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Biology

The twenty-first century will see unparalleled advances in the biological sciences. Disciplines such as biology and biomedical engineering are burgeoning and will greatly impact the way we live in the future. The areas of functional genomics and proteomics will drive discoveries in molecular medicine, gene therapy and tissue engineering. Drug discovery will be facilitated by the elucidation of new target molecules and many pharmaceutical compounds will be produced using biological processes. Environmental management, remediation and restoration will also benefit from advances in biology. Biologists will be at the forefront of these advances and will drive the medical, agricultural, environmental and industrial applications of biological sciences.

The biology program will produce biologists with the chemistry, mathematics, and physics background needed to solve biotechnological problems in the coming decades. Those students wishing to strengthen their engineering skills can earn the area minor in biomedical engineering. Other students may choose to pursue a second major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The program will prepare graduates for professional careers in government and industrial research laboratories, and in the biotechnology and health-related industries.

Those wishing to continue their studies in graduate or health professions programs will be exceptionally well qualified to do so.

A BIO science/technical elective is any Rose-Hulman course that has a prefix of BE, BIO, BMTH, CE, CHE, CHEM, CSSE, ECE, GEOL, MA, ME, PH, OE, EP, ES, EM or any EMGT course that is not cross-listed with an RH, GS, IA or SV course. Courses that do not count as science or technical electives are those courses with AS, MS, RH, GS, IA, SV, GE, JP, SP, FL, GRAD and CLSK prefixes.

SUMMARY

The biochemistry & molecular biology program exists to give students an opportunity to augment their education in this technologically-important field. To support this effort, Rose-Hulman provides students with access to a modern and well-equipped biochemistry lab, along with an excellent biological sciences facility.

Biochemistry & molecular biology is available to Rose-Hulman students as a second major. This means that the student will receive a first degree in some other discipline and then can augment their education with this program. Students whose first degree programs are in chemistry or chemical engineering will find the program easiest since there is considerable overlap between those programs and the biochemistry & molecular biology requirements. Students from other disciplines are also encouraged to participate, but will have to take more courses. All students are encouraged to take individual courses in the program, regardless of whether or not they wish to fulfill the second major requirements, or to participate in related research projects under faculty supervision.

Two degree or double major programs in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Biochemistry are not allowed.

Total Credits for Second Major 81

*Students with a major in chemistry need to take 8 credits of electives, with 4 credits from the BIO electives listed, and 4 credits chosen from any BIO or BE course.

STUDENTS WITH A MAJOR IN BIOLOGY must take 12 credits of electives, with 8 credits from the elective courses listed above with a CHEM prefix, and 4 credits from any 300 level or above BIO course (total: 29 hours required beyond Biology major).

Biology Minor

Biology is an exciting subject that has applications relevant to all other fields of study at the Institute. Students who are interested in enriching their major area of study with a knowledge of life sciences can do so with the Biology Minor. With proper course selection, the Minor will provide another marketable dimension to any Bachelor of Science degree granted by the Institute.

The Minor in Biology has the following requirements.

1. All students must complete BIO110 (Cell Structure and Function) or BIO130 (Evolution and Diversity) and four more courses in biology (BIO) or allied areas, above those courses already specifically required to fulfill the student's major, subject to the following requirements:
   
   a. At least three of the four electives must be BIO courses. 
   b. At least three of the electives must be 200-level or above. 
2. Students electing to pursue the minor in Biology must follow a plan of study that is approved by the Minor Advisor. Current advisor information and a form for the planning and approval of a minor can be obtained from the BBE Department Secretary.
3. Allied area courses could include:
   
   

   BE310	Analysis of Physiological Systems I		IA236	Communicating STEM to a Public Audience
   BE320	Analysis of Physiological Systems II		IA239	Rhetoric of Science
   BE570	Intro to Tissue Engineering		IA401	Philosophy of Science
   BMTH310	Mathematical Biology		IA471	Computational Psychology
   BMTH311	Systems Biology		MA482/BE482	Bioengineering Statistics
   BMTH312	Bioinformatics		ME447	Visualizing Data
   BMTH413	Computational Biology		PH302	Biophysics
   CE460	Intro to Environmental Engineering		SV304	Bioethics
   CHE545	Intro to Biochemical Engineering		SV371	Social Psychology
   CHEM264	Intro to Environmental Science		SV373	Abnormal Psychology
   CHEM330	Biochemistry		SV472	Studying Human Behavior
   CHEM430	Advanced Biochemistry		SV386	Human Evolution

Additional courses not listed here can be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Minor

Completion of BIO110, CHEM111, CHEM113 and CHEM115. In addition, the student must complete five courses from the following list that are not already named required courses by the student's major or minor programs:

Biology is an exciting subject that has applications relevant to all other fields of study at the Institute. Students who are interested in enriching their major area of study with a knowledge of life sciences can do so with the Biology Minor. With proper course selection, the Minor will provide another marketable dimension to any Bachelor of Science degree granted by the Institute.