Major requirements include:

Additional requirements include:

Students must also select seven major elective courses from the department, with the following conditions. 

• At least one biology course must be selected from each of the following two categories (two courses total). 
• CH251 Reactions and Mechanisms OR an additional semester of Physics may count for one course of the seven.
• Directed Research in Biology (BI421-BI422 or BI423), Internship (BI451-454) or Washington Internship (BI450) may count for one course of the seven 
• Six of the seven must be lab courses.

With permission of the chair, up to 3 upper-level courses on topics other than those listed below may be transferred in from study abroad or from domestic institutions.

Students must also successfully complete a written comprehensive examination. The examination is the Education Testing Service Major Field Test in Biology and is administered twice annually, once in November and once in February.

Course Sequence Outline

To assist students in selecting a balance of courses from several academic areas, each Biology major is assigned a faculty advisor with whom a close advisee-advisor relationship must be developed. Scientific research is an important aspect of an education in science and each major is strongly recommended to replace one of the seven required courses with one of the following: (1) under the direction of a faculty member, participate in Directed Research in Biology (BI 421  - BI 422  or BI 423 ); (2) develop, with direction from the Internship Facilitator, an individual internship program (BI 451, 452, 453, 454  or (3) participate in the Washington Internship Program (BI 450 ).

Freshman Year

Sophomore Year

Junior Year

Senior Year

Note:

See Biological Sciences Overview  for additional information.