BS Systems & Synthetic Biology at University of California, Davis

Programme overview

The Systems & Synthetic Biology major provides students with a broad understanding of these two related and interdisciplinary fields. Systems Biology aims to understand how complex organismal properties and structures arise from simple components and interactions, and to identify design principles common to many types of biological regulation. Synthetic Biology focuses on the modification (or, ultimately, de novo construction) of organisms to generate novel pathways and processes.

Faculty: College of Biological Sciences | Department: Plant Biology | Duration: 96 units (quarter system) | Study mode: full-time | Location: Davis, CA, United States

What you will study

The major requires a minimum of 96 units. Requirements are organised into preparatory subject matter, depth subject matter, electives components. Required courses include BIS 015L Introduction to Data Science for Biologists; STA 100 Applied Statistics for Biological Sciences; STA 106 Applied Statistical Methods: Analysis of Variance; STA 108 Applied Statistical Methods: Regression Analysis Genetics; BIS 101 Genes & Gene Expression.

Career pathways

The biotech workforce has a growing demand for biologists that are fluent in different merging disciplines that are covered by the Systems and Synthetic Biology Major. This combination of skills will allow graduates to work at the interface between biologists and engineers found in new emerging industries related to the pharmaceutical, biomedical, bioenergy, agricultural, nutrition, and microbiome industries.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission is to UC Davis and the College of Biological Sciences; the catalogue entry gives no major-specific admission requirement beyond the major requirements below.

Domestic applicants: USD 14,202 a year (2026-27). Systemwide UC undergraduate Tuition for California residents, cohort first enrolled in 2026-27 (annual, quarter system); rate is the same for all undergraduate majors. Excludes Student Services Fee, campus-based fees, and Nonresident Supplemental Tuition. Source

First-year and transfer students enter in the fall term (quarter system); the UC application opens Aug. 1 and the filing period is Oct. 1 to Nov. 30 for admission the following year.

The UC application filing period is Oct. 1 to Nov. 30 for admission the following year, and a single application covers all UC campuses.

The UC application filing fee is $80 per campus for domestic applicants and $95 per campus for international applicants, payable by credit card or mail; fee waivers are available for up to four campuses.

Transfer applicants submit the UC application by Nov. 30; Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) applications are due Sept. 1-30; the priority deadline for the Transfer Academic Update is Jan. 31.

Apply through the official page: https://www.ucdavis.edu/admissions

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