University of California, Los Angeles College of Letters and Science 40 courses
The goal of the Biophysics major is to provide students with an undergraduate background that will enable them to enter competitive graduate programs in biophysics, molecular biology, and biological physics. It also aims at providing students with a solid, quantitative background for careers in the medical field of the future as well as in molecular biology, neuroscience, and biological physics which are all emerging as important and rapidly developing areas of physics. The major is designed to provide students with a flexible scientific/technical training that allows them to explore these different career paths and tailor their class work to their scientific interests. The program aims at providing an opportunity to the students to become scientific leaders, bringing the analytic and experimental techniques of different fields to bear on the fascinating world of the physics of living systems.
Preparation for the Major
Complete 16 courses as follows:
Preparation for the Major: Physics
Complete the following seven courses:
Preparation for the Major: Physics: Physics 1 Honors series
Students may substitute courses from the Physics 1 honors series for the Physics 1 series.
Preparation for the Major: Chemistry
Complete the following two courses:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 20A | Chemical Structure | 4 |
| CHEM 20B | Chemical Energetics and Change | 4 |
Preparation for the Major: Life Sciences
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LIFESCI 7A | Cell and Molecular Biology | 5 |
Preparation for the Major: Mathematics
Complete the following six courses. Students may select Mathematics 31A or 31AL.
Preparation for the Major: Recommended
The following course is recommended:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHYSICS 18L | Modern Physics Laboratory | 4 |
The Major
Complete 12 courses as follows:
The Major: Required Physics
Complete the following nine courses:
The Major: Upper-Division Electives
Select three additional upper-division elective courses from one group or among the three groups:
The Major: Upper-Division Electives: Group A (Physics of Neuroscience)
The Major: Upper-Division Electives: Group B (Biological Physics)
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHYSICS 144 | Polymer Physics | 4 |
| PHYSICS 170A | Electronics for Physics Measurement | 4 |
| MECH&AE C286 | Applied Optics | 4 |
The Major: Upper-Division Electives: Group C (Molecular and Cellular Biophysics)
Honors Program
In addition to completing all courses required for the major, students must complete two 4-unit terms of Physics 199.
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHYSICS 199 | Directed Research or Senior Project in Physics | 2 to 4 |
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