BA in Biology

We require students to maintain a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) in the major, excluding allied field courses. See the advising page for information on how to declare your major, who your program advisor is, double majors, double degrees, petitioning for exceptions, and more.

Information regarding preparing for a medical or health profession fields can be found on the advising page.

Introductory

Major Requirements (effective for the class of 2019)

If you are in the class of 2018 and have questions about the major requirements please meet with your advisor.

Introductory Courses (3 Courses)

Select one of the following:

  • BIOL 110L: Principles of Biology I with Lab
  • BIOL 112L: Perspectives in Biology I with Lab (pre-requires AP biology exam score of 4 or 5)

Select one of the following:

  • BIOL 111L: Principles of Biology II with Lab
  • BIOL 113L: Perspectives in Biology I with Lab (pre-requires AP biology exam score of 4 or 5)
  • BIOL 115: Introduction to Organismal Evolutionary Biology (not offered after Spring 2017; may use if taken)

Select one of the following:

  • BIOL 190 and BIOL 198P: The Human Genome with Lab
  • BIOL 198 and BIOL 198P: Principles of Genetics with Lab

Laboratory Experience: 3 courses

  • BIOL 198P: Principles of Genetics Lab
  • One of the following:  UPBM Laboratories List
  • One from the following:  BIOL 204P, 217L, 219L, 218P, 250L, 250P, 253L, 257L, 259L, ####395, or BCH 208, BIOL 225, BIOL 268, MBI 221W

*Lab Restrictions: Please note that no more then one of the following computer labs may be used to satisfy this requirement:  BIOL 219: Genomics of Quantative Traits, BIOL 253L: Computational Biology, BIOL 257L: Applied Genomics and BIOL 218P: Data Anatlysis in R.

Advanced Courses (2 Courses)

Choose one of the following:

  • BIOL 205: Evolution
  • BIOL 206:  Eukaryotic Genomes
  • BIOL 219L Genomics of Quantitative Traits with Lab
  • BIOL 253L: Computational Biology with Lab
  • BIOL 255: Behavioral Endocrinology (Can replace BIOL 260, only offered in Spring 2021)
  • BIOL 260: Animal Behavior
  • BIOL 263: Ecology (Canceled AY 2019-2020: Will return Spring 2021)
  • BIOL 267: Human Evolutionary Genetics

Plus one of the following:

  • BIOL 202: Molecular Biology
  • BIOL 204: Principles of Human Physiology
  • BIOL 210: Molecular Cell Biology
  • BIOL 226: Developmental Biology
  • BIOL 250L: Introduction to Biochemistry with Lab
  • BIOL 250:  Introduction to Biochmemistry without Lab
  • BIOL 252: Principles of Biochemistry 
  • BIOL 278: Biomechanical MEchanisms of Cellular Processes

Diversification Elective (3 Courses)

Select three courses from BIO diversification elective list.

Ancillary Requirements (6 Courses with Indicated Labs)

Both of the following:

  • CHEM 131: Chemical Concepts I (lab included)*
  • CHEM 132: Chemical Concepts II (lab included)*

One of the following organic chemistry courses:

  • CHEM 203/207: Organic Chemistry I with Lab*
  • CHEM 171/173: First Year Organic Chemistry I with Lab*

Note: Satisfactory completion of CHEM 171/173 and 172/210 first year organic chemistry series with labs in conjunction with AP credit for CHEM 131 fulfills the chemistry requirements.

One of the following physics courses:

  • PHYS 113: General Physics I (lab included)*
  • PHYS 121: Mechanics (lab included)
  • PHYS 141: Mechanics (Honors) (lab included) 

One of the following calculus I courses:

  • MATH 141: Calculus I
  • MATH 161: Calculus IA*
  • MATH 171Q: Honors Calculus I

One of the following statistics courses:

  • STAT 212: Applied Statistics for the Biological and Physical Sciences*
  • STAT 213: Elements of Probability and Math Statistics
  • STAT 214: Biostatistics

*AP credit will also be accepted for this course. See our advising page for more information about AP credit.

Upper-Level Writing (ULW) Requirements (2 Courses)

All biology majors must complete two ULW courses. Although students are strongly encouraged to complete both ULW requirements by taking biological sciences courses (BIOL, BCH, MBI, NSCI), an upper-level writing course within a natural sciences discipline may also be used to meet one of the requirements.

Writing courses within the humanities and social sciences cannot be applied to the biology major. See the upper-level writing requirement page for more information on which courses satisfy this requirement.

Preparing for Medicine/Health Professions

Graduate and medical degree programs in the health professions frequently have admissions requirements that include two semesters in general chemistry, organic chemistry, general physics, and calculus. Some programs may have additional requirements such as biochemistry and/or microbiology.

For detailed information on premed course requirements, academic planning, and the MCAT, visit the Health Professions Advising website.