Biology Major Requirements – Biology

75 credits required for the major.

1. Biology 125 and 126 (majors are required to complete both introductory courses, with a grade of “C-” or better before taking any other courses in the department)

2. One course laboratory (if the course has a lab) from each of the following groups:

a. Molecular and Cell Biology

BIOC 301: Survey of Biochemistry
BIOC 311: Biochemistry Laboratory
BIOL 240: Genetics
BIOL 241: Genetics Laboratory
BIOL 280: Cell Biology
BIOL 281: Cell Biology Laboratory
BIOL 310: Immunology
BIOL 311: Immunology Laboratory · not offered in 2024-25

b. Organismic Biology

BIOL 234: Microbiology
BIOL 235: Microbiology Laboratory
BIOL 238: Entomology · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 239: Entomology Laboratory · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 242: Vertebrate Morphology · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 243: Vertebrate Morphology Laboratory · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 262: Ecological Physiology
BIOL 263: Ecological Physiology Lab
BIOL 272: Integrative Animal Physiology
BIOL 273: Integrative Animal Physiology Laboratory · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 332: Human Physiology
BIOL 333: Human Physiology Laboratory
BIOL 386: Neurobiology · not offered in 2024-25

c. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

BIOL 220: Disease Ecology & Evolution
BIOL 221: Disease Ecology and Evolution Laboratory
BIOL 224: Landscape Ecology · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 225: Landscape Ecology Laboratory · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 238: Entomology · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 239: Entomology Laboratory · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 248: Behavioral Ecology · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 321: Ecosystem Ecology · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 322: Ecosystem Ecology Laboratory · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 338: Genomics and Bioinformatics
BIOL 339: Genomics & Bioinformatics Lab
BIOL 350: Evolution
BIOL 352: Population Ecology
BIOL 353: Population Ecology Laboratory
BIOL 355: Seminar: The Plant-Animal Interface · not offered in 2024-25

3. Three electives (which may include six credits of Biology 394) from the courses listed below. If you choose a course for an elective that offers a laboratory section, then the lab must be taken in order for the course to count toward the major.

4. Data Interpretation: One of the three electives must be a seminar course that emphasizes data interpretation and analysis of the primary literature. Ideally, you should complete this seminar course prior to registering for Biology 400 (integrative exercise). A maximum of two courses may be taken from this category.

BIOL 355: Seminar: The Plant-Animal Interface · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 356: Seminar: Topics in Developmental Biology · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 358: Seminar: Evolution of Sex and Sexes · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 363: Seminar: Ecomechanics
BIOL 365: Seminar: Topics in Neuroscience
BIOL 368: Seminar: Developmental Neurobiology · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 370: Seminar: Selected Topics in Virology
BIOL 372: Seminar: Structural Biology · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 374: Seminar: Grassland Ecology · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 378: Seminar: The Origin and Early Evolution of Life
BIOL 379: Seminar: Behavioral Genetics · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 383: Seminar: Illicit Pharmacology: The Biochemistry and Molecular Mechanisms of Recreational Drugs · not offered in 2024-25
BIOL 385: Seminar: Microbial Pathology

5. Because of the close interrelationship of Biology to other STEM fields, supporting work in other areas is necessary. The minimum requirement includes all three of these areas:

Physics: two five-week courses or one ten-week course from 131-165 for a total of 6 credits
- or BIOL 244 (Biostatistics) plus one three-credit Introductory Physics course
- or STAT 120
- or CS 111;
CHEM 123, CHEM 124 or CHEM 128
CHEM 224 or CHEM 233

The need for additional courses in allied sciences and mathematics will vary with the professional plans of the student.

6. Critical Reading and Analysis of Primary Literature (Biology 399).

7. Integrative Exercise (Biology 400, two terms).

Laboratory work is an integral part of most biology courses. In courses in which registration for the laboratory is separable from the lecture portion of the course, all biology majors are required to register concurrently for laboratory and lecture in order for these courses to count toward requirements for the major unless otherwise noted.

No course taken at another school may be used to meet the requirements for the major without prior approval of the Chair and Biology faculty. Students may request that up to six credits of biology-related coursework from an off-campus program be applied to the major as one upper-level biology elective. To do this, you must discuss approval of these credits with the department chair.