Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering
Degrees Offered:
BS in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering
Program Requirements
Student admissions to the QBE major will have the same requirements as admissions to Colorado School of Mines. There will be no additional requirements.
Program Description
The undergraduate program in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering (QBE) is designed to provide a rigorous interdisciplinary training at the interface between biology, mathematics, computer sciences, material sciences, and chemistry, establishing a new hallmark for Colorado School of Mines. The students in the major will complete a program that includes the general Mines core, plus a set of required courses in biological sciences and data sciences along with an approved selection of biology electives. Electives are designed to support students with an interest in particular areas of biology (e.g., medicine, ecology, geobiology, systems biology, or molecular biology) along with critical quantitative and computational skills. Hands-on lab skill development and research opportunities through course-based research, undergraduate research, and independent study credit will be offered in partnership with several Mines research labs and/or corporate internships and co-ops. The curriculum will also focus on the entrepreneurial applications of biological discovery as well as the ethical, societal, and environmental concerns presented by modern biological advances.
QBE Program Level Learning Outcomes
At the end of the QBE curriculum, students should be able to:
- Explain and apply foundational biological concepts in the areas of 1) evolution, 2) structure-function relationships, 3) biological networks and systems, 4) information storage and transfer, and 5) transformations of energy and matter.
- Explain and apply core skills and concepts in mathematical, physical, and data sciences including basic programming, working with biological datasets, modeling biological processes, and visualizing data
- Conduct rigorous experimental biological research through hypothesis testing, experimental design, use of research equipment, data collection, data analysis, and written and oral communication of results to diverse audiences.
- Work in diverse teams using technical expertise, multidisciplinary skills, effective communication, and entrepreneurship to establish goals, plan tasks, and solve problems.
- Evaluate the ethical and cultural impacts of modern biology and data science on local communities, worldwide society, and the environment.
- Obtain a position in quantitative biosciences in industry, government, or graduate/professional school.
Admission Requirements
Student admissions to the QBE major will have the same requirements as admissions to Colorado School of Mines. There will be no additional requirements.
Program Faculty
Joel Bach, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Linda Battalora, Teaching Professor of Petroleum Engineering
Suzannah Beeler, Assistant Teaching Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Cecilia Diniz Behn, Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics & Statistics
Nanette Boyle, Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Kevin Cash, Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Anuj Chauhan, Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Kristine Csavina, Teaching Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Dylan Domaille, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Alina Handorean, Teaching Professor of Engineering, Design & Society
Christopher Higgins, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Melissa Krebs, Co-Director, QBE Graduate Program and Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Ramya Kumar, Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Karin Leiderman, Co-Director, QBE Graduate Program and Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics & Statistics
Terry Lowe, Research Professor of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
David Marr, Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Christine Morrison, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Cynthia Norrgran, Teaching Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Alexander Pak, Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Steve Pankavich, Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics & Statistics
Anthony Petrella, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Andrew Petruska, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Matthew Posewitz, Professor of Chemistry
Josh Ramey, Director of the QBE Undergraduate Program and Teaching Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
James Ranville, Professor of Chemistry
Susanta Sarkar, Assistant Professor of Physics
Justin Shaffer, Teaching Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Jonathan Sharp, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Anne Silverman, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
E. Dendy Sloan, Emeritus Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
John Spear, Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Jeff Squier, Professor of Physics
Amadeu Sum, Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Brian Trewyn, Associate Professor of Chemistry
Shubham Vyas, Associate Professor of Chemistry
Hua Wang, Associate Professor of Computer Science
Kim Williams, Professor of Chemistry
Xiaoli Zhang, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering Degree Requirements:
Biology Core Requirements
| CBEN110 | FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOLOGY I | 4.0 |
| CBEN120 | FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOLOGY II | 4.0 |
| BIOL300 | INTRODUCTION TO QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY I | 3.0 |
| BIOL301 | INTRODUCTION TO QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY II | 3.0 |
| CBEN320 | CELL BIOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY | 3.0 |
| CBEN321 | INTRO TO GENETICS | 4.0 |
| CHGN428 | BIOCHEMISTRY | 3.0 |
| CHGN431 | INTRODUCTORY BIOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY | 2.0 |
| CHGN462 | MICROBIOLOGY | 3.0 |
| or CEEN460 | MOLECULAR MICROBIAL ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT | |
| BIOL410 | ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN BIOTECHNOLOGY SEMINAR | 1.0 |
| BIOL415 | QUANTITATIVE BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING FIELD SESSION | 3.0 |
| CSCI478 | INTRODUCTION TO BIOINFORMATICS | 3.0 |
Fundamental Science and General Requirements
| MATH111 | CALCULUS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS I | 4.0 |
| MATH112 | CALCULUS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS II | 4.0 |
| MATH213 | CALCULUS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS III | 4.0 |
| MATH225 | DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS | 3.0 |
| MATH201 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS | 3.0 |
| CHGN121 | PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I | 4.0 |
| CHGN122 | PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II (SC1) | 4.0 |
| CHGN221 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I | 3.0 |
| CHGN223 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY | 1.0 |
| CHGN222 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II | 3.0 |
| EBGN201 | PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS | 3.0 |
| EDNS151 | CORNERSTONE - DESIGN I | 3.0 |
| HASS100 | NATURE AND HUMAN VALUES | 3.0 |
| HASS200 | GLOBAL STUDIES | 3.0 |
| ELECTIVE | CULTURE AND SOCIETY (CAS) Mid-Level Restricted Elective Courses | |
| ELECTIVE | CULTURE AND SOCIETY (CAS) 400-Level Restricted Elective Courses | |
| PHGN100 | PHYSICS I - MECHANICS | 4.0 |
| PHGN200 | PHYSICS II-ELECTROMAGNETISM AND OPTICS | 4.0 |
| S&W | Success and Wellness (4 electives) | |
| CSCI128 | COMPUTER SCIENCE FOR STEM | 3.0 |
| CSM101 | FRESHMAN SUCCESS SEMINAR | 1.0 |
| CSM202 | INTRODUCTION TO STUDENT WELL-BEING AT MINES | 1.0 |
Free electives
9 credits of free electives. These can be used to cover prerequisites if necessary.
Technical Electives available
Technical electives with emphasis on biology-related courses, chosen from the following:
| BIOL500 | CELL BIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | 4.0 |
| BIOL501 | ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY | 3.0 |
| BIOL520 | SYSTEMS BIOLOGY | 3.0 |
| CBEN304 | ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY | 3.0 |
| CBEN305 | ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY LAB | 1.0 |
| CBEN310 | INTRODUCTION TO BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING | 3.0 |
| CBEN311 | INTRODUCTION TO NEUROSCIENCE | 3.0 |
| CBEN322 | BIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY | 3.0 |
| CBEN324 | INTRODUCTION TO BREWING SCIENCE | 3.0 |
| CBEN411 | NEUROSCIENCE, MEMORY, AND LEARNING | 3.0 |
| CBEN412 | INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACOLOGY | 3.0 |
| CBEN413 | QUANTITATIVE HUMAN BIOLOGY | 3.0 |
| CBEN431 | IMMUNOLOGY FOR ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS | 3.0 |
| CBEN4XX | CAPSTONE | |
| CEEN461 | FUNDAMENTALS OF ECOLOGY | 3.0 |
| CHGN311 | INTRODUCTION TO NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY | 3.0 |
| CHGN409 | BIOLOGICAL INORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 3.0 |
| CHGN429 | BIOCHEMISTRY II | 3.0 |
| CHGN441 | THE CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY OF PHARMACEUTICALS | 3.0 |
| CHGN445 | CHEMICAL BIOLOGY | 3.0 |
| CSCI220 | DATA STRUCTURES AND ALGORITHMS | 3.0 |
| CSCI303 | INTRODUCTION TO DATA SCIENCE | 3.0 |
| CSCI470 | INTRODUCTION TO MACHINE LEARNING | 3.0 |
| MATH332 | LINEAR ALGEBRA | 3.0 |
| MATH431 | MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY | 3.0 |
| MATH472 | MATHEMATICAL AND COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE | 3.0 |
| PHGN433 | BIOPHYSICS | 3.0 |
| BIOL499 | INDEPENDENT STUDIES (up to 6 credits) | |
| INNO444 | INNOV8X CREATE | 3.0 |
| INNO544 | INNOV8X CREATE DSCI | 1.0 |
Free Technical Elective totals 28 credits
| Freshman | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | lec | lab | sem.hrs | |
| CBEN110 | FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOLOGY I | 4.0 | ||
| MATH111 | CALCULUS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS I | 4.0 | ||
| CHGN121 | PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I | 4.0 | ||
| EDNS151 | CORNERSTONE - DESIGN I | 3.0 | ||
| CSM101 | FRESHMAN SUCCESS SEMINAR | 1.0 | ||
| 16.0 | ||||
| Spring | lec | lab | sem.hrs | |
| MATH112 | CALCULUS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS II | 4.0 | ||
| CHGN122 | PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II (SC1) | 4.0 | ||
| HASS100 | NATURE AND HUMAN VALUES | 3.0 | ||
| S&W | SUCCESS AND WELLNESS | 1.0 | ||
| CBEN120 | FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOLOGY II | 4.0 | ||
| 16.0 | ||||
| Sophomore | ||||
| Fall | lec | lab | sem.hrs | |
| CHGN221 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I | 3.0 | 3.0 | |
| CHGN223 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY | 3.0 | 1.0 | |
| MATH213 | CALCULUS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS III | 4.0 | 4.0 | |
| CSCI128 | COMPUTER SCIENCE FOR STEM | 3.0 | ||
| PHGN100 | PHYSICS I - MECHANICS | 4.0 | ||
| CSM202 | INTRODUCTION TO STUDENT WELL-BEING AT MINES | 1.0 | ||
| 16.0 | ||||
| Spring | lec | lab | sem.hrs | |
| CHGN222 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II | 3.0 | 3.0 | |
| MATH225 | DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS | 3.0 | 3.0 | |
| BIOL300 | INTRODUCTION TO QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY I | 3.0 | ||
| PHGN200 | PHYSICS II-ELECTROMAGNETISM AND OPTICS | 4.0 | ||
| MATH201 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS | 3.0 | ||
| 16.0 | ||||
| Junior | ||||
| Fall | lec | lab | sem.hrs | |
| CHGN428 | BIOCHEMISTRY | 3.0 | ||
| CHGN431 | INTRODUCTORY BIOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY | 2.0 | ||
| HASS200 | GLOBAL STUDIES | 3.0 | ||
| BIOL301 | INTRODUCTION TO QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY II | 3.0 | ||
| CBEN320 | CELL BIOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY | 3.0 | ||
| TECH | TECH ELECTIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY BIO TECHNICAL ELECTIVE I | 3.0 | ||
| 17.0 | ||||
| Spring | lec | lab | sem.hrs | |
| ELECTIVE | CULTURE AND SOCIETY (CAS) RESTRICTED ELECTIVE I | 3.0 | 3.0 | |
| CBEN321 | INTRO TO GENETICS | 4.0 | ||
| TECH | TECH ELECTIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY BIO TECHNICAL ELECTIVE II | 3.0 | ||
| TECH | TECH ELECTIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY BIO TECHNICAL ELECTIVE III | 3.0 | 3.0 | |
| CHGN462 | MICROBIOLOGY or CEEN 460 | 3.0 | ||
| 16.0 | ||||
| Summer | lec | lab | sem.hrs | |
| BIOL415 | QUANTITATIVE BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING FIELD SESSION | 3.0 | ||
| 3.0 | ||||
| Senior | ||||
| Fall | lec | lab | sem.hrs | |
| ELECTIVE | CULTURE AND SOCIETY (CAS) RESTRICTED ELECTIVE II | 3.0 | 3.0 | |
| FREE | FREE ELECTIVE I | 3.0 | ||
| TECH | TECH ELECTIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY BIO TECHNICAL ELECTIVE IV | 3.0 | ||
| EBGN321 | ENGINEERING ECONOMICS*For the 2023 Catalog EBGN321 replaced EBGN201 as a Core requirement. EBGN321 was added to the core, but has a prerequisite of 60 credit hours. Students whose programs that required EBGN201 the sophomore year may need to wait to take EBGN321 until their junior year. For complete details, please visit: https://www.mines.edu/registrar/core-curriculum/ | 3.0 | ||
| BIOL410 | ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN BIOTECHNOLOGY SEMINAR | 1.0 | ||
| CSCI478 | INTRODUCTION TO BIOINFORMATICS | 3.0 | ||
| 16.0 | ||||
| Spring | lec | lab | sem.hrs | |
| FREE | FREE ELECTIVE II | 3.0 | ||
| FREE | FREE ELECTIVE III | 3.0 | ||
| ELECTIVE | CULTURE AND SOCIETY (CAS) RESTRICTED ELECTIVE III | 3.0 | ||
| TECH | TECH ELECTIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY BIO TECHNICAL ELECTIVE V | 3.0 | ||
| TECH | TECH ELECTIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY BIO TECHNICAL ELECTIVE VI | 3.0 | ||
| 15.0 | ||||
| Total Semester Hrs: 131.0 | ||||
- *
Signifies a new course needed for major degree offering.