BA in Biology—Behavioral Biology Specialization

The BA in Biology with Behavioral Biology Specialization includes a total of 12 courses in biology, anthropology, and psychology, and the two-credit Seminar in Behavioral Biology (BI 224).

Course titles and full descriptions are located in the Courses portion of this bulletin.

Prerequisite Biology Courses

• CAS BI 107
• CAS BI 108 (or BI 118)

Breadth Requirement Courses

• Cell & Molecular Biology (CM): CAS BI 206 (recommended) or BI 216: or CAS BI 203 or BI 213
• Physiology and Neurobiology (PN): CAS BI 315 or BI 325 (or CAS NE 203)
• Ecology, Behavior, Evolution (EBE): CAS BI 407

Required 2-credit Seminar

• CAS BI 224

Primary Electives

Choose two:

• CAS BI 230
• CAS BI 502
• CAS BI 508
• CAS BI 520
• CAS BI 545
• CAS AN 335 (counts as 1 of 2 AN or PS requirements)

Biology, Anthropology, and Psychology Electives

Choose five (a maximum of two must have an AN or PS designation, unless CAS AN 335 is taken as a primary elective course):

• CAS BI 230
• CAS BI 302
• CAS BI 303
• CAS BI 306
• CAS BI 309
• CAS BI 325 (or NE 203)
• CAS BI 414
• CAS BI 425
• CAS BI 442
• CAS BI 502
• CAS BI 506
• CAS BI 508
• CAS BI 512
• CAS BI 519
• CAS BI 520
• CAS BI 545
• CAS BI 554
• CAS BI 582
• CAS AN 263
• CAS AN 331
• CAS AN 332
• CAS AN 333
• CAS AN 334
• CAS AN 335
• CAS AN 336
• CAS AN 338
• CAS AN 339
• CAS AN 534
• CAS AN 552
• CAS AN 558
• CAS PS 205
• CAS PS 231
• CAS PS 234
• CAS PS 333
• CAS PS 337
• CAS PS 338
• CAS PS 528

Note: Among the breadth requirement courses, primary elective courses, and biology, anthropology, and psychology elective courses, at least three must be at the 300–500 level, and three must have a laboratory component. A 300–500-level course with a laboratory simultaneously counts toward both requirements.

Tropical Ecology Program (TEP)*:

• CAS BI/GE 438
• CAS BI/GE 439
• CAS BI/GE 440
• CAS BI/GE 441

Marine Semester (MS)*, students choose one course for each block:

• Block 1: CAS BI 546
• Block 2: CAS BI 563
• Block 3: CAS BI 531 or BI 569
• Block 4: CAS BI 532

*Note: Students must apply and be accepted into the TEP and MS to take the courses listed above. TEP and MS courses fulfill 4 of the 6 additional principal biology courses and satisfy the biology concentration requirement of three courses at the 300–500 level, and three courses with a laboratory or field component.

Undergraduate Research Options

CAS BI 191/192 or BI 291/292 may be taken for elective credit by freshmen and sophomores, respectively; these courses may only be taken for 2 credits per semester.

To receive credit toward the major, research must be done on an approved topic.

A maximum of 8 credits (two courses) from the following courses may be counted as Biology, Anthropology, and Psychology electives, but no more than 4 credits (one course) will apply toward the laboratory requirement.

• CAS BI 391/392
• CAS BI 401/402
• CAS BI 491/492

Note: Junior and senior biology research or their equivalents in biological anthropology or psychology may be counted toward the behavioral specialization.

Prerequisite and Corequisite Chemistry Courses

Three courses in chemistry are required for the biology major and may be chosen from the following tracks:

Standard (recommended) track:

• CAS CH 101 (or 109 or 111); plus
• CAS CH 102 (or 110 or 112); plus
• CAS CH 203 (or 211)

Alternative track (not for students interested in the health professions):

• CAS CH 171; plus
• CAS CH 174; plus
• CAS CH 273

Note: CAS CH 101/102 (or 171/174) should be taken concurrently with CAS BI 107/108 (or 107/118). CAS CH 203 (or 211 or 273) is a corequisite for BI 203 and a prerequisite for BI 206. Most biology majors elect to take a fourth semester of chemistry, BI 204 (or 212 or 214), which is a requirement for medical and other professional schools.

Required Mathematics or Computer Science Courses

Two courses in mathematics or one each in mathematics and computer science are required for the biology major:

Calculus courses:

• CAS MA 121 and 122; or
• CAS MA 123 and 124; or
• CAS MA 196; or
• CAS MA 127; or
• CAS MA 129

Note: Either MA 127 or MA 129 can be taken to satisfy both biology math requirements.

Statistics courses:

• CAS MA 115 and 116; or
• CAS MA 213 and 214

Computer Science Courses:

• CAS CS 108 or
• CAS CS 111

Combinations:

• Any one course in calculus plus any one course in statistics from those listed above.
• Any one course in computer science from those listed above plus any one course in calculus from those listed above.

Required Physics Courses

Two courses in physics:

• CAS PY 105/106 or
• CAS PY 211/212 or
• CAS PY 241/242

Note: A student may take PY 211 and PY 106 to satisfy the physics requirement.