For a PDF of a 4 year plan, click here!

"Recommended" Four Year Plan for Completing the MCDB Major

(For students who declared the MCDB major PRIOR to Fall 2019)

This is a sample plan.  We recommend you work with your academic advisor to craft a personalized plan that best meets your graduation and career goals. 

First Year - Fall Semester

  • Intro MCDB (MCDB 1150 or MCDB 1111) - 3 credits
  • MCDB 2 credit hour lab* - 2 credits
  • Coseminar (MCDB 1152- recommended) - 1 credits
  • General Chemistry 1 (CHEM 1113&1114)** - 5 credits
  • A&S GE Lower Division Writing - 3 credits

First Year- Spring Semester 

  • Genetics (MCDB 2150 or MCDB 2222) - 3 credits
  • Coseminar (MCDB 2152- recommended) - 1 credits
  • General Chemistry 2 (CHEM 1133&1134) - 5 credits
  • A&S GE Social Science - 3 credits
  • Elective - 3 credits

Sophomore Year - Fall Semester

  • Molecular & Cellular Bio 1(MCDB 3135) - 3 credits
  • Cell Bio lab (MCDB 3140)*** - 2 credits
  • Organic Chemistry 1 (CHEM 3311&3321) - 5 credits
  • A&S GE Arts & Humanities - 3 credits
  • Elective - 3 credits

Sophomore Year - Spring Semester

  • Molecular & Cellular Bio 2 (MCDB 3145) - 3 credits
  • Statistics OR Calculus - 3-5 credits
  • A&S GE Arts & Humanities - 3 credits
  • Elective - 3 credits
  • Elective (only needed if taking stats) - 3 credits

Junior Year - Fall Semester

  • Upper Division MCDB Elective - 3 credits
  • Biochemistry (CHEM 4611) - 3 credits
  • A&S GE Arts & Humanities - 3 credits
  • A&S GE Social Science - 3 credits
  • Upper Division Elective - 3 credits

Junior Year - Spring Semester

  • Upper Division MCDB Elective - 3 credits
  • MCDB Scientific Reasoning - 3 credits
  • A&S GE Social Science - 3 credits
  • Elective - 3 credits
  • Upper Division Elective - 3 credits

Senior Year - Fall Semester

  • MCDB Capstone - 3 credits
  • A&S GE Upper Division Writing - 3 credits
  • A&S GE Arts & Humanities - 3 credits
  • A&S GE Social Science - 3 credits
  • Upper Division Elective - 3 credits

Senior Year- Spring Semester

  • Upper Division MCDB Elective - 3 credits
  • Elective - 3 credits
  • Elective - 3 credits
  • Elective - 3 credits
  • Upper Division Elective - 3 credits

General Notes

MCDB 2 credit hour labs 

  • * MCDB majors are required to take a 2 credit hour research-based lab in their first year.  It can be taken with either MCDB 1150 or MCDB 2150.  Students can chose from MCDB 1161, 1171 and 2171
  • *** MCDB 3140 can be taken with either MCDB 3135 or MCDB 3145

Preparatory course for General Chemistry 1

  • ** If student has not had chemistry, struggled in chemistry, or has not taken chemistry in a while are recommended to take Intro Chemistry (Chem 1021) before Chem 1113&1114.  The Chemsitry department may enforce a chemistry placement test to ensure readiness for CHEM 1113 and 1114

Other notes

  • Students double majoring with CHEM or BCHM should talk to a MCDB advisor
  • MCDB Electives (8 credit hours) See degree audit for a list of courses that can count. 
  • Health Professions Advisors:  Students who plan to pursue a health career or graduate school may need additional courses.  We recommend students work with Health Professions advisors and check the prerequisites of programs they plan to attend to ensure they are adequately prepared.

General Education (GE) and MAPS Considerations

  • This plan assumes you do not have any foreign language or MAPS deficiencies.  If those requirements have not yet been met, coursework needed to meet those requirements can count toward the elective hours needed to graduate.
  • The Natural Science Gen Ed requirement is covered by the MCDB major.
  • This plan assumes you will meet the A&S GE global and US diversity requirements with your Arts and Humanities or Social Sciences GE coursework.
  • Depending on your stats/calculus choice a math course may be needed to meet the GE QRMS