Program Curricula

Major

Students majoring in cell and molecular biology must complete a minimum of ten courses in the biology components, totaling at least 22 credits; 16 credits in chemistry (one year of both general chemistry with laboratories 1070/1075; 1080/1085; or H1090/H1095; H1100/H1105 and organic chemistry with laboratories 2410/2415; 2420/2425; or H2450/H2470; H2460/H2480); and eight credits of physics with laboratories (1210, 1220 or 1310, 1320). Students must also complete Calculus I (MATH 1210 or 1310, or both MATH 1150 and 1160) and Statistics for Scientists (MATH 1230) to satisfy the major and B. S. requirements.  

To fulfill the biology core component, students must complete CELL 1010, CELL 2050, CELL 3030 (Formerly 3110/7110), and CELL 3750 (Formerly 3010/7010). Students must take one biochemistry course, either CELL 4010 or CENG 4450 +CENG 4460 or CHEM 3830 + 3840. Students must also take either CELL 3755 (Formerly 3020/7020) or CELL 3035 (Formerly 3120/7120), and one additional 3 or 4 credit CELL lecture or lecture/lab course. Note: Cell & Molecular will no longer give AP or IB credit for CELL 1030 & 1035 (Heredity and Society lecture and lab) and CELL 1010 (Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology). Credit for CELL 2115 (General Biology lab) is not allowed and this policy will continue. A score of 5 on the AP exam or 7 on the IB exam will earn 4 hours of credit for CELL 1940. This credit does not count as electives for the CELL major or minor. No more than 4 hours of credit can be earned from AP or IB testing. Students accepted to the TAP/TP Program can be exempt from this policy and receive credit for CELL 1010.

An additional three elective courses are required, and at least two of the three must be laboratory courses. Students may use approved courses from other departments to fulfill the elective component. One course involving independent laboratory research (4910, 4920, 4950, 4960, H4990 or H5000) may be used as a laboratory course.

Students must complete one approved capstone course within the biology components. The capstone requirement can be fulfilled by CELL 4250, Principles of Immunology; CELL 4260, Biomedical Writing; CELL 4910/4920, Independent Studies or CELL 4990/5000, Honors Thesis.

Our Major Requirements Checklist is a tool that helps students monitor their progress towards completion of the major, and determine what courses will satisfy a particular requirement.

Minor

Students wishing to minor in cell and molecular biology must complete CELL 1010, CELL 2050, CELL 3750, and CELL 3030; two additional electives in biology; and 16 credits in chemistry (one year of both general and organic chemistry and their respective laboratories). Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the biological chemistry major, students in this program may not minor in cell and molecular biology. In accordance with Tulane's undergraduate catalog, students completing a minor must complete at least 24 credits in the major which do not overlap with the minor.