Program Overview

Introduction to Computational Biology

The field of biology is part of the new windows into understanding our world opened by data science. Students can be part of decoding the data of living organisms and revealing the patterns of biological systems. The undergraduate program in Computational Biology at Carnegie Mellon University will help students take on challenges in modern biology and medicine backed by the unparalleled computational education and quantitative rigor of the world-leading School of Computer Science.

Computational Biology Majors and Minor

• Bachelor of Science: With a major in computational biology, students will gain significant technical knowledge of fundamental computer science as well as a broad background in biology. More importantly, they will learn to use this knowledge to make connections between the two fields. To truly integrate their biological and computational knowledge, research opportunities are available to all students who are interested.
• Additional Major: The additional major in Computational Biology is designed for undergraduate students wishing to study comp bio as a second field of study in addition to their primary major. A wide variety of students have completed this additional major, including those with primary majors in computer science, artificial intelligence, biology, mathematics, engineering, and neuroscience.
• Minor: The minor in Computational Biology encourages participation from students with diverse academic interests and is open to undergraduate students in any major outside the School of Computer Science. The program seeks to equip students with the basic computational skills and knowledge in biological sciences that are central to computational biology.

Post-Graduation Statistics

• 90% of students from the classes of 2022 and 2023 were employed or in graduate school six months after graduation.
• The average salary for these students was $125,273.
• Recent employers include:
  • Amazon Web Services
  • Duolingo
  • IBM
  • Meta

High School Course Requirements

To be eligible for the program, students should have completed the following high school courses:

• 4 years of English
• 4 years of Mathematics (including at least algebra, geometry, trigonometry, analytic geometry, elementary functions, and preferably calculus)
• 1 year of Physics
• 2 years of Chemistry, Biology, or Computer Science
• 2 years of Foreign Language
• 3 electives

Program Overview

The Computational Biology program at Carnegie Mellon University is unique and offers students the opportunity to integrate computer science and biology. The program is designed to provide students with a broad background in biology and significant technical knowledge of fundamental computer science. With research opportunities available to all interested students, this program prepares students for challenges in modern biology and medicine. The program offers a Bachelor of Science, an additional major, and a minor, catering to students with diverse academic interests. Graduates of the program have excellent post-graduation statistics, with a high employment rate and average salary. The program requires specific high school course prerequisites, ensuring that students are well-prepared for the academic rigor of the program. Overall, the Computational Biology program at Carnegie Mellon University provides students with a comprehensive education in computational biology, preparing them for successful careers in this field.