Program Overview
School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
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.
Molecular Biology (BS)
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. Biology offers a streamlined double major with Business Administration or Criminology. Fast Track BS / MS Biology and Molecular Biology degree programs are available.
Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology
Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)
Faculty
- Professors: Rockford K. Draper, Juan E. González, Kelli Palmer, Lawrence J. Reitzer, Stephen Spiro, Li Zhang, Michael Qiwei Zhang
- Associate Professors: Joseph Boll, Mehmet Candas, Jeff L. DeJong, Nikki Delk, Tae Hoon Kim, Faruck Morcos, Duane D. Winkler, Zhenyu Xuan
- Assistant Professors: Nicole De Nisco, Nicholas Dillon, Xintong Dong, Lin Jia, Purna Joshi, Jyoti Misra, Erica Sanchez, Darshan Sapkota
- Professors Emeriti: Lee A. Bulla, Donald M. Gray
- Associate Professors Emeriti: Gail A. M. Breen, Dennis L. Miller
- Clinical Professor: David Murchison
- Professors of Instruction: Scott A. Rippel, Uma Srikanth
- Associate Professors of Instruction: Wen-Ju Lin, Elizabeth Pickett, Ilya Sapozhnikov
- Assistant Professors of Instruction: Stephanie Boyd, Yi Huang, Meenakshi Maitra, Caitlin Maynard, Iti Mehta, Ramesh Padmanabhan, Jing Pan, Ruben D. Ramirez, Eva Sadat, Subha Sarcar, Michelle Wilson, Zhuoru Wu
- Associate Professor of Practice: Uyen Henson
- Research Assistant Professors: Li Liu, Ru-Hung Wang
- Senior Lecturer: Wen-Ho Yu
- UT Dallas Affiliated Faculty: Heng Du, Jung-whan (Jay) Kim
Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours
- Communication: 6 semester credit hours
- COMM 1311 Survey of Oral and Technology-based Communication
- RHET 1302 Rhetoric
- Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Communication Core courses
- Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours
- MATH 2417 Calculus I
- Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Mathematics Core courses
- Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours
- CHEM 1311 General Chemistry I
- CHEM 1312 General Chemistry II
- Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Life and Physical Sciences Core courses
- Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours
- Select any 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture Core courses
- Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours
- Select any 3 semester credit hours from Creative Arts Core courses
- American History: 6 semester credit hours
- Select any 3 semester credit hours from American History Core courses
- Government/Political Science: 6 semester credit hours
- GOVT 2305 American National Government
- GOVT 2306 State and Local Government
- Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Government/Political Science Core courses
- Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours
- Select any 3 semester credit hours from Social and Behavioral Sciences Core courses
- Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours
- BIOL 2311 Introduction to Modern Biology I
- MATH 2419 Calculus II
- Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Component Area Option Core courses
Major Requirements: 69-70 semester credit hours
- Major Preparatory Courses: 24-25 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum
- CHEM 1111 General Chemistry Laboratory I
- CHEM 1112 General Chemistry Laboratory II
- CHEM 1311 General Chemistry I
- CHEM 1312 General Chemistry II
- CHEM 2323 Introductory Organic Chemistry I
- CHEM 2325 Introductory Organic Chemistry II
- CHEM 2233 Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory
- MATH 2417 Calculus I
- MATH 2419 Calculus II
- MATH 2418 Linear Algebra
- PHYS 2325 Mechanics
- PHYS 2125 Physics Laboratory I
- PHYS 2326 Electromagnetism and Waves
- PHYS 2126 Physics Laboratory II
- Major Core Courses: 33 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum
- BIOL 2111 Introduction to Modern Biology Workshop I
- BIOL 2112 Introduction to Modern Biology Workshop II
- BIOL 2281 Introductory Biology Laboratory
- BIOL 2311 Introduction to Modern Biology I
- BIOL 2312 Introduction to Modern Biology II
- 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
- BIOL 3380 Biochemistry Laboratory
- BIOL 4380 Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory
- BIOL 4461 Biophysical Chemistry
- Major Related Courses: 12 semester credit hours
- 12 semester credit hours upper-division approved molecular biology-related BIOL or CHEM electives
Elective Requirements: 8-9 semester credit hours
- Free Electives: 8-9 semester credit hours
- The plan must include sufficient upper-division courses to total 45 upper-division semester credit hours.
Fast Track Baccalaureate/Master's Degrees
UT Dallas undergraduate students with strong academic records, including at least 15 semester credit 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 Fast Track admission to the graduate program, 15 semester credit 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 semester credit hours of work and an MS degree in Molecular and Cell Biology after an additional 21 semester credit 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 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 semester credit hours (BS) or 6 semester credit hours (BA) of upper-division transfer credit and not more than 3 semester credit hours (Biology major) or 6 semester credit hours (Molecular Biology major) of individual instruction. 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.