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MCD Biology Undergraduate Advising

Welcome to Molecular, Cell & Developmental (MCD) Biology Undergraduate Advising!

Click one of the links below to be directed to that page:

Important Announcements

Full/Closed Class - What Should I Do? 

Always prioritize qualification courses and/or Core Four (BIOL 100, 101, 105 and 110) courses during first pass enrollment. We try to hold some seats in courses until second pass enrollment.

The ONLY WAY to request a seat in a course that is FULL is to get on a waitlist during second pass enrollment. A spot on the waitlist does not guarantee a spot in the class, so make sure you have a back up plan. 

If you are not able to enroll or waitlist during your enrollment appointments, it may be because:

  1. You are missing a prerequisite
  2. You have an enrollment hold (check your portal for details)
  3. You have exceeded the number of units you are allowed to enroll in or waitlist

If you were unable to waitlist or add a class from your portal due to an enrollment restriction on the course (i.e. not being a declared MCD Biology major), you can complete the Enrollment Request Form for Winter 2025 a few weeks before the First Day of Instruction on Monday, December 16th, 2024.

*Note: The Enrollment Request Form does not override holds or prerequisites. 

The reason we wait to open the form is because many enrollment problems/challenges that students are encountering right now will be resolved well in advance of the first day of class or they may decide that they are no longer interested in taking the class.

Though the MCD Biology Department does try to hold a few seats in a class, once the class is full/reaches capacity, no additional seats will be available. Generally, by the end of the first week of instruction, all seats available in a course are opened or the course is fully enrolled.

2024-2025 CUREs Labs

Interested in research, currently at or above junior level standing, and have not completed BIOL 101L and your Comprehensive Requirement/DC Lab course? Check out the MCD Biology departments 2 CUREs Lab offerings for Winter and Spring 2025.

The Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are 2-quarter laboratory courses in which students are guided by a faculty member in an authentic research project. In contrast to traditional lab classes, the goal of the CUREs labs is the same as that of any research lab, to discover new knowledge.

For the 2024-2025 academic year, we are offering the following 2 MCD Biology CUREs Labs:

Toxic RNA Lab (BIOL 102L/103L)

Faculty: Jeremy Sanford

Capacity: 20 students

Prerequisites for BIOL 102L: BIOL 20A, BIOL 20L, satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements. 

Prerequisites for BIOL 103L: BIOL 102L and satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements. Enrollment is by application. Students cannot enroll in BIOL 103L after receiving credit with a 'C' or better in BIOL 100L, BIOL 105L, BIOL 106L, BIOL 108L, BIOL 109L, BIOL 115L, BIOL 120L, BIOL 129L, BIOL 121L, BIOL 186L or METX 119L/100L.

Lab Description: Introduces hypothesis-driven laboratory research. Students create models of a unique, uncharacterized, disease-causing mutation and determine how it impacts the process of pre-mRNA splicing. An understanding of introductory molecular biology and genetics is required.

There are two courses: BIOL 102L (5 Units) and Biol 103L (5 units). 102L satisfies the requirement for BIOL 101L;  103L satisfies the upper division 5 unit lab and fulfills the Disciplinary Communication (DC) and Senior Exit Lab requirements.

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Human Genetic Variation Laboratory (BIOL 104A/104B)

Faculty: Olena Vaske

Capacity: 20 students

Prerequisites for BIOL 104A: BIOL 20L and BIOL 105. Enrollment is restricted to sophomore, junior, and senior molecular, cell, and developmental biology B.S., Biology B.S., and biochemistry and molecular biology majors

Prerequisites for BIOL 104B: BIOL 104A and satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements. Enrollment is restricted to sophomore, junior, and senior biology B.S. molecular, cell, and developmental biology, and biochemistry and molecular biology majors. BIOL 104B after receiving credit with a 'C' or better in BIOL 100L, BIOL 105L, BIOL 106L, BIOL 108L, BIOL 109L, BIOL 115L, BIOL 120L, BIOL 129L, BIOL 121L, BIOL 186L or METX 119L/100L.

Lab Description: This course together with its companion course BIOL 104B provide a supportive research immersion experience and training in computational and experimental approaches in cancer genomics. Instruction in cancer biology, genomics, and applications of genomic analysis for precision medicine is provided. Students work on their own projects to identify, visualize and interpret genetic variants that contribute to human cancers. BIOL104A focuses primarily on computational biology research, while BIOL104B focuses on experimental laboratory research.

There are two courses: BIOL 104A (5 Units) and Biol 104B (5 units). BIOL 104A satisfies the requirement for BIOL 101L;  BIOL 104B satisfies the upper division 5 unit lab and fulfills the Disciplinary Communication (DC) and Comprehensive Lab requirements.

How to Enroll in the CUREs Lab for Winter 2025

To enroll in one of the CUREs Lab options above, please be sure to add yourself to the waitlist for the CUREs Lab you are interested in: BIOL 102L: Toxic RNA Lab with Jeremy Sanford or BIOL 104A: Human Genetic Variation Laboratory with Olena Vaske; once Second Pass Enrollment has handed (on December 3, 2024), you may receive an application for the CUREs Lab to your ucsc.edu email address. If you have any specific questions about the lab, please reach out to the instructor.

Please remember - the waitlist is only available during Second Pass Enrollment (Starting November 22, 2024). Please note that the waitlist does check prerequisites for the course, if you are unable to waitlist the course due to not completing a prerequisite, please look to complete a CUREs Lab next year after you have completed all the necessary prerequisites. The MCD Biology department strictly enforces prerequisites for courses. 

Global and Community Health, BS and Human Biology, BS Major Advising

Starting Fall 2024, Global and Community Health, BS and Human Biology, BS majors should reach out to the Global and Community Health Program for Advising. 

Please see their website or email gchBSadvising@ucsc.edu for more infromation and to schedule an appointment for advising.

Winter 2025 Enrollment Guide

The Winter 2025 Enrollment Guide has been published to the Enrollment Webpage. Please be sure to review the Enrollment Guide to answer some frequently asked questions regarding Winter 2025 course offerings and other enrollment questions. 

Winter 2025 Enrollment Information

Winter 2025 Frist Pass and Second Pass

  • Enrollment Prep Week Begins November 7th, 2024 to November 14th, 2024
  • First Pass Appointments: November 15th, 2024 to November 20th, 2024
    • Credit Limits:
      • Senior Standing: 19-credit limit
      • Junior, Sophomore, and Frosh Standing: 14-credit limit
    • Appointments every half hour - 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
    • First-pass enrollment remains open from your assigned enrollment appointment opens until 
  • Second Pass Appointments and Waitlist: November 22nd, 2024 to December nd, 2024
    • Credit limits: 
      • Enrolled: 19-credit limit
      • Waitlist: 14-credit limit
    • Appointments every half hour - 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Helpful Enrollment Links

 

MCD Biology's Comprehensive Requirement/DC Labs

Due to a reduction in Advising Staff, the MCD Biology Department will not be closing our Comprehensive Requirement/DC Labs for the Winter 2025 quarter. 

Students graduating in Winter 2025, Spring 2025, or Summer 2025 should look to enroll in a Comprehensive Requirment/DC Lab for the Winter 2025 quarter if eligible/have met all the prerequisites for the Lab.

If the lab is full, please add yourself to the waitlist. We are hoping to hold a few seats to release during Second Pass Enrollment however, please note that all Comprehensive Requirement/DC Lab courses have a maximum capacity of 16 or 20 students depending on the lab. Please see the Enrollment webpage for specific infomration on the Comprehensive Requirement/DC Lab courses being offered for the Winter 2025 quarter.

 

 

 

Fall 2024 Enrollment Information

BIOL 86: Research Deconstruction: MCD Biology

The MCD Biology Department is offering 1 section of BIOL 86: Research Deconstruction: MCD Biology this upcoming Fall 2024 quarter. Please see the course description below.

BIOL 86 Course Description:
Explores scientific principles and logic through research seminars in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. Additional topics may include diseases, stem cell biology, and other medically relevant areas in biomedical research.
Credits/Units: 3

Please note the prerequisites for this course are:
Mathematics 3 or equivalent (i.e., mathematics placement examination score)
Satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements

Enrollment is restricted to Declared Biology, BS; MCD Biology, BS; and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, BS majors; sophomore, and junior students. Other majors will be considered if space is available.

Capacity: 50 students

If you are interested in BIOL 86 and would like to request a permission number, please complete the Interest Form for Fall 2024 - BIOL 86: Research Deconstruction:MCD Biology

 

Fall 2024 Frist Pass and Second Pass

  • First Pass Appointments for Continuing Students: Tuesday, May 21st - Friday, May 24th, 2024
  • Second Pass Appointments and Waitlist for Continuing Students: Wednesday, May 29th - Monday, June 3rd, 2024
    • Continuing Students Open Enrollment: June 3rd to August 2nd, 2024If the course has open seats, students can enroll via their MyUCSC 
      • NOTE: Continuing student enrollment will close at 11:59pm on August 2nd, 2024 to allow incoming students the opportunity to enroll
  • New Student Enrollment
    • Fall 2024 Frosh Enrollment begins Monday, August 12th - Friday, August 16th, 2024
    • Fall 2024 Transfer Enrollment begins Monday, August 19th - Thursday, August 22nd, 2024
  • All Student Enrollment
    • Enrollment opens for All students restarts on August 26th, 2024

Helpful Enrollment Links

MCD Biology's Comprehensive Requirement/DC Labs

Due to extremely limited space, the Comprehensive Requirement/DC labs (BIOL 129L and BIOL 115L) are “closed” and will show “0 of XX Enrollment” during First Pass - Be sure you add yourself to the waitlist for the class during Second Pass. MCD Biology Undergraduate Advising will be monitoring the waitlists for BIOL 129L and BIOL 115L - Be sure you are checking your UCSC.edu email account for updates regarding enrollment in one of the labs.

If you are in the Santa Cruz area during Summer, check out the Summer Session website and course offerings (be sure to change the search term to Summer 2024) - MCD Biology is offering some Core upper division courses this summer as well as 2 DC Lab courses!

Full/Closed Class - What Should I Do?

Always prioritize qualification courses or the Upper Division Core Courses (BIOL 100, BIOL 101, or BIOL 105) during first pass enrollment. We usually hold some seats in courses until after second pass enrollment, so don’t assume that a class is full or closed just because it has a waitlist.

The ONLY WAY to request a seat in a course that is FULL is to get on a waitlist during second pass enrollment. A spot on the waitlist does not guarantee a spot in the class, so make sure you have a back up plan. 

If you are not able to enroll or waitlist during your Second Pass enrollment appointments, it may be because:

  1. You are missing a prerequisite
  2. You have an enrollment hold (check your portal for details)
  3. You have exceeded the number of units you are allowed to enroll in or waitlist

If you were unable to waitlist or add a class from your portal, you can complete the Enrollment Request Sign In Sheet for Fall 2024 about 2 weeks before the First Day of Instruction: Thursday, September 12th, 2024 at 8am!

*Note: The Enrollment Request Sign In Sheet does not override holds or prerequisites. 

The reason we are waiting until a couple of weeks before the first day of class to open the form is because many enrollment problems/challenges that students are encountering right now will be resolved well in advance of the first day of class or they may decide that they are no longer interested in taking the class.

 

Fall 2024 Enrollment Guide

The MCD Biology Departments Undergraduate Enrollment Guide has been posted to our Enrollment Webpage as well as sent out to students via Slug Success Message. 

Please check out our Enrollment Guide for MCD Biology Department specific information regarding Fall 2024 Enrollment.

Spring 2024 Quarter Newsletter

Please see our Spring 2024 Quarter Advisng Newsletter at the link below:

MCD Biology Undergraduate Advising Spring 2024 Newsletter

 

Important Dates for Spring 2024

Important Dates to note for Spring 2024 (Most dates on the Registrar's Academic and Administrative Calendar):

  • March 15th, 2024: Spring 2024 Open Enrollment
    • Credit limit: 19 units 
  • March 25th, 2024: Minimum Credit Limit Enforced (12 units for Undergraduate Students)
  • April 1st, 2024: Instruction Begins for the Spring 2024 quarter
    • Deadines:Withdraw from the quarter and receive full registration fees refund
  • April 3rd, 2024: Undergraduate Enrollment Deadline (Must be enrolled in at least 1 course)
  • April 10th, 2024: Permission Number Required to Enroll in any class
  • April 19th, 2024: ADD/DROP/SWAP Deadline
    • Undergraduate Part-Time Program Deadline
  • April 19th, 2024: MCD Biology Spring 2024 Appeal Deadline
  • April 20th, 2024: Late Add by Permission Begins ($10 fee)
  • April 26th, 2024: Declaration Deadline
    • Deadline for Fall 2022 Frosh Students
  • June 10th to June 13th, 2024: Finals Week
  • June 18th, 2024: Spring 2024 Grades Due from Faculty  

MCD Biology Student Opportunities Email Google Group

Join our Student Opportunities Email Google Group: MCDB FWD Opportunities!

NOTE: You will need to be logged into your UCSC email account.

This email list will be forwarded opportunities shared with MCD Biology Advising from: other departments at UCSC, California state graduate schools, job, scholarship, research, training, volunteer & internship opportunities. You can unsubscribe at any time.

  

How to Access MCD Biology Advising

Please see our How to Contact MCD Biology Advising page for more information on MCD Biology Undergraduate Advising options.

Know what type of advising you are looking for? Check out the specific advising pages below for availability:

 

MCD Biology Staff
MCD Biology Advisors:

Leanna

Kylie

Jeannette

MCD Biology Faculty Advisor:

 John Tamkun
MCD Biology Curriculum Chair:

John Tamkun
MCD Biology Department Chair:

William Sullivan
MCD Biology Department Manager:

Teel Lopez