Bioinformatics Minor

Overview

The Bioinformatics minor introduces undergraduate students to the emerging interdisciplinary field of bioinformatics, an active area of research at UCLA combining elements of the computational sciences with the biological sciences. The minor organizes the many course offerings in different UCLA departments into a coherent course plan providing students with significant … For more content click the Read More button below. Students complete a core curriculum and an elective course and are strongly encouraged to participate in undergraduate research as early as possible in one of the many groups offering research opportunities in bioinformatics.

The Bioinformatics minor introduces undergraduate students to the emerging interdisciplinary field of bioinformatics, an active area of research at UCLA combining elements of the computational sciences with the biological sciences. The minor organizes the many course offerings in different UCLA departments into a coherent course plan providing students with significant training in bioinformatics in addition to the training they obtain from their major. Students who complete the minor will be strong candidates for admission to PhD programs in bioinformatics as well as have the relevant training to obtain jobs in the biotechnology industry.

Students complete a core curriculum and an elective course and are strongly encouraged to participate in undergraduate research as early as possible in one of the many groups offering research opportunities in bioinformatics.

Entry to the Minor

Admission

To enter the minor, students must be (1) in good academic standing (2.0 grade-point average or better), (2) have completed at least two of the lower-division requirements with minimum grades of C, and (3) file a petition through Message Center. Steps to apply are outlined on the Office of Academic and Student Affairs website. Information about the minor and the application are available on the minor website.

Minor Requirements

The Minor

Required Lower-Division Courses (17 units minimum)

Required Upper-Division Courses (18 units minimum)

Complete either Computer Science 180 or Mathematics 182; Computer Science M184; two additional computer science courses; and one elective course. Students are strongly encouraged to take Computer Science M184 as early as possible to obtain an overview of computational biology.

Additional Computer Science

Elective

Select one course from:

Policies

The Minor Policies

Eight units of either Bioinformatics 199 or Computer Science 194 or 199 may be applied as an elective by petition.

If students apply any of Civil and Environmental Engineering 110, Electrical and Computer Engineering 131A, Mathematics 170A, 170E, or Statistics 100A toward major requirements or another minor, then no other course from that set may be applied toward the minor requirements.

A minimum of 20 units applied toward the minor requirements must be in addition to units applied toward major requirements or another minor.

All minor courses must be taken for a letter grade (unless not offered on that grading basis), and students must have a minimum grade of C– in each and an overall C (2.0) grade-point average in all courses taken for the minor. Successful completion of the minor is indicated on the transcript and diploma.