University of California, Los Angeles College of Letters and Science 118 courses
Computational Biology majors select a coherent integration of courses from one of three designated tracks: bioinformatics, biological data sciences, or dynamical modeling. The synergy for all tracks is integrative systems, information, and computational systems modeling sciences in biology. The focus is primarily quantitative, as mastery of advanced quantitative skills is essential for multidisciplinary understanding. Each track emphasizes different systems or modalities, and modeling or other computational approaches. Students choose one of the three tracks when they declare the major. Well-justified customized tracks may also be approved by the faculty. Bioinformatics Track The bioinformatics track is designed for students interested in computational discovery and management of biological data, primarily genomic, proteomic, or metabolomic data. Bioinformatics emphasizes computational, statistical, and other mathematical approaches for mining, modeling, and analyzing high-throughput biological data and the inherent structure of biological information. Example research problems include finding statistical patterns that reveal genomic or evolutionary or developmental information, studying how regulatory sequences give rise to programs of gene expression, or researching how the genome encodes the capabilities of the human mind. Biological Data Sciences Track The biological data sciences track addresses a diverse set of biological questions—ranging from medicine, to genomics, physiology, pharmacology, neuroscience, ecology, and evolution—using recent tools and advances in mathematics and computation—specifically machine learning, statistical data sciences, and informatics. Biological data sciences leverages new and developing courses within computational biology and across UCLA, and greatly aids students who aim to go directly into industry—biotech, pharmaceuticals, and more—as well as computational biology graduate school. The track has a strong focus and deep integration with life sciences. Dynamical Modeling Track The dynamical modeling track seeks to provide students a strong foundation in the use of mathematical and computational models for analyzing biological systems. The modeling approaches are based on a varied set of approaches such as partial differential equations, stochastic equations, dynamical systems theory, stability theory and linear algebra, network theory, cellular automata, and numerical methods. Dynamical models are the heart of evolution that underpin all of biology and can be applied to disease spread, tumor growth and treatment, wound healing, cell migration, blood flow, ecology, climate change biology, population genetics, evolutionary theory, game theory, and scaling theory. Models are tailored based on the biological and physical details of the system and can often be simplified or used to build intuition based on the associated timescales and spatial dimensions—from cellular signaling and transcriptional regulation to communication between organs through hormones to consumer-resource interactions among species. The track allows students to develop quantitative approaches to interpret complex biological systems and is a gateway towards careers in biotechnology and academia. The Computational Biology major is a designated capstone major. The capstone experience is a senior-level sequence of two courses integrating the discipline via mathematical modeling, simulation, and active research and report writing. Students are expected to demonstrate critical thinking skills and familiarity with research techniques needed to successfully pursue a research project in computational biology, conceive and execute a research project on which they engage current methods and theory, communicate original scholarly findings to peers both in oral and written form, and work productively with others as part of a research team. The experience culminates with completion of the senior thesis requirement.
Preparation for the Major
Complete a minimum of 66 to 82 units (depending on the calculus series, computer programming courses, and additional requisites for specific concentrations). Additional lower-division courses may be requisite to desired track courses.
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| C&S BIO 10 | Preparation for Research in Computational Biology | 3 |
Preparation for the Major: Chemistry
Select one series from:
Preparation for the Major: Chemistry: Chemistry 14 series
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 14A | General Chemistry for Life Scientists I | 4 |
| CHEM 14B | General Chemistry for Life Scientists II | 4 |
Preparation for the Major: Chemistry: Chemistry 20 series
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 20A | Chemical Structure | 4 |
| CHEM 20B | Chemical Energetics and Change | 4 |
Preparation for the Major: Computer Science or Program in Computing
Select one course from:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COM SCI 31 | Introduction to Computer Science I | 4 |
| COMPTNG 10A | Introduction to Programming | 5 |
Preparation for the Major: Life Sciences
Complete the following three courses:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LIFESCI 7A | Cell and Molecular Biology | 5 |
| LIFESCI 7B | Genetics, Evolution, and Ecology | 5 |
| LIFESCI 7C | Physiology and Human Biology | 5 |
Preparation for the Major: Mathematics
Complete 5 to 6 courses total from one of the following options:
Preparation for the Major: Mathematics: Life Sciences
Students may select Computational and Systems Biology M32 or Mathematics M32T.
Preparation for the Major: Mathematics: Life Sciences: Statistics
Select one from:
Preparation for the Major: Mathematics: Mathematics
Students may select Mathematics 31A or 31AL.
Preparation for the Major: Mathematics: Mathematics: Statistics
Select one from:
Preparation for the Major: Physics
Select one series from:
Preparation for the Major: Physics: Physics 1 series
Preparation for the Major: Physics: Physics 1 Honors series
Preparation for the Major: Physics: Physics 5 series
Preparation for the Major: Additional Courses by Track
Additional preparation for the major courses are required for the following tracks:
Preparation for the Major: Additional Courses by Track: Bioinformatics
Select Computer Science 32, or Programs in Computing 10B and 10C:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COM SCI 32 | Introduction to Computer Science II | 4 |
| COMPTNG 10B | Intermediate Programming | 4 |
| COMPTNG 10C | Advanced Programming | 5 |
Preparation for the Major: Additional Courses by Track: Biological Data Science
Complete the following course:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COM SCI 32 | Introduction to Computer Science II | 4 |
The Major
Complete a methodology core of, at minimum, six courses (23 units) and a track of five upper-division courses (20 units minimum) as follows:
The Major: Methodology Core
Complete four required courses and two capstone courses as follows:
The Major: Methodology Core: Required Courses
Complete the following four requirements:
The Major: Methodology Core: Required Courses: Methodology Core I - Introduction and Survey
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| C&S BIO M184 | Introduction to Computational and Systems Biology | 2 |
The Major: Methodology Core: Required Courses: Methodology Core II - Research Topics
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| C&S BIO 185 | Thesis Research Opportunities in Computational and Systems Biology | 4 |
The Major: Methodology Core: Required Courses: Methodology Core III - Data Science and Statistics for Life Scientists
Select one of the following pathways:
The Major: Methodology Core: Required Courses: Methodology Core III - Data Science and Statistics for Life Scientists: Pathway I
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| C&S BIO 100 | Data Science and Statistics for Life Scientists | 4 |
The Major: Methodology Core: Required Courses: Methodology Core III - Data Science and Statistics for Life Scientists: Pathway II: Probability
Select one course from:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| STATS 100A | Introduction to Probability | 4 |
| MATH 170E | Introduction to Probability and Statistics 1: Probability | 4 |
The Major: Methodology Core: Required Courses: Methodology Core III - Data Science and Statistics for Life Scientists: Pathway II: Statistics
Select one course from:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| STATS 100B | Introduction to Mathematical Statistics | 4 |
| MATH 170S | Introduction to Probability and Statistics 2: Statistics | 4 |
The Major: Methodology Core: Required Courses: Biological Modeling
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| C&S BIO M150 | Biological Modeling: Mathematical and Computational Approaches | 5 |
The Major: Methodology Core: Capstone
Select one option from:
The Major: Methodology Core: Capstone: Computational and Systems Biology M187 and 195
Complete the following two courses:
The Major: Methodology Core: Capstone: Computational and Systems Biology M187 and 199
Complete the following two courses:
The Major: Methodology Core: Capstone: Computational and Systems Biology 198A and 198B
Complete the following two courses:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| C&S BIO 198A | Honors Research in Computational and Systems Biology | 4 |
| C&S BIO 198B | Honors Research in Computational and Systems Biology | 4 |
The Major: Tracks
Complete a minimum of five courses (20 units minimum) from the following tracks. No 199 course may be applied toward any track.
The Major: Tracks: Bioinformatics (at least 20 units)
Note: Computer Science 32 or Program in Computing 10B and 10C, and Computational and Systems Biology M32 (same as Life Sciences M32 or Mathematics M32T) or Mathematics 32A are completed in the pre-major.
The Major: Tracks: Bioinformatics (at least 20 units): Computer Science
Select one course from:
The Major: Tracks: Bioinformatics (at least 20 units): Additional Courses
Select two courses from:
The Major: Tracks: Bioinformatics (at least 20 units): Life Science Courses
Select two life science courses from the life sciences course list.
The Major: Tracks: Biological Data Sciences (at least 20 units)
Note: Computer Science 32 is completed in the pre-major. A maximum of two courses may be from mathematics.
The Major: Tracks: Biological Data Sciences (at least 20 units): Additional Courses
Select three courses (at least 20 units) from the following. Only one course from Computer Science CM124 or M226 may be applied. Only one course from Computer Science M146, Mathematics 156, or Statistics C161 may be applied. Only one course from Computer Science 180 or Mathematics 182 may be applied.
The Major: Tracks: Biological Data Sciences (at least 20 units): Life Science Courses
Select two life science courses from the life sciences course list.
The Major: Tracks: Dynamical Modeling (at least 20 units)
A maximum of two courses may be from mathematics.
The Major: Tracks: Dynamical Modeling (at least 20 units): Additional Courses
Select three courses from the following list. Only one course from Computational and Systems Biology M186 or Computer Science M182 may be applied. Only one course from Mathematics 134 or 135 may be applied.
The Major: Tracks: Dynamical Modeling (at least 20 units): Life Science Courses
Select two life science courses from the life sciences course list.
The Major: Tracks: Life Science Course List (for all three tracks)
Select any two courses from the subareas. Courses may be chosen from different subareas.
The Major: Tracks: Life Science Course List (for all three tracks): Biochemistry
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 153A | Biochemistry: Introduction to Structure, Enzymes, and Metabolism | 4 |
| CHEM 153B | Biochemistry: DNA, RNA, and Protein Synthesis | 4 |
The Major: Tracks: Life Science Course List (for all three tracks): Ecology
The Major: Tracks: Life Science Course List (for all three tracks): Epidemiology
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EPIDEM 100 | Principles of Epidemiology | 4 |
| MIMG 101 | Introductory Microbiology | 4 |
| MIMG 102 | Introductory Virology | 4 |
| MIMG 168 | Molecular Parasitology | 4 |
| MIMG 185A | Immunology | 5 |
The Major: Tracks: Life Science Course List (for all three tracks): Genetics and Molecular Biology
Only one course from Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 100 or 165A may be applied.
The Major: Tracks: Life Science Course List (for all three tracks): Neurosystems
Only one course from Neuroscience M101A or Psychology 115 may be applied.
The Major: Tracks: Life Science Course List (for all three tracks): Physiology
Only one course from Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 170 or Physiological Sciences 166 may be applied.
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