Biophysics Undergraduate Program Curriculum

Concentration Requirements for Undergraduate Degree in Biophysics

Sample Course Layout Map

Prerequisites to Concentration:

Math 115, 116, 215, 216,
Chem 210, 211, 215, 216
Physics 140 (or 135), 141, 240 (or 235), 241
Bio 162 or Bio 171 or Bio 172

Core in Biophysics:

Biophysics 370 (Physical and Chemical Principles of Biophysics)
Biophysics 417 (Biophysics I)
Biophysics 454 (Biophysics II)
Biophysics 450 (Biophysics Laboratory)
Biophysics 495 (Professional Development in Biophysics)

Outside Core:

Physics 340, 341 (Heat and Waves)
Chem 451 (Biochemistry I)
Bio 305 (Genetics)

Biophysics Elective:

One of:
Biophysics 430 (Medical Physics)
Biophysics 433 (Biocomplexity)
Biophysics 435 (Biophysical Modeling)
MCDB 411 (Protein Structure and Function)
(until enough of these courses are offered other physics, chemistry, or biology courses may be accepted.)

Cognate:

One of:
Physics 406 (Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics)
Chemistry 452 (Biochemistry II)
MCDB 427 (Molecular Biology)

Research: At least two credits of Biophysics 399. Student wishing to do research in a laboratory outside the Department must identify a co-sponsor.

Honors Concentration: In addition to completing all the Biophysics concentration requirements, a concentration GPA of at least 3.4 and the completion of an honors thesis (Biophysics 499), and a second biophysics elective are required.

Minor in Biophysics:

Physics 340, 341 (Heat and Waves) or Chem 210, 211 (Organic Chem.)
Bio 305 (Genetics) or Chem 451 or Bio 310 (Biochemistry)
Biophysics 290 (Physics in Biology and Medicine) or Biophysics 430(Medical Physics)
Biophysics 370 (Physical and Chemical Principles of Biophysics)

Course Listings:

BIOPHYS 120 - First-Year Seminar in Biophysics

Only first-year students, including those with sophomore standing, may register.

This course is a first-seminar for students interested in the natural sciences and medicine. Students will re-create the original experiment by Watson and Crick that lead to the discovery of the structure of DNA with modern techniques.

BIOPHYS 290 - Physics of the Body and Mind

Prereqs: PHYSICS 125 or PHYSICS 135 or PHYSICS 140.

This course gives an overview of the physics behind the function of cells and organs through hands-on experiments.

BIOPHYS 370 - Physical and Chemical Principles of Biophysics

Prereqs: PHYSICS 235 or Physics 240 and MATH 215.
Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in Chem 260 or Physics 390.

This course is an introduction to the fundamental physical and chemical principles of biophysics. It covers quantum aspects of matter, thermodynamics, kinetics and statistical mechanics in the context of biological applications.

BIOPHYS 399 - Research in Biophysics

Prereq: Consent of instructor required. (INDEPENDENT).

This course gives biophysics majors the opportunity to engage in independent research in a research laboratory under the supervision of a faculty member.

BIOPHYS 417 - Biophysics I

Prereqs: MATH 216 and BIOPHYS 370 or PHYSICS 390.

This core course for biophysics majors covers the physics of transport processes and fluctuations in living systems. Special emphasis is placed on the cellular and molecular scale.

BIOPHYS 430 - Medical Physics

Prereq: BIOPHYS 370 or PHYSICS 390

This course gives an introduction to medical physics. The function and underlying physical principles behind modern biomedical imaging techniques and treatments such as radiation therapies are explored.

BIOPHYS 433 - Biocomplexity

Prereq: BIOPHYS 417 or PHYSICS 406

This course gives an introduction to biocomplexity by exploring concepts of nonlinear dynamics and the interplay between chaos and order in biological systems.

BIOPHYS 435 - Biophysical Modeling

Prereq: BIOPHYS 417

This course gives an introduction to biophysics modeling and the associated computational tools on length scales ranging from atomistic simulations to multicellular networks.

BIOPHYS 450 - Biophysics Laboratory

Prereq: BIOPHYS 370 or PHYSICS 390 or CHEM 452

The biophysics laboratory teaches essential laboratory skills in biophysics through hands-on experiments, computational work, and a supporting lecture.

BIOPHYS 454 - Biophysics II

Prereq: CHEM 451. BIOPHYS 417 recommended

This course covers the structural properties of biological macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids, their biophysical properties and techniques for structure determination.

BIOPHYS 495 - Senior Seminar in Biophysics

Prereq: BIOPHYS 450 or permission of instructor
Satisfies upper level writing requirement.

This course is an introduction to the exchange of scientific information through professional publications and meetings. It will focus on how to write scientific papers and present at conferences and develop these skills through practical exercises.

BIOPHYS 498 - Senior Thesis

Prereq: Consent of instructor required. (INDEPENDENT)

This course gives biophysics majors the opportunity to cap their biophysics experience with a senior thesis on their research.

BIOPHYS 499 - Honors Thesis

Prereq: Consent of instructor required. (INDEPENDENT)

This course gives biophysics majors the opportunity to cap their biophysics experience with an honors thesis on their research.