GGSB EMPIRICAL TRACK COURSEWORK
The Empirical Track prepares students to address biological questions through quantitative experimental approaches, with a strong foundation in genetics, genomics, and systems biology. Students build skills in experimental design, data generation, and analysis, and tailor training through targeted electives.
Course Requirements Overview
To complete the Empirical Track, students must take:
- 4 required core courses
- 3 electives (from approved lists; petition possible)
- 2 lab rotations
- GENE 31900 – Introduction to Research (“AllStars”) (Autumn)
- BSDG 55100 – Responsible, Rigorous, and Reproducible Conduct of Research (R3CR) (Winter)
1) REQUIRED CORE COURSES (4 total)
- MGCB 31400 — Genetic Analysis of Model Organisms (Autumn)
- HGEN 47300 — Genomics and Systems Biology (Spring)
Plus one (1) of the following:
- MGCB 31200 — Molecular Biology I (Winter)
- MGCB 31300 — Molecular Biology II (Spring)
Plus one (1) of the following:
- ECEV 44000 — Molecular Evolution I: Fundamentals and Principles (Winter)
- ECEV 35600 — Principles of Population Genetics I (Winter)
- ECEV 35901 — Genomic Evolution (Autumn)
- HGEN 46900 — Human Variation and Disease (Spring)
2) ELECTIVES (3 courses) Students choose four electives from the approved lists below (or by petition).
Genetics
- GENE 36420— Statistical Inference in Biology: Intuition from a Historical Perspective (Spring)
- GENE 39900 — Readings in Genetics (Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer)
- GENE 45100 — Chemical Biology of Drug Actions and Metabolism (Spring)
- GENE 46100 — Deep Learning in Genomics (Spring)
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- BCMB 30400 — Protein Fundamentals (Autumn)
- BCMB 30600 — Nucleic Acid Structure and Function (Autumn)
Developmental Biology
- DVBI 33850 — Evolution and Development (Winter)
- DVBI 35600 — Vertebrate Development (Winter)
- DVBI 36400 — Developmental Mechanisms (Spring)
- DVBI 36100 — Plant Development / Molecular Genetics (Spring)
- DVBI 36200 — Stem Cells and Regeneration (quarter varies)
Ecology & Evolution
- ECEV 35800 — Classics of Evolutionary Genetics (Spring)
Human Genetics
- HGEN 47000 — Human Genetics I (Autumn)
- HGEN 47500 — Genetic Mechanisms from Variation to Evolution (Autumn)
- HGEN 47400 — Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Geneticists (Autumn)
- HGEN 47600 — Genetics and Beyond: Environmental and GxE Factors in Human Phenotypes (Winter)
- HGEN 47100 — Introductory Statistical Genetics (Winter)
- HGEN 33480 — Neurogenetics (Winter)
- HGEN 47200 — Quantitative Genetics for the 21st Century (Spring)
Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology
- MGCB 31600 — Cell Biology I (Autumn)
- MGCB 31700 — Cell Biology II (Winter)
- MGCB 31300 — Molecular Biology II (Spring)
- MGCB 32900 — Plant Development and Molecular Genetics (Spring)
Neurobiology
- NURB 33400 — Genetic Approaches in Neurobiology (Spring)
Statistics
- STAT 22000 — Statistical Methods and Applications (Autumn, Winter, Spring)
- STAT 23400 — Statistical Models/Methods (Autumn, Winter)
- STAT 24400 — Statistical Theory and Methods I (Autumn, Winter)
- STAT 24500 — Statistical Theory and Methods II (Autumn, Winter)
- STAT 22600 — Analysis of Qualitative Data (Winter)
- STAT 35500 — Statistical Genetics (Spring)
Note: Students may petition the GGSB Student Affairs/Curriculum Committee to count an elective not listed above.
There are several overlapping sets of policies governing PhD graduate students in the Biological Sciences Division, including those from university, divisional, and program-specific sources, as well as the Office of Research Safety.
- University of Chicago Policies
- Biological Sciences Division policies governing graduate students
- Office of Research Safety
HOW TO APPLY TO THE UCHICAGO BIOSCIENCES PROGRAM
Click here for Specific Questions About Our Program
- GGSB Handbook - Coming Soon
- GGSB Course Descriptions – Empirical Track - Coming Soon
- GGSB Course Descriptions – Computational Track - Coming Soon