Requirements for the Biology Major
Students are encouraged to begin their major in the first year so that they can take maximum advantage of upper-level biology courses and research opportunities in later years. However, the major can certainly be successfully completed if begun during sophomore year, and many students are able to combine the biology major with a semester abroad.
A prospective biology major begins with a series of two core introductory courses. Students should begin the core series with BIOL181 and its associated laboratory course, BIOL191, which are offered in the fall semester. BIOL181 is offered in a number of small sections rather than a single large lecture class. These small sections allow for problem-based learning at a more individualized pace as students master the first semester of university-level biology. Students should enroll separately for the lab course, BIOL191. These courses do not have prerequisites or corequisites, but it is useful to have some chemistry background or to take chemistry concurrently. In the spring semester, the prospective major should take BIOL182 and its laboratory course, BIOL192. An optional spring course, BIOL194, is offered to students of BIOL182 who wish a challenging reading and discussion experience in addition to the lectures.
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The biology majors program of study consists of the following: |
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At least six elective biology courses at the 200 and 300 levels including:
(either MB&B208, BIOL210, BIOL212, or BIOL218) AND
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Among the 6 Biology elective courses, 3 must be used exclusively for the Biology major Note: No more than three of these mid-level courses (listed above) may be counted towards the six advanced elective requirement. |
Important Information for double majors: At least 3 electives (200-level and above) that are counted toward the Biology major cannot be simutaneously used to fulfill any other major.
In addition, double Bio/NS&B majors cannot count NS&B 213 toward the 6 electives but may count it to fulfill the Column 2 breadth requirement.
Courses outside the Biology Dept: |
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Two semesters of general chemistry (CHEM141-CHEM142 or CHEM143-CHEM144) |
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Any three additional semesters of related courses from at least two different departments
Biology majors are allowed to apply at most one elective course or one cognate course taken Note: Two Statistics courses, even from different departments cannot both be counted as cognate. |
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Please note: Students planning to go on to medical, dental, or other health professions graduate school should note that a year each of introductory biology, physics, and math (such as calculus or statistics) and two years of chemistry (general and organic) are required for admission, including any laboratory components. |
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Capstone Experience will be required for Biology Majors Declaring in 2020
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GENETICS, GENOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS |
PHYSIOLOGY, NEUROBIOLOGY and BEHAVIOR |
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MB&B 231 Microbiology
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CELL BIOLOGY & DEVELOPMENT |
EVOLUTION, ECOLOGY and CONSERVATION BIOLOGY |
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MB&B 232 Immunology
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ENVS353 Agricultural Food Webs |
ADDITIONAL COURSES WHICH MAY BE CREDITED TO THE MAJOR:
ANTH 202 Paleoanthropology: The Study of Human Evolution
ANTH 349 The Human Skeleton
E&ES 234 Geobiology
MB&B 228 Introductory Medical Biochemistry*
CHEM323 Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Disorders
CHEM383 Biochemistry
CHEM342 Molecules to Medicine
*MB&B 228 Intro Medical Biochem may be counted as long as neither MB&B208 nor MB&B383 is counted toward the major.
Additional information:
- 400 level courses (research tutorials) are not creditable toward the major, but do receive university credit.
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With prior permission of the departmental undergraduate liaison (2019-2020 Prof Mike Singer (msinger@wesleyan.edu), up to two life science courses from outside the department or from another institution may be counted toward the major. See courses listed above.
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Research done with non-Wesleyan faculty at other institutions does not receive Wesleyan credit.
See Wesmaps for more information regarding the courses .