Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Colorado School of Mines

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering at Colorado School of Mines combines biology with mathematics, computer science, chemistry and engineering to prepare students to tackle challenges in medicine, biotechnology and emerging biological fields. It suits students interested in areas such as bioinformatics, computational biology, gene editing, tissue engineering and environmental biology, while providing hands-on experience with advanced molecular biology techniques such as PCR and CRISPR-Cas9.

Curriculum Structure:

Year 1:

Students build a strong scientific and quantitative foundation through courses such as CBEN110 Fundamentals of Biology I, CBEN120 Fundamentals of Biology II, and MATH111 Calculus for Scientists and Engineers I. Chemistry, computer science and the Mines core curriculum also establish the mathematical, computational and scientific skills needed for advanced QBE study.

Year 2:

The curriculum moves deeper into quantitative and experimental science with subjects such as BIOL300 Quantitative Biology I, CBEN321 Genetics, and CSCI128 Computer Science for STEM. Students develop skills in biological data analysis, programming, genetics and quantitative approaches while continuing their chemistry, mathematics and physics preparation.

Year 3:

Students develop more advanced biological and computational expertise through BIOL301 Quantitative Biology II, CBEN320 Cell Biology and Physiology, and CHGN428 Biochemistry. The program combines mathematical and computational modelling with deeper study of cellular systems, biochemical processes and biological data, preparing students for research-oriented and industry applications.

Year 4:

The final stage brings together quantitative bioscience, research and professional skills through courses such as CSCI478 Introduction to Bioinformatics, BIOL415 Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering Field Session, and BIOL412 Entrepreneurship in the Biological Sciences or BIOL491 QBE Capstone Design. Students can apply their interdisciplinary knowledge to biological datasets, field-based work, innovation and real-world biological challenges while completing advanced technical and biology electives.

Focus Areas:

Bioinformatics, computational biology, quantitative biomedicine, biomedical engineering, gene editing, synthetic biology, tissue engineering, environmental and quantitative biology, mathematical modelling, data science, molecular biology, systems biology, biotechnology.

Learning Outcomes:

Students develop foundational biological knowledge, programming and data-science skills, biological modelling and visualization abilities, experimental research skills, hypothesis testing, data analysis, technical communication, multidisciplinary teamwork, entrepreneurship and an understanding of the ethical, cultural and environmental implications of modern biology and data science.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

The QBE bachelor’s degree is not ABET-accredited; Colorado School of Mines’ earlier official undergraduate catalog identifies specialized accreditation through the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB). The program is designed around interdisciplinary preparation in biology, quantitative science, computation and engineering rather than a traditional ABET engineering curriculum.

Reputation (Employability):

Colorado School of Mines reports a $73,500 median starting salary for recent QBE graduates and 94% of graduates with positive career outcomes. The university also reports that Mines ranks #1 for return on investment among Colorado public universities; these are official Mines figures presented on the QBE program page.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering at Colorado School of Mines is strongly hands-on, combining experimental biology with mathematics, computation, data science and engineering. Students gain practical laboratory experience with advanced molecular biology techniques such as PCR and CRISPR-Cas9, while research opportunities allow them to work on real bioscience challenges with faculty and external research partners. The program also includes field-based learning and team-based design, giving students opportunities to collect and analyse samples, apply computational and experimental methods, and develop solutions to real-world biological problems.

Students can further develop their practical and research skills through:

Molecular biology laboratories: QBE lab courses provide hands-on experience with techniques including PCR and CRISPR-Cas9, alongside experimental biology, data analysis and computational skills.
Field-based learning: BIOL415 – Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering Field Session involves hands-on collection and analysis of field samples, together with modern molecular biology and biochemistry laboratory work. The inaugural QBE field session was conducted at the Edgar Experimental Mine in Idaho Springs, Colorado.
Capstone group projects: BIOL491 – QBE Capstone Design places students in project teams where they plan, test and model solutions to real-life engineering problems. Teams interview stakeholders, investigate existing solutions, conduct experimental work and present their final product to peers, professors, clients and industry stakeholders.
Research opportunities: Students can apply for the Mines Undergraduate Research Fellowship (MURF) to work as research assistants on faculty-led projects. First-year students can also pursue the FIRST Fellowship, which combines original research with innovation.
Research collaborations: QBE research can involve collaborations with Children’s Hospital of Colorado, CU Anschutz Medical Campus and national laboratories, giving students exposure to research beyond the Mines campus.
Computational and quantitative tools: The curriculum develops mathematical modelling, data analysis, computational biology, bioinformatics and machine-learning capabilities. The official program information does not identify a specific commercial software package as a required QBE tool, so no particular software is listed.
Facilities and research environments: Students can engage with specialized research environments including the Functional Biomechanics Laboratory, which uses motion capture, ground-reaction-force measurement, electromyography and musculoskeletal modelling; the Diniz Behn Research Group, which uses mathematical modelling to study metabolism, sleep and circadian rhythms; and the Krebs Research Group, which develops biopolymer systems for cell–microenvironment interactions, tissue regeneration and therapeutics.

The program also connects students with the wider Colorado biotechnology and life-sciences ecosystem, including research and technical laboratories such as the Sequencing Center and Flagship Biosciences, as well as industry opportunities across pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, genomics, agricultural biotechnology and medical devices.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering at Colorado School of Mines prepares graduates for careers that combine biology with computation, engineering, mathematics and data science. Graduates can enter biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, research and data-focused roles, while the interdisciplinary curriculum also provides a strong foundation for graduate or professional study.

Typical career roles include Bioinformatics/Data Scientist, Biostatistician, Biomedical or Clinical Engineer, and Research Scientist.

Students can build their career pathway through:

Career support: The Mines Career Center provides access to Career Days, on-campus interviews, employer networking, DiggerNet job and internship opportunities, and career-preparation activities. The QBE experiential-major guidance specifically recommends students use DiggerNet and Workday for employment opportunities and attend the Mines Bioscience Careers Panel.
Internships and technical experience: Mines reports that 75% of undergraduate students graduating in 2024–25 reported completing internships or technical experiences during their time at Mines. The QBE program also identifies corporate internships and co-ops as opportunities connected to the major.
Employment and salary outcomes: The official QBE program page reports a $73,500 median starting salary for recent program graduates and 94% of graduates with positive career outcomes.
University–industry and research connections: QBE students can participate in research collaborations involving Children’s Hospital of Colorado, CU Anschutz Medical Campus and national laboratories. The program also highlights Colorado biotechnology employers and organizations including Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Atara Biotherapeutics, TriSalus Life Sciences, SomaLogic, Sequencing Center and Flagship Biosciences.
Career destinations: The program identifies biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostics, healthcare systems, environmental and sustainability sectors, academic and government research laboratories, data science and analytics, and food and agricultural technology as potential employment sectors.
Graduation outcomes: Mines' QBE experiential-major data reports that, based on a current student survey of post-graduation plans, 17% planned to be employed, 50% planned further education and 33% were seeking opportunities one year after graduation. Mines explicitly notes that these figures are projected from the current QBE student survey, so they should not be interpreted as a placement rate.
Accreditation value: The QBE bachelor's degree is not ABET-accredited. An earlier official Mines catalog states that the program was pursuing specialized accreditation through the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB); because the current program page does not present an active accreditation status, this should not be represented as a current accreditation without further confirmation.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the bachelor's degree, students can continue into the combined 4+1 BS/MS pathway at Mines, allowing them to earn a master's degree while completing their bachelor's degree. Colorado School of Mines also offers Master of Science in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering programs in both thesis and non-thesis formats, as well as a PhD in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering. Graduates may also pursue professional education such as medical school, including engineering-and-medicine pathways highlighted by Mines