1. BDS Curriculum

BDS Curriculum

Biological Data Sciences Four-year plan

OSU and the BDS program require students to complete 180 credits of course work. A total of 51 credits are Bacc Core courses, 60 are upper division credits, and at least 36 credits are in the major with 24 credits from upper division courses.

BDS has three available options in Genomics, Ecological and Environmental Informatics, and Computational Biology. These three options share a common core of courses that all students in the program will take. In addition, all students are expected to participate in at least 60 hours of an experiential learning activity. Learn more about participating faculty and their research programs.

BDS Options
Genomics includes 42-49 option-specific elective credits
Ecology and Environmental Informatics includes 39-44 option-specific elective credits
Computational Biology includes 34-36 option-specific elective credits
Overview of all BDS options

 

Core foundational courses

Discipline Course name / number / credits
Biological Sciences

5 classes; 19 credits
  • Principles of Biology: Cells / BI 221 / 4 credits
  • Principles of Biology: Organisms / BI 222 / 4 credits
  • Principles of Biology: Populations / BI 223 / 4 credits
  • Genetics / BI 311 / 4 credits
  • Evolution / BI 445 / 3 credits
Chemistry

1 class + lab; 5 credits
  • General Chemistry / CH 231, 261 (lab and lecture) / 5 credits
Mathematics

4 classes; 15 credits
  • Calculus / MTH 251 / 4 credits
  • Calculus / MTH 252 / 4 credits
  • Vector Calculus / MTH 254 / 4 credits
  • Linear Algebra I / MTH 341 / 3 credits
Statistics

3 classes; 12 credits
  • Intro Stats / ST 351 / 4 credits
  • Methods Data Analysis / ST 411 / 4 credits
  • Methods Data Analysis / ST 412 / 4 credits
Biological Data Sciences

7 classes; 16 credits
  • Critical Thinking / BDS 211 / 3 credits
  • Comp Approaches Biol Data / BDS 311 / 3 credits
  • Special Projects / BDS 420 / 1 credit
  • Case Studies of Biological Data / BDS 411^(WIC) / 3 credits
  • Capstone in BDS I / BDS 491 / 3 credits
  • Capstone in BDS II / BDS 492 / 3 credits
Experiential Learning
  • Independent projects (equivalent to at least 60 hrs work) / May be taken as BDS 401 or 403 or not for credit (as BDS 003 or BDS 004)