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

• One of
  
  
  • Biology/Mathematics 119: Intermediate Mathematical Biology
  • Biology 188: Computational Biology

• One 3-unit mathematics course chosen with your advisor. Suggested mathematics course options include (but are not limited to)
  
  
  • 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

• One 3-unit computer-science course chosen with your advisor. Suggested computer-science course options include (but are not limited to)
  
  
  • 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

• Five units of additional coursework in mathematics or computer science

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