The master’s degree requires 32 credits of coursework, with at least 20 chosen from the program’s core. Students must also demonstrate a working knowledge of the array of computational methods available to the modern molecular biologist. This will usually consist of the completion of a carefully circumscribed research project and a written report. A committee of three members of the Bioinformatics faculty, including the student’s advisor, will evaluate the report.

The postbachelor’s PhD requires a total of 64 course credits, consisting of a combination of lecture, laboratory, and research. The precise course of study will be determined in consultation with faculty advisors and will reflect the student’s background and interest. Although participants in the program will not necessarily take the same set of core courses, all students must demonstrate mastery of core subject matter in biophysical chemistry, biology, and computation/mathematics.

The post-master’s PhD requires thirty-two credits of coursework, consisting of an appropriate combination of lecture, laboratory, and research, as recommended by the student’s thesis advisor. Other requirements are the same as for the postbachelor’s PhD.

Required Core Courses (32 cr total)

• CAS BI 552 Molecular Biology I (4 cr)
• ENG BE 561 Protein and DNA Sequence Analysis (4 cr)
• ENG BE 768 Biological Database Systems (4 cr)
• ENG BE 777 Computational Genomics I (4 cr)
• ENG BF 752 Legal and Ethical Issues of Science and Technology (4 cr)
• ENG BF 778 Physical Chemistry for Systems Biology (4 cr)
• ENG BF 810 Laboratory Rotation System (1 cr each; 3 total)
• ENG BF 820 Research Opportunities in Bioinformatics (1 cr)
• ENG BF 821 Bioinformatics Graduate Seminar (2 cr each; 4 total)

Breadth Electives

• CAS BI 504 Evolution
• CAS BI/CH 527/528 Biochemistry Laboratory I & II
• CAS BI 549 Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
• CAS BI 553 Molecular Biology II
• CAS BI 556 Membrane Biochemistry
• CAS BI 572 Advanced Genetics
• CAS CH 525 Physical Biochemistry
• CAS CS 542 Machine Learning
• CAS CS 549 Pattern Matching and Detection with Applications in Biological Sequence Analysis
• CAS CS 565 Data Mining
• CAS MA 555 Numerical Analysis I
• CAS MA 565 Mathematical Models in the Life Sciences
• CAS MA 581 Probability
• CAS MA 582 Mathematical Statistics
• CAS MA 583 Introduction to Stochastic Processes
• CAS MA 584 Multivariate Statistical Analysis
• CAS MA 614 Statistical Methods II
• CAS MA 684 Applied Multiple Regression and Multivariable Methods
• ENG BE 535 Cell Mechanics
• ENG BE 537 Biomedical and Biochemical Microsystems
• ENG BE 560 Biomolecular Architecture
• ENG BE 562 Computational Biology: Genomes, Networks, Evolution
• ENG BE 565 Molecular Biotechnology
• ENG BE 566 DNA Structure and Function
• ENG BE 760 Structural Bioinformatics
• ENG BE 764 Biophysics of Large Molecules
• ENG BF 527 Applications in Bioinformatics
• ENG BF 571 Dynamics and Evolution of Biological Networks
• ENG BF 752 Directed Study in Bioinformatics
• ENG EC 533 Advanced Discrete Mathematics
• ENG EC 534 Discrete Stochastic Methods
• ENG EC 730 Information-Theoretical Design of Algorithms
• ENG EC 761 Information Theory and Coding
• GRS BB 522 Molecular Biology Laboratory
• GRS BI 610 Cellular Aspects of Development and Differentiation
• GRS BI 735 Advanced Cell Biology
• GRS BI 755 Cellular and Systems Neurosceince
• GRS CH 723 Physical Chemistry of Biological Macromolecules
• GRS CH 751 Advanced Topics in Physical Chemistry
• GRS CH 752 Advanced Topics and Chemical Physics
• GRS MA 770 Mathematical and Statistical Methods of Bioinformatics
• GRS MB 721 Graduate-Level Biochemistry
• GRS MB 722 Advanced Biochemistry
• SPH BS 703 Biostatistics
• SPH BS 830 Design and Analysis of Microarray Experiments
• SPH BS 850 Advanced Statistical Methodology for the Computational Biosciences
• SPH BS 855 Bayesian Modeling for Biomedical Research & Public Health
• SPH BS 858 Statistical Genetics I
• SPH BS 859 Applied Genetic Analysis
• SPH BS 860 Statistical Genetics II

Advisors

Upon entry into the Bioinformatics Program, each student will be appointed an Academic Advisor from the Bioinformatics faculty. The advisor will act as the student’s primary academic advisor until the student selects a research advisor(s).

Qualifying Examination

All Boston University graduate students must pass a qualifying exam in order to advance to the level of PhD Candidacy. In the Bioinformatics Program, this exam takes the form of an oral qualifying exam. The goal of the exam is for the student to demonstrate his or her general proficiency in bioinformatics, as well as command of the area(s) in which he or she intends to conduct research. Each student in the Bioinformatics Program will select a Qualifying Committee (QC) of 4 faculty members in the program, typically by sometime during the first semester of their second year. It is strongly encouraged that the QC include both faculty members with biological/experimental expertise and faculty members with computational expertise. The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) must approve the committee membership and will be an ex officio member of the committee. Students must schedule their Qualifying Exam by March 31 of their second year, and must take the exam by June 30. Students who fail to pass the exam on their first try are allowed a second attempt, to be scheduled and completed by the end of the first semester of their third year.

Language Requirement

There is no foreign language requirement for the Bioinformatics degree. However, basic mastery of spoken and written English as determined by oral presentations, written reports, and publishable manuscripts, is a requirement for the PhD.

Thesis

The PhD requires original research and its presentation in a form suitable for publication in an archival journal. Two thesis advisors, one predominantly an experimental researcher and the other predominantly a computational researcher, will guide progress toward the degree. The two thesis advisors and the Qualifying Exam Committee will normally constitute the Thesis Committee. The Thesis Committee will review the student’s progress annually and will also be responsible for judging both the thesis prospectus and the completed thesis.

Courses

• CAS BI 502 Topics in the Mathematical Structure of Biological Systems
• CAS BI 503 Symbiosis
• CAS BI 504 Evolution
• CAS BI 505 Evolution and Development
• CAS BI 506 Phenotypic Plasticity
• CAS BI 508 Behavioral Ecology
• CAS BI 512 Mammalian Ecology (EBE)
• CAS BI 513 Genetics Laboratory
• CAS BI 515 Population Genetics (EBE)
• CAS BI 519 Theoretical Evolutionary Ecology
• CAS BI 520 Sensory Neurobiology (PER/Neuro)
• CAS BI 527/528 Biochemistry Laboratory I & II
• CAS BI 530 Forest Ecology
• CAS BI 531 Ichthyology: Behavior, Ecology, and Evolutionary Fishes
• CAS BI 532 Field Biology Belize Coral Reefs: Expeditionary Ichthyology (Belize)
• CAS BI 536 Molecular Ecology and Evolution
• CAS BI 545 Neurobiology of Motivated Behavior
• CAS BI 546 Marine Megafaunal Ecology: Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and Surrounding Waters
• CAS BI 547 Marine Invertebrates: Natural History and Molecular Phylogeny
• CAS BI 549 Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (EBE)
• CAS BI 551 Biology of Stem Cells
• CAS BI 552 Molecular Biology I
• CAS BI 553 Molecular Biology II
• CAS BI 554 Neuroendocrinology
• CAS BI 556 Membrane Biochemistry and Cell Signaling (CM)
• CAS BI 557 Biological Transport Mechanisms
• CAS BI 563 Chemosensory Biology
• CAS BI 572 Advanced Genetics
• CAS BI 578 Marine Geographic Information Science
• CAS BI 581, 582 Seminar: Biology
• CAS BI 583, 584 Seminar: Progress in Cell and Molecular Biology
• CAS BI 585, 586 Seminar: Progress in Physiology, Endocrinology, and Reproduction
• CAS BI 589, 590 Seminar: Progress in Marine Science
• CAS BI 594 Topics in Neurobiology
• CAS BI 599 Neurobiology of Synapses
• The following 600-level courses require that graduate students complete an independent project.
• GRS BI 607 Animal Behavior
• GRS BI 610 Cellular Aspects of Development and Differentiation
• GRS BI 614 Ornithology
• GRS BI 615 Biology of Mammals
• GRS BI 617 Lakes and Rivers
• GRS BI 621 Biochemistry I
• GRS BI 622 Biochemistry II (CM)
• GRS BI 623 Marine Biogeochemistry
• GRS BI 625 General Endocrinology
• GRS BI 642 Physiology and Biochemistry of Reproduction
• GRS BI 643 Terrestrial Biogeochemistry
• GRS BI 644 Neuroethology (NEU)
• GRS BI 645 Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology
• GRS BI 646 Biology of the Cell Cycle
• GRS BI 648 Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
• GRS BI 654 Cell Motility and Cytoskeleton (CM)
• GRS BI 655 Developmental Neurobiology
• GRS BI 668 Marine Microbial Ecology
• GRS BI 678 Experimental Marine Biology
• GRS BI 679 Physical Oceanography
• GRS BI 685 Biology of Single-Cell Eukaryotes
• GRS BI 686 Biological Design for Sustainable Developments
• GRS BI 699 Teaching College Biology I
• GRS BI 708 Biochemical and Molecular Aspects of Development
• GRS BI 735 Advanced Cell Biology
• GRS BI 753 Advanced Molecular Biology
• GRS BI 755 Cellular and Systems Neuroscience
• GRS BI 756 Systems and Behavioral Neuroscience

Directed Study or Research

The variable-credit research courses listed below involve reading, laboratory work, and conferences. Instructor’s consent required. Hours arranged.

• GRS BI 903, 904 Research in Cellular Morphology
• GRS BI 905, 906 Research in Endocrinology and Reproduction
• GRS BI 909, 910 Research in Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology
• GRS BI 911, 912 Research in Behavior and Ecology
• GRS BI 913, 914 Research in Botany
• GRS BI 915, 916 Research in Microbiology
• GRS BI 919, 920 Research in Vertebrate Zoology
• GRS BI 921, 922 Research in Paleontology
• GRS BI 925, 926 Research in Cell and Molecular Biology
• GRS BI 927, 928 Research in Biochemistry
• GRS BI 929, 930 Research in Genetics
• GRS BI 931, 932 Research in Systems Physiology
• GRS BI 933, 934 Research in Developmental Biology
• GRS BI 937, 938 Research in Marine Biology
• GRS BI 939, 940 Research in Neurobiology
• GRS BI 941, 942 Research in Evolution
• GRS BI 943, 944 Research in Pharmacology
• GRS BI 945, 946 Research in Forest Ecology 

Metropolitan College Courses

The following courses are offered in Metropolitan College under the auspices of the Department of Biology and are approved for graduate credit in the MA and PhD programs.

• MET BI 552 Molecular Biology I
• MET BI 607 Animal Behavior
• MET BI 625 General Endocrinology

Related Courses

A number of related courses in other departments including non-arts and sciences courses (see “Cross-Registration” under the Admission; Policies and Procedures section at the front of this website) may be selected for graduate credit as part of MA and PhD programs in biology in consultation with major professors. Additional courses may be approved for such credit in special cases.

The following related courses may be taken for graduate credit (see also the MMEDIC Program in the Undergraduate Programs Bulletin).

• CAS CN 510 Principles and Methods of Cognitive and Neural Modeling I
• CAS CN 530 Neural and Computational Models of  Vision
• ENG BE 550 Bioelectromechanics
• GRS CH 621 Biochemistry I
• GRS CH 622 Biochemistry II
• GRS CH 722 Protein Chemistry
• GRS CH 724 Special Topics in Biochemistry
• GRS PS 832 Physiological Psychology
• GRS PY 681 Electronics for Scientists