Computation is doing for biology today what the microscope did four centuries ago - allowing scientists to peer deeper into the fundamental processes of life and to extract, record, retrieve, analyze, visualize and ultimately to utilize for medical and other practical purposes tremendous quantities of information. The human genome, for example, has three billion "letters" in it, organized into some 30,000 genes.

The Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics degree provides the student with an understanding of bioinformatics, computer science and biology fundamentals, along with supporting science and mathematics. This degree is ideal for students interested in pursuing a career in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, biomedical or related industries, or for those interested in pursuing advanced degrees in bioinformatics or medicine.

The Computer Science Department, which administers the Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics degree, requires all students enrolled in its majors to prepare a Program of Study Form, an approved copy of which must be on file with the department. The form should be prepared as early as possible in the student's career, and changes should be made only in consultation with the department advisor. Bioinformatics majors should enroll in CS 113 and CS 114 in the freshman year, along with General Biology I and II.

The curriculum as described below is for students entering NJIT as freshman in the fall of 2005 or after that date.

Electives:

Basic Social Sciences GUR: Three credits of the basic social sciences requirement must be taken in economics; acceptable courses are SS 201, Econ 265, or Econ 266. The remaining 3 credits may be satisfied by HSS 202, STS 257, or STS 258. Students also may take approved introductory courses in basic social sciences at Rutgers-Newark to fulfill this requirement.

Open Elective in Humanities and Social Science GUR: Students must take one 300-level course from any of the following fields: English (Eng); history (Hist); literature (Lit); philosophy (Phil); science, technology and society (STS); social science (SS); or theater (Thtr). Students also may satisfy this requirement with Architectural History IV (Arch 382) or by taking an approved 300-level course at Rutgers-Newark. The department recommends that computer science majors take Eng 352.

Lit/Hist/Phil/STS GUR: Students must take one 300-level course from any of the following fields: literature; history; philosophy; or science, technology and society (STS); or an approved 300-level course at Rutgers-Newark.

Capstone Seminar in Humanities and Social Science GUR: All students, except those enrolled in the honors college, take one of the following: HSS 403, HSS 404, HSS 405, HSS 406, HSS 407, HSS 408, HSS 409. Students enrolled in the honors college take one from HSS 491H-499H.

Physical Education GUR: Students who register as full-time undergraduates for two or more consecutive semesters must take two PE courses, one of which must be a 100-level fitness core course. Students are urged to complete the requirement as soon as possible.

Management GUR: Students take IE 492 or Mgmt 390.

Mathematics: One approved 300- or 400-level course in mathematics or Math 222.

CS: Four 300/400-level electives as offered by the College of Computing Sciences.

Interdisciplinary Studies: A sequence of three 300/400-level courses from mathematics, science or engineering. A list of approved course sequences is available from the advisor. Courses that are not acceptable for a major in a given department are not to be used for interdisciplinary studies.

General: A minimum of four courses (12 credits minimum). Courses should be chosen to meet prerequisite requirements of other courses. Two of the four electives must be in mathematics, science , computer science, or engineering. Two of these electives must be upper division courses. All students must have at least one science/scientific methods course in either their interdisciplinary studies courses or general electives. See below.

Science with Lab: Students take Physics III, Biology I, Chemistry I, or another science approved by the advisor each with its associated lab. This course and associated lab fulfills one semester of the three-semester laboratory science requirement for the major.

Refer to the General University Requirements section of this catalog for further information on electives.