Bioinformatics, B.S.

Visit the Biology Department page for more information on the program and access to advising.

Program Description

Bioinformatics is the fastest growing field in Biology. In general terms, bioinformatics is the synthesis of computational methods and biological systems and comprises many sub-fields that approach different questions in biology. A Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics will prepare students to enter a variety of fields such as: medical informatics and interventions, new agricultural paradigms, pharmaceutical discovery, and molecular genealogy predictions, among others. This degree would provide students with the knowledge, skills, and experience to be competitive for both graduate school and employment opportunities.

Matriculation Requirements

BIOL 1610 College Biology I or BIOL 1610H College Biology I with C- or higher, CS 1400 Fundamentals of Programming with a C+ or higher, and Approval of Biology Department  or Computer Science Department advisor.

Program Requirements

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Upper division is suggested to meet upper division requirements

Graduation Requirements

1. Completion of a minimum of 120 semester credits
2. If an AA or AS degree has been earned, a maximum of 64 of these credits may apply toward the BS.
3. At least 30 credit hours in residence at UVU or satellite sites are required, with 10 hours earned during the last 45 hours.
4. A minimum of 40 credits must be upper-division (numbered 3000 or above).
5. A minimum of 40 credits must be in the major, 30 of which must be upper-division. A minimum of nine Department credits must be taken at UVU.
6. Except for 4900R Special Topics courses, a maximum cumulative total of 9 credits in any combination of upper division Departmental courses with an "R" designation may count toward graduation.
7. Complete Biology Department core courses with a grade of "C-" or higher in each course.
8. Achieve a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 with a minimum GPA of 2.25 in biology department courses.
9. Complete the appropriate application for graduation form.
10. Successful completion of at least one Global/Intercultural course.
11. Successful completion of at least two Writing Enriched (WE) courses.

12. Complete Departmental Assessment conducted by the Dept. of Biology Assessment Coordinator.

13. Complete an exit survey administered by the Biology Department.

Graduation Plan

This graduation plan is a sample plan and is intended to be a guide. Your specific plan may differ based on your Math and English placement and/or transfer credits applied. You are encouraged to meet with an advisor and set up an individualized graduation plan in Wolverine Track.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate mastery of the core concepts of bioinformatics as derived from the associated fields of biology, computer science, mathematics, informatics, and chemistry.
2. Utilize existing software to extract, compile, and analyze information from large databases.
3. Create data science pipelines and/or computer programs that facilitate biological data analysis.
4. Analyze a novel biological dataset as part of a project using bioinformatic approaches.
5. Present a bioinformatics project either orally or as a written paper.