Biological Sciences Program

The Biological Sciences address many of the most important and fundamental questions about our world: What is life? How does our brain produce our ideas and emotions? What are the limits to human life and physical capabilities? How do we feed the world's growing population? How can we ensure that our children won't have to worry about disease? Moreover, there has never been a more exciting and important time to study biology. From the mapping of the genome to understanding the molecular basis of human disease to predicting the effects of global climate change on ecosystems to understanding fundamental processes that produce and sustain life on Earth, the Biological Sciences are at the forefront of finding answers to some of society's most vexing problems.

The undergraduate major in Biological Sciences is an excellent first step towards exciting careers in biology and the health sciences. Graduates of this program will also be well prepared for positions in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, health care, conservation, environmental law and policy, natural resources management (including preserve, forest, and park services),as well as careers such as journalism, public policy and business, which increasingly involve the biological sciences. In addition, the breadth and rigor of this program will be an excellent preparation for graduates to teach science at the elementary or high school levels.

This program teaches biology as a multidisciplinary science, reflecting the increasing role of chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science and advanced technologies in the life sciences. Students majoring in Biological Sciences can choose between three cores providing background in different areas of biology: Molecular and Cell Biology; Integrative Biology; and Human Biology. These cores consist of a sequence of five or six upper division courses that are taken throughout the four years of the program. In addition to the core courses, students select an emphasis area involving three thematically linked upper division courses that will give more background in a specific area of biology. Biological Sciences majors also have the opportunity to apply for a Master’s Degree program requiring an additional year of study.

Transfer Students. Transfer students who wish to major in Biological Sciences should complete one year of calculus, one year of physics, one year of general chemistry, one to two semesters of organic chemistry, and two to three semesters of general biology. Students should check with the UC Merced Internet site ( http://admissions.ucmerced.edu/ and click on “Transfer Admissions”) for more information on how courses will transfer to UC Merced.

Biological Sciences Faculty
	Keith Alley
	Miriam Barlow
	Jinah Choi
	Michael Colvin
	Henry Forman
	Jennifer Manilay
	Monica Medina
	Aleksandr Noy
	David Ojcius
	Rudy Ortiz
	Maria Pallavicini