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As an interdisciplinary minor in
the School of Arts and Sciences, the required and
elective courses introduce students to the methods and
concerns of a wide spectrum of disciplines including
English literature, history, sociology and
education, as well as other humanities and social
science disciplines.
Biochemistry
Most developments in today and
tomorrow’s life sciences rely extensively on
techniques and principles of chemistry and physics. The
importance of this relationship has led to the design
of a major which prepares students for advanced study
in biochemistry, biophysics, cell biology, genomics,
molecular biology, nanotechnology, neurobiology,
structural biology and genetics-based biotechnology. It
can also provide the basic science background for
health professional schools and for prospective science
teachers.
The freshman year will usually
include either basic chemistry (CHEM 101-102 or
015-016) and its lab sections or physics (PHYS 150-151
or 170-171) and MATH 104-114 (biology courses are not
part of the biochemistry major requirement). Students
with A.P. credit for chemistry or math should take PHYS
150-151 and CHEM 241-242 or 251. Students with three or
more A.P. science and math credits should contact the
undergraduate chair before their first semester at Penn
for information about the Vagelos Molecular Life
Sciences Scholars Program.
An important part of the
curriculum is that all majors work in faculty research
laboratories, which can start as early as the freshman
year. Juniors and seniors actively participate in
organizing and running the Chemistry Department
biological chemistry seminar series.
Biological Basis of Behavior
Biological Basis of Behavior is
an interdisciplinary major in which students explore
the relationship between behavior (both human and
animal) and its organic bases. BBB offers courses in
virtually all areas of neuroscience, ranging from
cellular neurobiology to cognitive neuropsychology, and
integrates these
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interdisciplinary courses with basic
science requirements in biology, chemistry and psychology.
The program successfully integrates interdisciplinary
teaching and research in neuroscience through the
cooperative interactions of faculty and staff in several
departments in the School of Arts and Sciences and the
Schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine.
One of the strengths of the major
is the opportunity for students to pursue
individualized research in the laboratories of the
standing faculty at Penn. Each semester, more than 50
students are engaged in supervised research in areas as
diverse as molecular neurobiology, chemical
neuroanatomy, visual sciences and behavioral ecology.
Biology
The biology major provides a
broad background in biology together with the
opportunity to pursue specific areas of interest in
greater depth. The requirements include two semesters
of introductory biology, a choice of three intermediate
level courses and four additional courses that may be
selected in order to further develop a comprehensive
understanding of biology or to specialize in a
particular subject area. The requirements also include
coursework in chemistry, math and, if desired, physics
or statistics. The biology major can serve as
preparation for graduate study in the biological
sciences, graduate training in health-related
professions, teaching or employment in a laboratory or
conservation-related job.
The Biology Department offers
courses in many aspects of biology, from the workings
of cells and cellular components to species
interactions and ecosystem function. Our curriculum
keeps pace with recent developments in molecular
biology and the study of evolutionary processes,
including proteomics, computational genomics, molecular
evolution and epigenetics.
After completing their
introductory year, students can choose from a variety
of courses to suit their individual interests and
career goals. Some students further specialize by
choosing a concentration in molecular biology,
neuroscience, ecology and evolution, computational
biology or mathematical biology.
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