Welcome to the Molecular & Cell Biology (MCB) web site and congratulations on your acceptance to UC Berkeley.
Check out these frequently asked questions to learn more about MCB and to help separate fact from fiction! Also, we polled some of our peer advisors about their choice to come to Cal, their freshman experience, and more.
Q: What are the lower-division MCB requirements?
A: All students, except those who want to major in Biological Chemistry (BMB, track 2), must take the following courses listed.
Note: Students interested in Biological Chemistry must also take Chemistry 1B and will replace Chem 3A/3AL and Chem 3B/3BL with Chemistry 112A and 112B.
Note: The Mathematics Department is offering a new math course, Math 10A/B, Methods of Mathematics: Calculus, Statistics, and Combinatorics, that can be taken in place of Math 1A/1B. You can find more information, including FAQs, here: Math 10A/10B
Q: I've heard that you can't graduate in 4 years if you want to major in MCB. Is that true?
Q: I still have questions about which classes to take. Can I call, email or come to the MCB undergraduate office even though I'm not declared yet?
A: YES! During the fall and spring semesters, we have peer advisors during all open hours except 9-10 a.m. There are always undergraduate staff advisors in the Undergraduate Affairs Office (UAO), M-Th 9-12, 1-4 and F 9-12, 1-3. Please drop by and see us. You can also email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We check this email daily so will be sure to get back to you within one working day. If you would like to speak with someone immediately, call 510.643.8895.
Q: How can I get in touch with other students to get their opinion about certain classes?
A: Once school is in session, we will have peer advisors in our office every day of the week. They are here specifically to talk to you, the prospective major, the undeclared student, the student with questions.
A: No, that's a myth. Check this page for some typical 4-year plans.
Q: What should I take in the fall as a new freshman?
A: There are many variables that must be considered, but as a general rule, here are some possibilities for freshmen.
Q: What if I'm not sure whether or not I want to major in MCB?
A: We recommend that you take Chem 1A/1AL, Math 10A or Math 1A during your first semester at Cal. This keep the options open for the possibility of majoring in MCB while you get used to Cal and explore other academic disciplines.
Q: If I am pre-med, is MCB the right major for me?
A: Not necessarily. Pursue MCB as a major if you have a true interest in science and, in particular, genetics, immunology, biochemistry, neurobiology or cell biology. If not, you can always take the classes needed for admission to medical school while majoring in the department that is most interesting to you. Students are admitted to medical school with a variety of majors, such as Spanish, history, German, political science, etc. While pursuing your degree, you would need to take one year of college-level calculus, biology, chemistry, organic chemistry & physics. Check with the Career Center for more specific information about this.
Q: What about other AP scores? Can I waive out of other prerequisite courses for the MCB major?
A: AP scores can waive you from some of the MCB prerequisites (see chart below). However, we strongly suggest that you take all lower-division courses here at Cal so that you have a solid background in science and math before you begin your upper-division course work. We particularly recommend taking Biology 1A/1AL regardless of AP credit. (Note: Biology 1A and 1AL have prerequisites of Chemistry 1A/1AL and 3A/3AL.) The classes at Cal have in-depth labs that correspond with the lecture portion of a particular subject. Health professional and graduate schools require that you have, for example, two semesters of general biology with labs, taken at the college-level. They will not accept AP credit.
Q: What should I take in the fall as a new freshman?
A: There are many variables that must be considered, but as a general rule, here are some possibilities for freshmen.
|
High School Preparation
|
Suggested classes for the MCB major for fall |
Chemistry & pre-calculus |
Chem 1A/1AL, Math 1A or Math 10A |
AP Calculus AB or BC test |
Chem 1A/1AL, Math 1A or Math 10A |
AP Biology |
Bio 1B, Math 1A or Math 10A |
Q: What if I'm not sure whether or not I want to major in MCB?
A: We recommend that you take Chem 1A/1AL, Math 10A or Math 1A during your first semester at Cal. This keep the options open for the possibility of majoring in MCB while you get used to Cal and explore other academic disciplines.
Q: If I am pre-med, is MCB the right major for me?
A: Not necessarily. Pursue MCB as a major if you have a true interest in science and, in particular, genetics, immunology, biochemistry, neurobiology or cell biology. If not, you can always take the classes needed for admission to medical school while majoring in the department that is most interesting to you. Students are admitted to medical school with a variety of majors, such as Spanish, history, German, political science, etc. While pursuing your degree, you would need to take one year of college-level calculus, biology, chemistry, organic chemistry & physics. Check with the Career Center for more specific information about this.
Q: What about other AP scores? Can I waive out of other prerequisite courses for the MCB major?
A: AP scores can waive you from some of the MCB prerequisites (see chart below). However, we strongly suggest that you take all lower-division courses here at Cal so that you have a solid background in science and math before you begin your upper-division course work. We particularly recommend taking Biology 1A/1AL regardless of AP credit. (Note: Biology 1A and 1AL have prerequisites of Chemistry 1A/1AL and 3A/3AL.) The classes at Cal have in-depth labs that correspond with the lecture portion of a particular subject. Health professional and graduate schools require that you have, for example, two semesters of general biology with labs, taken at the college-level. They will not accept AP credit.
| AP Scores of 4 or 5 in the following subjects allow you to substitute prerequisite course work for the MCB major: |
|
| AP Chemistry |
Chem 1A/1AL |
| AP Biology | Bio 1A/1AL, Bio 1B |
Q: I still have questions about which classes to take. Can I call, email or come to the MCB undergraduate office even though I'm not declared yet?
A: YES! During the fall and spring semesters, we have peer advisors during all open hours except 9-10 a.m. There are always undergraduate staff advisors in the Undergraduate Affairs Office (UAO), M-Th 9-12, 1-4 and F 9-12, 1-3. Please drop by and see us. You can also email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We check this email daily so will be sure to get back to you within one working day. If you would like to speak with someone immediately, call 510.643.8895.
Q: How can I get in touch with other students to get their opinion about certain classes?
A: Once school is in session, we will have peer advisors in our office every day of the week. They are here specifically to talk to you, the prospective major, the undeclared student, the student with questions.
Q: I'm not able to attend Cal Day but I still want to keep up-to-date about MCB-related events. What can I do?
A: If you're planning to attend Cal in the fall, I suggest signing up for the MCB Infoline email (see side bar on this page). During the academic year, we send out a weekly email highlighting upcoming deadlines, events, and campus opportunities that are relevant to MCB students. In addition, we will email all first year students (who indicated MCB on their application) in the early fall inviting them in to talk with our peer advisors. The peer advisors are a great resource for getting to know the campus, schedule planning, learning how to be successful in MCB-related courses, and so much more.
Q: How do I learn about the current research being conducted in MCB?
A: As many of you know, Cal is world renouned for its academic research and offers many opportunities for students to be involved. MCB-type research is occurring all over campus. As incoming students, we encourage you to take your first (and even second semester) to learn about the universiity, adjust to the coursework, and discover the many opportunities to get involved. Once your settled and your academically successful, then start exploring the many types of research and the various topics, and the ways that you can be involved. More information about research can be found on the MCB research web page or check out the Office of Undergraduate Research website.
Q: I was admitted to the Fall Program for Freshman (FPF). Will I be behind the rest of my MCB peers? Can I still graduate in four years?
A: Yes and Yes. While you think you'll be behind because of FPF, you will actually still be on track as other intended MCB majors. Every year, we have FPF student declare the major and graduate in four years (without summers). For FPF students, I usually recommend one summer session to help gain some flexibility in your schedule, but it's not necessary to still graduate in four years. Check out this schedule to see a 4-year plan for spring admit students.
*Updated 4/23/2012