperative Education (optional)‡ | Co-op |
| Total Quarter Credit Hours | 180 | |
*Please see Liberal Arts General Education Requirements for more information.
†Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information.
‡If a student elects to participate in our co-op program, she or he may be scheduling courses in a fifth year but will be using the same number of academic quarters of classes to complete the degree.
Bioinformatics option
Bioinformatics is a developing field that represents a marriage between biotechnology and computer technologies. The field encompasses all aspects of the application of computer technologies to biological data. This option includes curriculum that features a combination of science and biotechnology courses with computer science courses to help students organize, link, analyze, and visualize complex sets of biological data.
Molecular bioscience and biotechnology, bioinformatics option, BS degree, typical course sequence (quarters)
| Course | Qtr. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| 1001-200 | Freshman Symposium | 1 |
| 1001-251, 252, 253 | Introduction to Biology I, II, III | 12 |
| 1011-215, 216, 217 | General and Analytical Chemistry I, II, III | 10 |
| 1011-205, 206 | Chemical Principles Lab I, II | 2 |
| 1011-227 | General and Analytical Chemistry Lab | 1 |
| 4003-231, 232 | Computer Science I, II | 8 |
| Liberal Arts* | 12 | |
| 1105-051, 052 | First-Year Enrichment | 2 |
| Wellness Education† | 0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| 1016-214, 215 | Elementary Calculus I, II | 6 |
| 1001-311 | Cell Biology | 4 |
| 1001-350 | Molecular Biology | 4 |
| 1001-312 | Immunology | 3 |
| 1001-314 | Tissue Culture | 5 |
| 4003-233 | Computer Science III | 4 |
| 1013-231, 232, 233 | Organic Chemistry Lecture I, II, III | 9 |
| 1013-235, 236, 237 | Organic Chemistry Lab I, II, III | 3 |
| 1001-404 | Liberal Arts* | 8 |
| Third and Fourth Years‡ | ||
| Introduction to Microbiology | 4 | |
| 1001-421 | Genetics | 4 |
| 1001-492 | Genomics | 4 |
| 1001-493 | Bioinformatics | 4 |
| 1001-450 | Genetic Engineering | 5 |
| Biotechnology Electives | 12 | |
| 1008-312, 319 | Analytical Chemical Separations | 4 |
| 1009-502 | Biochemistry: Confirmation and Dynamics | 3 |
| 1009-503 | Biochemistry: Metabolism | 3 |
| 4002-360 | Introduction to Databases and Data Modeling | 4 |
| 4003-334 | Computer Science IV | 4 |
| 1016-319 | Data Analysis | 4 |
| Liberal Arts* | 16 | |
| University-wide Electives | 13 | |
| 1001-499 | Cooperative Education (optional)‡ | Co-op |
| Total Quarter Credit Hours | 180 | |
*Please see Liberal Arts General Education Requirements for more information.
†Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information.
‡If a student elects to participate in our co-op program, she or he may be scheduling courses in a fifth year but will be using the same number of academic quarters of classes to complete the degree.
Concentrations/Electives
Upper-division elective courses suggested for students interested in certain sub-disciplines of agriculture/plant, environmental, industrial, and medical biotechnology. Students may select courses from any suggested concentrations.
Agricultural/Plant
1001-416 Plant Biotechnology
1001-418 Plant Molecular Biology
1001-492 Genomics
1001-450 Genetic Engineering
1001-405 Plants, Medicine, and Technology
1001-559 Special Topics*
*Special topics may include the following: Plant Pathology, Fundamentals of Plant Biochemistry, and Bio-Separations: Principles and Practices.
Environmental
1001-567 Environmental Microbiology
1001-530 Bioremediation
1001-418 Plant Molecular Biology
1001-559 Special Topics*
*Special topics may include the following: Plant Pathology.
Industrial
1001-530 Bioremediation
1001-492 Genomics
1001-416 Plant Biotechnology
1001-315 Hybridoma Techniques
1001-450 Genetic Engineering
1001-403 Cell Physiology
1001-405 Plants, Medicine, and Technology
Medical
1001-312 Immunology
1001-525 Eukaryotic Gene Expression
1001-406 Virology
1001-422 Developmental Biology
1001-451 Introduction to Infectious Disease
1001-715 Genetic Diseases and Disorders
1001-315 Hybridoma Techniques
1001-502 Advanced Immunology
1001-427 Microbial and Viral Genetics
1001-492 Genomics
1001-559 Special Topics*
*Special topics courses include the following: Cancer Biology, Infectious Disease: Impact on Society and Culture, Medical Parasitology, and Bacterial-Host Interactions.