Joint Major in Chemistry and Biology | Mathematical and Computational Biology Major
Joint Major in Computer Science and Mathematics | Mathematical Biology
Joint Major in Chemistry and Biology
The disciplines of biology and chemistry are undergoing remarkable and converging transformations. In response to these new developments, Harvey Mudd College has established a unique opportunity for undergraduate students at the interface of biology and chemistry.
The goal is to enable students to think at the interface, to effortlessly move back and forth between chemistry and biology. They will have the background to appreciate the biological context of their research questions and they will have mastered the chemistry fundamentals that underlie the properties and reactions of biomolecules. These successful students will be able to make connections and have insights that are difficult to obtain without a thorough training in both chemistry and biology. The program in Chemistry and Biology will capture the imaginations of talented HMC students and reinforce their abilities to think across disciplines.
Many schools have used the terms “biochemistry” or “biological chemistry” and some of the newer programs call themselves “chemical biology.” But since the boundaries between chemistry and biology as separate disciplines are rapidly dissolving, and students can choose to steer their studies in many directions, we chose to call it simply the “Joint Major in Chemistry and Biology.”
The Joint Major:
- Chemistry 51: Physical Chemistry
- Chemistry 53: Physical Chemistry Laboratory
- Chemistry 56: Carbon Compounds
- Chemistry 58: Carbon Compounds Laboratory
- Chemistry 103: Chemical Analysis
- Chemistry 105: Organic Chemistry
- Chemistry 109: Chemical Analysis Laboratory
- Chemistry 111: Organic Chemistry Laboratory
- Biology 54: Biology Laboratory
- Biology/Chemistry 182: Chemistry in Living Systems
- Biology/Chemistry 184: Methods in Biochemistry
- Biology 111: Molecular Biology Laboratory
- Biology 113: Molecular Biology
- Biology/Chemistry 189: Topics in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
One course selected from:
- Biology 101: Comparative Physiology
- Biology 108: Ecology and Environmental Biology
- Biology 109: Evolution
- Five elective credits of upper level Biology courses, to be selected by the student in consultation with her/his adviser. Prior permission from the Department of Biology is required.
- Two successive semesters of Biology 191–192 Biology Colloquium and Chemistry 199 Chemistry Seminar (four semesters total).
- Two semesters (at least 6 credits total) of Senior Thesis Research (Biology 193–194, or Biology 195-196, or Chemistry 151–152). The senior thesis will have two readers, a mentor from one department and a co-reader from the other department.
NOTE: In order to optimize their opportunities and to enable individual flexibility, students may request to count other courses not currently listed as Biology electives. These other courses might include new Biology courses developed at HMC, cross-listed HMC courses (e.g., topics in biological engineering), and appropriate courses offered by other Claremont Colleges. Prior approval, granted by the faculties of Biology and Chemistry, will be required to substitute electives.
Joint Major in Computer Science and Mathematics
The Joint Major in Computer Science and Mathematics is cooperatively administered by the Computer Science and Mathematics Departments. The purpose of the Joint Major is to provide a program of study tailored to students who are interested in the interdisciplinary connections between computer science and mathematics. Depending on how electives are selected, the program described below would position successful majors for graduate studies in either computer science or mathematics, or for immediate employment.
The Joint Major in Computer Science and Mathematics degree program has various components: the kernel courses in computer science and mathematics; more advanced courses in computer science and in mathematics; Clinic; and electives. Each of these components is described as follows:
Four kernel courses in computer science and mathematics:
- Mathematics 55: Discrete Mathematics
- Computer Science 60: Principles of Computer Science or Computer Science 42: Principles and Practices of Computer Science
- Computer Science 81: Computability and Logic
- Mathematics 168 or Computer Science 140: Algorithms
Three computer science courses:
- Computer Science 70: Data Structures and Program Development
- Computer Science 105: Computer Systems
- Computer Science 131: Programming Languages
Three mathematics courses:
- Mathematics 131: Analysis I
- Mathematics 165: Numerical Analysis or Math 164: Scientific Computing
- Mathematics 171: Abstract Algebra I
Clinic
Two semesters are required, ordinarily taken during the senior year.
Joint Majors will work on a Clinic project either from mathematics,
computer science or on an interdisciplinary project. Software
Development, CS 121, is strongly recommended for students wishing to
take CS Clinic.
Electives
Eight units of upper division technical electives: these electives can
be from mathematics, computer science or other departments (but must
include at least two units of mathematics and at least two units of
computer science), and must be chosen with approval of the faculty
advisors so that a coherent program is formed. Two semesters of senior
thesis research can count toward this requirement. Note that Complexity
Theory can be taken as either Math 167 or CS 142.
Colloquia
Students are required to attend two semesters of Computer Science
Colloquium (CS 195), one semester of Mathematics Colloquium (Math 199)
and one semester of Math Forum (Math 198).
Students in the Joint Major program will have faculty advisers from both the mathematics and the computer science departments. For further descriptions of the computer science and mathematics programs, please refer to their separate sections in this catalogue.
Mathematical and Computational Biology Major
As biology and biotechnology become more important in the coming decades, so will the application of quantitative methods to biological science. Mathematical and computational components are vital to many areas of contemporary biological research, such as genomics, molecular modeling, structural biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, and systems analysis of neurobiology, physiology, and metabolism.
HMC students interested in the interface between biology, mathematics, and computer science may pursue the Mathematical and Computational Biology Major, which is jointly administered by the biology, mathematics, and computer science departments.
This major prepares students for graduate studies in areas including applied mathematics, bioinformatics, computational biology, as well as employment in industry.
HMC's core curriculum provides mathematical and computational biology majors with a strong multidisciplinary foundation, and the college offers many opportunities for students to engage in interdisciplinary research in biomathematics, computational biology, and quantitative biology.
Students who choose this major become immersed in the scientific and intellectual cultures of biology, computer science, and mathematics, and the major is sufficiently flexible to allow students to concentrate in a particular area of interest. Students in this major have one advisor from the biology department and one advisor from either the mathematics or computer science departments. The advisors will jointly help the student plan a program tailored to the student's interests and goals.
Requirements for the Degree
Introductory Sequence
- Mathematics 55: Discrete Mathematics
- Biology 54: Biology Laboratory
- Biology/Mathematics 118: Introduction to Mathematical and Computational Biology
Biology Foundations
- Any three of the following:
- Biology 101: Comparative Physiology
- Biology 108: Ecology and Environmental Biology
- Biology 109: Evolutionary Biology
- Biology 113: Molecular Biology (Prereq: Chemistry 56; can be taken as your "technical elective")
- One biology seminar
- One biology laboratory
Mathematical and Computation Courses
- Biology/Mathematics 119: Advanced Mathematical Biology
- Biology 188: Computational Biology
- Mathematics 152: Statistical Theory
- Mathematics 156: Stochastic Processes
- Mathematics 157: Intermediate Probability or Mathematics 151 from another college
- Mathematics 158: Statistical Data Analysis
- Mathematics 164: Scientific Computing
- Mathematics 168: Algorithms
- Mathematics 173: Advanced Linear Algebra
- Mathematics 180: Introduction to Partial Equations
- Mathematics 185: Introduction to Wavelets and their Applications
- Mathematics 187: Operations Research
- Computer Science 60: Principles of Computer Science
- Computer Science 70: Data Structures and Program Development
- Computer Science 81: Computability and Logic
- Computer Science 121: Software Development
- Computer Science 140: Algorithms
- Computer Science 133: Databases
- Computer Science 144: Scientific Computing
- Computer Science 151: Artificial Intelligence
- Computer Science 152: Neural Networks
- Computer Science 155: Computer Graphics
Electives, Thesis, and Colloquium
- One technical elective chosen with advisor
Any course related to your interests in the major. Possible courses satisfying this requirement could be in biology, computer-science, or mathematics, or in another field including (but not limited to), bioengineering, cognitive science, neuroscience, biophysics, or linguistics. Chemistry 56: Carbon Compounds is a good choice for the technical elective and is required if you take Biology 113: Molecular Biology. - Senior thesis or Clinic
- Colloquium and Forum
- Biology 191/192: Biology Colloquium
- Mathematics 198: Undergraduate Mathematics Forum
- One semester of "joint" colloquium.
Joint Major in Mathematical Biology
The Joint Major in Mathematical Biology was superseded by the Major in Mathematical and Computational Biology in 2010-11. Details of the old major can be found in the 2010-11 or earlier catalogues.
Copyright 2012 Harvey Mudd College