best molecular biology phd programs in california

Molecular and Cell Biology

Doctoral Program

The Department of Molecular & Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley offers a Ph.D. program focused on the molecular mechanisms inherent to life. This program integrates research with a modern training curricula, teaching, and career mentorship. Our Department is highly interdisciplinary - comprising the Divisions of Cell Biology, Development & Physiology, Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Molecular Therapeutics, Biochemistry, Biophysics & Structural Biology, and Genetics, Genomics, and Development – and this is reflected in our students and training. The program is also highly collaborative with related programs and Institutes on campus, thus allowing students the flexibility to explore all aspects of modern biological research. Please click on the links below to learn more about our areas of research on the main department website or use the menu at the top to navigate to areas of interest within the graduate program.

Cell Biology, Development & Physiology

Immunology and molecular medicine, biochemistry, biophysics & structural biology, molecular therapeutics, genetics, genomics, evolution, and development.

39 Best colleges for Molecular Biology in California, US

Updated: February 29, 2024

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Below is a list of best universities in California ranked based on their research performance in Molecular Biology. A graph of 4.83M citations received by 80.6K academic papers made by 39 universities in California was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Stanford University

For Molecular Biology

2. University of California - San Francisco

3. University of California-San Diego

4. University of California - Los Angeles

5. University of California - Berkeley

6. University of California - Davis

7. University of Southern California

8. California Institute of Technology

9. University of California - Irvine

10. Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences at City of Hope

11. Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

12. university of california - riverside.

13. University of California - Santa Barbara

14. University of California - Santa Cruz

15. Loma Linda University

16. San Diego State University

17. West Los Angeles College

18. san francisco state university.

19. San Jose State University

20. California State University - Los Angeles

21. Humboldt State University

22. Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science

23. California State University - Northridge

24. California State University - Fullerton

25. University of the Pacific

26. California State University - Long Beach

27. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

28. University of California - Merced

29. Palo Alto University

30. University of San Francisco

31. Western University of Health Sciences

32. Santa Clara University

33. Keck Graduate Institute

34. Loyola Marymount University

35. Chapman University

36. University of San Diego

37. California State University - Fresno

38. Simpson University

39. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Closest to California states to learn Molecular Biology

Biology subfields in California

Graduate Programs

• Biochem & MolBiophysics PhD

Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics PhD

The Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics PhD Program ranks in the top 10 nationally and represents a traditional strength in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department at UCSD. The goal of the program is to prepare students for careers in the biochemical sciences as researchers and educators by expanding their knowledge of structural biology, protein, RNA, and lipid biochemistry, experimental and computational biophysics, and systems biology while developing their ability for critical analysis, creativity, and independent study. A high graduation rate in an average of just over five years can be attributed to the quality of applicants admitted, the flexibility of our program of study, the opportunity for students to begin research in the first year, and the affordability of education made possible by our generous financial support policies.

Program Overview

Programs of study are tailored to the needs of individual students, based on their prior training and research interests. However, progress to degree is generally similar for all students. During the first year, students take courses, begin their teaching apprenticeships, choose research advisors, and embark on their thesis research; students whose native language is not English must pass an English proficiency examination. Beginning the first summer, the emphasis is on research, although courses of special interest may be taken throughout a student's residency. At the end of their first year, students choose the departmental members of their thesis committee and begin to prepare a written research proposal. During their second year, they complete their research proposal and defend it orally. In the third year, students advance to candidacy for the doctorate by defending the topic, preliminary findings, and future research plans for their dissertation. Subsequent years focus on thesis research and writing the dissertation. Most students graduate during their fifth year.

Research Opportunities

Research opportunities for graduate students are comprehensive and interdisciplinary, spanning biochemistry; biophysics; structural biology, protein, RNA, and lipid biochemistry, experimental and computational biophysics, and systems biology. Please refer to the faculty pages for full descriptions of the on-going research of faculty in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics PhD Program. State-of-the-art facilities and laboratories support these research programs.

UCSD is a thriving community that stretches across campus with opportunities for research and collaborations among a large number of faculty in the Division of Biology, the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the School of Medicine, the La Jolla Institute of Immunology, the Salk Institute, and many others.

Special Training Programs

Interdisciplinary research and collaboration at UCSD is enhanced through a variety of training grants. These programs provide financial support for exceptional graduate and postdoctoral scholars and also unite researchers from across campus and throughout the La Jolla research community in special seminars, retreats, and courses. Doctoral students usually apply for training grants in their second year.

• Molecular Biophysics Training Grant
• Contemporary Approaches to Cancer Cell Signaling and Communication
• Interfaces Graduate Training Program
• Molecular Pharmacology Training Program

Teaching apprenticeships are a vital and integral part of graduate student training, and four quarters of teaching are normally required. See the Teaching Assistants page to apply. Students can gain experience teaching both discussion and laboratory sections. Excellence in teaching is stressed, and the department provides a thorough training program covering both fundamentals and special techniques for effective instruction. Further training is provided by the Teaching and Learning Commons on campus. Performance is evaluated every quarter, and awards are bestowed quarterly for outstanding teaching performance.

Financial Support

Students in good academic standing receive a 12-month stipend; fees and tuition are also provided. Support packages come from a variety of sources, including teaching and research assistantships, training grants, fellowships, and awards. Special fellowships are awarded to outstanding students based on their admission files. See Ph.D. Program Support Policy for more information.

Health and Dental Plan

A primary health care program, major medical plan, and dental plan are among the benefits provided by the University's registration fee (see Graduate Student Health Insurance Program, GSHIP) . Minor illnesses and injuries can usually be treated at the Student Health Center . Counseling is provided free of charge through Counseling and Psychological Services .

Creative, bright, and motivated students from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We admit for Fall quarter entrance only. The application will open around late September. The application deadline is in either November or December. The Admissions Committee reviews files individually and in comparison to others, and invitations to interview are made around January. For those invited, in-person interviews will be on campus in either February or March. Those who receive the official admissions offer from t he Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs ( GEPA ) have until April 15th to make a decision.

PostGraduate Placement

Graduates typically obtain jobs in academia or in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry. La Jolla is home to the third largest Biotech/Pharmaceutical industry mecca. Many of our alumni stay in San Diego and obtain positions in one of the over 300 companies that are located near UCSD. During their PhD, students can take advantage of the many internships that are available at these companies. A large proportion of our graduates attain postdoctoral research positions in leading academic institutions. The Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Program provides career advising throughout the PhD. UCSD's Career Services Center and the Physical Sciences Student Success Center provides many resources for students, including the chance to videotape yourself in a mock interview!

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The mcb phd program, introduction.

Students in the Ph.D. program receive broad training in how biological systems function at the level of nucleic acids and proteins, cells and development, and evolution of populations and species and will receive a PhD in Molecular Biology. Faculty from the Molecular and Computational Biology Section participate in the program, offering access to diverse expertise and research programs. Approximately 75 students are enrolled in the graduate program and conduct research with faculty members. Incoming students can be admitted through one of two tracks – an Open Admission Track and a Direct Admission Track. Students admitted through the Open Admission track rotate through three research labs in their first year, selecting a PhD advisor in the Spring of their first year. Students admitted through Direct Admission have already identified their research advisor before applying to the program and begin working in the lab of their advisor in the Fall of the first year. Additionally, during their first and second year, students take a core curriculum that lays the foundation for more advanced study, while also learning skills such as critical reading of the scientific literature, grant writing, data analysis using R, and oral presentation skills.

Faculty research areas

Aging Biochemistry Cancer Biology Cell Biology Chemical Biology Evolutionary Biology Genetics Mechanisms of DNA replication, repair, and genome stability Neurobiology Regulation of gene expression Structural Biology Synthetic Biology Systems Biology

Meet the MCB PhD Program Faculty!

General statistics

Number of applicants: approx. 165 per year

Number of offers extended: approx. 25 (about 15% of applicants)

Number of offers accepted: 14

Time to completion: 6 year average

Teaching Assistant Requirement: Minimum 1 semester TAing

Funding: Our department provides funding for the first five years of your program through a variety of teaching and research assistantships, fellowships, and scholarships.

Apply to the program!

Meet the faculty, current mcb graduate student information.

Doctoral Programs

Department doctoral programs.

The School of Biological Sciences offers graduate training in a collaborative environment with several schools and graduate programs. This provides excellent research training and professional development for graduate students pursuing the doctorate. Training opportunities include broad areas of Biological, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences including Neuroscience, Immunology and Pathogenesis, Cancer Biology, Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Systems and Computational Biology, Genomics, Structural Biology, Ecology, and Evolutionary Biology.

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, PhD

Research in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology uses a range of methodologies spanning field studies, experimental approaches, and computational approaches. Students and faculty have easy access to field sites that include marine, desert, and California chaparral communities. The faculty have diverse interests including evolutionary biology, population genetics, genomics, behavioral ecology, physiology, and global change biology. Faculty in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology have extensive collaborations with scientists in neuroscience, molecular biology, genomics and microbiomes, global climate biology, systems biology, mathematics, as well as with faculty at other institutions.

The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology offers admission directly to a departmental graduate program with full financial support. Students initiate research with a faculty thesis advisor while they take required coursework and complete other degree requirements. 

Learning Outcomes by Department

The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology is the only department that offers direct admission to a PhD Program. The other Dunlop Dunlop School departments offer admission to their PhD programs through a gateway disciplinary program such as CMB or INP. Click below to learn more about learning outcomes by department.

Neurobiology and Behavior, PhD

Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences   PLOs

Neurobiology and Behavior M.S./Ph.D.

PLO1: Core Knowledge

• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of central concepts in the biological sciences
• Understand the current concepts in molecular biology, biochemistry, and biomedical sciences
• Demonstrate specialized knowledge of cellular and molecular biology sufficient to carry out substantive independent research

PLO2: Research Methods and Analysis

• Read and critically evaluate the scientific literature
• Formulate hypotheses based on current concepts in the field
• Design, conduct, and interpret their independent research projects
• Understand the range of tools appropriate for research in their sub-field
• Understand and follow research ethics

PLO3: Pedagogy:

• Communicate effectively to large and small groups in pedagogical settings including teaching, research seminars, and other formats
• Identify and effectively deploy suitable technologies for use in all aspects of instruction

PLO4: Scholarly Communication:

• Review and discuss relevant literature and their significance
• Publish research results in peer-reviewed publications and in a dissertation
• Communicate research results effectively through oral presentations at scientific seminars, conferences, and other venues
• Make clear and cogent oral presentations, including effective use of technology

PLO5: Professionalism

• Write compelling abstracts describing their research for consideration at research conferences
• Prepare oral presentations suitable for presentation at a research conference
• Make effective contributions to research teams and learning seminars
• Make effective contributions to department, university, community, and professional service
• Mentor junior researchers (e.g., undergraduates, beginning graduate students)

PLO6: Independent Research

• Develop their own research projects that meet high standards of theoretical and methodological rigor with lasting impact
• Produce scholarship that is comparable in scope and format to articles that appear in leading peer-reviewed journals in molecular and biomedical sciences
• Supervise junior researchers (e.g., high school students, undergraduates, beginning graduate students) effectively

Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, PhD

Molecular Biology and Biochemistry M.S./Ph.D.

• Master current concepts in molecular biology, biochemistry, and biomedical sciences
• Acquire specialized knowledge of cellular and molecular biology sufficient to carry out substantive independent research

PLO2: Research Methods and Analysis 

• Design, conduct, and interpret experiments to complete an original research project
• Understand the range of tools appropriate for research in the specific sub-field
• Appreciate and adhere to research ethics

PLO3: Pedagogy: 

• Communicate effectively to small and large groups in pedagogical settings such as teaching and research seminars

PLO4: Scholarly Communication: 

• Review and discuss relevant literature and its significance
• Complete an individual development plan (IDP) at the time of entering the MBB program (Fall quarter of the 2 nd year) and update it annually
• Submit fellowship proposals to private and governmental agencies to solicit independent funding for graduate research
• Anticipate and meet the needs for professional transitions in a timely fashion (prior to degree completion)
• Write compelling abstracts describing research for consideration at research conferences

PLO6: Independent Research 

• Effectively supervise junior researchers (e.g., high school students, undergraduates, beginning graduate students)

Interdepartmental Doctoral Gateway Programs

Gateway programs offer admission to the doctoral programs affiliated with the Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences, School of Medicine, School of Physical Sciences, Engineering and Information & Computer Science. Students enroll for the first academic year while they do lab rotations and take required coursework. Then, students select a thesis advisor and transfer to a department and complete remaining degree requirements. Gateway programs offer students excellent opportunities to perform laboratory rotations with any of a large number of faculty participants in that program, and in many areas of biological sciences.

Cellular Molecular Dunlop Schoolences

The PhD program in Cellular & Molecular Biosciences (CMB) at UC Irvine provides ideal training to launch the careers of talented researchers in diverse fields of biological and biomedical sciences. With five different study focuses, the CMB PhD program gears future scientists to be ready for a diverse field.  The program offers a rigorous but flexible curriculum with an extensive choice of laboratories and allows students to tailor their training to individual interests and goals. Outstanding facilities, a collaborative culture, a commitment to diversity, and guaranteed on-campus housing all contribute to a productive graduate experience. 

Interdepartamental Neuroscience Program

The Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program (INP) provides a vehicle for meeting the diversity and challenges of graduate training in such a broad discipline. Neuroscience is an inherently broad and multidisciplinary area of scientific pursuit and scholarship. It has intellectual links to fields as diverse as developmental and cell biology, molecular biology, physiology, pharmacology, anatomy, psychology, computer science, and physics. The substantial breadth of Neuroscience is one of its strengths as a discipline, and one of the features that makes it an attractive and important area for graduate study. Students may train with any participating faculty member and are exposed to a variety of approaches before deciding on a research area for focused dissertation work. After the initial year of academic coursework and laboratory rotations, students join the more specialized graduate program of their chosen thesis advisor.

Mathematical, Computational, and System Biology

The goal of UCI’s program in Mathematical, Computational and Systems Biology (MCSB) is to provide students from a variety of academic backgrounds with doctoral training suitable for research careers in the nascent field of Systems Biology. The program emphasizes in-depth classroom study, interdisciplinary research rotations, and individualized advising. The MCSB Program is supported by funding from UCI’s Graduate Division, by a National Institute of General Medical Sciences grant to the UCI Center for Complex Biological Systems, and an NIH Training Grant.

Ph.D. Degree in Biological Sciences

A multidisciplinary Graduate Program

Cellular and Molecular BioSciences (CMB)

The University of California, Irvine offers a multidisciplinary graduate program in Cellular and Molecular BioSciences (CMB). The program provides a unique opportunity for students to choose a research area and dissertation committee from any of six participating departments: Biological Chemistry, Developmental & Cell Biology, Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Physiology & Biophysics.

A flexible Program with a Broad Education for a Ph.D. Degree in the Biological Sciences

This flexible program brings together more than 80 faculty members with diverse research interests and is designed to provide a broad education leading to the Ph.D. degree in Biological Sciences. This joint program increases interactions among the participating departments and facilitates communication and cooperation among members of the various laboratories. All Ph.D. students rotate through participating faculty laboratories during their first year and decide on a thesis advisor before the start of their second year of study.

Faculty research areas include, but are not limited to the following:

Cancer Biology

Cell Biology

Developmental Biology

Immunology and Pathogenesis

Mechanisms of Gene Expression

Molecular Neurobiology

Molecular Physiology and Biophysics

Structural Biology/Protein Engineering

For a more complete description of entry requirements, application procedures and admissions information, please go to:  Cellular and Molecular BioSciences .

Molecular & Cell Biology PhD

The Department of Molecular and Cell Biology offers a program of graduate study leading to the PhD in molecular and cell biology. This program provides advanced training in the research methods and concepts of the study of the molecular structures and processes of cellular life. The training is intellectually focused, but at the same time offers an unusually wide range of opportunities for varied disciplinary specialization.

The teaching and research activities of the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) concern the molecular structures and processes of cellular life and their roles in the function, reproduction, and development of living organisms.

This agenda covers a broad range of specialized disciplines, including biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, structural biology, genetics, genomics, bioinformatics, cell biology, developmental biology, tumor biology, microbiology, immunology, molecular medicine, 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.

The faculty is organized into five divisions: Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology; Cell Biology, Development, and Physiology; Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development; Immunology and Molecular Medicine; and Molecular Therapeutics.

Contact Info

[email protected]

299 Weill Hall, UC Berkeley, #3200

Berkeley, CA 94720

At a Glance

Department(s)

Molecular & Cell Biology

Admit Term(s)

Application Deadline

December 2, 2024

Degree Type(s)

Doctoral / PhD

Degree Awarded

GRE Requirements

The Molecular Biology Interdepartmental Doctoral Program (MBIDP) is a vibrant interdisciplinary graduate program committed to training PhD candidates to become the next generation of scientific leaders. Since 1967, the MBIDP has provided training to over 400 Ph.D. students. Our approach to graduate education has been successful as assessed by the placement of students and their impressive professional trajectory. Many of our alumni have become faculty at top academic institutions, founded major biotech companies, and are scientific leaders all over the US and abroad. A large part of this success stems from the focus and dedicated commitment of the MBIDP faculty towards the students, its interdisciplinary nature, adaptability, and vision.

The program provides cutting-edge education and hands-on training in Molecular Regulatory Mechanisms that are shared across organisms and are common within a broad range of disciplines. The philosophy of the program stands on the concept that depth within a specialty and interdisciplinary breadth are critical to shape the minds of the future generations of scientific leaders and develop independent thinkers . Depth is provided through four “intellectual hubs,” our home areas shown below.

These home areas are four of the ten home areas that form the Graduate Program in Biosciences (GPB) at UCLA and constitute the intellectual home of pre-doctoral trainees throughout their time in the program, fostering creativity and channeling curiosity through literature analysis and intellectual integration into their specific fields. Applications are welcome by December 1st.

I invite you to learn more about our home areas, our faculty and students! Feel free to contact us if you have questions.

Hilary Coller, Ph.D . Chair, Molecular Biology IDP

* From the UCLA Graduate Division website, please apply to the home area that you are interested in by choosing “Bioscience- (Home Area Name)”.

Admissions questions? Check out our FAQ page h ere . You can also  Contact us!

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Ph.D. Program

The philosophy of the PhD program, along with the Affiliated Ph.D.  Program with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, is to provide world-class research training in the basic biological sciences to equip a diverse group of trainees for a variety of scientific careers ranging from academia and industry to education, communication, or policy. Core principles of the program are to be student centered and attuned to the goals of the trainee.

The core curriculum focuses on development of core competencies and transferable skills in critical thinking, communication, and leadership. The first year prepares students for the core of the PhD program, the development of intellectual independence and creativity through original thesis research, guided by a thesis advisor and committee. Students have a high degree of flexibility in choice of thesis advisor through the rotation program. Throughout the program, there is strong emphasis on engaged mentoring through regular committee meetings, annual reports and Individual Development Plans.

As a central hub of the thriving San Diego biosciences community, the program maintains strong partnerships with other campus units and programs through joint faculty appointments, organized research units, and research collaborations, enabling a wide range of interdisciplinary opportunities . The mission is to conduct leading edge research in the basic biological sciences. Major areas of emphasis currently include structural biology, cell biology, developmental biology, neurobiology, immunology, microbiology, virology, plant biology, ecology, and evolutionary biology. Research in the School has emphasized studies using model organisms or in vitro mechanistic approaches, with human studies and clinical research concentrated in other departments or in the Health Sciences. Current and future areas of growth include quantitative biology, data science, and the biological consequences of climate change.

• Rigor, reproducibility, and responsibility as hallmarks of high-quality science
• Commitment to quality mentorships, student mental health, and well-being
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as integral to program admissions and retention
• Open science practices valuing multiple research outputs and holistic assessment of scholarly excellence
• Communication and outreach as key aspects of scientific training

As a doctoral program embedded in a large undergraduate instructional unit, our approach incorporates substantial training in teaching methodology and best practices. Our philosophy remains that teaching and research are interdependent facets of engaged scholarship.

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Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology

The Graduate Programs in the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB) seek to recruit diverse, self-motivated students with a natural curiosity for scientific inquiry. Please visit the MCDB Departmental website to learn more about the program and importantly, specific information to include in your Statement of Purpose and your Personal History and Diversity Statement .

The MCDB graduate program provides rigorous, individualized graduate research training that emphasizes innovative research leading to the Masters and Doctoral degrees. The programs are designed to provide a solid foundation in current knowledge while allowing students the flexibility to choose their own path of inquiry. Modern molecular and cellular biological research moves at a rapid pace that requires novel ideas, scientific interaction and new experimental approaches. The MCDB program provides multiple opportunities to gain expertise in diverse fields of research, in addition to lab rotations and courses that are completed in the first year of study. A full schedule of weekly seminars by invited speakers and annual research retreat form the framework for scientific interactions. Students participate in weekly research seminars presented by postdoctoral fellows and advanced graduate students. Individual faculty members also organize special topics seminars that focus on important research problems in their own disciplines. A full-range of state-of-the-art facilities are available, including digital imaging and microscopy instrumentation, DNA sequencing, RNAseq, and computer analysis laboratories, in addition to biochemical and biophysical instrumentation, including mass spectrometry, CD, and X-Ray crystallography facilities.

Research in MCDB spans a broad range of topics in biomedical science including: bacterial pathogenesis, biochemistry, cell biology, cell physiology, developmental biology, gene regulation, genetics, immunology and allorecognition, microbiology, molecular marine biology, neurobiology, pharmacology, plant molecular biology and physiology, and virology. The faculty in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology engage in transdisciplinary research, and have earned numerous distinctions and awards, including election to the National Academy of Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and receipt of Keck, Searle, NSF CAREER, NIH Pioneer, and NIH Merit Awards.

Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology University of California, Santa Barbara Life Sciences Building, Room 3314 Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9625 (USA)

Website  http://www.mcdb.ucsb.edu/

Email  [email protected]

Department Phone Number (805) 893-8499

Fall Only: 

• PHD: December 5, 2024 (by 11:59 PM PST)
• MS: February 27, 2025 (by 11:59 PM PST)

Requirements

• Online application : https://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/eapp
• Statement of Purpose, Personal History and Diversity Statement, and Resume or CV (submitted in the online application)
• Three Letters of Recommendation (submitted online)
• Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended (submitted online)
• English Language Exam Scores (if applicable): TOEFL Internet-Based Test (IBT) total score of 80, or TOEFL Paper-Based Test (PBT) total score of 550, or IELTS Overall Band score of 7, or Duolingo English Test total score of 120, or higher
• Final/Official transcripts will be required for all applicants who are admitted and have indicated their intent to enroll at UC Santa Barbara by submitting a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR). UC Santa Barbara reserves the right to require official transcripts at any time during the admissions process, and rescind any offer of admission made if discrepancies between uploaded and official transcript(s) are found.

MS Emphasis in Pharmacology and Biotechnology

Best Molecular Biology colleges in California 2024

Best molecular biology colleges in california for 2024.

University of California-San Diego offers 1 Molecular Biology degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 13 Molecular Biology students graduated with students earning 13 Bachelor's degrees.

University of California-Los Angeles offers 2 Molecular Biology degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 29 Molecular Biology students graduated with students earning 29 Doctoral degrees.

University of Southern California offers 1 Molecular Biology degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 12 Molecular Biology students graduated with students earning 12 Doctoral degrees.

University of California-Irvine offers 2 Molecular Biology degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city.

Pomona College offers 1 Molecular Biology degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 17 Molecular Biology students graduated with students earning 17 Bachelor's degrees.

Claremont McKenna College offers 1 Molecular Biology degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 2 Molecular Biology students graduated with students earning 2 Bachelor's degrees.

Scripps College offers 1 Molecular Biology degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 3 Molecular Biology students graduated with students earning 3 Bachelor's degrees.

Pitzer College offers 1 Molecular Biology degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 1 Molecular Biology students graduated with students earning 1 Bachelor's degree.

Find local colleges with Molecular Biology majors in California

List of all molecular biology colleges in california.

2024 Best Molecular Biology Schools in California

Choosing a great molecular biology school, pick your molecular biology degree level, best schools for molecular biology in california, top california schools in molecular biology.

There were roughly 29 molecular biology students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent data year.

There were roughly 13 molecular biology students who graduated with this degree at UCSD in the most recent year we have data available.

There were about 12 molecular biology students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year.

Best Molecular Biology Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Other Rankings

Bachelor's degrees in molecular biology, doctor's degrees in molecular biology, rankings in majors related to molecular biology, most popular related majors.

Notes and References

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Genetics, Molecular & Cellular Biology Admissions

Students seeking admission to the Genetics, Molecular and Cell Biology (GMCB) program apply to the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and select the GMCB program. Students interested in the Mammalian Genetics at JAX track must select this track when they apply to GMCB.

Prospective applicants are evaluated based on prior grades, three letters of recommendation, and personal statements. Prior research experience is strongly valued but is not required.

A personal interview is an important part of our evaluation process and may be conducted in person or virtually. An undergraduate major in the biological or life sciences is recommended, but not required.

The GRE is not required but can be submitted with the application.

The application is completed online on the GSBS Application Portal .

Information about application deadlines and the application process can be found in the Admissions section of this website.

Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, which are the top colleges for biological sciences in california.

Hey there, does anyone know about good colleges in California for someone who is interested in Biological Sciences? I'm starting the college search and want to make sure I'm looking in the right places.

Indeed, California is home to several great institutions for studying Biological Sciences. Here are a few top institutions you might want to consider:

1. Stanford University: Known globally for its strong programs in all fields, Stanford's Biological Sciences program is exceptional, offering diverse areas of study such as human biology, microbiology, and plant biology.

2. University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley): UC Berkeley has a significant number of research opportunities within its Integrative Biology and Molecular and Cell Biology departments.

3. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA): UCLA's Life Sciences division is rapidly growing and known for its competitive bio programs.

4. California Institute of Technology (Caltech): Caltech is a smaller institution with a heavy focus on research and STEM fields, including Biological Sciences.

5. University of California, San Diego (UCSD): UCSD particularly shines in biological and health sciences, and its proximity to biotech companies in the area can provide interesting internship and job opportunities.

Remember, while these colleges have great programs, it's essential to consider other factors like campus culture, location, size, and financial aid offerings when making your decision. Each of these schools also has varying degrees of selectivity, so it's a good idea to apply to a range of reach, target, and safety schools.

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