University of Michigan Courses & Fees

The Actuarial Mathematics Program is designed to provide broad training in the mathematics underlying the operations of private and social insurance and employee benefit plans. The courses provide background for several of the examinations of the Casualty Actuarial Society and the Society of Actuaries. It is strongly recommended that students pass some of these exams before graduation. Summer internships are an important component of the educational program and students are encouraged to seek an internship no later than the conclusion of their junior year. Actuarial advisors can provide guidance on the professional examinations and on summer internships.

The biochemistry major is intended for students interested in the chemical basis of biological phenomena. This degree program is ideal for students who are interested in learning about life from a chemical perspective. The major is intellectually demanding and is intended to prepare students for further education (graduate school or medicine). Students will gain a solid foundation in chemistry through traditional sub-discipline courses, but will also take a number of chemistry courses that are focused on the role of chemistry in biological systems. Students will also have the option to take elective courses in molecular biology, and also may pursue undergraduate research in lieu of one of the traditional laboratory courses. A B.S. degree in biochemistry is also a useful means of preparing for jobs in academic medical centers, the pharmaceutical industry, and in biotechnology companies. Students that pursue this degree will be well equipped for graduate studies in biochemistry, chemical biology, and many other fields of inquiry in the life sciences. The degree will also provide excellent preparation for students intending to pursue professional careers in the Biotechnology Industry as well as the Health Sciences. Because the major is highly structured, it is essential that prospective majors follow the guidelines set forth below.

This major program develops an appreciation of the levels of organization of life, its diversity, and the processes by which life has achieved its present forms. The program is recommended for those who wish to study biology as part of a liberal education, to prepare for a teaching career in secondary schools, or to prepare for graduate study in biology or the health professions.

The major in Biomolecular Science serves pre-health students and others who are not intending to go into science as a career but would benefit from a scientific credential. In addition to medicine, we envisage that this major will be of interest to students planning careers in fields such as education, journalism, science policy, business, law, etc. The Biomolecular Science major provides students with the core knowledge necessary to understand the chemical principles underpinning biology and the option to explore aspects of the subject of interest to them through a set of electives drawn from current course offerings in chemistry, biophysics and MCDB. The major differs from the Biochemistry major in requiring fewer courses and does not have a research component. Biomolecular Sciences is a less extensive major than Biochemistry, and is primarily aimed at those planning a career outside of the chemical sciences. Instead, this should be an attractive degree option for students who plan to pursue post-graduate studies in Biomedical or Health Sciences. Students who are intending to pursue graduate studies or an industrial career in biochemistry or related areas are strongly encouraged to elect the Biochemistry major. The major is structured so that students can readily convert to the BS major in Biochemistry if they decide to do so during the course of their studies.