Human Biology

This major is designed to provide students with the fundamental courses required for entry into: schools of medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy; Ph.D. programs in the biomedical sciences; and biotech research, teaching, medical technology, patent law, physical therapy, nutrition, and nursing. The core classes required of all human biology majors provide the student with the basic principles that help us understand normal human physiology and the molecular basis of human disease. The course options in Human Physiology, Human Disease, and Biomedical-related laboratories provide the students with educational breadth while still allowing them considerable flexibility in tailoring their course of study to suit their educaitonal goals.

Degree Check (PDF format)

Sample Plan (PDF format)

Important things you should know....

Entered UCSD as a Freshman

Entered UCSD as a Transfer

Human Biology Major Requirements

Lower-Division Requirements

BILD 1 & 2 or BILD 1 & 3
Mathematics 10A, B, C/D or 20A, B, 20C
Chemistry 6A, B, C, and 6BL
Physics 1A/1AL, 1B/1BL, 1C/1CL or 2A, B, C, and one lab (2BL, 2CL, 2DL)

Upper-Division Requirements

1. Organic Chemistry (Chemistry 140A/141A, 140B/141B, and 143A)
2. Metabolic Biochemistry (BIBC 102)
3. Genetics (BICD 100)
4. Molecular Biology (BIMM 100)
5. Molecular Basis of Human Disease (BIMM 110)
6. Mammalian Physiology I (BIPN 100)
7. Three courses from the following two groups: Human Physiology and Human Disease. At least one course must be taken from each group.

Human Physiology

Human Nutrition (BIBC 120)
Embryos, Genes and Development (BICD 130)
Human Reproduction and Development (BICD 134)
Immunology (BICD 140)
Endocrinology (BICD 150)
Mammalian Physiology II (BIPN 102)

Biology of Exercise (BIPN 108)

Cellular Basis of Learning and Memory (BIPN 148)

Human Disease

AIDS Science and Society (BICD 136)
Topics in Human Genetics (BICD 170)
Virology (BIMM 114)

Pharmacology (BIMM 118)
Bacteriology (BIMM 120)
Medical Microbiology (BIMM 124)
Biology of Cancer (BIMM 134)

8. Two of the following lab courses: BIBC 103, 105, BICD 111, 131, 133, 145, BIMM 101, 121, BIPN 105. The second consecutive quarter of BISP 196 or 199 taken in the same research laboratory may be substituted for one of the upper-division lab requirements.

9. At least two other upper-division courses (each course must be at least four units) offered by the UCSD Division of Biological Sciences. Recommended courses include additional courses from the Human Physiology and Human Disease lists in section 7 above and BICD 110 (Cell Biology), BIEB 154 (Molecular Evolution), and BICD 118 (Pathways of Intracellular Protein Trafficking and Compartmentation). Other acceptable courses include one quarter of BISP 195 and/or one quarter of either BISP 196, 197, or 199. (Exception: students who use BISP 196 or 199 to satisfy the lab requirement in section 8 above cannot use BISP 196, 197, or 199 to satisfy this requirement.)

* For more information on BISP 196 (Honors Thesis) or 199 (Independent Research) click here

* For more information on BISP 197 (Biotechnology Internship) click here

For further information, please contact Biology Student Affairs or check out the UCSD Catalog!