Placement in MCDB courses is determined by examinations administered at Yale or by permission of the DUS. A student may place out of one or more courses in the BIOL 101–104 sequence. One or more of these foundational biology courses (or equivalent performance on the corresponding biological sciences placement examination) may be explicitly required as prerequisites for upper-level MCDB courses. Students that place out of two BIOL modules will be required to take an additional credit in MCDB’s core courses.
Placement
Placement in chemistry courses is arranged by the Department of Chemistry. Because required chemistry courses are prerequisite to several MCDB courses, students are strongly encouraged to take general and organic chemistry in the first and/or sophomore years. Students who place out of general chemistry may want to consider taking organic chemistry during the first year. Finishing the prerequisites early allows for a more flexible program in later years.
Acceleration credit awarded in chemistry, mathematics, or physics, or completion of advanced courses in those subjects, is accepted in place of the corresponding prerequisites for the MCDB major. Students who have mathematics preparation equivalent to MATH 115 or higher are encouraged to take additional mathematics courses, such as MATH 120, 121, 222, or 225, or ENAS 151 or 194. Students in the B.A. degree program who have satisfied one or more prerequisites with advanced placement must still complete three term courses in chemistry and physics at Yale, including at least one from each department.
Requirements
The B.S. degree
requires a minimum of nine course credits beyond the prerequisites, including eight lecture or seminar courses and two laboratories, as follows:
- Three core courses selected from MCDB 200, 202, 205, 210, 290, 300 (or MB&B 300)
- Two general electives selected from MCDB courses numbered 250 or above. Additional core courses from the list above, a second term of organic chemistry, and a course in statistics may be used as general electives. Two laboratory courses, either MCDB 342L and 343L or MCDB 344L and 345L, can be paired for a single elective credit. If used as an elective, these laboratories cannot also fulfill the laboratory requirement
- One special elective from MCDB courses numbered 350 or higher
- Two laboratories from MCDB
- The senior requirement (2 course credits), described below
The B.S. degree program, intensive major
Requirements for the B.S. degree program, intensive major, are the same as those for the B.S. degree except for the senior requirement (see below). This degree requires eleven course credits beyond the prerequisites, including 6 courses, 2 half-credit labs, and 2 senior research courses, each worth two credits.
Senior Requirement
B.S. degree program For the B.S. degree, the senior requirement is usually fulfilled by completing a yearlong research course, MCDB 485, 486. The senior requirement must be completed during the senior year. Yale College does not grant academic credit for summer research unless the student is enrolled in an independent research course in Yale Summer Session. Seniors working toward the B.S. degree are expected to spend at least ten hours per week in the lab conducting individual research.
B.S. degree program, intensive major Requirements for the B.S. degree with an intensive major are the same as those for the B.S. degree except that students fulfill the senior requirement by taking MCDB 495, 496 for four course credits. Seniors in the intensive major are expected to spend at least twenty hours per week in the lab conducting individual research.