2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog
Bioinformatics, BS
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In the Fall of 2019, the Bioinformatics, BS was inactive for students to enroll in. Students who were enrolled prior to the Fall 2019 term have the option to remain in the major or transfer to the Computational Biology major. Students who choose to complete the program under Bioinformatics must do so by Summer 2023 term.
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Biological Sciences Requirements
Students in all five majors within the Department of Biological Sciences must follow general rules and fulfill certain general requirements in addition to those in their specific major:
- A total of 32 credits in biology must be taken (see specific course requirements for each major below). All biology courses taken for the major must be completed with a C or better. If a C- or lower is earned in a biology elective course that is not repeated, the course will be used in calculating the overall GPA in the major but will not be counted as part of the 32 credits required for the major.
- Co-requisite courses must be taken in chemistry, physics, and mathematics and/or statistics, as follows.
- A minimum GPA of 2.00 must be maintained in all biology courses and in the combined co-requisite courses. The Satisfactory/No Credit (S/NC) option may be used for only one biology course and for any of the co-requisite courses.
- Departmental writing (W) courses may be selected once the major is declared and count towards the 32 biology credits for the major.
- Opportunities for faculty-sponsored directed research and internship experiences are available and strongly encouraged. Academic credit awarded from the departmental W, directed research, and internship courses count as credit toward graduation, but not in determining the 32 biology credits required for the major. Students interested in departmental honors should contact department advisors for information.
- David C. Frederick Honors College equivalents for any of the above courses are accepted. Credit by examination is available only through appropriate AP scores for equivalents to BIOSC 0150 - FOUNDATIONS OF BIOLOGY 1 , BIOSC 0057 - FOUNDATIONS OF BIOLOGY RESEARCH LABORATORY 1 , BIOSC 0160 - FOUNDATIONS OF BIOLOGY 2 , and BIOSC 0067 - FOUNDATIONS OF BIOLOGY RESEARCH LABORATORY 2 lectures and labs.
Updated information about the department, major requirements, and course offerings is available on the department’s Web site, www.biology.pitt.edu.
Corequisite courses
Corequisite courses must be taken in chemistry, physics, and mathematics and/or statistics, including
Note:
Updated information about the department, major requirements, and course offerings is available on the department’s Web site, www.biology.pitt.edu.
Requirements
The undergraduate bioinformatics degree program at the University of Pittsburgh is operated jointly by the departments of biological sciences (www.biology.pitt.edu) and computer science (www.cs.pitt.edu). This program offers training that builds a solid foundation in chemistry, biology, computer science, mathematics, and statistics. The training will enable students to communicate fluently with experts across these disciplines and to have the skills necessary to apply computing tools to address contemporary problems in biology and medicine. It will enhance the professional opportunities for undergraduates to pursue careers in pure or applied research in academia, government, pharmaceutical, medical, or biotechnology sectors.
Advising for Bioinformatics majors is housed in both the Department of Biology and the Department of Computer Science. For information, contact one of the advisors.
Core courses (42 credits)
Upper Level Courses (22 credits)
Electives (12 credits)
Electives (12 credits) to be chosen from an approved list of courses in Statistics, Chemistry, Biological Sciences and/or Computer Science. With the approval of the Bioinformatics Program Committee, the student may take electives in other departments.
Note:
* Undergraduate Research is taken over multiple terms for variable credit. Four credits of undergraduate research are required for the major. Research can begin as early as the sophomore year and must be approved by Kirk Pruhs in the Department of Computer Science, or Paula Grabowski in the Department of Biological Sciences.
Capstone experience
BIOSC 1640 and CS 1640 satisfy the bioinformatics major capstone experience requirement. Capstone request must be made to Kirk Pruhs in the Department of Computer Science.
Additional requirements and restrictions
- Bioinformatics majors who have completed CS 0401 may not enroll in CS 0004 or CS 0007 .
- BIOSC 1000 cannot be substituted for BIOSC 1810 .
- CHEM 1810 can only be substituted for BIOSC 1810 if it is not possible for the student to schedule BIOSC 1810
- Students must complete at least one W-course in the major
- A grade of C or better is required in each of the core and upper level courses that are to count toward the major.
- This requirement also satisfies the Dietrich School requirement of a minimum GPA of 2.0 in major courses
- Elective courses for the major must be completed with a grade of C or better. If a C-or lower is earned in an elective course for the major and is not repeated, the course will be used to calculate the overall GPA but will not be counted toward the 32 credits required for the major.
- Students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the required chemistry and mathematics courses.
- No Bioinformatics major courses may be taken on an S/NC basis.
Honors major requirements
Honors in Bioinformatics is granted if, in addition to fulfilling all requirements for the major, the student:
- completes three semesters (3 x 2 credits) or the equivalent (summer counts as a semester equivalent) of undergraduate research together with a written honors thesis presented in the last semester of the senior year;
- maintains a GPA of 3.5 or above in all Bioinformatics major courses; and
- maintains an overall GPA of 3.25 or above.
Approved elective course list
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