Biological Data Sciences Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)
This major offers the following option(s):
This is a hybrid program because one core course, CS 161 , is only taught online via Ecampus.
The BDS undergraduate program provides trans-disciplinary education that intersects the life sciences, computer science, statistics, and mathematics.
Major Code: 858
- Apply the process of scientific investigation to real world biological datasets.
- Use appropriate quantitative and visual methods in scientific investigation.
- Demonstrate proficiency in using appropriate methods to organize and manipulate large datasets.
- Demonstrate effective communication and functioning in trans-disciplinary teams.
- Perform work in a professional and ethical manner.
- Apply the core concepts in the biological sciences, mathematics, statistics, and computer science to scientific investigation.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Science | ||
| Select one of the following biology series: | 12 | |
| Series 1 | ||
| *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS | ||
| Series 2 | ||
| *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I and *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II and *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY III | ||
| BI 311 | GENETICS | 4 |
| BI 445 | EVOLUTION | 3 |
| Chemistry | ||
| CH 231 & CH 261 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | 5 |
| Mathematics | ||
| MTH 251 & MTH 252 | *DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS and INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 8 |
| MTH 231 | ELEMENTS OF DISCRETE MATHEMATICS | 4 |
| MTH 254 | VECTOR CALCULUS I | 4 |
| MTH 341 | LINEAR ALGEBRA I | 3 |
| Statistics | ||
| ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| ST 411 & ST 412 | METHODS OF DATA ANALYSIS and METHODS OF DATA ANALYSIS | 8 |
| Computer Science | ||
| CS 161 & CS 162 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE I and INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE II | 8 |
| CS 261 | DATA STRUCTURES | 4 |
| Biological Data Sciences | ||
| BDS 211 | USE AND ABUSE OF DATA: CRITICAL THINKING IN SCIENCE | 3 |
| BDS 311 | COMPUTATIONAL APPROACHES FOR BIOLOGICAL DATA | 3 |
| BDS 406 | SPECIAL PROJECTS | 1 |
| BDS 411 | *ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGICAL DATA: CASE STUDIES | 3 |
| BDS 491 | CAPSTONE PROJECTS IN BIOLOGICAL DATA SCIENCE I | 3 |
| BDS 492 | CAPSTONE PROJECTS IN BIOLOGICAL DATA SCIENCE II | 3 |
| Experiential Learning | ||
| Independent projects equivalent to at least 60 hours work 1 | 2 | |
| Required Option | 29-37 | |
| Remaining Bacc Core and Electives | 58-66 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC)
- ^
Writing Intensive Course (WIC)
- 1
Independent projects may be taken as 401 or 410 or not-for-credit
Major Code: 858
Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.
Genomics Option
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CH 231 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| CH 261 | *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | 1 |
| MTH 251 | *DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| CS 161 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE I | 4 |
| HHS 231 | *LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH | 2 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| CH 232 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| CH 262 | *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232 | 1 |
| MTH 252 | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| CS 162 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE II | 4 |
| WR 121 | *ENGLISH COMPOSITION | 4 |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| CH 233 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| CH 263 | *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233 | 1 |
| MTH 231 | ELEMENTS OF DISCRETE MATHEMATICS | 4 |
| COMM 111 | *PUBLIC SPEAKING | 3 |
| BDS 211 | USE AND ABUSE OF DATA: CRITICAL THINKING IN SCIENCE | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BI 221 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS | 4 |
| MTH 254 | VECTOR CALCULUS I | 4 |
| CS 261 | DATA STRUCTURES | 4 |
| ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| BI 222 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS | 4 |
| ST 411 | METHODS OF DATA ANALYSIS | 4 |
| WR 327 | *TECHNICAL WRITING | 3 |
| Bacc Core: Literature and the Arts | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| BI 223 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS | 4 |
| ST 412 | METHODS OF DATA ANALYSIS | 4 |
| BDS 311 | COMPUTATIONAL APPROACHES FOR BIOLOGICAL DATA | 3 |
| Bacc Core: Cultural Diversity | 3 | |
| Bacc Core: PAC | 1 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BI 311 | GENETICS | 4 |
| MTH 341 | LINEAR ALGEBRA I | 3 |
| CH 331 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| Bacc Core: Science, Technology and Society | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| BI 445 | EVOLUTION | 3 |
| BB 314 | CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | 4 |
| CH 332 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| Bacc Core: Western Culture | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| BOT 401 | RESEARCH | 3 |
| BDS 411 | *ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGICAL DATA: CASE STUDIES | 3 |
| GEN Elective: Genomics | 3 | |
| GEN Elective: Adv.Mol, Cell, Organismal/Physiology | 4 | |
| Bacc Core: Social Processes and Institutions | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BB 450 | GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY | 4 |
| BDS 406 | SPECIAL PROJECTS | 1 |
| Bacc Core: Contemporary Global Issues | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| BB 451 | GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY | 3 |
| BDS 491 | CAPSTONE PROJECTS IN BIOLOGICAL DATA SCIENCE I | 3 |
| Bacc Core: Difference, Power & Discrimination | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BDS 492 | CAPSTONE PROJECTS IN BIOLOGICAL DATA SCIENCE II | 3 |
| GEN Elective: Genomics | 3 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
Ecological and Environmental Informatics Option
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| BI 221 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS | 4 |
| CH 231 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| CH 261 | *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | 1 |
| MTH 251 | *DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| WR 121 | *ENGLISH COMPOSITION | 4 |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Winter | ||
| BI 222 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS | 4 |
| CS 161 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE I | 4 |
| MTH 252 | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| COMM 111 | *PUBLIC SPEAKING | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BI 223 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS | 4 |
| CS 162 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE II | 4 |
| MTH 231 | ELEMENTS OF DISCRETE MATHEMATICS | 4 |
| BDS 211 | USE AND ABUSE OF DATA: CRITICAL THINKING IN SCIENCE | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| MTH 254 | VECTOR CALCULUS I | 4 |
| CS 261 | DATA STRUCTURES | 4 |
| ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| HHS 231 | *LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH | 2 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| ST 411 | METHODS OF DATA ANALYSIS | 4 |
| WR 327 | *TECHNICAL WRITING | 3 |
| EEI Elective: Env.Info | 4 | |
| Bacc Core: PAC | 1 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| MTH 256 | APPLIED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS | 4 |
| ST 412 | METHODS OF DATA ANALYSIS | 4 |
| BDS 311 | COMPUTATIONAL APPROACHES FOR BIOLOGICAL DATA | 3 |
| Bacc Core: Literature & The Arts | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BI 370 | ECOLOGY | 3 |
| BI 311 | GENETICS | 4 |
| MTH 341 | LINEAR ALGEBRA I | 3 |
| Bacc Core: Cultural Diversity | 3 | |
| Bacc Core: Science, Technology and Society | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| EEI Elective: Pop., Comm; Eco.Ecology | 3 | |
| Bacc Core: Western Culture | 3 | |
| Bacc Core: Social Processes & Institutions | 3 | |
| Bacc Core: Difference, Power & Discrimination | 3 | |
| Bacc Core: Contemporary Global Issues | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BI 445 | EVOLUTION | 3 |
| BDS 411 | *ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGICAL DATA: CASE STUDIES | 3 |
| BOT 401 | RESEARCH | 3 |
| EEI Elective: Pop., Comm; Eco.Ecology | 4 | |
| Molecular Ecology | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BDS 406 | SPECIAL PROJECTS | 1 |
| MTH 427 | INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY | 3 |
| EEI Elective: Env.Info | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| BDS 491 | CAPSTONE PROJECTS IN BIOLOGICAL DATA SCIENCE I | 3 |
| EEI Elective: Pop., Comm; Eco.Ecology | 3 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| BDS 492 | CAPSTONE PROJECTS IN BIOLOGICAL DATA SCIENCE II | 3 |
| EEI Elective: Phys.EnvSci | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
Computational Biology Option
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| BI 221 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS | 4 |
| CH 231 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| CH 261 | *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | 1 |
| MTH 251 | *DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| WR 121 | *ENGLISH COMPOSITION | 4 |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Winter | ||
| BI 222 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS | 4 |
| CS 161 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE I | 4 |
| MTH 252 | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| COMM 111 | *PUBLIC SPEAKING | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BI 223 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS | 4 |
| CS 162 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE II | 4 |
| MTH 231 | ELEMENTS OF DISCRETE MATHEMATICS | 4 |
| BDS 211 | USE AND ABUSE OF DATA: CRITICAL THINKING IN SCIENCE | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| MTH 254 | VECTOR CALCULUS I | 4 |
| CS 261 | DATA STRUCTURES | 4 |
| ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| Bacc Core: Cultural Diversity | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| ST 411 | METHODS OF DATA ANALYSIS | 4 |
| WR 327 | *TECHNICAL WRITING | 3 |
| HHS 231 | *LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH | 2 |
| Bacc Core: Western Culture | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| MTH 256 | APPLIED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS | 4 |
| ST 412 | METHODS OF DATA ANALYSIS | 4 |
| BDS 311 | COMPUTATIONAL APPROACHES FOR BIOLOGICAL DATA | 3 |
| Bacc Core: PAC | 1 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BI 311 | GENETICS | 4 |
| MTH 341 | LINEAR ALGEBRA I | 3 |
| Bacc Core: Social Processes & Institutions | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| CS 325 | ANALYSIS OF ALGORITHMS | 4 |
| CB Elective: Bio/Bioinfo/ST | 3 | |
| Bacc Core: Bacc Core: Science, Technology and Society | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BI 445 | EVOLUTION | 3 |
| BDS 411 | *ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGICAL DATA: CASE STUDIES | 3 |
| BOT 401 | RESEARCH | 1 |
| CB Elective: Adv. CS | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BDS 406 | SPECIAL PROJECTS | 1 |
| MTH 427 | INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY | 3 |
| CB Elective: Bio/Bioinfo/ST | 3 | |
| Bacc Core: Contemporary Global Issues | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Winter | ||
| BDS 491 | CAPSTONE PROJECTS IN BIOLOGICAL DATA SCIENCE I | 3 |
| CB Elective: Adv. CS | 3 | |
| Bacc Core: Difference, Power & Discrimination | 3 | |
| Bacc Core: Literature & The Arts | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BDS 492 | CAPSTONE PROJECTS IN BIOLOGICAL DATA SCIENCE II | 3 |
| CB Elective: Bio/Bioinfo/ST | 3 | |
| CB Elective: Adv. CS | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |