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BA- Fall 22 curriculum

Starting in Fall 2022, the Biology department will offer a new curriculum for the incoming students of Fall 22 or later.

The principles upon which new curriculum is designed are:

  1. The curriculum will be student-centered (i.e. based on learning outcomes and student needs).
  2. The curriculum will allow biology majors to build up skills and mastery of concepts in a gradual manner as they progress through their college years.
  3. The curriculum will allow more flexibility and give students the ability to focus more on their interests, without compromising on a well-rounded biological education.

 

Biology course requirements

1)  All Biology majors will complete (or place out of, e.g. through AP credit) BIOL 101 and BIOL 101 lab.

2)  All Biology majors will complete 2 fundamental courses and 1 fundamental lab/recitation.

BIOL 103- How cells function.

BIOL 104- Biodiversity.

BIOL 105L– Biological research skills.

*There is no specific order by which the fundamentals need to be taken. We strongly encourage students to take all fundamentals in the early stages of their college career. All of the three need to be completed before taking any 400-level biology elective.

 

3) Biology BA majors will complete 5 courses beyond the fundamental courses.

These courses will include at least of 2 of the 5 following core intermediate level courses:

  1. Cell Biology- BIOL 240
  2. Ecology- BIOL 260
  3. Evolution- BIOL 250
  4. Molecular Genetics- BIOL 220
  5. Organismal biology- a choice from a group of classes.

*Each core class requires one (and only one) specific biology fundamental.

4) Biology BA majors will complete at least 2 biology labs (1 lab starting Fall 24)

*Not including BIOL 101L and 105L

*A single semester (and no more than a single semester) of BIOL 395 can serve as a lab.

5) Biology BA majors will complete at least of 1 upper-level biology course (≥ 400).

 

Non- Biology STEM requirements

1) Biology BA majors will be required to complete the following chemistry courses (total of 2 classes):

• CHEM 101/L (general chemistry I and lab)
• CHEM 102/L (general chemistry II and lab)

2) Biology BA majors will be required to complete 1 of the following quantitative reasoning courses:

• COMP 110, 116, MATH 130, 231, STOR 120, 151, 155, BIOL 222.

3) Biology BA majors will be required to complete 4 allied science courses.

 

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