StudyQA — Bachelor: Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry

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The undergraduate programs offered by the department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry (MB&B) are for students interested in not only what life is, but also in how it works. We seek to understand life at a mechanistic level by studying how the extraordinarily complex molecules found in living organisms create structures, carry out chemistry, and store and utilize information to generate the remarkable properties of living organisms. Biochemistry and biophysics are rapidly advancing areas of science that underlie the current dramatic progress in medicine.
Our undergraduate degree programs are well suited for students planning to attend medical school or graduate studies in biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, genomics, or biophysics. The MB&B major differs from the programs offered by the Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB) department in that MB&B places its central focus on studying biology using the tools of chemistry, physics, and biochemistry. MB&B students thus carry out more in-depth coursework in these areas, and typically take less coursework in other areas such as organismal biology, cell biology, and genetics.

First Year Majors:

acquire a broad foundation in chemistry, mathematics, physics, and biology

Second Year & Junior Year Majors:

focus on molecular biology and biophysics

Fourth Year Majors:

choose among a wide range of opportunities
conduct independent research projects
take courses at the Graduate School or the Medical School or advanced elective classes at Yale College

Of the seniors majoring in MB&Beach year, about two-thirdsgo to medical school. Of the other third, some enter graduate school, and others seek employment in university labs or in the biotechnology industry. Our alumni include many distinguished leaders in science and medicine.

The programs offered by the Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry are planned for students interested in the molecular and chemical basis of biological processes and are well suited to students hoping to attend medical school or pursue graduate studies in biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, or biophysics. The B.S. major, designed for those with a strong commitment to research, provides an intensive introduction to laboratory techniques in biochemistry and biophysics. Students in this program usually carry out research projects in faculty laboratories during their junior and senior years. The B.A. major provides the intellectual discipline of biochemistry and biophysics for students who also wish to have sufficient time to pursue in-depth studies outside the major or who are interested in molecular biology as a liberal education; they, too, may engage in research during their junior and senior years.