Biophysics Minor

The minor in biophysics enables students with primary interests in biology, chemistry, health sciences, mathematics, anthropology, psychology, or other disciplines to explore the deep connections between fundamental physical processes and the functions and development of life. Using mathematical and computational models as well as precise experimental measurements and advanced instrumentation, biophysics explores living processes within a framework that builds upon fundamental physics concepts of mechanics, electrodynamics, statistical physics, and quantum physics. Students taking a minor in biophysics will be able to synthesize some or all of these areas of physics at a mature level of understanding into their primary field(s) of study, bringing an enriched array of intellectual and experimental tools to the pursuit of their professional goals.

Students must consult with the physics advisor, meet physics faculty engaged in biophysics research, attend departmental biophysics-related seminars, and explore ways that biophysics relates to research undertaken by faculty in other disciplines - including both fundamental science and clinical medicine. Opportunities also arise to connect biophysics studies to outreach into regional high schools so that pre-college students can benefit from undergraduates sharing their experiences with connecting studies across disciplines.

For more information, contact:

Masoud Asadi-Zeydabadi

(Biophysics Minor Advisor)

masoud.asadi-zeydabadi@ucdenver.edu

Office: North Classroom 3803

and

Bodhi Rogers (Physics advisor)

michael.b.rogers@ucdenver.edu

Office: North Classroom 3123B

Program Delivery

This is an on-campus program.

Declaring This Minor

Please see your advisor.

General Requirements

To earn a degree, students must satisfy all requirements in each of the areas below, in addition to their individual major requirements.

• CU Denver General Graduation Requirements   
• Click here for information about Academic Policies

Program Requirements

• Students must complete a minimum of 16 PHYS credit hours.
• Students must complete a minimum of 6 upper-division (3000-level and above) PHYS credit hours.
• Students must earn a minimum grade of C-(1.7) in all minor courses taken at CU Denver and must achieve a minimum cumulative minor GPA of 2.0. All graded attempts in required and elective courses are calculated in the minor GPA. Students cannot complete minor or ancillary course requirements as pass/fail.
• Students must complete a minimum of 9 PHYS credit hours with CU Denver faculty.

Program Restrictions, Allowances and Recommendations

Requirements for the minor in biophysics may be used to fulfill the requirements of the major in physics.

The introductory labs, PHYS 2351 and PHYS 2361, are required for all physics majors. If the department is unable to offer one or both of these labs then PHYS 2321 may be substituted for PHYS 2351 and PHYS 2341 may be substituted for PHYS 2361, upon prior advisor approval.

A student majoring in physics who wants to minor in biophysics cannot use the 3000-level and above courses for the Biophysics minor for their Physics Major requirements.

Note: "NM" stands for non-majors. The courses containing “NM” are versions whose math and use of prior physics knowledge has been adjusted (in terms of grading and assignments) for students who have taken fewer math and physics courses than physics majors. Both versions are meant to be content rich and conceptually challenging, still require quantitative modeling, and are offered simultaneous by the same instructor. Students with strong math backgrounds are encouraged to take the “majors” (xx51) version. Either one or the other version can count toward the minor, but not both.

Required Courses

Biophysics Minors must take all of the courses in one of the following four-course Physics lecture/lab sequences:

or

Biophysics Minors must take both of the following upper division biophysics courses:

PHYS 3151 - Biophysics Outlook I

PHYS 3161 - Biophysics Outlook II

Biophysics Minors must take at least one of the following:

PHYS 3251 - Biophysics of the Body

PHYS 3252 - Biophysics of the Body NM

PHYS 3451 - Biophysics of the Cell

PHYS 3452 - Biophysics of the Cell NM

PHYS 4351 - Bioelectromagnetism

PHYS 4352 - Bioelectromagnetism NM

PHYS 4840 - Independent Study: PHYS

Additional biophysics-related special topics or elective courses may be approved by the department advisor. Such courses include topics such as Radiation Physics in Biomedicine, Computational Modeling in Biophysics, Nonlinear Dynamics in Biomedicine, and specialized courses in biophysics-related instrumentation.