Changes to the Biology BS Curriculum
Bio curriculum- health professions presentation
The biology department is in the process of revisiting the Biology curriculum. We want to offer a more flexible and student-centered curriculum that will represent the exceedingly broad field of study that Biology has become.
The curriculum is expected to be updated in two successive steps. First, we changed a few requirements that address the non-biology classes (e.g. chemistry and physics). These changes became effective in Fall 2021.
Second, we plan to change a few requirements that address the biology classes (e.g. core classes). These changes will become effective in Fall 2022 and will apply only to the students who enter UNC in fall 22 or later.
These changes will affect the Biology BS major and not the Biology BA or the Quantitative Biology majors. The changes were approved by the college on March 2021.
While the changes will be mainly relevant to the incoming class of Fall 2021, we will allow our current students to “opt forward” and adopt these changes.
The two main sets of changes that changed in 21 were : 1) to reduce the number of required Chemistry courses and 2) to provide more flexibility in our quantitative options. The detailed new requirements are shown below.
To learn about the changes and most importantly, to understand how these changes might impact your course planning as a biology major (and maybe a pre-med or pre-graduate student or anyone who plans to go to a professional school), please watch the short presentation led by Dr. Gidi Shemer at the top of this page.
If you wish to opt forward to the Fall 21 semester and you entered UNC before fall 21, set a meeting with a gen ed advisor and ask to change your major to the fall 21 curriculum.
For more questions and assistance, please contact Dr. Gidi Shemer, the Biology faculty advisor at bishemer@email.unc.edu
We encourage you to work with the faculty advisor, the general college advisors and the pre-health professions advisors (if relevant) to discuss these changes and to adapt your course planning, if interested.
Here are the new updated requirements for Fall 2021.
1. Biology BS majors will be required to complete the following chemistry courses (total of 3 classes):
• Chem 101/L (general chemistry I and lab)
• Chem 102/L (general chemistry II and lab)
• Chem 261 (organic chemistry I)
2. Biology BS majors will be required to complete the following STEM courses (total of 6 classes):
• Math 231 (Calculus I)
• Phys 114 or Phys 118 (physics I)
• Two of the following four options:
1. MATH232
2. PHYS115 or PHYS119
3. Programming class (COMP110 or COMP116 or BIOL222)
4. STOR 120 or STOR151 or STOR155
• Two allied science courses from an approved list