Biology Curriculum
Students who major in Biology may pursue a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. Our majors can focus their studies within the department by selecting a concentration. These concentrations allow students to pursue specific topics and research directions that prepare them for careers in the life sciences. Concentrations range from biomedical, computational, field-based, and lab-based focuses. Our majors thus have a great deal of flexibility to engage in their specific interests through our concentrations (described below). The Department also offers minors in Biology and Neuroscience.
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Requirements for the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biology
- Ten courses in Biology, which include:
- A four-course core sequence:
- Biology 111 Introduction to Biology for the Life Sciences
- Biology 112 Form and Function in Living Organisms
- Biology 211 Genetics and
- Typically either Biology 212 Cell Biology or Biology 213 Evolutionary Ecology (depending on chosen concentration)
- A set of courses that constitute the required courses for a given concentration (see below)
- Several electives (selected by the student with some concentration-specific suggestions)
- Within the set of Biology courses taken, a Capstone Experience - Fulfilled by Biology 307, 314, 320, 334, 335, 340, 351, 359, 460, or 461. All of these courses require independent research and a research or review paper.
- A four-course core sequence:
- Five courses in related (cognate) departments:
- Chemistry 107 and 108 - often taken in the first year
- A mathematics course, selected from: Biology 260 (if taken to fulfill the Mathematics requirement cannot count as a Biology course), Mathematics 107, 111, 112, Psychology 205
- Two electives - with some concentrations having specific requirements - selected from: Chem 203, 204; Chem/Phys 246; Computer Science 107; Environmental Studies 223; Physics 103, 109 or 111; 104, 110 or 112; Psychology 236, 237 or 238; HS 326.
Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Biology
Students seeking the B.A. in Biology must fulfill the requirements listed for the B.S., with the following modification:
- One fewer elective biology course (for a total of 9 Biology courses)
- One fewer course in a related department (for a total of four courses in related departments
All courses taken to satisfy the requirements for the B.A. or B.S. degree or for a minor must be taken using the A-F grading system (except for Bio 461, which is taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory). Bio 453 does not count towards the requirement of the Biology major/minor (although it counts towards credit for graduation).
All students must choose at least one concentration but can complete more than one concentration and indicate this on their résumé. There is also an option for a self-designed concentration with departmental approval.
Possible concentrations (required and recommended courses described below)
- Biomedical Sciences
- Biotechnology
- Bioinformatics
- Organismal Biology and Biodiversity
- Ecology and Evolution
- Tropical Biology
- Integrative Biology
- Self-designed
In each concentration, students will take a set of required courses. Students can select several more from a menu of recommended Biology elective courses. The required courses and recommended electives count toward the Biology major. In addition, students are encouraged to choose courses relevant to their concentration from a list of suggested courses offered through other departments and programs. These suggested courses do not count toward the Biology major and are listed at the end of this document.
Biomedical Sciences
Biomedical sciences is a broad research-based discipline within biology. Students with this concentration will be well-prepared to enter diverse graduate programs (e.g., Ph.D. or MS in microbiology, cell biology, neurobiology, etc.), careers in biomedical research, and veterinary or medical school. Students interested in medical school can also consider the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) or Health Sciences (HS) majors.
Required core course:
- Bio 212 Cell Biology
Plus six (or five*) additional Biology electives, of which 4 (or 3*) must be from the list of recommended elective courses below.
* If Chem 203- 204, and Phys 103-104 or Phys 109 -110 are taken as cognates, one fewer Biology elective is required for a total of 9 Biology courses.
Recommended cognates:
- Chem 203-204 Organic Chemistry
- Physics 103-104 (or 109-110 or 111-112)
- Mathematics 111 (note some medical schools may require Math 112 and/or Statistics).
Recommended elective courses (must select 3* or 4 from this list):
- Bio 230 Microbiology
- Bio 320 Developmental Biology
- Bio 332 Immunology
- Bio 335 Neurobiology
- Bio 340 Comparative Animal Physiology
- Bio 351 Molecular Genetics
- Bio 361 Evolutionary Medicine
- Bio/Chem 334 Biochemistry II
- Bio/Chem 359 X-Methods Drugs and Cells
- Chem 333 Biochemistry I (can count as a Biology elective)
- HS 209 and 210 Anatomy and Physiology I&II (taking both courses counts as 1 Biology elective)
and additional Biology electives for a total of 9* or 10 Biology courses
Biotechnology
Students with a concentration in Bioinformatics can consider careers in a wide range of fields that involve managing and analyzing large sets of genomic data such as: healthcare, pharmaceutical research, biotechnology, microbiology, evolutionary or wildlife biology. Graduates with a concentration in Bioinformatics might also consider further academic pursuits, such as obtaining a Master's or Ph.D.
Required courses:
- Bio 212 Cell Biology
- Bio 230 Microbiology
- Bio 334 Biochemistry II
and one of the following courses:
- Bio 351 Molecular Genetics
- Bio/Chem X-Methods 359 Drugs and Cells
and additional Biology electives for a total of 10 Biology courses
Recommended elective courses:
- Bio 214 Phage Genomics
- Bio 251 Bioinformatics
- Bio 351 Genome and Molecular Evolution
Recommended cognates:
- Chem 203-204 Organic Chemistry
- Physics 103-104 (or 109-110 or 111-112)
Bioinformatics
Students with a concentration in Bioinformatics can consider careers in a wide range of fields that involve managing and analyzing large sets of genomic data such as: healthcare, pharmaceutical research, biotechnology, microbiology, evolutionary or wildlife biology. Graduates with a concentration in Bioinformatics might also consider further academic pursuits, such as obtaining a Master's or Ph.D.
Required courses:
- Bio 212 Cell Biology
- Bio 251 Bioinformatics
- CS 107 Introduction to Scientific Computation (can count as cognate)
- either Bio 214 Phage Genomics or Bio 315 Genome and Molecular Evolution
and four additional Biology electives
Recommended elective courses:
- Bio 260 Biostatistics
- Bio 320 Development Biology
- Bio 351 Molecular Genetics
Organismal Biology and Biodiversity Concentration
Students with a concentration in Organismal Biology and Biodiversity would be well prepared for careers in research, wildlife management, toxicology, and/or conservation. Graduates with this focus might consider further academic pursuits in specialized Masters and Ph.D. graduate programs.
Required courses:
- Bio 213 Evolutionary Ecology
Three additional courses with a focus on organisms from the following list, one of which must be at the 300-level:
- Bio 204 Biology of Flowering Plants
- Bio 206 Physiological Ecology
- Bio 221 Symbiosis
- Bio 223 Entomology
- Bio 224 Vertebrate Zoology
- Bio 225 Animal Behavior
- Bio 227 Invertebrate Zoology
- Bio 228 Tropical Marine Biology
- Bio 229 Tropical Terrestrial Biology
- Bio 240 Paleobiology
- Bio 307 Freshwater Biology
- Bio 320 Developmental Biology
- Bio 335 Neurobiology
- Bio 340 Comparative Animal Physiology
and additional Biology electives for a total 10 Biology courses
Ecology and Evolution Concentration
Students with this concentration might be interested in careers such as: Ecology, Conservation, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Education, Wildlife or Environmental Consultancy. Students interested in the Ecology and Evolution concentration can also consider a double major in Environmental Studies. Graduates with a concentration in Ecology might also consider further academic pursuits, such as obtaining a Master's or Ph.D. in Ecology or related fields.
Required courses:
- Bio 213 Evolutionary Ecology
Plus three courses from the following options:
- Bio 206 Physiological Ecology
- Bio 229 Tropical Terrestrial Biology
- Bio 260 Biostatistics
- Bio/ES 306 Marine Ecology
- Bio 307 Freshwater Biology
and three additional Biology electives
Recommended elective courses:
- ES 211 Principles of Ecology
- Bio 224 Vertebrate Zoology
- Bio 225 Animal Behavior
- Bio 228 Tropical Marine Biology
- Bio 240 Paleobiology
- Bio/ES 256 Conservation Biology
- Bio 314 Evolution
Tropical Biology Concentration
Students with a concentration in Tropical Biology might be interested in careers such as: Tropical Field Biology, Eco-tourism consultancy, Conservation Biology in Tropical regions, Tropical Environmental Consultancy or Tropical system science. Graduates with a concentration in Tropical Biology might also consider further academic pursuits, such as obtaining a Master's or Ph.D. in related fields to specialize in a particular aspect of tropical biology.
Required courses:
- Bio 213 Evolutionary Ecology
- Bio 228 Tropical Marine Biology
- Bio 229 Tropical Terrestrial Biology
and four additional Biology electives
Recommended elective courses:
- Bio 221 Symbiosis
- Bio 223 Entomology
- Bio 224 Vertebrate Zoology
- Bio/ES 256 Conservation Biology
- Bio 260 Biostatistics
- Bio 307 Freshwater Biology
- ES 211 Principles of Ecology
Integrative Biology
This concentration is intended for students with broad interests in Biology who want a wide-ranging preparation. This concentration also covers the Biology competencies for Teacher Certification in Biology.
Required courses:
Bio 212 and 213 and one course from each of the following three areas (although some courses are listed in more than one area, different courses must be taken to fulfill different areas):
- Cellular/Molecular Biology: Bio 214, 230, 251, 315, 320, 334, 335, 340, 351, 359
- Organismal Biology: Bio 204, 206, 221, 223, 224, 227, 228, 229, 307, 340
- Population/Community Biology: Bio 206, 216, 225, 229, 240, 306, 307, 314, 315, 361; ES 211, ES 350
and two additional Biology electives
Self-designed
This concentration is intended for students who have particular interests that can be met by the diversity of courses we offer. The student provides the title of such a self-designed concentration and may petition the Biology Department for a maximum of 2 courses outside the Biology Department to serve as elective(s) for this concentration.
Required courses: Bio 212 or 213; a set of three Bio courses which a student can propose as a concentration based on how they connect and three additional Biology electives. The self-designed concentration requires a formal application that must be approved by the student advisor and the Biology Chair.
Suggested Courses Outside of Biology These courses do not count for the Biology major but, if of interest to students, complement particular Biology concentrations.
Chem 222 Chemistry: Contemporary Issues and Practices (Biotechnology)
Chem 307 Biophysical Chemistry (Biotechnology)
Chem/Phys X-Methods 358 Salty and Fatty (Biotechnology)
DS 256 Data Science Programming (Bioinformatics)
ES 302 Wildlife Ecology (Ecology and Evolution, Organismal Biology and Biodiversity)
ES 309 Marine and Freshwater Fisheries (Bioinformatics, Ecology and Evolution, Tropical Biology)
Requirements for the Minor in Biology
Students qualify for a minor in Biology by completing six courses in Biology:
- Biology 111 and 112. Both courses with at least a C- grade.
- Four additional Biology courses that count toward the major.
- Students selecting upper-level courses to meet the requirements for the minor must also fulfill any prerequisites that may be required for those courses