Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics Minor

The interdisciplinary minor in Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics is an integrative program that introduces students to the quantitative and computational approaches that are redefining all disciplines in the biological sciences, from molecular and cell biology, through genetics and physiology, to ecology and evolutionary biology. Students in this minor will learn research tools that apply mathematical and computational methods, increase their insight into the strengths and limitations of quantitative approaches, and develop the interdisciplinary perspective that is now the foundation of modern biological research and training.

The minor in Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics is open to all undergraduates regardless of major and is sponsored by the College of Biological Sciences.

Requirements:
Total: 18-26 units

Core courses (8-12 units). Choose one course from each of the following areas:

  • Programming (0-4 units)
    • ECS 032A Introduction to Programming (4 units)
    • Or ECS 036A Programming and Problem Solving (4 units)
    • Or the equivalent
    • The programming requirement may be satisfied by previous experience and therefore may not entail college course credit. Please see your minor advisor for this determination and its possible impact on your unit requirements for the minor.
  • Quantitative Biology (4 units)
    • BIS/MAT 107 Probability & Stochastic Processes with Applications to Biology (4 units)​
      • Note: BIS/MAT 107 has a prerequisite of BIS/MAT 27A (preferred) or MAT 22A.
    • Or MAT 124 Mathematical Biology (4 units)
      • Note: MAT 124 has a prerequisite of MAT 27A & 27B (preferred) or MAT 22A & 22B.
  • ​​Bioinformatics (4 units) 

    • ECS 124 Theory and Practice of Bioinformatics (4 units)
    • Or ECS 129 Computational Structural Bioinformatics (4 units)
      • Note: the prerequisites of ECS 124 and ECS 129 both include BIS 002A (preferred) or MCB 010.

Quantitative and Computational Preparation (4 units)

  • Note: BIS/MAT 107 can only be used to fulfill either the Quantitative Biology Core requirement or the Quantitative & Computational Preparation requirement, not both. 
    • BIM 105 Probability and Statistics for Biomedical Engineers (4 units)
    • BIS/MAT 107 Probability & Stochastic Processes with Applications to Biology (4 units)​
    • ECS 122A Algorithm Design and Analysis (4 units)
    • ECS 130 Scientific Computation (4 units)
    • ECS 165A Database Systems (4 units)
    • ECS 171 Machine Learning (4 units)
    • MAT 128A Numerical Analysis (4 units)
    • MAT 128B Numerical Analysis in Solution of Equations (4 units)
    • MAT 128C Numerical Analysis in Differential Equations (4 units)
    • MAT 135A Probability (4 units)
    • STA 101 Advanced Applied Statistics for the Biological Sciences (4 units)
    • STA 108 Applied Statistical Methods: Regression Analysis (4 units)
    • STA 130A Mathematical Statistics: Brief Course (4 units)
    • STA 131A Introduction to Probability Theory (4 units)
    • STA 141A Fundamentals of Statistical Data Science (4 units)

Restricted Electives (5-10 units)

  • Complete two or more from the following list to achieve a total of 18-26 units:  
    • BIM 102 Cellular Dynamics (4 units)
    • BIM 117 Modeling Strategies for Biomedical Engineering (4 units)
    • BIM 140 Protein Engineering (4 units)
    • BIM 141 Cell and Tissue Mechanics (4 units)
    • BIM 143 Biomolecular Systems Engineering: Synthetic Biology (4 units)
    • BIM 151 Mechanics of DNA (3 units)
    • BIS 134 Systems Biology: From Biological Circuits to Biological Systems (2 units)
    • BIS 180L Genomics Laboratory (5 units)
    • BIS 181 Comparative Genomics (3 units)
    • BIS 183 Functional Genomics (3 units)
    • BIT 150 Applied Bioinformatics (4 units)
    • EVE 102 Population and Quantitative Genetics (4 units)
    • EVE 103 Phylogeny, Speciation and Macroevolution (4 units)
    • EVE 104 Community Ecology (4 units)
    • EVE 175 Computational Genetics (3 units)
    • MCB 123 Behavior and Analysis of Enzyme and Receptor Systems (3 units)
    • MCB 143 Cell and Molecular Biophysics (3 units)
    • MCB 182 Principles of Genomics (3 units)
    • MIC/MMG 105 Microbial Diversity (3 units)
    • MIC/MMG 117 Analysis of Molecular Genetic Circuits (4 units)
    • NPB 166 Math Tools for Neuroscience (4 units)
    • NPB 167 Computational Neuroscience (5 units)
  • Only one of the following courses can be applied to restricted electives:
    • ESP 121 Population Ecology (4 units)
    • WFC 122 Population Dynamics and Estimation (4 units)

Restrictions: 

  1. No more than two upper division courses from a single department may be taken in satisfaction of the minor requirements.
  2. Only one course used to satisfy a requirement for the minor may be applied toward a student’s major.

Minor Advisors

M. Goldman
msgoldman@ucdavis.edu

C. Hom
clhom@ucdavis.edu
(530) 754-9733

Interest Groups:
Biological and Life Sciences