Course planning advice here is limited to majors. For a full description of degree requirements, please see this
overview of the Academic Program and refer to the
for details and official rules. Any discrepancy between the Course Planning Pages and the Catalog will be resolved in favor of the Catalog.
The first set of tables below describe course planning for
current first year students and incoming students that will use the NEW
biology major starting in 2025-2026. Current students that have already
completed BIOL 150, BIOL 190, and/or BIOL 220 should use the second set of tables
that describe course planning for the EXISTING biology major.
NEW Biology Major:
听Possible Degree Path for completing the NEW major in
four years.听The following is a typical plan for this 12
course major.听This is not the only way forward.听 Please
consult with your advisor to create your unique path.听
|
First Year
|
Fund of Cellular Life听(BIOL 150)
Evo & Diversity of
Life听(BIOL 155)
Gen听Chem I听(CHEM 110) and Gen Chem II
(CHEM 120)
|
|
Sophomore
|
听听听听听听 Genetics听(BIOL
250)
听听听听听听 Ecology (BIOL
255)
Biological Comm (BIOL 270)
听听听听听听 Any 200-level statistics course
|
|
Junior
|
1-2 Biology Major
Electives
If not already completed:
Any second-year course above
|
|
Senior
|
听听听听听听 1-2 Biology Major Electives
听听听听听听 Biology Senior Seminar听(BIOL 497)
|
听
听Possible Degree Path for completing the NEW major in
three years.听听The following is a typical plan to complete this major.
Please consult with your advisor or a member of the Department to create your
unique path.
|
First Year
|
-
|
|
Sophomore
|
Fund of Cellular Life听(BIOL 150)
Evo & Diversity
of Life听(BIOL 155)
Biological Comm (BIOL 270)
Gen听Chem I听(CHEM 110) and Gen Chem II
(CHEM 120)
|
|
Junior
|
听听听听听听 Genetics (BIOL
250)
听听听听听听 Ecology (BIOL
255)
听听听听听听 Any 200-level statistics course
听听听听听听 1-2 Biology Major Electives
|
|
Senior
|
听听听听听听 Biology Senior Seminar听(BIOL 497)
听听听听听听 1-2 Biology Major Electives
|
听
听EXISTING Biology Major:
听Possible Degree Path for completing the EXISTING
major in four years.听The following is a typical plan for this 13 course major. This is not the only way forward. Please
consult with your advisor to create your unique path
|
First
Year
|
4
courses towards the major. These should include:
- Fundamentals of Cellular Life听(BIOL 150)
- Botany听(BIOL 190)
- Gen Chem I听(CHEM 110)
- Gen Chem II听(CHEM 120)听
|
|
Sophomore
|
3-4
courses towards the major. These should include:
- Zoology听(BIOL 220)
- Genetics (BIOL 250) or Ecology & Evolution
(BIOL 260)
- Students interested in more cellular/molecular
fields should prioritize BIOL 250; students interested in more
organismal/evolutionary fields should prioritize BIOL 260
- Any 200-level statistics course
Possibly:
- Students could consider taking both Genetics
(BIOL 250) and Ecology & Evolution (BIOL 260) their sophomore year
|
|
Junior
|
If
not already completed:
- Genetics听(BIOL 250)
- Ecology & Evolution听(BIOL 260)
And:
- 1-3 Biology Major Electives
|
|
Senior
|
- 1-3 Biology Major Electives
- Biology Senior Seminar (BIOL 497)
|
听
Possible Degree Path for completing the existing
major in three years. 听The following is a typical plan to complete this
major. Please consult with your advisor or a member of the Department to create
your unique path.
听 听
|
First
Year
|
-
|
|
Sophomore
|
5-6
courses towards the major. These should include:
- Fundamentals of Cellular Life听(BIOL 150)
- Botany听(BIOL 190)
- Gen Chem I听(CHEM 110)
- Gen Chem II听(CHEM 120)
- Any 200-level statistics course
Possibly:
- Genetics (BIOL 250) or Ecology & Evolution
(BIOL 260)
|
|
Junior
|
If
not already completed:听
- Genetics (BIOL 250)
- Ecology & Evolution (BIOL 260)
And:
- 1-3 Biology Major Electives
|
|
Senior
|
- 1-3 Biology Major Electives
- Biology Senior Seminar (BIOL 497)
|
听
Capstone:听The Biology capstone is composed
of a review paper and presentation as part of the senior seminar (BIOL 497),
and a comprehensive exam.听 See your departmental advisor for more details.
Planning Recommendations:
听听听听听听
Although research is
not required for the major, students planning to pursue a graduate degree in
Biology are strongly encouraged to participate in independent research.
Students should start exploring research options through consultation with the
Department as early as their freshman year.听听
听听听听听听
While each Biology
graduate program is different, students considering graduate work should
complete a sequence of General Chemistry (CHEM 110 & 120), a sequence of
Organic Chemistry (CHEM 240 & 250), a sequence of Physics (PHYS 235 &
245), at least one semester of听Calculus听(MATH 130), and
possibly a semester of Biological Chemistry (CHEM 330). Consult with a member
of the Biology Department to discuss additional recommendations for Graduate
School.
听听听听听听
Students interested
in any health-related field should also refer to the Health-Related
Fields guidelines at
[/preprofessional/default.aspx?id=40707].