Important Dates, Events and Announcements

• Students may declare the biology major at any time, but are strongly urged to speak with a biology faculty member about the major before declaring.  Majors should be declared by the end of the sophomore year.  Obtain an advisor who is a member of the Biology faculty. See check list of important items, Appendix I in the Biology Majors Handbook.

• Each Fall, a REQUIRED meeting of all prospective and declared majors will be announced in Block 1 or 2. The senior class photograph is taken at this meeting. Topics will include:

  • Discussion of graduation requirements including the required seminar abstracts and optional graduation with distinction or senior thesis.

  • Discussion of graduate school applications and employment opportunities in biology.

  • Other important announcements.

• Biology majors must attend departmental seminars and submit abstracts of five seminars during their senior year (see the Biology Majors Handbook for details).

• Biology majors may write a senior thesis and attempt to graduate with distinction (details in the Biology Majors Handbook).

• Majors should attend Biology Day each spring (watch announcements for the date).

Biology Major Requirements  (15  units total)

CORE COURSES (5 units required)

1. Two of the following: BY 105, BY 107, BY 108, BY 109.
2. One of the following field courses: BY 108 (when taught by Prof. Hathaway), 202, 203, 208, 410, or 412,  (courses taught on a regular basis) OR certain courses taught on an occasional basis as Special Topics courses                                
3. BY 210 (Cell Biology)     
4. BY 361 (Molecular and Classical Genetics)

A total of 9 units in Biology must be taken (or 8 units Biology and 1 elective from another department)

ELECTIVE COURSES (4 units required from the following) 3 of the units must be at the 300 or 400 level and 3 must have a "BY" designation         Anthropology: AN 201 Human Evolution, AN 202 Human Biological Variation,  AN 305 Topics in Biological Anthropology Biology: All Biology courses including those listed above except BY 100, BY 210, BY 361 and other courses designated "not intended for biology majors". Chemistry: CH 382 Biochemistry I Environmental Science: EV 422 Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Ecology Physics: PC 151 Biophysics Psychology: PY 209 Neuroscience, PY 412 Human Neuropsychology Sport Science: SC 203 Sports Medicine Seminar, SC 206 Exercise Physiology, SC 301 Biomechanics, SC 302 Surgical Anatomy

CHEMISTRY COURSES (3 units required)

• CH 107 - General Chemistry I, and
• CH 108 - General Chemistry II, and
• CH 250 - Structures of Organic Molecules or CH 155s -Organic Chemistry I (summer)

Students testing out of one or more of the introductory units would take CH 251 or CH 210.  This decision would be made in consultation with a Biology Dept. advisor and the Department Chair.

MATHEMATICS COURSE (1 unit required)

Complete one of the following courses:

• MA 125 - Pre-Calculus and Calculus or
• MA 126 - Calculus 1 or
• BY 220 - Biostatistics and Experimental Design
• MA 117 - Probability and Statistics or
• MA 217  - Probability and Statistical Modeling 
• MA 256 - Mathematical Biology

Biology majors are strongly urged to take BY220 Biostatistics & Experimental Design to meet a statistics requirement.  In exceptional cases with scheduling conflicts MA117 may serve as a substitute but we recommend BY220 as the most appropriate preparation for Biology majors.

Students who take both BY 220 and Calculus (MA 125 or 126) may count BY 220 as a lower level biology elective.

SUPPLEMENTAL COURSES (2 units required)

Two Units from one of the following groups:

1. Chemistry 251, and one of 345, 351, or 382
2. Geology: 130, or 140 and any Geology course requiring 140 as a prerequisite
3. Mathematics: 128, 203, 217, 220, 221, 222, 315, 340, 417
4. Computer Science: 121 or 222
5. Physics: 141 and 142 OR 241 and 242

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Courses that appear in one or more categories will not count for more than a single requirement (e.g. a course may not count as both an elective and an area requirement).  
• Graduate or professional schools may require two courses in organic chemistry, Calculus II, Physics and/or the Graduate Record Examination.  You should check the admission requirements of the schools to which you intend to apply.
• Some science courses taught at other institutions, especially those on the quarter system, may NOT transfer as one entire unit of CC credit.  Before taking science courses elsewhere, students are cautioned to check with their academic advisor, and the Department Chair concerning transfer credit toward the major.

ALSO:

In order to graduate, Biology majors must pass the senior comprehensive exam (currently the ETS Field Test in Biology) and must attend and submit abstracts of at least 5 acceptable scientific seminars.  See the Biology Majors Handbook for details.

Copyright 2006 Colorado College