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Caltech
Division of Biology and
Biological Engineering
Home  /  Academics  /  Bioengineering  /  Undergraduate Studies  /  BE Option Requirements

BE Option Requirements

  1. BE 1; BE/APh 161; ChE/BE 163; two courses from BE 150, BE 159, and BE/CS/CNS/Bi 191a.
  2. Experimental methods: Bi 1x; one of BE/EE/MedE 189 a or BE 107; one of ChE 130 or BE/CS 196 a. Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in Bi 1x as freshmen; Bi 1x must be completed by the sophomore year. Nine units of BE 98 may be used in place of one of these courses (except Bi 1x) with the approval of the undergraduate option representative to ensure that the student's research project provides comparable experimental laboratory experience. BE 98 units used to satisfy this requirement may not also be counted toward the elective requirement.
  3. Biology, chemistry, and physics: two terms out of three from Ph 2 abc (Ch 21 a may be used in place of Ph 2 b and Ch 21 c may be used in place of Ph 2 c); Bi 8; Bi 9; BE 25; Ch 41 a; Ch/Bi 110. One advanced biology course of at least 9 units selected from Ch/Bi 111, Bi 114, Bi 117, Bi 122, Bi 145 ab, Bi/CNS/NB/Psy 150, BE 150, Bi/BE/CS 183, or approved by the undergraduate option representative.
  4. Mathematical and computational methods: ACM 95 ab; Ma 2; Ma 3; one course from ChE 105, CDS 110, or ACM 116; 9 units selected from CS 1, CS 2, CS 3, CS 21, CS 24, and CS 38.
  5. 45 units of BE electives. These may include BE 98 (up to 12 units), any BE course numbered 100 or above, any of the BE-approved electives listed below, or any relevant class approved by the student's adviser. Additionally, courses listed in requirements 1-4 that are not used to fulfill those requirements may be counted as electives.
  6. Communication: Bi/BE 24.
  7. Courses satisfying option requirements must be taken for grades (except when courses are only available P/F). Passing grades must be earned in a total of 486 units.