Biological Sciences, B.S.

Requirements for the Major:

Ten courses in biology, including BIO 103  , BIO 104  , BIO 205  and BIO 206  Students who have Advanced Placement credit for biology will receive credit for BIO 050  , which does not count toward the major or minor, but fulfills the CC Science with Laboratory requirement. The remaining courses must include at least one 300-level laboratory courses in each of the following areas:

Additional Requirements

Of the ten courses, five must be numbered 300 or above; only one of the ten may be an independent study, research, or honors course. In addition, all biology majors are required to take CHM 101 (or CHM 110) AND at least four additional courses in math and the sciences. These should be chosen in consultation with your academic adviser(s), and may include courses in mathematics, statistics, chemistry, geosciences, physics, and computer science. Please note that acceptance to many graduate and professional schools and programs often requires two terms of calculus, two terms of physics, two terms of intro chemistry, and one or two terms of organic chemistry. We recommend that all majors start their intro chemistry (CHM 101/102 or CHM110) and calculus sequences (MTH 110/112 or MTH 113) in their first year. For some students’ interests and future plans, Intro to Computer Science (CSC 10x) or statistics may be an alternative to calculus. Students should consult with their advisor.

See relevant listings for requirements for a major in biochemistry, environmental science, policy & engineering, biomedical engineering, or neuroscience.

Requirements for Honors in Biological Sciences:

Students eligible for departmental honors must fulfill the College-wide criteria and satisfactorily complete a thesis, usually based on the results of original biological research, which receives the approval of the department and appropriate College committee. It is customary, but not required, that research students enroll in three honors research courses, typically during the senior year. Interdepartmental majors must consult with their advisors in both disciplines during their junior year to receive approval for an interdepartmental thesis. The biology component of an interdepartmental thesis will normally incorporate at least one term of biological research.

Course Selection Guidelines

Placement: Students who received a score of 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement exam may receive credit for BIO 050  . The BIO 050  credit received from the Advanced Placement (AP) exam does not count as one of the biology courses toward the major or minor.

Courses Suitable for Non-Majors: BIO 050  , BIO 055  , BIO 058  , BIO 064  , BIO 065  , BIO 077  , and BIO 094  are designed for the general college community and may not be counted toward the biology major nor toward interdepartmental majors that include biology.

Senior Writing Requirement: Biology majors can satisfy the Senior Writing requirement (WS) by conducting research under the direction of a faculty member and writing a thesis (see BIO 497  ) or by taking one of the Senior Seminar courses in their senior year (see BIO 487  , BIO 488  , or BIO 489  ).