EXAMPLES OF POSSIBLE PATHWAYS for Biology Majors

Below are listed some examples of possible pathways in the biology major based on different areas of interest.  These are only a few possibilities out of many, but are represented as examples of how to organize a series of complementing courses to give you both breadth and depth in biology, especially if you are a pre-med student.

 

DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY

Year

BIOLOGY

COGNATE

1

BIOL181 Principles of Biology I
BIOL182 Principles of Biology II

Intro Chemistry (CHEM141/143)

2

BIOL214 Evolution OR BIOL215 Evolution in Human Altered Environments OR BIOL213 Behavioral Neurobiology
BIOL218 Developmental Biology

Organic Chemistry (CHEM251/252)

3

BIOL212 Cell Biology or BIOL210 Genetics
BIOL325 Stem Cells OR BIOL343 Muscle & Nerve Development

Mathematics OR Computer Science (1 semester)

4

BIOL315 Genes in Development OR BIOL340 Issues in Development & Evolution
BIOL3XX A complementing seminar course such as BIOL318 Nature and Nurture OR other

 

ECOLOGY

Year

BIOLOGY

COGNATE

1

BIOL181 Principles of Biology I
BIOL182 Principles of Biology II

Intro Chemistry (CHEM141/143)

2

BIOL218  Developmental  Biology OR BIOL212 Cell Biology
BIOL214  Evolution OR BIOL215 Evolution in Human Altered Environments

Organic Chemistry (CHEM251/252)

3

BIOL261 Ecology OR BIOL220 Conservation Biology
BIOL254 Comparative Animal Behavior

Statistics

4

BIOL290 Plant Form & Diversity
BIOL316 Plant-Animal Interactions
OR BIOL306 Tropical Ecology
OR BIOL327 Evolutionary & Ecological Bioinformatics

 

EVOLUTION

Year

BIOLOGY

COGNATE

1

BIOL181 Principles of Biology I
BIOL182 Principles of Biology II

Intro Chemistry (CHEM141/143)

2

BIOL214 Evolution OR BIOL215 Evolution in Human Altered Environments
BIOL218 Developmental Biology OR BIOL210 Genetics & Genomics

Chemistry OR Physics
Math/Statistics

3

BIOL315/515 Genes in Development
BIOL235 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy OR BIOL337/537 Origins of Bacterial Diversity
BIOL290 Plant Form and Diversity OR BIOL 310 Genomic Analysis

Chemistry OR Physics OR Math

4

BIOL340/540 Development and Evolution
BIOL543/343 Muscle and Nerve Development OR BIOL318/518 Nature and Nurture
BIOL327/527 Evolutionary & Ecological Bioinformatics

 

GENETICS/GENOMICS/BIOINFORMATICS

Year

BIOLOGY

COGNATE

1

BIOL181 Principles of Biology I
BIOL182 Principles of Biology II

Computer Science

2

BIOL210 Genetics & Genomics
BIOL214 Evolution OR BIOL215 Evolution in Human Altered Environments

Intro Chemistry
(CHEM141/143)

3

BIOL212 Cell Biology OR BIOL218 Developmental Biology
BIOL 310 Genomic Analysis
BIOL350 Bioinformatics & Functional Genomics

Organic Chemistry (CHEM251/252) [1 semester]
Calculus OR Statistics

4

MBB333 Gene Regulation
BIOL3XX A complementing seminar course such as BIOL316 Plant-Animal Interactions OR other

 

NEUROBIOLOGY, NEUROPHYSIOLOGY, and BEHAVIOR

Year

BIOLOGY
Fall Semester

COGNATE

1

BIOL181/191 Principles of Biology I/Lab
BIOL181/192 Principles of Biology II/Lab

Intro Chemistry (CHEM141/143)
MATH117

2

BIOL213 Behavioral Neurobiology
BIOL247 Lab in Neurophysiology
BIOL250 Lab in Cell & Molecular Neurobiology

CHEM251 Organic Chemistry plus lab OR
CHEM252 Organic Chemistry plus Lab

3

BIOL214 Evolution OR BIOL210 Genetics & Genomics
BIOL212 Cell Biology OR BIOL224 Hormones, Brain & Behavior OR BIOL 239 Brain Anatomy
OR BIOL245 Cellular Neurophysiology OR BIOL 249 Neuroethology

PHYS113 Intro Physics I  plus lab

4

BIOL247 Mammalian Cortical Circuits
BIOL345 Developmental Neurobiology
OR BIOL/NS&B 299 Waves, Brains and Music
OR BIOL235 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy