Your First Year

Your first year as a science major at UCLA will be a very exciting and important year. Not only will you be learning to navigate a new environment, but you will be introduced to a variety of new opportunities and experiences, all while receiving a primer education and learning more about yourself and your interests. Our goal, as a program, is to help guide you as you begin your journey as a UCLA science major so that you are able to (1) succeed academically, (2) develop a sense of belonging at UCLA and in the science community, (3) explore research and career paths, and (4) achieve your goals while at UCLA and beyond. Below you will find an outline of what to expect during your first year as a Pathways student.

Fall Quarter

– Attend the Pathways Welcome Reception during 0 Week.
– Participate in Academic Learning Workshops that will help you excel in your lower-division Math and Science courses.
– Attend bi-weekly meetings facilitated by the Program Coordinators.

Winter Quarter

– Participate in Academic Learning Workshops
– Meet with your departmental counselor
– Attend the Pathways Holiday Social

Spring Quarter

– Enroll in MCDB 30H (see details below)
-Participate in Academic Learning Workshops
-Apply for the Pathways Summer Research Scholarship (if desired)

MCDB 30H Lab Course

MCDB 30H is an honors-level course that is offered to members of the Pathway Program. This course is mandatory for all first-year Pathways students and is only offered during Spring quarter of your first year. The lecture takes place on Wednesdays from 12:00PM – 1:50PM. The lab takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00AM – 12:00PM.

You will have to prioritize this course when enrolling in classes for the Spring quarter. In the past year there have been a few other courses that have conflicted, including Cluster 21 and Cluster M72, so please be aware of this went enrolling. However, there are many other clusters that do not interfere with the program that you are more than welcome to enroll in. You can find more information on Clusters here: http://www.uei.ucla.edu/academic-programs/ucla-cluster-program/freshman-clusters/.

You will cover topics in molecular genetics, molecular biology, model organism biology, and data analysis. The research you conduct will be related to Dr. Johnson’s lab which focuses on the mechanism of RNA splicing and how it works at a molecular level.

This course is sponsored by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professors Program.