Molecular biology offers an innovative outlook by taking advantage of the Block Plan and offering courses in which students will be immersed in laboratory work, critical thinking and writing in the discipline. The Department of Molecular Biology offers a range of courses that teach students how to understand organisms on a cellular and molecular level. Our majors learn critical thinking skills in molecular biology by interpreting experiments, developing and testing hypotheses, and working with model organisms, cells, and molecules. Students majoring in molecular biology will be prepared to enter graduate programs in basic research or healthcare, and to apply the critical thinking and communication skills learned in the major to new situations, irrespective of their career goals.

Learn more about Molecular Biology on the Block Plan!

One of the most important modes of communication in the field of molecular biology is the seminar. As an important part of their education, MB majors are encouraged to attend the Molecular Biology Seminar Series. Senior MB majors are required to attend FOUR seminars as part of the Senior Capstone experience (as outlined in the MB Major’s Handbook). 

MB seminars are scientific presentations given by invited guests. Often the guest speakers are experts in sub-disciplines of molecular biology that complement the expertise of CC’s MB faculty. By attending seminars regularly, students learn about research topics, questions, and techniques beyond their elective courses and research projects. Some of our seminar speakers also delve into societal and/or ethical issues that intersect with molecular biology. Students attending seminars regularly will also learn more about scientific communication and improve their own communication skills.  

Each seminar ends with a question and answer session where students are encouraged to engage in scholarly discussion with seminar speakers and with each other. Seminars are free and open to the public.

Learn more about Molecular Biology Seminars!

We encourage all Molecular Biology majors to consider getting involved in research. Research experience greatly enriches your undergraduate experience on many levels. Research enables you to put into practice what you’ve learned in the classroom and teaching labs, and gives you the opportunity to determine if a career in research is a good choice for you. You will broaden your knowledge of experimental techniques and learn how to operate research-grade instrumentation. 

There are many ways to get involved in research in Molecular Biology: 

• Students may do research with MB faculty for ~ 8-10 weeks over the summer as a paid Student Collaborative Research Experience.
• Students may do research with MB faculty during a block of the academic year for course credit (1 unit per block).
• Students may also do research with MB faculty during a semester in addition to their four blocks of courses as a credit-bearing experience (0.5 units per semester).
• Students who have participated in a research project (typically one summer or multiple blocks or semesters) may also write up their project and present it as a Senior Thesis in Molecular Biology.
• There are additional opportunities to gain research experience outside of CC, especially during the summers through summer undergraduate research programs at other institutions, many of which are funded by the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates Program.

Current Stuents: For more information on research, please visit our Research Opportunities in Molecular Biology Canvas page. There you will find information about the research topics in each of the MB faculty labs, and information on how to enroll in research for course credit or how to apply for a summer research position at CC or elsewhere.

Learn more about Molecular Biology Research!

What can you do with a Molecular Biology degree? What do Molecular Biology majors do after they graduate from CC? We get questions like these frequently.

A major in Molecular Biology prepares students to think about and ask questions about life on molecular, cellular, genetic, and genomic levels. Molecular Biology majors are often curious, creative, and industrious, and develop excellent skills for problem solving, quantitative analysis, communication, and leadership. What you can do with that is vast.

Molecular Biology majors pursue many different paths, among them are:

• A career in academia: This typically involves completing a doctoral program in Molecular Biology (or a related subdiscipline). The Molecular Biology major is aligned with the required/recommended courses for many graduate programs. Academic jobs many include research, teaching, and/or administration.
• While some students elect to go directly to a graduate program from CC, some students want to gain more experience in research first through a job as a research technician in an academic lab or in industry.
• A career in research at a biotechnology or pharmaceutical company: This typically involves graduate studies (Ph.D. or M.S.) in Molecular Biology (or a related subdiscipline).
• A career in a health profession: This involves additional training in medical school, dental school, veterinary school, physician assistant school, nursing school, or another health degree. The requirements for the Molecular Biology major have significant overlap with courses that are required/recommended for many of these programs. 
• A career in genetic counseling.  
• A career in science education at the elementary, middle school, or high school level.
• A career in science writing or communication , which may benefit from graduate studies (such as an MS in Communication or Journalism).
• A career in consulting, patent law, or business in biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies.

Learn more about Molecular Biology Careers!