Course of Study

A basic assumption underlying our biology curriculum is that all undergraduate biology majors, regardless of future plans for specialization, can profit by taking a required core of courses emphasizing study at the molecular/cellular, organismal, and population/community levels of organization, thereby gaining a broad introduction to the science of life in all its forms.

The biology program begins with a foundational general biology course, which is followed by required courses in genetics, evolutionary biology/ecology, and plant biology, plus elective discipline-specific offerings such as animal physiology, cell and molecular biology, developmental biology, and microbiology.

The biology program is complemented with foundational classes in math, chemistry, and physics.

Further, students will have opportunities to take advanced seminar and research-oriented courses such as advanced ecology, experimental zoology, neurophysiology, and molecular genetics.