Bioinformatics Certificate Program
The Certificate Program in Bioinformatics is designed to introduce students to how computers can be developed or employed to analyze vast quantities of biological data, such as DNA, RNA, protein sequences, and biomolecular structures. The program is designed for students in either Biology or Computer Science Majors. Receiving a BS degree in biology, rather than a BA degree, would better facilitate completion of this program. Students pursuing the program would take 35-37 hours of course work, with more than half of those hours filling required courses for either major. Students would receive a certificate upon completion of the program. Majors in computer science would also have the option of taking one additional biology course to receive a minor in biology. Majors in biology would have the option of taking three additional computer science courses to receive a minor in computer science.
Certificate Requirements:
The following courses would be required to earn the certificate:
| BIO 142 | General Biology I | 4 |
| OR | |
| BIO 143 | General Biology II | 4 |
| | |
| BIO 250 | Introduction to Bioinformatics | 3 |
| BIO 291 | Genetics | 4 |
| MTH 161 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus I | 4 |
| | |
| PSY 204/MTH 204 | Research Statistics | 3 |
| OR | |
| MTH 401 | Mathematical Statistics I | 3 |
| OR | |
| ECO 212 | Fundamentals of Business Statistics | 3 |
| | |
| CSC 205 | Bioinformatics Programming | 3 |
| CSC 230 | Data Methods in Natural Sciences | 3 |
| CSC 315/MTH 315 | Introduction to Data Science | 3 |
| BIO 404 | Special Problems in Biology | variable credits |
| Bioinformatics Elective | 3-4 |
| Bioinformatics Elective | 3-4 |
BIO 404: A minimum of 2 credit hours of research (Bio 404) is required for completion of the program.
While Biology majors would take CSC 230 (Data Methods in Natural Sciences), Computer Science majors could substitute CSC 144 (Object Oriented Programming), the first semester course for Computer Science majors.
Bioinformatics elective courses include: BIO 310 Biochemistry, BIO 321 Evolution, BIO 333 Microbiology, BIO 426 Cell Physiology, CHM 323 Computational Chemistry, CHM 421 Foundations of Biochemistry I, CSC 320 Genetic Algorithms.