CAS: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB)

Students with questions about the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology pathway may contact Anne Hildebrand (ahild89@bu.edu), Undergraduate Program Specialist, for further guidance.

Upon completion of the CGS program, students must have earned credit towards the following 10 courses:

• Humanities: 3 courses
  • Choose two from CGS HU 103, CGS HU 201, or CGS HU 202
  • CGS HU 104*
• Natural Sciences: 2 courses
  • CAS CH 102 and CAS BI108**
• Rhetoric: 2 courses
  • CGS RH 103 and CGS RH 104*
• Social Sciences: 3 courses
  • Choose two from CGS SS 103, CGS SS 201, or CGS SS 202
  • CGS SS 104*

*Required course taken during the Summer term.
**BMB majors in good standing will be exempted from both CGS NS 201 and CGS NS 202. Please note that students who are exempt from CGS NS 202 must enroll in at least one CGS course in Term 2 of sophomore year.

The major in BMB is 18-19 courses. A grade of ‘C’ or higher is required in all courses for the major. For required courses, please see the CAS BMB Bulletin.

All BMB majors must successfully complete two terms of math (calculus, statistics, and/or computer science). At least one course must be calculus or statistics. Math courses accepted toward the BMB major are listed in the CAS BMB Bulletin.

The standard sequence for chemistry is CAS CH 109, CAS CH 110, CAS CH 203, and CAS CH 214. Alternative sequences are available for both the general chemistry requirements and organic chemistry requirements. The alternative general chemistry sequences include:

• CAS CH 111 and CAS CH 112 OR
• CAS CH 101 and CAS CH 102 and CAS CH 201

The alternative organic chemistry sequences include:

• CAS CH 211 and CAS CH 212 OR
• CAS CH 203 and CAS CH 204 and CAS CH 220

BMB majors are not required to take CAS BI 107 (CGS NS 201), but will take CAS BI 108 and CAS BI 203 (or CAS BI 213) toward their pre-medical biology requirement. In addition to these two courses, BMB majors should plan to take CAS BI 315 as one of their BMB Electives to complete the pre-medical biology requirement. CAS BI 315 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration. Pre-medical students are also required to take CAS CH 101, CAS CH 102, CAS CH 203, and CAS CH 204 (or a higher level sequence). Courses in biochemistry, psychology, and sociology are required for the MCAT exam. It is recommended that students take one term of calculus and one term of statistics. Students planning to attend medical school or other professional schools should consult advisors in the Pre-Professional Advising Office (100 Bay State Road, Room 428) and in the BMB Program for information on the selection and sequencing of courses.

• Completion of the CGS required courses and appropriate electives
• Cumulative GPA greater than or equal to 2.00.

Boston University students completing a degree in CAS must also complete the following requirements.

• BU Hub requirements
  • Students who take the specific CGS courses noted on the pathway above will fulfill all BU Hub requirements except the units listed below. These remaining Hub requirements will be fulfilled through the following courses:
  • Quantitative Reasoning I (1 requirement) fulfilled by CAS CH 102
  • Quantitative Reasoning II (1 requirement) fulfilled by CAS BI 108
  • Scientific Inquiry I (1 requirement) fulfilled by CAS CH 102
  • Writing-Intensive Course (1 requirement) fulfilled by CAS BI 421
  • Teamwork/Collaboration (2 requirements) fulfilled by CAS BI 108 and CAS BI 421
  • You will fulfill the remaining Hub units – Creativity/Innovation (1 requirement), Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy (1 requirement) – through the courses you take for your CAS major and/or other electives
• CAS requirements:
  • Second Language requirement
• BMB major requirements
• CAS requires a minimum of 128 credits, excluding PDP, ROTC, and CAS FY and SY courses.