Undergraduate Degree Requirements
undergraduate program | degree requirements | minor requirements |strategies | courses| course offerings | course description | sample schedules |FAQ | departmental honors | teacher certification
The major in biology is designed to meet the minimum requirements for students interested in biology, premedicine, predentistry, and preveterinary medicine. Students interested in biomedical technology should consult the webpage that deals specifically with that program..
The requirements for the biology major are grouped into three categories.
- basic courses include introductory biology, math, chemistry, and physics,
- core requirement courses include one specific course each in developmental biology, ecology, genetics, molecular biology, and physiology, and
- biology electives of which the student selects four, chosen from the upper-level offerings (300-level and above) of the department.
Below are listed the three categories, the courses that can be used to complete each requirement, the prerequisite (if any), and the semester in which they are usually offered. Students should be aware that some courses are offered annually, some are offered every other year, and some are offered only occasionally. In addition, circumstances may dictate that a scheduled course be cancelled and/or another course be added. Consequently, students are urged to consult the current schedule of classes for the latest course offerings and to consult with a faculty member in the Biology Department for advisement.
Following the list of categories and some suggested strategies for completing the major as well as some sample schedules.
BASIC COURSES
| Course | Course Number | Prerequisite | When usually offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Biology I | 120:101 & 107 | none | Fall and Summer |
| General Biology II | 120:102 & 108 | General Biology I | Spring and Summer |
| Either Calculus for Business, Economics, and Life Sciences or Unified Calculus | 640:130 or 640:121 | Either a pre-calculus course or proper score on the math placement test | usually every semester |
| Chemical Principles I | 160:115 & 125 | none, but perhaps a pre-calculus course (see note for Chemical Principles II below) | Fall and Summer |
| Chemical Principles II | 160:116 & 126 | Chemical Principles I (Note: A calculus course must
be taken no later than concurrently with Chemical Principles II |
Spring and Summer |
| Organic Chemistry I | 160:335 & 339 | Chemical Principles I and II | Fall and Summer |
| Organic Chemistry II | 160:336 & 340 | Organic Chemistry I | Spring and Summer |
| General Physics I | 750:203 & 205 | A pre-calculus course is advised | Fall and Summer |
| General Physics II | 750:204 & 206 | General Physics I | Spring and Summer |
BIOLOGY CORE REQUIREMENT
| Course | Course Number | Prerequisite | When usually offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Either General Ecology (Lecture and Lab) or Ecology of Soil Organisms | 120:351 & 120:353 or 120:422 | General Biology I and II, and one semester of calculus | General Ecology in Fall, Ecology of Soil Organisms in Spring |
| Either Vertebrate Embryology (Lecture and Lab) or Developmental Botany (Lecture and Lab) | 990:304 & 990:306 or 130:310 & 130:311 | General Biology I and II | Spring |
| Genetics (Lecture and Lab) | 120:307 &120:308 | General Biology I and II and junior status or above | Fall |
| Molecular Biology (Lecture and Lab) | 120:305 & 120:306 | General Biology I and II and Organic Chemistry I and II | Fall |
| General Physiology (Lecture and Lab) or Plant Physiology (Lecture and Lab) | 760:301 & 760:302 or 780:301 & 780:302 | General Biology I and II and Organic Chemistry I |
General Physiology in Spring, Plant Physiology in Fall |
ELECTIVES
| Course | Course Number | Prerequisite | When usually offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Biochemistry I (Lab optional) | 115:403 | Organic Chemistry I and II | Fall |
| General Biochemistry II (Lab optional) | 115:404 | Organic Chemistry I and II | Spring |
| Cell Biology | 120:334 | General Biology I and II | Fall |
| Computers in Biology | 120:302 | General Biology I and II, Chemical Principles I and II, and one semester of calculus | Spring |
| Developmental Biology (Lecture and Lab) (see 1) | 130:310 & 130:311 | General Biology I and II | Spring |
| Ecology of Soil Organisms (see 1) | 120:422 | General Biology I and II | Spring |
| Evolution | 120:310 | General Biology I and II | Every other spring |
| General Ecology (Lecture and Lab) (see 1) | 120:351 & 120:353 | General Biology I and II | Fall |
| General Neurobiology | 120:344 | General Biology I and II | Fall |
| Human Genetics | 120:381 | General Biology I and II | Spring |
| Recombinant DNA Technology | 120:480/585 | General Biology I and II, Chemical Principles I and II, Organic Chemistry I and II and Molecular Biology | Spring |
| Special Problems in Biology | 120:491 | Permission of the instructor | By arrangement |
| General Microbiology (Lab optional) | 680:301 & 680:303 | General Biology I and II | Fall |
| Immunology and Serology (Lab optional) | 680:311 | General Biology I and II | Spring |
| Human Physiology (Lab optional) | 760:350 | General Biology I and II | Spring |
| Animal Behavior | 990:331 | General Biology I and II | Fall |
| Animal Histology (includes Lab) | 990:311 | General Biology I and II | Alternate Spring semesters |
| Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates (Lecture and Lab) | 990:301 & 990:302 | General Biology I and II | Alternate Spring semesters |
| Vertebrate Embryology (Lecture and Lab) (see 1) | 990:304 & 990:306 | General Biology I and II | Spring |
| Advanced Cell and Developmental Biology (graduate course) | 120:534 | Cell Biology or Vertebrate Embryology and permission of instructor | Alternate Fall semesters |
| Advanced Soil Ecology (graduate course) | 120:595 | A course in Ecology and permission of the instructor | occassionally |
| Biological Basis of Behavior (graduate course) | 120:536 | Permission of the instructor | Alternate Spring semesters |
| Cell and Tissue Culture (graduate course) | 120:521 | Permission of the instructor | |
| Cell Physiology (graduate course) | 120:508 | General Physiology or Biochemistry, and permission of the instructor | Alternate Fall semesters |
| Cell Ultrastructure and Function (graduate course) | 120:510 | A course in microbiology, cell biology or histology, and permission of the instructor | Every other spring |
| Cytogenetics (graduate course) | 120:509 | Genetics and permission of the instructor | Alternate Spring semesters |
| Endocrinology (graduate course) | 120:560 | General Physiology or Human Physiology, and permission of the instructor | Alternate Spring semesters |
| Fungi in Ecosystems (graduate course) | 120:580 | A course in Ecology and permission of the instructor | Alternate Fall semesters |
| Ichthyology (graduate course) | 120:511 | Chemical Principles I and II, a course in ecology, and permission of the instructor | Alternate Fall semesters |
| Immunology (graduate course) | 120:516 | A course in microbiology, cell biology or cell physiology, and permission of the instructor | Alternate Spring semesters |
| Life at Extremes (graduate course) | 120:588 | Permission of the instructor | Alternate Spring semesters |
| Mammalian Physiology (graduate course) | 120:512 | General Physiology or Biochemistry, and permission of the instructor | Alternate Fall semesters |
| Marine Biology (graduate course) | 120:505 | Chemical Principles I and II, a course in ecology, and permission of the instructor | Alternate Spring semesters |
| Molecular Genetics of Microorganisms (graduate course) | 120:529 | Permission of the instructor | Alternate Spring semesters |
| Neuroscience(graduate course) | 120:540 | Permission of the instructor | Fall |
| Neurobiology I (graduate course) | 120:555 | Permission of the instructor | Alternate Fall semesters |
| Neurobiology II (graduate course) | 120:556 | Permission of the instructor | Alternate Spring semesters |
| Neurochemistry (graduate course) | 120:575 | General Physiology or Cell Biology, and permission of the instructor | Alternate Fall semesters |
(1) These courses can be used as an elective only if you are not already using this course to fulfil the Core Requirement.
- Additional courses will occasionally be offered, consult the schedule of classes for details.
- Strategies and suggestions for completing the major can be found here.
Rutgers,
The State University of New Jersey