Academics Major Requirements

Biology Major Course Requirements

2007-2008 Course Descriptions

Spring 2008 Room and Time Rosters

The requirements for the biological sciences major are listed below. These courses must be taken for a letter grade, unless the course is offered for S-U grades only.
  1. Introductory biology for majors (one year): BIOG 1101-1104 or 1105-1106. BIOG 1107-1108 and BIOSM 1110, offered during the eight-week Cornell Summer Session for 8 credits, also satisfies the introductory biology requirement for majors. Students may choose to accept advanced placement if they have received a score of 5 on the Advanced Placement Examination of the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). Students with a score of 4 must fulfill the introductory biology requirement by taking BIOG 1101-1102, 1101 and 1103, 1102 and 1104, 1103-1104, 1105, or 1106. These students should consult information available in the course office (1140 Comstock Hall) and in the Office of Undergraduate Biology (216 Stimson Hall) to determine which semester to complete the introductory biology requirement.
  2. General chemistry (one year): CHEM 2070-2080, or 2150-2160.
  3. College mathematics (one year): one semester of calculus (MATH 1106, 1110 or their equivalent) plus one semester selected from the following:
    • a second semester of calculus* (MATH 1120, 1910, or their equivalents).
    • a course in finite mathematics (BTRY 4170, MATH 1105, 2310).
    • a course in statistics** (BTRY 3010, MATH 1710, AEM 2100, PSYCH 3500, ILR 2100).

    * Students interested in quantitative aspects of biology (e.g., computational, physical, population biology) are advised to satisfy the mathematics requirement with two semesters of calculus.

    ** Although not required for the biological sciences major, a course in statistics is recommended for students planning graduate study or a research career. Students should consult their faculty advisors when choosing appropriate courses in statistics.

  4. Organic chemistry: CHEM 1570 and 2510, or 3570-3580 and 2510, or 3570-3580 and 3010, 3590-3600 and 2510, or 3590-3600 and 3010.
  5. Physics: PHYS 1101-1102, 2207-2208 or 1112-2213. Those who take PHYS 1112-2213 are advised to complete PHYS 2214 as well.
  6. Genetics: BIOGD 2810.
  7. Biochemistry: BIOBM 3300, or 3310 and 3320, or 3330.
  8. Evolutionary Biology: BIOEE 2780 or BIOPL 4480.

  9. A Program of Study selected from the following areas: animal physiology, computational biology, biochemistry, ecology and evolutionary biology, general biology, genetics and development, insect biology, microbiology, molecular and cell biology, neurobiology and behavior, nutrition, plant biology (either botany or plant biotechnology), systematics & biotic diversity or an "independent" area of study designed by the student and approved by the Biological Sciences Curriculum Committee.