Information and Policies
Introduction
The human biology major is designed for students interested in careers in healthcare or biomedical research. Medical and professional school admissions requirements vary; students should verify that their coursework will satisfy the admissions requirements of the programs to which they plan to apply. Students are required to take introductory biology and laboratory (BIOL 20L), genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, human physiology with laboratory, and additional courses directly relevant to human health. As a unique feature of this program, students must also fulfill Spanish-language and health-care internship requirements. The courses required for this major satisfy many of the prerequisites for medical and other health professional schools. However, you should always check the specific requirements for every program you hope to apply. Check our Health Careers webpage for more information on how you can academically prepare for a career in health care. Additional information is available at the UCSC Career Center.
Academic Advising for the Program
Students should take full advantage of academic advising and should keep in frequent contact with the advisors to stay informed about late announcements of courses, changes in scheduling, and opportunities for special study. Transfer students should also consult the Transfer Information and Policy Section. For additional advice and information:
MCD Advising
389 Thimann Labs
mcdadvising@ucsc.edu
Getting Started in the Major
Prerequisites
Due to the demanding nature of the major, students must begin their science coursework as early as possible. MATH 11A or MATH 19A; CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B, CHEM 1C, and CHEM 8A; and BIOL 20A, BIOE 20B, and BIOL 20L must be completed before the sixth quarter in order for students to qualify for admission to MCD biology-sponsored majors, the biology B.S., human biology B.S., molecular, cell and developmental biology B.S., and neuroscience B.S. majors. For an overview of prerequisites and getting started in the major, please visit our Human Biology B.S. site.
An online mathematics placement examination is required to enroll in a math course. Biological science majors are expected to take this examination and are encouraged to work in the learning modules until they place into calculus. For more information see the mathematics placement website.
Students intending to major in human biology should take the Spanish placement examination, offered by the language program, to determine the level at which they should begin the Spanish sequence.
Program Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the human biology major will be able to:
- demonstrate knowledge of how biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology are used to elucidate both the function of cells and their organization into tissues;
- recognize that biology has a basis in chemistry, physics, and mathematics;
- describe how scientific method is used to explain natural phenomena;
- use effective oral and written language skills to communicate scientific data and ideas;
- understand safe laboratory practices, perform basic molecular biology techniques, generate hypotheses, and evaluate data;
- achieve fluency in Spanish and an understanding of how cultural differences can affect health care delivery;
- refine a career-related and/or postgraduate goal through internship experience;
- present advanced knowledge in the specialized field of human physiology.
Major Qualification Policy and Declaration Process
Major Qualification
The Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology has a separate qualification policy that applies to the human biology B.S. major.
To qualify for the human biology major, students must pass the following courses or their equivalents with a grade of C+ or better in each course:
Students must also pass one of the following courses:
All qualification courses must be completed by the end of the fifth quarter. Students with two or more grades of NP, C-, D+, D, D-, or F in the policy courses are not qualified to declare.
When assessing qualification:
- All courses must be taken for a letter grade, see Letter Grade Policy.
- Students with AP credit for MATH 11A or MATH 19A, BIOL 20A, BIOE 20B, and/or CHEM 1A, need only pass the remaining qualification policy courses with grades of C+ or better.
- Every student who satisfies the major qualification requirements and who petitions to declare the major by the campus major declaration deadline (i.e. before enrolling in their third year or the equivalent) will be admitted to the major. Students who satisfy the major admission requirements, but who petition to declare the major after the campus major declaration deadline will be considered on a case-by-case basis for admission to the major; admission is not guaranteed.
Appeal Process
Students who are not eligible to declare the major may submit an appeal to the Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology faculty advisor. The department will notify the student and their college of the outcome of the appeal within 15 working days of the quarterly appeal deadline.
See our appeal process for more information.
How to Declare a Major
Students should submit a petition to declare by completing the online declaration petition as soon as they complete the major qualification courses or reach their declaration deadline quarter, whichever comes first.
Students petitioning when the campus declaration deadline is imminent (i.e., in their sixth quarter, for students admitted as frosh), will either be approved, denied, or provided with conditions (e.g., completion of some courses with certain grades) that will be resolved within at most one more enrolled quarter, even if they have not completed major qualification courses.
Each major/minor advising office has a process for declaring. To initiate the process to declare, please complete the online declaration petition located on the Department of MCD Biology website. For assistance, please contact MCD biology advising at mcdadvising@ucsc.edu.
Transfer Information and Policy
Transfer and Admission Screening Policy
MCD Biology encourages applications from transfer students in the biological sciences. The department has a major qualification policy that limits access to the program to students who have successfully completed a subset of foundational coursework. Transfer students are held to similar criteria when being assessed for admission to UC Santa Cruz as an MCD-sponsored major. See qualifying for the major as a transfer applicant for more information.
To be considered for admission as a proposed human biology B.S. major, transfer students must complete the following courses or their equivalents prior to transfer, by the end of the spring term for students planning to enter in the fall with grades of C+ or higher in each course.
Plus, one of the following calculus courses:
| MATH 11A | Calculus with Applications | 5 |
| MATH 19A | Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics | 5 |
The CHEM 8A and MATH 11A or MATH 19A requirement will be enforced for transfer students entering in the fall of 2022 and thereafter. BIOL 20L is not required for students who have completed BIOL 20A and BIOE 20B from California community colleges.
In addition, the following courses are recommended prior to transfer to ensure timely graduation.
One of the following courses
| MATH 11B | Calculus with Applications | 5 |
| MATH 19B | Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics | 5 |
Plus one of the following options
Plus both of the following courses
Please see our preparing to transfer as an MCD major for more complete information.
Prospective students are encouraged to prioritize required and recommended major preparation, and may additionally complete courses that articulate to UC Santa Cruz general education requirements as time allows.
Students who are proposed in a different major and have advanced standing when they enter UCSC require permission from the department to change into the major. Admission to the major is not guaranteed.
Getting Started at UCSC as a Transfer Student
Transfer students who have met the major qualification requirements are encouraged to declare the major during their first quarter at UC Santa Cruz. Transfer students should complete the required courses in genetics (BIOL 105), biochemistry (BIOL 100) and molecular biology (BIOL 101) by the end of their first year at UCSC since they are prerequisites for the majority of other required courses.
Transfer students should take the Spanish placement exam upon arrival. We encourage transfer students to complete the required Spanish courses (including SPAN 5M) before the fall of their second year.
Letter Grade Policy
All courses that are taken to satisfy any major requirement must be taken for a letter grade.
Course Substitution Policy
At least half of the upper-division courses required for the major must be taken at UC Santa Cruz, not as transfer credits from another institution. If a student plans to transfer to UCSC from another institution, the student is advised to contact MCD Advising at UCSC before enrolling in upper-division courses at the student’s institution or any institution other than UCSC. This advising will help students understand the limitation of transferring upper-division courses from other institutions to UCSC. For more information on transferring courses to UCSC, please consult the undergraduate website.
Once matriculated, a student must receive permission from the department to satisfy the BIOL 20A, BIOL 100, BIOL 105, BIOL 101, or BIOL 110 requirements with courses taken at other institutions. Students who wish to receive credit toward the major for these or other courses taken either at UCSC or at another institution should contact MCD Advising.
Double Majors and Major/Minor Combinations Policy
Students interested in pursuing multiple majors within the biological sciences may NOT declare the following combination of majors:
- Biology (B.A., B.S., or minor) AND any other biological sciences major
- Any combination of the following: Human Biology, Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, Neuroscience, or Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Should a student choose to double major, they must qualify for and complete the Disciplinary Communication and comprehensive requirements for each of the majors.
Study Abroad
The UC Education Abroad Program (EAP) offers qualified students unique opportunities to broaden their educational horizons. The MCD Biology Department encourages interested students to participate. Many programs are in English-speaking countries or use English for advanced courses. Many programs offer small classes, extensive laboratories, and/or field research experience.
Students interested in study abroad need to get an early start on their basic science requirements, including chemistry, mathematics, and introductory biology and must declare their major prior to applying to go abroad. Students interested in studying abroad should visit the EAP office as soon as possible to begin planning. They should also seek advice about their EAP plan for major courses at UC Santa Cruz from MCD Advising and receive their approval.
Honors
Honors in the majors are awarded to graduating students whose academic performance demonstrates excellence at a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or above. Highest honors are awarded to those students whose performance demonstrates the highest level of excellence and results in a GPA of 3.8 or above.
Medical and Professional School Admission
Medical and professional school admissions requirements vary; students should verify that their coursework will satisfy the admissions requirements of the programs to which they plan to apply.
Requirements and Planners
Course Requirements
Lower-Division Courses
All of the following courses:
BIOL 20L is waived for junior transfer students.
Note: CHEM 109 is also recommended for pre-med students.
Plus one of the following options:
Plus one of the following options:
Plus one of the following options:
Note: PHYS 7A/PHYS 7B, and PHYS 6L may not satisfy the physics prerequisite for admission to all medical schools; be sure to check the requirements at all schools where you wish to apply.
Language Requirement:
SPAN 1-SPAN 4 or the equivalent and one quarter of Spanish for health-care workers (SPAN 5M).
Upper-Division Courses
Choose one of the following options:
Plus all of the following courses:
Internship Requirement:
| BIOL 189 | Health Sciences Internship | 3 |
| BIOL 189W | Disciplinary Communication: Human Biology | 3 |
Students must participate in a community health-care service activity approved by the health sciences internship coordinator. Credit may be earned over multiple quarters.
Electives
At least two upper-division electives chosen from the following (only one of which may be a 3-credit course: BIOL 112, BIOL 116 or BIOL 188).
Note: Lecture/lab combinations count as one course.
Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement
Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division disciplinary communication (DC) requirement. The DC requirement in human biology is satisfied by completing the following courses:
Comprehensive Requirement
All majors have a comprehensive requirement. For the Human Biology B.S., this requirement can be satisfied by receiving a passing grade in the Health Sciences Internship, BIOL 189.
Planners
Sample Human Biology B.S. First-Year Student Four-Year Planner
Additional first-year student sample planners
The following general education requirements will be fulfilled by the major requirements listed in the above planner: MF, SI, SR, CC. In addition to the GE requirements satisfied by the above courses, a student will also need to complete courses satisfying the ER, IM, TA, PE, and PR general education requirements.
Sample Human Biology B.S. Transfer Two-Year Planner
Additional transfer student sample planners
This planner assumes that a student has completed all UC Transfer Pathway courses: