Course Information

Students are required to complete a breadth requirement (Area Requirements) and a depth requirement (Major and Minor Area). Students are to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0. Some of the courses used to satisfy Area Requirements may also be counted toward the Major or Minor Areas, but they must be taken while enrolled as a student in the program.

  1. Area Requirements
  2. Major and Minor Requirements
  3. Exceptions
  4. Sample Major and Minor Tracks

Area Requirements

Students must complete the Area Requirements listed below some time during their academic career in the program. Students may apply courses taken prior to entering the program (pending approval by their Graduate Adviser) or may be selected from appropriate offerings at Berkeley or UCSF. The Area Requirements Form must be updated annually with approving signatures to the Program Administrator on the Home Campus during the Spring Semester of the first two years.

Area Semester Units Quarter Units
Anatomy, Physiology and Biology 9 13.5
Biochemistry, and Chemistry beyond General Chemistry 3 4.5
Engineering in a traditional discipline and Computer Science 7 10.5
Mathematics (beyond linear algebra and differential equations)
and Statistics		 2 3.0

Major and Minor Requirements

Students must identify a Major and a Minor field in which the student will complete 16 Semester Units/24 Quarter Units and 8 Semester Units/12 Quarter Units respectively on a graded basis. This requirement is designed for students explore an area of interest in depth.

Area Semester Units Quarter Units
Major Requirements 16 24
Minor Requirements 8 12

For help in designing your Major and Minor Areas, here are a few resources:

Exceptions

  • Area Requirements does NOT refer to the major and minor; if you come in with a B.S. in bioengineering, you have probably already satisfied all of the Area Requirements.
  • Students may apply courses taken prior to entering the program (pending approval by their Graduate Adviser) or may be selected from appropriate offerings at Berkeley or UCSF.
  • Some of the courses used to satisfy Area Requirements may also be counted toward the Major or Minor areas (see next section), but they must be taken while enrolled as a student in the Program
  • Students who already hold a Master’s Degree or professional degree may use courses from their prior degree program toward their Minor field with approval from the Head Graduate Adviser. In this case, the Major field must be in an area complementary to the student’s prior training.
  • Up to six (6) units of undergraduate upper division courses may be applied towards the major area of study with approval from the Head Graduate Adviser.
  • One course with the S/U option (rather than letter-graded) is acceptable for meeting the requirements of the Major Area if the student is able to present sufficient justification for the inclusion of the course and following approval from both the student’s Graduate Adviser and the Head Graduate Adviser.

Sample Major and Minor Tracks

Here are some example course tracks used by BioE students to satisfy the major and minor requirements set forth by the program. It is meant to be used as a starting point for students who would like suggestions on courses that fit their research interests. Please note that course availability changes every quarter and semester and some courses are only offered every two years.

Note that there are no set major or minor focus areas that you must follow, and no set courses that you must take to satisfy a particular major or minor, which allows for maximum flexibility in taking courses that help you with your research area. The rules are detailed as follows under “Major and Minor Areas” in the Grad Student Handbook.

Parentheses indicate campus and quarter (Q) or semester (S) hours.

 

Biomaterials
Track 1

BIOE216- Macromolecular Science and Technology (UCB 4S)
BIOE118- Biological Performance of Materials (UCB 4S)
BE221- Tissue Mechanobiology (UCSF 2Q)
BE225B- Tissue and Organ Biology (UCSF 5Q)
CHEM271A-C- Chemical Biology (UCB 3S)
BIOE290A- Stem Cell Technologies (UCB 3S)

Track 2

BE223- Polymer Engineering (UCB 3S)
BPS245A- Principles of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UCSF 2Q)
BIOE216- Macromolecular Science and Technology (UCB 4S)
ChE295D- Development of Biopharmaceuticals (UCB 2S)
ChE295S- Intro to Expermental Surface Chemistry (UCB 3S)
PSPG245B- Enzymes and Reactions (UCSF 2Q)
CHEM271A-C- Chemical Biology (UCB 3S)

 

Biomechanics
Track 1

PH269/BIOEC119/ME176- Occupational Biomechanics (UCB 4S)
BIOE102 – Biomechanics (UCB 3S)
BIOE210 – Cell Mechanics and the Cytoskeleton (UCB 3S)
BIOE211 – Cell and Tissue Mechnotransduction (UCB 3S)
BIOE 221- Tissue Mechanobiology (UCSF 2Q)
ME 176- Orthopaedic Biomechanics (UCB 3S)
BIOE 223- Polymer Engineering (UCB 3S)

Track 2

ME 176- Orthopaedic Biomechanics (UCB 3S)
BE223- Polymer Engineering (UCB 3S)
ME212- Heat and Mass Transfer (UCB 3S)
ME214- Structure Function Relationships (UCB 3S)
BIOE240- MRI (UCSF 2Q)
BIOE 221- Tissue Mechanobiology (UCSF 2Q)

Track 3

(2013-2015)
BioE C215 – Mechanobiology of the Cell (UCB 3S)
BioE C223 Polymer Engineering (UCB 3S)
Chem 270A – Advanced Biophysical Chemistry (UCB 1S)
BioE 263 – Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biophotonics (UCB 4S)
ChemE 250 – Transport Processes (UCB 3S)
BioE 211 – Cell and Tissue Mechanotransduction (UCB 3S)

 

Biomedical Instrumentation
Track 1

BIOE 121L – BioMEMS Technologies Lab (UCB 4S)
BIOE 115 – Cell Bio for Engineers (UCB 4S)
BIOE 164 – Optics & Microscopy (UCB 4S)
BIOE 190A – Advanced Topics in BioE (UCB 4S)
BIOE 116 – Tissue Engineering (UCB 4S)

Track 2

BIOPHY 201 – Cell Biophys (UCSF 3Q)
BIOE 164 – Optics & Microscopy (UCB 4S)
EE 236A – Quantum & Optical Electronics (UCB 3S)
BE 241 – MR Spectroscopy (UCSF 3Q)
PSYCH201 – FMRI (UCB 3S)
ME 109 – Heat Transfer (UCB 3S)

Track 3

ME 128 – Comp Aid Mech Design (UCB 3S)
ME 212 – Heat & Mass Transfer in Biology (UCB 3S)
ME 145L – Transducer Lab (UCB 3S)
CS 294 – Design of Health Technology (UCB 3S)
BE 230C – Physics of Radiation Oncology (UCSF 3Q)

Track 3

(2012-2014)
EE 290C – Low Powered Bioelectronics (UCB 3S)
EE C249A – Intro to Embedded Systems (UCB 4S)
ME 235 – Design of Microprocessor Based Mechanical Systems (UCB 4S)
ME C215 – Structural Aspects of Biomaterials (UCB 4S)
EE 218A – Intro to Optical Engineering (UCB 3S)
BIOE 270 – Translational Challenges of Medical Devices (UCSF 2Q)

 

Bio-MEMS
Track 1 (MEMS & Microfluidics)

BIOE 121/ BIOE  221  – Advanced BioMEMS and Bionanotechnology (UCB 3S)
BIOE 121L/ BIOE 221L – BioMEMS and BioNanotechnology Laboratory (UCB 4S)
EE 143 – Microfabrication Technology (UCB 4S)
BIOE 251 – Micro/Nanofluidics for Bioengineering and Lab-On-A chip (UCB 3S)
BIOE – C213 Fluid Mechanics of Biological Systems (UBC 3S)

Track 2 (Nanotechnology)

BIOE C280 – Introduction to Nano-Science and Engineering (UCB 3S)
BIOE 251 – Micro/Nanofluidics for Bioengineering and Lab-On-A chip (UCB 3S)
NSE C203 – Nanoscale Fabrication (UCB 3S)
BIOE 121/ BIOE  221  – Advanced BioMEMS and Bionanotechnology (UCB 3S)
BIOE 121L/ BIOE 221L – BioMEMS and BioNanotechnology Laboratory (UCB 4S)

Track 3 (MEMS & Medical Devices)

BIOE 121/ BIOE  221  – Advanced BioMEMS and Bionanotechnology (UCB 3S)
BIOE 251 – Micro/Nanofluidics for Bioengineering and Lab-On-A chip (UCB 3S)
BIOE – C213 Fluid Mechanics of Biological Systems (UBC 3S)
EE C245 – Introduction to MEMS Design (UCB 4S)
EPI 260 Development and Approval of Drugs and Devices (UCSF 1.5Q)

Track 4 (MEMS)

BIOE 121/ BIOE  221  – Advanced BioMEMS and Bionanotechnology (UCB 3S)
EE 143 – Microfabrication Technology (UCB 4S)
EE C245 – Introduction to MEMS Design (UCB 4S)
EE 147 / ME 119 – Introduction to Microelectromechanical Systems (UCB 3S)
EE C246 / ME C219 – Parametric and Optimal Design of MEMS (UCB 3S)

 

Computational Biology
Track 1

BIOE 290B – Advanced Topics in Bioinformatics (UCB 3S)
STAT 141C – Stats for Bioinformatics (UCB 4S)
PH 240C – Computational Biostatistics (UCB 4S)
CS 281A – Statistical Learning Theory (UCB 3S)
BIOE 231 – Introduction to Comp Bio (UCB 4S)

Track 2

BIOE 143 – Computational Methods (UCB 4S)
BIOE 144 – Protein Informatics (UCB 4S)
BMI 203 – Introduction to Biocomputing Algorithms (UCSF 3Q)
MCB 206 – Physical Biochemistry (UCB 3S)
CHEM 220B- Statistical Mechanics (UCB 3S)

Track 3

BIOE C118 – Biological Performance of Materials (UCB 4S)
BIOE C216 – Macromolecular Science in Biotech & Medicine (UCB 4S)
BE 242 – Principles of Tissue Engineering (UCSF 3Q)
BIOE 290A – Stem Cells and Directed Organogenesis (UCB 3S)
BIOE 231 – Intro to Computational Molecular Cell Biology (UCB 4S)

Track 4

(2012-2014)
BIOE 247 – Principles of Synthetic Biology (UCB 4S)
STAT C245C – Biostatistical Methods (UCB 4S)
ME 120 – Computational Biology Across Multiple Scales (UCB 3S)
PHYSIOL 220 – Essential Immunology and Immunopathology (UCSF 2.5Q)

 

Drug Delivery
Track 1

PSPG245A-C- Basic Principles of Pharmaceutical Science (UCSF 3Q each)
BE223- Polymer Engineering (UCB 3S)
Chem241- Molecular Thermodynamics (UCSF 5Q)
PSPG272A- Advanced Drug Delivery (USCF 2Q)
Biophys202- Biophysical Methods (USCF 2Q)
MATSCI251 – Polymer Surfaces and Interfaces (UCB 3S)
BIOE250 – Nanomaterials in Medicine (UCB 3S)

Track 2

MCB150-Immunology (UCB 4S)
BIOE216- Macromolecular Science and Technology (UCB 4S)
PSPG272A- Advanced Drug Delivery (USCF 2Q)
PSPG271- Advanced Pharmacokinetics (UCSF 4Q)
Chem241- Molecular Thermodynamics (UCSF 5Q)
PSPG245A- Basic Principles of Pharmaceutical Science (UCSF 2Q)

 

Medical Imaging
Track 1

(2014-2016)
BIOE C261 – Medical Imaging Signals and Systems (UCB 4S)
BIOE 241 – Metabolism and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (UCSF 3Q)
BIOE C265 – Principles of MRI (UCB 3S)
RAD/BI 201 – Principles of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (UCSF 3Q)
PHYS137A – Quantum Mechanics (UCB 4S)
BI 260 – Image Processing and Analysis I (UCSF 2Q)
BI 265 – Image Processing and Analysis II (UCSF 3Q)

Track 2

(2014-2016)
RAD/BI 209 – Imaging Lab: MR, CT, PET, & SPECT (UCSF 2Q)
BIOE 247 – Intro to MRI Systems & Hardware (UCSF 3Q)
BI 201 – Principles of MR Imaging (UCSF 4Q)
BI 202 – Physical Principles of CT, PET & SPECT Imaging (UCSF 4Q)
BI 203 – Imaging probes for Nuclear and Optical Imaging (UCSF 4Q)
BI 204 – Principles of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Ultrasound (UCSF 3Q)
BI 260 – Image Processing and Analysis I (UCSF 2Q)
BI 265 – Image Processing and Analysis II (UCSF 3Q)

Track 3

IB 131 – Human Anatomy (UCB 3S)
BIOE 165 – Intro to Medical Imaging (UCB 4S)
BIOE 265 – Principles of MRI (UCB 3S)
EE 225B – Digital Image Processing (UCB 3S)
CS 160 – User Interfaces (UCB 4S)
CS 294 – Visualization (UCB 4S)

Track 4

RAD/BI 201 – Principles of MRI (UCSF 2Q)
Psych 214 – fMRI Methods (UCB 3S)
BIOE 241 – MR Spectroscopy (UCSF 3Q)
BIOE 297 – MRI Programming (UCSF 2Q)
BI 202 – Physical Principles of CT, PET & SPECT Imaging (UCSF 4Q)
BI 203 – Imaging probes for Nuclear and Optical Imaging (UCSF 4Q)
BIOE 244 – Medical Imaging Processing (UCSF 3Q)

Track 5

BIOE 265 – Principles of MRI (UCB 3S)
BIOE 241 – MR Spectroscopy (UCSF 3Q)
BIOE 244 – Medical Imaging Processing (UCSF 3Q)
BIOSTAT 183 – Statistical Analysis (UCSF 4Q)
BIOSTAT 208 – BioStat Methods (UCSF 3Q)
ANATY 116 – Gross Anatomy (UCSF 3Q)
ANATY 116 – Brain Anatomy (UCSF 3Q)

Track 6

(2013-2015)
IB 131 – Human Anatomy (UCB 3S)
BIOE 165 – Intro to Medical Imaging (UCB 4S)
BIOE 265 – Principles of MRI (UCB 3S)
BIOE C213 – Fluid Mechanics of Biological Systems (UCB 3S)
BIOE 263L – Molecular and Cellular Biophotonics (UCB 4S)
EE 227 AT – Optimization Models (UCB 4S)

Specialized Courses

BI 270 – Cancer Imaging (UCSF 3Q)
BMS 230 – Advanced Topics in Cancer Research (UCSF 4Q)
BI 211 – MR Pulse Sequences (UCSF 3Q)
BI 220 – Advanced Neurological Imaging (UCSF 3Q)
BI 230 – Vascular Imaging (UCSF 3Q)
BI 240 – Muscoskeletal Imaging (UCSF 3Q)
BI 250 – Abdominal and Pelvic Imaging (UCSF 3Q)
BI 260 – Image Processing and Analysis I (UCSF 2Q)
BI 265 – Image Processing and Analysis II (UCSF 3Q)
BioE 245 – Electromagnetic Neuroimaging (UCSF 3Q)
BioE 230C – Introduction to Molecular Imaging (UCSF 3Q)

 

Neuroscience
Track 1

EE 129 – Neural & Non-linear Info Processing (UCB 3S)
MCB 160 – Neuroscience (UCB 4S)
VS 212B – Visual Neurophysiology (UCB 2S)
EE 225D – Audio Signal Processing in Humans and Machines (UCB 3S)
EE 225A – Digital Signal Processing (UCB 3S)
PHYS 248 – Analysis of Neural and Behavioral Data (UCSF 3Q)

Track 2

MCB 163 – Mammalian Neuroanatomy (UCB 4S)
MCB 166 – Biophysical Neurobiology (UCB 3S)
MCB C261 – Advanced Cell Neurobiology (UCB 3S)
IB 245 – Neuroanatomy (UCB 2S)
EE 290P – Bioelectronics – BMI (UCB 3S)
VS 298 – Computational Neuroscience (UCB 3S)

Track 3

MCB 262 – Adv. Topics in Systems Neurobiology (UCB 3S)
VS 212B – Visual Neurophysiology (UCB 2S)
VS 212C – Spatial Vision and Machine Vision (UCB 2S)
IB245 – Neuroanatomy (UCB 4S)
MCB C261 – Advanced Cell Neurobiology (UCB 3S)
NS201A – Basic Concepts in Cell & Molecular Neuroscience (UCB 2S)

 

Stem Cell & Tissue Engineering
Track 1

BIOE116- Cell and Tissue Engineering (UCB 3S)
BE221- Tissue Mechanobiology (UCSF 2Q)
CB245- Cell Biology (UCSF 2Q)
BE223- Polymer Engineering (UCB 3S)
BE119- Orthopaedic Engineering (UCB 3S)
ME280A- Intro to the Finite Element Method (UCB 3S)

Track 2

BIOE116- Cell and Tissue Engineering (UCB 3S)
BE221- Tissue Mechanobiology (UCSF 2Q)
IB245- Neuroanatomy (UCB 2S)
IB131- Anatomy (UCB 3S)
BE290H- Bio-Inspired Nanoscience and Nanomaterials (UCB 3S)
Bio183- Intro to Statistical Analysis (UCSF 4Q)

Track 3

BIOE216- Macromolecular Science and Technology (UCB 4S)
BE225B- Tissue and Organ Biology (UCSF 5Q)
BIOEC117- Structural Biomaterials (UCB 3S)
MCB130- Cell Biology (UCB 4S)
MCB150-Immunology (UCB 4S)
BE221- Mechanobiology (UCSF 2Q)
BIOE290A- Stem Cell Technologies (UCB 3S)
BE221-ECM (UCSF 2Q)

Track 4

(2013-2015)
BioE C118 – Biological performance of Materials (UCB 4S)
BioE 113 – Stem Cell technologies (UCB 4S)
BioE C218 – Stem Cells and directed organogenesis (UCB 3S)
MCB C260 – Intro to Neurobiology (UCB 4S)
BioE C250 – Nanomaterials in Medicine (UCB 3S)
BioE 211 – Cell and Tissue Mechanotransduction (UCB 3S)

 

Synthetic Biology
Track 1

(2013-2015)
BioE C219 – Protein Engineering (UCB 3S)
BioE 248 – Metabolic Engineering (UCB 3S)
ChemE 274 – Biomolecular Engineering (UCB 3F)
MCB C112 – General Microbiology (UCB 4S)
PMB 222 – Biochemistry of Biofuels (UCB 1S)
BioE 232 – Genetic Devices (UCB 4S)
BioE 244 – Introduction to Protein Informatics (UCB 4S)
BioE 244L – Introduction to Protein Informatics Lab (UCB 3S)

Track 2

(2013-2015)
BioE 247 – Principles of Synthetic Biology (UCB 4F)
MCB 148 – Microbial Genetics & Genomics (UCB 4F)
ECE 222 – Nonlinear Systems & Controls (UCB 3F)
ECE 227 – Optimization Models & Applications (UCB 4F)
PMB 220D – Cell Structure and Function (UCB 1.5S – 5 weeks)
BioE 267 – Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biophotonics (UCB 4F)
STAT 131A – Intro to Prob Stats for Life Scientists (UCB 4S)