The undergraduate major in Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) focuses on the study of molecular structures and processes of cellular life and their roles in the function, reproduction, and development of living organisms. This covers a broad range of specialized disciplines, such as biochemistry, microbiology, biophysics, molecular biology, genetics, cell physiology, cell anatomy, immunology, and neurobiology. The types of living organisms from which the departmental faculty draws its working materials are as diverse as its disciplinary specializations, ranging from viruses and microbes through plants, roundworms, annelids, arthropods, and mollusks, to fish, amphibia and mammals. 

Announcements

• Office Closed: Thanksgiving The MCB advising office will be closed all day Wednesday Thursday and Friday (Nov 22-24) for Thanksgiving.
• CalCentral Appointments: MCB Advising appointments are now available on CalCentral. We will also continue to have drop-in advising every day in VLSB during our open hours. For more information on what types of appointments you can make see our Advising Services page.

Helpful Links

MCB Commencement 2018: The 2018 MCB Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 17 at 9am in the Hearst Greek Theatre. Our commencement webpage will be updated as new information is released. Registration is expected to open in mid-March. 

Just accepted to UC Berkeley? Congratulations! We recommend visiting our webpages for new freshmen and new transfer students for more information and frequently asked questions about the major. 

Major Declaration:  Information about declaring the MCB major can be found on the Major Declaration webpage. Major declaration occurs in the fall or spring semesters only. 

FAQS: We've compiled a list of FAQs to answer some of the most common questions we're asked.

MCB Handbook: 2015-2016 (updated 9/8/15)- Download it here.

MCB Transcript: The latest edition of the MCB Transcript is out! Online version is live -- meet new faculty, learn how we're tracking and tweaking things in the brain, and catch up on all the latest Molecular and Cell Biology news.