Proposal for a New Academic Degree Program

Proposalforthe Initiationof aNewInstructionalProgramLeadingto a

BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

OregonState University

Collegeof Science

Schoolof Life Sciences

Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics

CPSProposal# 92604

February2016

1. Program Description

1.A.

CIP Number: 26.0210
Title: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Definition:A program of study that combines the biological sub-disciplines of biochemistry and molecular biology. Includes instruction in general biology, general and organic chemistry, physics, biochemistry, molecular biology, immunology, microbiology, genetics, and cellular biology.
Source: US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs, 2010.

1.B. Overview

The School of Life Sciences (SLS), based within the College of Science and comprised of the Departments of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Microbiology and Integrative Biology (formerly Zoology), was formed in 2014, after a three-year planning process. A key goal in forming the School was to attract and better serve the large number of undergraduates pursuing degrees in Biology and General Science, programs that had no departmental homes or tenured faculty lines. Three key components of the restructuring were: 1)movement of the Biology major to Integrative Biology; 2) movement of the General Science major to Microbiology and renaming it “BioHealth Sciences”;3) creation of a new major focused on“Molecular Biology”within Biochemistry and Biophysics. Thenew structure was designed to improve student retention and success in the life sciences by ensuring all majors had a department home, providing new curricular paths aligned with societal needs and student interests, and more evenly distributing majors across departments – thereby improving faculty to student ratios and allowing for the implementation ofmore focused advising within each major. The first two restructuring goals have been met, and the creation of the new BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) major is proposed here.This proposal has been vetted and supported by the School of Life Sciences Curriculum Committee (with representatives from the departments of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Microbiology and Integrative Biology as well as the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology).

The disciplinary foundations of theBMB major are derived fromthe fusion of traditional biochemistry (rooted in studying the chemistry of cells) withthe study of the molecules and processes that control cellular life (predominantly DNA, RNA, and proteins), in combination with molecular genetics and its many applications and technologies. Since the creation of OSU’s Biochemistry and Biophysics majoralmost 50 years ago, there has been a revolution in our understanding of the control of molecular processes.The vast influence of molecular biology has been acknowledged by such major professional societies of biochemistsas the American Society of Biological Chemists, which was renamed in 1987 as the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) and the International Union of Biochemists, now the IUBMB. Furthermore, in the 10-year undergraduate program review of the BB Department that took place in February of 2015, the number one recommendation was that “The proposed creation of a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) major was considered to be an excellent and timely idea.”Excerpts of the10-year review reportregarding this proposal as well as letters of support for this proposal from the relevant departments at other major Oregon universities are included in the other supporting materials.

Our objectives inestablishing a BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology degree program at OSU include:

1)providing a path for students to obtain an understanding of the biochemical basis of living systems that recognizes and provides training in rapidly evolving disciplines, includingbioinformatics, advanced molecular genetics, chromatin structure and epigenetics;

2)allowing students to study molecular processes from a perspective that emphasizes biological information transfer without requiring the in depth study of physical chemistry and biophysical methods that are required for the Biochemistry and Biophysics major; and

3)preparing students with advanced knowledge in BMB and the techniques necessary to be successful in a variety of careers as modern molecular biologists.

The proposed curriculum builds on a core set of classes that includes chemistry, mathematics and statistics, biology, physics, and organic chemistry. It also includes three terms of biochemistry that have been reorganized into courses called: 1) Foundations (basic principles); 2) Metabolism (biochemical reactions occurring inside of cells); and 3) Genetic Biochemistry (biological information transfer) plus one term of a redesignedbiophysics coursenow titled MacromolecularStructure(foundations for structural studies of proteinsand nucleic acids). The capstone class for this major is the newly designed course on “Advanced Molecular Genetics” (BB 486).

The BMB majorwill encompass three options. The first option, “Advanced Molecular Biology”, targets students interested in pursuing careers in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries or graduate work in any life science discipline. Students may choose science electives from a diverse selection of courses that include two new courses covering Bioinformatics (BB 485) and Chromatin and Epigenetics (BB 484). The second option, “Computational Molecular Biology” targets students who are interested in combining their molecular biology focus with additional training in mathematics, statistics and computer science. The course work includes advanced classes in all of these subjects. The thirdoption, “Pre-Medicine”, is aimed at students interested in pursuing careers in medicine.It requires students to complete 21 credits from a menu of courses including social science and humanities, as well as additional electivesof importance for studentsseeking careers as physicians.

Programmatically, the BMB degree will define a path that is more flexible, interdisciplinary, and broader in its class offerings than the current BS in Biochemistry and Biophysics degree. The approach and the courses required for BMBwill differ substantially from Biochemistry and Biophysics and justify a separate degree (in contrast to creating a “Molecular Biology” option or minor within the Biochemistry and Biophysics degree). The current and future prospects for students entering the job market with a degree in “Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” compare favorably to prospects of students with “Biochemistry and Biophysics” degrees, especially when taking into consideration the Computational Molecular Biology option. Further, BMB incorporatesa third option for students who wish to become physicians or combine clinical and research activities (e.g.,within MD/PhD programs). All of these students will study Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at a high level without the need for classes in physical chemistry that have lessdirect relevance to their ultimate careers. While the majority of students in the current BB major go on to graduate school or medical school, the broader training and flexibility of the BMB program would better prepare students who seek other post-college options, as well as students who will seek employment in the growing biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Thus, the new degree willbe attractive tosome students who in its absence wouldhaveselected the Biology, Microbiology or BioHealth Sciences programs. In supporting student success in this way, the new degree aligns well with thestrategic goals of OSU.

Table 1. Proposal Summary

NEW: Undergraduate Degree Program
Program Title:
BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • Degree Types: Bachelor of Science (BS)
  • Program Level: Undergraduate
  • Master of Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS) Participant: No
  • Academic Home:
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics
School of Life Sciences
College of Science
  • Contacts: Andy Karplus (7-2769; )
  • Option(s):
  • Undergraduate Option(s):
Advanced Molecular Biology
Computational Molecular Biology
Pre-Medicine
  • Graduate Options: NA
  • Areas of Concentration: NA
  • Minors:
  • Undergraduate: NA
  • Graduate: NA
  • CPS #: 92604

  • CIP #: 26.0210 / Title: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • SIS #: XXX - To be assigned by the Registrar’s Office
  • College Code: 08
  • Course Designator: BB (Existing)
  • Courses: See proposal for list of required and elective courses
  • Program Total Credit Hours: 117 (96 credit hours in core and 21 in option)
  • Pre-Professional/Professional Model: NA
  • Thesis or Non-Thesis: NA
  • Delivery Mode(s): On-Campus (Face-To-Face); w/ some courses available by online delivery by Ecampus
  • Location(s): OSU-Main (Corvallis)
  • Enrollment (Anticipated): ~170 by the fifth year
  • Graduates (Anticipated): ~40 per year by the fifth year
  • Accreditation: Will seek accreditation from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology following approval.
  • Program Unique to Public Higher Education Institutions in Oregon: Yes
  • Proposed Effective Term: Fall Term 2016 (Banner: 201701)

1.C. Course of Study

i. Core Curriculum [Note: courses with a greater-than symbol(>) are either new, renamed or updatedand have been fully approved via a Category II proposal; those in italics have Category II proposals initiated but not yet approved.] Faculty have noted for some time that students who receive low grades in introductory math, chemistry and biology courses in our current major often end up in serious academic difficulty. The review of data for the BB major now available from the Student Success Collaborative workbooks also suggests that success in these courses is an important predictor of graduation. Recently, a C- or better became required in introductory biology and math courses to move on to more advanced coursework based on existing course prerequisites. The Department of Chemistry currently has a proposal to require a C- or better in General Chemistry courses in review. Since our current BB major allows D grades to count for requirements as reflected in MyDegrees, it appears to students as though those courses are complete even though they cannot move on to further required coursework with a D. This situation is confusing to students and sends mixed messages about the importance of these foundational courses. For all of these reasons we seek to increase student success by requiring students to achieve a C minus or better in the following courses (or their honors counterparts) required for the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major: MTH 251, MTH 252, BI 211, BI 212 and BI 213, CH 231/261, CH 232/262 and CH 233/263. Requiring a C- in these courses brings our major requirements into alignment with the course requirements put in place by the departments of Integrative Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics. A subsequent proposal will seek to update our current BB major to require a C- in these same prerequisites.

BB 111. Introduction to Biochemistry and Biophysics Research(1)

CH 231, 232, 233. *General Chemistry (4,4,4)

and CH 261, 262, 263. *Laboratory for Chemistry 231, 232, 233 (1,1,1)

MTH 251.*Differential Calculus (4)

MTH 252. Integral Calculus (4)

BI 211, BI 212, BI 213.*Principles of Biology (4,4,4)

PH 201, PH 202, PH 203. *General Physics (5,5,5)

CH 334, CH 335, CH 336. Organic Chemistry (4,4,4)

CH 337. Organic Chemistry Lab(4)

orCH 324. Quantitative Analysis (4)

BB 314. Cellular and Molecular Biology (4)

BB 315.^Molecular Biology Lab (3)

BB 317.^Scientific Theory and Practice (3)

ST 351. Introduction to Statistical Methods (4)

BB 490. Biochemistry 1: Structure and Function (3)

BB 491. Biochemistry 2: Metabolism (3)

BB 492. Biochemistry 3:Genetic Biochemistry (3)

BB 481. Macromolecular Structure (3)

BB 486. Advanced Molecular Genetics (capstone) (3)

BB 494. Biochemistry Laboratory Molecular Techniques 2(3)

BB 498. ASBMB Certification Exam (0)(Pending Review and Approval)

Total credits = 96

* Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC)

^Writing Intensive Course (WIC)

ii. Option in AdvancedMolecular Biology(additional 21 credits)

96 credits from Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Core PLUS:

BB 496.Biochemistry Laboratory Molecular Modeling(1)

BB 497. Basic Nucleic Acid and Protein Sequence Analysis(1)

And 19 credits selected from:

BB 401. Undergraduate Research (1-6)
BB 460. Cell Biology (3) (Pending Review and Approval)

BB 484/584. Chromatin and Epigenetics (3)

BB 485/585. Applied Bioinformatics (3)

BI 311. Genetics (4)

BOT 460. Functional Genomics (3)

BOT 475. Comparative Genomics (4)

BOT 476. Introduction to Computing in the Life Sciences (3)

BI 445. Evolution (3)

MB 302,303. General Microbiology (3), General Microbiology Laboratory (2)

MB 310. Bacterial Molecular Genetics (3)

or MB456. Microbial Genetics and Biotechnology (3)

MB 420. Microbial Genomes, Biogeochemistry and Diversity (3)

MB 416. Immunology (3)

ST 352. Introduction to Statistical Methods (4)

Z 425. Embryology and Development (5)

Z 438. Behavioral Neurobiology (3)(Pending approval of Proposal #96771)

Total credits = 96 core + 21 = 117

iii. Option inComputational Molecular Biology(additional 21 credits)

96 credits from Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Core PLUS:

BB485. Applied Bioinformatics (3)

CS161.Introduction to Computer Science I(4)

And 14 credits selected from:

BB 401. Undergraduate Research (1-6)

BB499/CS419.ST/Algorithms for Computational Molecular Biology (3)

BI 311. Genetics (4)

BOT 460. Functional Genomics (3)

BOT475. Comparative Genomics (4)

BOT476. Introduction to Computing in the Life Sciences (3)

CS162. Introduction to Computer Science II (4)

CS261. Data Structures (4)

CS325. Analysis of Algorithms (4)

CS420. Graph Theory with Applications to Computer Science (3)

CS446. Biological Networks (3)

MB 420. Microbial Genomes, Biogeochemistry, and Diversity (3)

MB 499.The Human Microbiome (3)

MTH 231. Elements of Discrete Mathematics (4)

ST 352. Introduction to Statistical Methods (4)

ST 411.Methods of Data Analysis (4)

ST412. Methods of Data Analysis II (4)

Total credits = 96 core + 21 = 117

iv.Option in Pre-Medicine(additional 21 credits)

96credits from Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Core PLUS:

BI 109.Health Professions: Medical (1)

And 20 credits selectedfrom the following groups as indicated:

At least 3 credits from:

PSY 201. *General Psychology(3)

PSY 202.*General Psychology (3)

At least 4 credits from:

PHL 205.*Ethics (4)

PHL 444.*Biomedical Ethics (4)

At least 3 credits from:

SOC 204.*Introduction to Sociology (3)

ANTH 383. *Introduction to Medical Anthropology (3)

At least 10 credits from:

BB 401.Undergraduate Research (1-3)

BB 332.*Molecular Medicine (3)

BI 311. Genetics (4)

MB 302,303. General Microbiology (3), General Microbiology Laboratory (2)

MB 310. Bacterial Molecular Genetics (3)

or MB456.Microbial Genetics and Biotechnology (3)

MB 416. Immunology (3)

MB 434. Virology (3)

MB430.Bacterial Pathogenesis (3)

Z 431. Vertebrate Physiology I (3)

Z 432. Vertebrate Physiology II (3)

Z 437. Vertebrate Endocrinology (4)

Total credits = 96 core + 21 = 117

* Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC)

Note: Students majoring in Biology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, BioHealth Sciences, Botany, Microbiology or Zoology cannot seek a dual or double major in any combination of these degrees.

1.D. Ways in which the program will be delivered

The BMB degree will be administratively housed in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Oregon State University in Corvallis. Its content will be delivered primarily from classrooms and labs at this location, as well. We also have a strong portfolio of classes currently offered on Ecampus and additional offerings are expected. At the moment, one core course required in this major, BI/BB 314 (Cell and Molecular Biology), is offered as an Ecampus course; BB485 is under development for Ecampus and others may follow.

One key feature of the existing BB major is that a large portion of the students in the major acquire research experience by working in OSU laboratories during their undergraduate studies. Although some students will obtain such research experiences in faculty labs (all across campus), we do not expect all undergraduates in the BMB major to find berths in individual faculty member labs.For this reason, so that all students can have an inquiry-based research experience relatively early in their training, we have adapted the content of the Molecular Biology Lab course BB315 so that students participate in a bona fide knowledge creating, research opportunity even while they learn basic molecular biology techniques. Through a collaboration of Associate Professor Michael Freitag with Instructor Kari van Zee, students in an initial version of BI/BB315 advanced our knowledge of the roles of epigenetics in gene regulation of genes in the fungi Neurosporacrassaand Fusariumbyreplacing select wild-type genes with ones that encode a fluorescent protein. The course was beta-tested in Spring 2014 and refined in the Spring 2015 and is ready to go. In Spring 2016, we will have Assistant Professor Colin Johnson and his senior graduate student Chelsea Holman collaborate with Instructor Kari van Zee to develop another version of this lab class with a focus on ferlin molecular biology. Through the use of BI/BB315, we will provide all BMB majors with inquiry-based learning that involves a real molecular biology research project.

1.E. Ways in which the program will seek to assure quality, access, and diversity

The program will use standard exam-based assessment of student progress in each course and the quality of the program as a whole will be measured by: 1) student performance in the capstone course; 2) student performance on nationally standardized exams administered by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), our accrediting body, 3) student performance on GRE and MCAT exams; 4) success rate of our majors in the job market and graduate/professional schools; 5) an exit survey administered to graduating seniors. To ensure that all students completing the program take the ASBMB certification exam, we haveinitiated a Cat II proposal for a zero credit P/N requirement for graduation, BB 498, solely for this purpose. All students who take the exam will be given a Pass. This is modeled on the zero credit BI 499, Senior Biology Major Field Test, used by Integrative Biology as a summative assessment tool for the Biology major. In addition to classroom learning, students in Biochemistry and Biophysics traditionally have engaged in undergraduate research at very high levels. BMB students will be encouraged to take advantage of research opportunities as a means of both learning further laboratory techniques and learning to carry out the scientific method in the discovery of new knowledge. The Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics is committed to increasing the diversity of its student body, equalizing the success of our students from various backgrounds, and providing access to students with physical or other disabilities. In comparison with the current BB major, we expect that the new BMB major will attract a more diverse student population with a wider variety of academic backgrounds and interests and career goals.

1.F. Anticipated fall term headcount and FTE enrollment over each of the next five years (SFTEs below are Student Full Time Equivalents)

Year 1 – Headcount 50SFTE 45

Year 2 –Headcount 90SFTE 81

Year 3 – Headcount 130SFTE 117

Year 4 – Headcount 170SFTE 153

Year 5 – Headcount 170SFTE 153

These projections assume enrollments of50 new students per year, with 90% at full time, with a netattrition (transfers out minus transfers in) of 20% of each incoming class (assigned for simplicity as all occurring after year 1), and (again for simplicity) all graduating in 4-years.

1.G. Expected degrees/certificates produced over the next five years

Year 1 – 0

Year 2 – 5 (from students transferring into major)

Year 3 – 15 (from students transferring into major)

Year 4 – 40

Year 5 – 40

1.H. Characteristics of students to be served

We expect students in this major to be representative of the OSU population – predominantly Oregon residents androughly90% full-time students. Compared with the BB major, we anticipate a more diverse demographics of students, especially in terms of academic background and career goals. We also anticipate that the number of students retained in the new major will be higher than in the current Biochemistry and Biophysics major. Every year several students elect to move to different majors from BB because they view the current emphasis on physical chemistry and biophysics as not aligned with their career goals. For many of these students an emphasis on modern molecular biology techniques and theory would still be attractive and these will now be retained in the BMB major. Currently there is no optimal home for these students in any program or department at OSU.