Majors & Minors

This major program develops an appreciation of the levels of organization of life, its diversity, and the processes by which life has achieved its present forms. The program is recommended for those who wish to study biology as part of a liberal education, to prepare for a teaching career in secondary schools, or to prepare for graduate study in biology or the health professions.

Biology Major Program Guide (PDF) 

Biology Minor Guide (PDF)

Biology, Health, and Society (BHS) is recommended for students interested in a broad view of biology and the interactions between science and society, whether focused on health, education, or the environment. The major is appropriate for pre-health students, as well as those who wish to pursue professional school (e.g., law school) or other non-biology-specific career options where knowledge of the natural sciences would be beneficial.  BHS also works well when paired with a (non-science) field of study in a dual major. It differs from other Biology majors in that it requires fewer credits, less laboratory work, and has more breadth. 

Biology, Health & Society Major Program Guide (PDF) 

The curriculum in Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology (MCDB) offers students an integrated program of study and training in the biological and physical sciences. It is a pathway to graduate study in areas of biology and medicine that emphasizes a quantitative and analytical approach to the life sciences.

MCDB Program Guide (PDF) 

5-yr. B.S./M.S. Program in Cellular and Molecular Biomedical Science

This program is designed for students enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. The program is jointly administered by the Department of MCDB (College of LS&A) and the Biomedical Engineering (BME) Department (College of Engineering). A matriculating student will receive the B.S. in Cellular and Molecular Biology (CMB) from the College of LS&A and a M.S. in Biomedical Engineering (BME) from the College of Engineering.

Students will be admitted to the program only after completing the major prerequisites with a grade point average of 3.2 or higher. Admission to the program must be approved by advisors from the Departments of MCDB and BME.

CMBS Program Guide (PDF)  

CMBS Program Application

The Ecology, Evolution, & Biodiversity (EEB) major provides a comprehensive foundation in the biological sciences, places an emphasis on undergraduate research experience, and provides an integrated perspective on the origins and complex interactions of the earth's biodiversity and ecosystems. It focuses on numerous levels of biological organization over multiple time scales, including studies of genes and genomes, individual organisms, populations, communities and ecosystems. The major is highly suitable for students who wish to pursue career pathways in a wide variety of disciplines. These include graduate studies in the biological, public health and medical, dental, and veterinary professions, conservation and natural resource management, teaching at the K-12 level, positions in the local, state and federal governments, non-profit/non-governmental organizations, and private sector opportunities such as environmental consulting agencies.

Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity Program Guide (PDF) 

EEB Minor Requirements (PDF)

Microbiology includes the study of viruses, algae, bacteria, protozoa, and fungi. Immunobiology is also included within the science of microbiology. A major in microbiology prepares students for graduate study in microbiology, biochemistry, agricultural science, and food science as well as for study in other areas of biology which emphasize cellular structures and their function. A bachelor's degree in microbiology may qualify students for entry-level positions in medical, industrial, or governmental laboratories.

Students intending to go to graduate school should have at least two terms of research experience. These can appear as graded courses, UROP participation, or be independent of the graded curriculum. Most graduate school-bound students will have 1-2 graded research courses (2-4 credits/each) on record. Students intending to go to graduate school will need research experience as well as two terms of calculus and two terms of physics. Students intending to go to medical school will need to take two terms of Physics and CHEM 230.

Microbiology Program Guide (PDF) 

Neuroscience is the study of the nervous system. Neuroscientists aim to understand how the nervous system develops and functions on a cellular level as well as the mechanisms that underlie behavior, mental disorders and disease.  

The faculty teaching courses in the major include cellular and molecular neuroscientists appointed in the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB) and behavioral and cognitive neuroscientists appointed in the Department of Psychology. 

Neuroscience Program Guide (PDF)

The Neuroscience major is administered by the Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience.