Undergraduate Degree Programs

As an MCDB major, you will have the option to choose from a diverse array of courses to customize a curriculum that fits your interests and future goals. Our courses span the breadth of the biological sciences from biochemistry, genetics, and cell/developmental biology to quantitative biology, biotechnology, and beyond. In your senior year, you will identify a personal area of interest to either explore through a senior essay or in depth research experiences in one of Yale’s world renowned laboratories.

General Coursework

There are several paths for completing the course requirements and choosing a degree within the MCDB major, each of which is tailored to meet the academic needs and interests of the student.  Each path includes a set of core and elective courses in biology, along with courses in chemistry, physics, and math.  These requirements also include completion of laboratory coursework and the selection of general electives. 

Placement and Introductory Curriculum Planning

Prospective MCDB students are encouraged to take a placement exam in order to guide their initial curriculum planning. Students then have three options for choosing their first courses toward the MCDB major: 

1. Students can take all four modules within the Biology Foundations course.  
2. They can place out of one or more BIOL modules based on the placement test score. 
3. Without the placement exam and with the approval of the DUS, they can choose to substitute two or more of the BIOL modules with semester-long core courses within the MCDB major.