School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Molecular Biology (BS)
The Biology Program at UT Dallas emphasizes the unifying molecular and cellular nature of organisms. At the center of the Biology undergraduate curriculum are the biochemical, genetic, and cell biology concepts and tools used to study the genes of prokaryotes and eukaryotes, to study the proteins and ribonucleic acids (RNA) encoded by these genes, and to study how the expression of these genes is regulated during the development and lifetimes of organisms. Molecular Biology represents a fusion of the four disciplines of biochemistry, biophysics, genetics, and cell biology. Modern biology requires a background in other disciplines such as chemistry, mathematics, physics, and computer sciences. Principles from these disciplines have to be merged to understand and apply new biotechnology and genetic engineering techniques. It is desirable for entering students to have a broad interest and background in the sciences.
Both BS and BA degrees are offered in Biology at UT Dallas; a BS degree is offered in Molecular Biology. The BS degrees are intended as preparation for scientific careers in biology or careers in the health professions. The BA degree is intended as liberal arts biology major with less emphasis on calculus and more free hours for coursework in other disciplines. Each degree in Biology offers a streamlined double major with Business Administration or Crime and Justice Studies. Five-year Fast Track BS / MS Biology and Molecular Biology degree programs are available.
Minors are offered in Biology, Biomolecular Structure, Microbiology, Molecular and Cell Biology, and Neurobiology.
Faculty
Professors: Lee A. Bulla, Santosh D'Mello, Rockford K. Draper, Juan E. González, Stephen D. Levene, Lawrence J. Reitzer, Stephen Spiro, Li Zhang, Michael Qiwei Zhang
Professors Emeritus: Hans Bremer, Donald M. Gray, Claud S. Rupert
Associate Professors: Gail A. M. Breen, John G. Burr, Jeff L. DeJong, Ernest M. Hannig, Dennis L. Miller
Assistant Professors: Heng Du, Jung-whan (Jay) Kim, Kelli Palmer, Duane D. Winkler, Zhenyu Xuan, Hyuntae Yoo
Research Assistant Professor: Lan Guo
Senior Lecturers: Irina Borovkov, Mehmet Candas, Vincent P. Cirillo, Monique Duncan, Wen-Ju Lin, Robert C. Marsh, David Murchison, Elizabeth Pickett, Ruben D. Ramirez, Elizabeth Rugg, Scott A. Rippel, Ilya Sapozhnikov, Uma Srikanth, Michelle Wilson, Wen-Ho Yu
Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology
Degree Requirements (120 hours)
I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 hours1
Communication (6 hours)
3 hours Communication (RHET 1302)
3 hours Communication Elective (BIOL 4337, BIOL 4390, BIOL 4391, BIOL 4398, BIOL 4399 or NATS 4310)2
Social and Behavioral Sciences (15 hours)
6 semester credit hours Government (GOVT 2301 and GOVT 2302)
6 hours American History
3 hours Social and Behavioral Sciences Elective
Humanities and Fine Arts (6 hours)
3 hours Fine Arts (ARTS 1301)
3 hours Humanities (HUMA 1301)
Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (6 hours)
6 hours Calculus (MATH 2417 and MATH 2419)3
Science (9 hours)
9 hours Chemistry (CHEM 1311 and CHEM 1111, CHEM 1312 and CHEM 1112, and CHEM 2123)4
II. Major Requirements: 68-69 hours
Major Preparatory Courses (20-21 hours beyond Core Curriculum)
CHEM 1111 General Chemistry Laboratory I4
CHEM 1112 General Chemistry Laboratory II4
CHEM 1311 General Chemistry I4
CHEM 1312 General Chemistry II4
CHEM 2123 Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory I4, 5
CHEM 2125 Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory II5
CHEM 2323 Introductory Organic Chemistry I5
CHEM 2325 Introductory Organic Chemistry II5
MATH 2418 Linear Algebra
PHYS 2125 Physics Laboratory I
PHYS 2126 Physics Laboratory II
PHYS 2325 Mechanics
PHYS 2326 Electromagnetism and Waves
Major Core Courses (35-36 hours)
BIOL 2111 Introduction to Modern Biology Workshop I5
BIOL 2112 Introduction to Modern Biology Workshop II5
BIOL 2281 Introductory Biology Laboratory5
BIOL 2311 Introduction to Modern Biology I5
BIOL 2312 Introduction to Modern Biology II5
BIOL 3101 Classical and Molecular Genetics Workshop
BIOL 3102 Eukaryotic Molecular and Cell Biology Workshop
BIOL 3161 Biochemistry Workshop I
BIOL 3162 Biochemistry Workshop II
BIOL 3301 Classical and Molecular Genetics
BIOL 3302 Eukaryotic Molecular and Cell Biology
BIOL 3361 Biochemistry I
BIOL 3362 Biochemistry II
or BIOL 3335 Microbial Physiology
BIOL 3380 Biochemistry Laboratory
BIOL 4380 Cell & Molecular Biology Laboratory6
or BIOL 3V96 (3 hours) Undergraduate Research in Molecular and Cell Biology6
or BIOL 4399 (3 hours) Senior Honors Research in Molecular and Cell Biology6
or BIOL 4391 (3 hours) Senior Research in Molecular and Cell Biology6
BIOL 4461 Biophysical Chemistry
Major Related Courses (12 hours)7
12 hours upper-division approved molecular biology-related BIOL or CHEM electives
III. Elective Requirements: 9-10 hours
Free Electives (9-10 hours)
All students must complete at least 51 hours of upper-division courses to graduate.
Minor in Biology
Minor in Biology
Course Requirements: 18 hours
BIOL 2311 and BIOL 2111 Introduction to Modern Biology I with Workshop
BIOL 3301 and BIOL 3101 Classical and Molecular Genetics with Workshop
BIOL 3361 and BIOL 3161 Biochemistry I with Workshop
Two BIOL electives for majors
Minor in Biomolecular Structure
Course Requirements: 18 hours
BIOL 3336 Protein and Nucleic Acid Structure
BIOL 4461 Biophysical Chemistry, unless taken to fulfill the Molecular Biology major requirements
BIOL 4261 Biomolecular Modeling
CHEM 2323 and CHEM 2325 Introductory Organic Chemistry I and II
One to two approved BIOL, CHEM, CS, EE, MATH, or PHYS electives
Minor in Molecular and Cell Biology
Course Requirements: 18 hours
CHEM 2323 and CHEM 2325 Introductory Organic Chemistry I and II
Four approved molecular and cell biology electives
Minor in Microbiology
Course Requirements: 18 hours
BIOL 3V20 General Microbiology with Laboratory8
BIOL 3335 Microbial Physiology9
BIOL 4350 Medical Microbiology or BIOL 4316 Parasites and Symbionts
BIOL 4345 Immunobiology
CHEM 2323 Introductory Organic Chemistry I
One approved microbiology elective
Minor in Neurobiology
Course Requirements: 18 hours
BIOL 4370 Developmental Neurobiology
BIOL 3371 Biology of the Brain or NSC 4352 Cellular Neuroscience
CHEM 2323 and CHEM 2325 Introductory Organic Chemistry I and II
NSC 4353 Neuroscience Laboratory Methods
NSC 4354 Integrative Neuroscience
Fast Track Baccalaureate/Master's Degrees
UT Dallas undergraduate students with strong academic records, including at least 15 hours of upper-division Biology core courses, who intend to pursue graduate work in Biology at UT Dallas, may apply for the Fast Track which involves taking selected graduate courses as an upper-division student. After admission to the graduate program, 15 hours of graduate courses with an earned grade of B or better can be used toward completion of the BS and to satisfy requirements for those courses at the graduate level. Graduate courses must be approved by the graduate advisor. This program provides an opportunity to obtain the BS degree in Biology after 120 hours of work and an MS degree in Molecular and Cell Biology after an additional 21 hours of graduate course and research work. Interested students should contact the Biology undergraduate advisor well in advance of the senior year to prepare a degree plan taking maximal advantage of this 5-year Fast Track program.
Degree Planning
Upper-division biology courses taken at other institutions may be included as part of the degree plan subject to the provisions of the section on Transfer Admissions.
Major-related courses may not include more than 9 hours (BS) or 6 hours (BA) of upper-division transfer credit and not more than 3 hours (Biology major) or 6 hours (Molecular Biology major) of individual instruction (e.g., BIOL 3V90, BIOL 3V91, BIOL 3V92, BIOL 3V95, BIOL 3V96, BIOL 4302, BIOL 4390, BIOL 4391, BIOL 4398, BIOL 4399, BIOL 4V98, or BIOL 4V99).
Students planning a career in a particular allied health profession should consult the school they expect to attend to apprise themselves of the course requirements for admission.
Admission standards for medical and dental schools are set by the individual professional school, whose specific requirements should be reviewed with the help of the UT Dallas Health Professions Advising Center (HPAC). Most professional schools prefer that admission applications be channeled through the HPAC.
1. Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from accredited institutions of higher education. The courses listed in parentheses are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.
2. Molecular Biology majors may choose BIOL 4337, BIOL 4390, BIOL 4391, BIOL 4398, BIOL 4399, NATS 4310 or another approved Biology elective to fulfill the Core Curriculum Communication Elective.
3. Six hours of Calculus are counted under Mathematics Core, and 2 hours of Calculus are counted as Major Preparatory Courses.
4. A required Major course that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Hours are counted in Core Curriculum.
5. Indicates a prerequisite class to be completed before enrolling for upper-division classes.
6. These substitutes for BIOL 4380 require permission of the Biology Undergraduate Advisor to ensure equivalent training in recombinant DNA analysis.
7. Up to 6 hours of research may be used in fulfilling the major related course requirement.
8. Two hours of BIOL 3V20 may be used to satisfy the upper level elective requirement for Biology and Molecular Biology majors.
9. May be substituted with CHEM 2325 Introductory Chemistry II if used to satisfy the Biochemistry II core requirement for Biology and Molecular Biology majors.