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 four introductory courses. Students should begin the core series with BIOL181 - Principles of Biology I and its associated laboratory course BIOL191 - Principles of Biology I--Laboratory, which are offered in the fall semester. BIOL181 - Principles of Biology I 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 - Principles of Biology I--Laboratory. 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 - Principles of Biology II and its laboratory course, BIOL192 - Principles of Biology II--Laboratory.
The Biology Major program of study consists of the following:
1. Four required introductory courses:
- BIOL181 - Principles of Biology I: Cell Biology and Molecular Basis of Heredity
- BIOL191 - Principles of Biology I--Laboratory
- BIOL182 - Principles of Biology II
- BIOL192 - Principles of Biology II--Laboratory
2. At least 2 six mid-level electives, including one from each column in the chart below:
Please Note: No more than 3 of the mid-level electives listed above may be counted towards the six elective requirement. Additionally, Bio/NS&B double majors may count BIOL/NS&B 213 toward the column 2 requirement, but may not count it towards the remaining four mid-level electives.
3. The four remaining mid-level electives can be selected from the courses below:
Please Note: Among the 6 Biology mid-level elective courses, 3 must be used exclusively for the Biology major. For double majors, at least 3 mid-level electives that are counted toward the Biology major cannot be simultaneously used to fulfill any other major requirements.
4. Two required Chemistry courses:
- CHEM 141 - General Chemistry I and CHEM 142 - General Chemistry II
OR - CHEM 143 - Principles of Chemistry I and CHEM 144 - Principles of Chemistry II
5. Required science outside of the Biology Department (aka cognates). Students may choose any 3 of the following from at least 2 departments:
- Physics Cognates
- Organic Chemistry Cognates
- Mathematics Cognates
- MATH 117 - Introductory Calculus
- Or a course higher than MATH 117
- Statistics/Quantitative Analysis Cognates
- Computer Science Cognates
- BIOL 265 - Bioinformatics Programming
- BIOL 266 - Bioinformatics (0.5 credit)
- BIOL/CIS 271 - Systems Biology with Programming (0.5 credit)
- COMP 112 - Introduction to Programming
- COMP 114 - How to Talk to Machines
- COMP 115 - How to Design Programs
- COMP 211 - Computer Science I
- Or a course higher than COMP 211
- Earth & Environmental Science Cognates
Please Note: Two Statistics courses, even from different departments, cannot both be counted towards the cognate requirement. Additionally, students cannot use E&ES280 to fulfill a cognate requirement if they use QAC231.
6. A Capstone Experience is required for Biology Majors. To fulfill this requirement, students must complete one of the following:
- One semester of a 300-level course (seminar, lab, or field course)
- The BIOL/MB&B 338 or 339 Seminar Series can count towards this requirement
- One semester of a 400-level research tutorial
- Two semesters of a Senior Thesis tutorial
- One semester of a 500-level journal club
- Summer research internship in Biology or a related life sciences area
Additional Courses That Can be Credited to the Biology Major:
- ARCP 203 - The Secrets of Ancient Bones: Discovering Ancient DNA and Archaeology
- ARCP 257 - Environmental Archaeology
- CHEM 323 - Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Disorders
- CHEM 325 - Introduction to Biomolecular Structure
- CHEM 383 - Biochemistry
Additional Information for Your Consideration:
- Students planning to go on to graduate school for medical, dental, or other health-related professions should note that a year each of introductory biology, physics, and math (ex: calculus or statistics) and two years of chemistry (general and organic), including any laboratory components, are generally required for admission.
- A strong chemistry background is especially recommended for students planning to enter graduate or medical school. Most medical and other health-related graduate schools require two years of college-level chemistry, including laboratory components, as well as a course in biochemistry.
- Please visit WesMaps for the most current course offerings. Please also note that courses listed above are grouped thematically for your convenience, but that courses are listed in numerical order on WesMaps.
- 400-level Biology tutorial courses contribute toward graduation, but do not count toward the major. The exception would be if a tutorial is used for the Capstone Experience.
- With prior permission of the departmental undergraduate liaison Professor Mike Singer (msinger@wesleyan.edu), up to two life science courses from outside the Biology Department or from another institution may be counted toward the major. For examples of courses of other departmental courses within Wesleyan University that may count, please see the list in the section above.
- Research done with non-Wesleyan faculty at other institutions does not receive Wesleyan credit.
- Biology majors are allowed to apply at most one elective course or one cognate course taken credit/unsatisfactory toward fulfilling the major requirements. However, this is discouraged as good performance in major courses is an important aspect of a student's transcript.