The MCDB Major
At least twenty (20) upper division elective units, of which at least 10 units MUST be courses offered by the MCDB Department.
- Any upper division MCDB course will be accepted, excluding MCDB 100, 190A-C; 192A,B; 193; 194A and 199
- A maximum of four units (4u) of approved seminar course credit may be applied to the ELECTIVES requirement.
- A maximum of 12 units of Directed Research (MCDB 199A-B,C) or Honors Research (MCDB 198A-B, C) may be applied to the major (four of the 12 units are used to fulfill the upper division laboratory requirementÉthe other eight units is applied toward the ELECTIVES).
- No more than one cell biology course can be applied for credit on the MCDB major.
- A maximum of two developmental biology courses can be applied for credit on the MCDB major credit (Required Course; ELECTIVES).
- See appended MCDB Departmentally Approved List of Courses for eligible elective courses outside the Department.
Elective Courses Total Units: 20
List Of Elective Courses Offered by MCDB Department
| Dept | Crs # | Course Title | Units | Qtr(s) Taught |
| MCDB | 120 | Introduction to Plant Biology | 4 | Fall (every other year) |
| 120L | Introduction to Plant Biology Laboratory | 4 | Winter (every other year) | |
| 138 | Developmental Biology | 5 | F,W | |
| C139 | Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Neurobiology (need > 3.7major GPA) | 6 | Fall | |
| C141 | Molecular Basis of Plant Differentiation and Development | 5 | Spring | |
| 143 | Developmental Biology: Genetic Control of Organogenesis | 5 | Spring | |
| 144 | Molecular Biology | 5 | Fall, Spring | |
| C150 | Plant Chemical and Molecular Communication | 4 | Winter (alternates years w/120/120L) | |
| CM156 | Human Genetics | 4 | Winter, Summer | |
| 165B | Molecular Biology of the Cell Nucleus | 5 | Winter | |
| 168 | Stem Cell Biology | 5 | Spring | |
| CM169 | Cell Structure, Signaling and Differentiation (need > 3.7major GPA), | 6 | Winter | |
| 171 | Principles of Neurobiology | 4 | Spring | |
| 172 | Genomics and Bioinformatics | 5 | Fall | |
| M175A | Neuroscience: From Molecules To Mind | 5 | Fall | |
| M175B | Neuroscience: From Molecules To Mind | 5 | Winter | |
| M175C | Neuroscience: From Molecules To Mind | 5 | Spring | |
| M181 | Biological Bases of Psychiatric Disorders | 4 | Fall | |
| 191 | Variable Topics in Molecular Cell, and Developmental Biology | 2 | F,W,S | |
| 198A-B,C,D | Honors Research in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology | 4/qtr | ** | |
| 199A-B,C,D | Directed Research in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology | 4/qtr | ** |
** MCDB 198A-B or MCDB 199A-B are two-quarter courses, each of which can be started in Fall or Winter Quarter ONLY
Courses From Other Departments Which May Be Applied to the MCDB Major Electives:
| Dept | Crs # | Course Title | Units | Qtr(s) Taught |
| BIOL CH | CM153G | Macromolecular Structure | 6 | Fall |
| BIOSTAT | 100A | Intro to Biostatistics | 4 | F, S, Summer |
| CHEM | 153C/153CH | Biochemistry: Biosynthetic & Energy Metabolism & Its Regulation | 4 | All |
| 154 | Biochemical Methods II | 4 | All | |
| 156 | Physical Biochemistry | 4 | All | |
| C159A | Mechanisms in Regulation of Transcription I | 2 | Spring | |
| C159B | Mechanisms in Regulation of Transcription II | 2 | Spring | |
| C160 | Bioinformatics and Genomics | 4 | Winter | |
| EEB (formerly OBEE) | 110 | Vertebrate Morphology | 6 | F,W, Summer |
| 121 | Molecular Biology and Evolution | 4 | Fall | |
| 162 | Plant Physiology | 6 | Winter, Summer | |
| HUM GEN | C144 | Genomic Technology | 4 | Fall |
| LIFESCI | 187A | Research Experience in Life Sciences | 4 | F,W,S |
| MIMG | 101 | IntroductoryMicrobiology | 4 | Fall, Spring |
| 102 | Virology | 4 | Winter | |
| 103L | Lab Methods in Modern Microbiology & Immunology | 5 | Fall, Winter,Spring | |
| 106 | Bacterial Pathogenesis | 4 | Spring | |
| 121A | Microbial Molecular Biology Lab | 4 | Winter | |
| 133 | Principles, Practices & Policies in Biotechnology | 2 | Winter | |
| 159 | Advanced Molecular Genetics | 5 | Winter | |
| 168 | Molecular Parasitology | 4 | Fall | |
| 174 | Advanced Topics in Molecular Parasitology | 2 | Spring | |
| 185A | Immunology | 5 | Fall | |
| PHY SCI | C126 | Biological Clocks | 4 | Winter |
| 166 | Animal Physiology | 6 | Summer | |
| STATS | 100A | Introduction to Probability Theory | 4 | Fall |
Not all electives are offered every year. Consult the Schedule of Classes or the appropriate department.
Some electives are restricted to the home department's own majors during the first pass. If you want to get into, for example, MIMG 185A, you will need to wait until your second pass because you are not an MIMG major.