Admission to major standing

To be eligible for a degree in biology, students must be admitted to major standing by the Department of Biological Sciences at least three semesters before graduation. This procedure ensures that an appropriate program of study is completed by graduation. Students may be admitted to major standing after filing a satisfactory curriculum plan and completion of one year of introductory biology plus two other BIO courses, one year of general chemistry and mathematics through MTH 141.

Requirements for the major in biology, B.S. program
This curriculum is designed for students who wish to pursue a career in the sciences, including medicine and health-related fields.

A minimum of 40 credits in biology (BIO 111 and above) is required, including at least seven lecture courses and a minimum of five BIO laboratory courses. Students must complete:

1. BIO 111, 113, 116, 325, 341 and one course each from two of the following areas:
   Physiology: BIO 207, 309 or 321
   Morphology: BIO 205, 305, 313 or 323
   Ecology/Evolution: BIO 301 or 387
   

2. One of the following organismic biology courses selected in consultation with a biology adviser: (Note: BIO 307 does not satisfy this requirement).
   Botany: BIO 311, 327 or 373
   Zoology: BIO 303, 317 or 353
   Microbiology: BIO 319
   

3. One 3- or 4-credit 400-level lecture courses (BIO 405, 490 and 497 do not satisfy this requirement.)

4. 20 credits of chemistry (CHM 157-158, 234 and either CHM 235 and 237 or CHM 220 and 325)

5. 10 credits of physics (PHY 101-102 or 151-152, depending on MTH option, and 158).

6. MTH 141 plus one of the following: MTH 154 and 155, or MTH 122 and either STA 225 or STA 226.

7. A senior paper based either on research performance under BIO 490 or a literature search of a research-oriented topic taken as BIO 405. Students interested in a B.S. degree are encouraged to begin BIO 490/405 in their sophomore or junior year.

Corresponding lecture and lab courses should normally be taken simultaneously. Note that some courses have incorporated labs into lecture credit while other labs are given separate credit.