BCB Program Admissions

We realize that students will enter our program with multiple backgrounds and perspectives. Our curriculum builds a strong intellectual foundation in the program’s three focus areas: Biological Sciences, Computer Sciences, and Mathematical Sciences.

We encourage undergraduate students thinking about graduate school in BCB to plan ahead.  Take calculus, statistics, some programming languages, and biology through genetics.  This will leave you well prepared for our program.

Once you join our program, your committee will work with you to build background in the focus areas where you have the least undergraduate training.  For example, we have developed a course (BIOL 456) to introduce biologists to the computational tools needed to conduct bioinformatic research.  Similarly, we offer courses for mathematicians and computer scientists to strengthen their background knowledge in general biology and genetics.

As an interdisciplinary program, our major professors play a critical role in our students’ development.  The major professor will serve as primary advisor, chairperson of the advisory committee, and principal mentor throughout graduate training.  The major professor, along with the student, is also responsible for developing a funding plan to support the student in the form of teaching assistantships, fellowships, scholarships, or research grants.  Because BCB is a university-wide program, major professors are also responsible for identifying office space and other logistical support for BCB students, usually through their home department.

Because the major professor plays such a large role in a student’s journey through the BCB program, we require Ph.D. and thesis track M.S. students to identify a major professor willing to work with them *before* they can be admitted to the program.  You can find the list of current BCB faculty here.  Feel free to reach out to those whose research interests align with yours to see if they are accepting new students.

If you are interested in pursuing graduate credentials in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology to open up new career prospects, we have the program for you! The non-thesis track M.S. program focuses more on coursework and prepares students for careers in industry. This program does not require you to identify a major professor up front. Rather, we will assign you a major professor once you are admitted. Every attempt will be made to identify a faculty member whose scientific interests align with yours. You can find out more about the non-thesis track here.

Note: The non-thesis M.S. program is self-funded. There is generally no institutional funding provided for students in this program, although some students secure their own external funding through fellowships or other sources.

Our cutting edge curriculum includes three core courses that are required of all BCB students. They provide a shared educational foundation for our students, as well as a common language and understanding that is critical to interdisciplinary research. They also help our students develop a sense of community and shared experiences, despite being spread out in different departments around campus.

These core courses are: Computational Biology (CS 515), Molecular Evolution (BIOL 522) and Mathematical Genetics (MATH 563).

We also offer a selection of depth courses from which to choose to provide rigorous training while meeting students’ individual needs and research goals. These courses span the core BCB disciplines of biological sciences, computer sciences, and mathematical sciences.

Are you ready to start this journey and open doors for your future? Apply today and prepare to help solve the cutting-edge problems facing humanity today.