OPTIONS FOR GETTING STARTED ON A LIFE SCIENCE MAJOR IN:
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
BIOLOGY
NEUROSCIENCE AND BEHAVIOR

Information given to freshmen and their Advisors

WHICH BIOL OR MBB COURSE SHOULD YOU TAKE?
181-1, 181-2/3 or 195?

We have three different paths for starting toward the Biology (BIOL), Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (MBB), or Neuroscience and Behavior (NSB) majors, to suit the needs of students with different backgrounds.  All are crosslisted between Biol and MBB, meaning they can be taken under either department.

The most common entry point is MB&B/BIOL 181-1, with associated lab 191, but the other sections are appropriate for some. 

 NOTE: Students enroll for the 191 labs separately.  It is recommended that students, especially those intending to major in the life sciences, should have taken chemistry, or should be taking it concurrently.

What about the other sections of 181?

          Section 2 or 3 of MBB/Bio 181 is a good choice for students preferring greater emphasis on continuous assessment and problem-based learning. Given the small enrollment, this section is also a good choice for students with less extensive previous backgrounds in biology. The information role of DNA and proteins in molecular cellular biology will be a central theme throughout the course. Sections 2 and 3 will address similar topics to Section 1. Students should enroll separately in MBB/BIOL191.

What about MBB/BIOL 195?

         MBB/BIOL 195 is an honors level component of MBB/BIOL 181 designed for students with a substantial background in Biology. All of the material and lectures of MBB/BIOL 181-1 are included, plus an additional one and one-half hour meeting per week that covers related specific topics in considerably greater depth. MBB/BIOL 195 is a limited enrollment, permission-of-instructor course.  Students interested in taking this course should enroll in MBB or BIOL 181-1, and contact one of the instructors (Prof. Infante or Prof. McAlear) as soon as possible to apply to switch to 195 during the first week of the course.

Can you get into the course you want?

        Section 1 of BIOL/MBB 181 has no enrollment limit, though some of the different time slots for the associated lab, 191, may fill more quickly than others.  Sections 2 and 3 have limited enrollment, but spaces do open up during Add/Drop.  Contact Prof. Weir if you are trying to get in.    MBB/BIOL 195 is limited, and by permission of instructor, so you must apply to Prof. Infante or Prof. McAlear during the first week.

Advice from the Instructors:

        There are Teaching Apprentice help sessions, Faculty Office hours, Mentored Study Groups, and lab TA office hours for each of the courses. Take advantage of them, whichever section you take.

Other options:

        If you are looking for other introductory level and non-majors science courses, search Wesmaps under "Gen-Ed = NSM"

And remember:     

        There really is time during Add/Drop to sort yourself out into the right place. 

Beyond the lecture hall

Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of enrichment and assistance available beyond the required lectures and labs in the introductory Biology and Chemistry courses. For each course, there are office hours and help sessions held both by the instructor and by teaching assistants, scheduled throughout the week and by appointment. There are also mentored study groups, in which students in each course are set up in groups of 3 - 5 to meet regularly with a mentor who took the course the previous year, to go over course material and to share study hints and problem-solving strategies.

All of the life science community is enriched by the weekly departmental seminar series, in which speakers are invited from different institutions to speak about their work. Some of the material is more suited to upper level students, but all are welcome to come hear about the latest cutting-edge research in the life sciences.