Department of Biology

Requirements for a Biology Major

All biology majors will complete a common core of biology courses and additional supporting courses. However, an appropriate course of study at the undergraduate level will vary from student to student depending upon the student's interests and career goals. For example, students majoring in biology may choose to take a broad course of study in the discipline thus maximizing exposure to major disciplinary concepts and providing a strong background for specialization at the graduate level. Alternatively, biology majors may choose to focus on a particular subdiscipline of biology or on the intersection of biology with another discipline.

After core and intermediate level study, biology majors often participate in a research experience at the advanced level, which is empirical in nature (i.e. based on the testing of an hypothesis through observation or experimentation.) Ordinarily, students complete this research during their junior or senior year after significant coursework in biology and supporting disciplines has been completed.

Students are normally expected to satisfy the major requirements in effect at the time they declare their major. The requirements for a major in biology are: 36 credits in biology and six supporting courses.

Transfer students wanting to graduate from Macalester with a major in Biology must take at least four 4-credit Biology courses at Macalester, only one of which can be an internship or independent.

Required core courses in biology:

Biology 255 Cell Biology & Genetics Laboratory
Biology 260 Genetics
Biology 265 Cell Biology
Biology 270 Biodiversity & Evolution
Biology 285 Ecology

The required core courses may be taken in any order; however, Biol 260 (Genetics) is normally taken before Biology 265 (Cell Biology) since Chemistry 112 or concurrent enrollment is a prerequisite for Cell Biology. Biology 255 (Cell Biology & Genetics Laboratory) must be taken concurrently with either Biology 260 or 265. The core courses have been developed for students beginning their Biology education. Ideally, the core courses should be completed by the end of the sophomore year, and no later than the end of the junior year.

Four upper level biology courses, at least two with laboratory

Two semesters of the Biology Seminar (Biology 489)

Biology Seminar is taken during the junior or senior year, with at least one semester taken during the senior year.

The Biology Seminar is required as the capstone experience and consists of:

1) participation in the one-credit course, Biology Seminar (Biology 489), for two semesters, one of which must be during the senior year;

2) the production of a major thesis-driven, analytical paper during the senior year, written through multiple drafts, which includes a thorough review of the literature; and

3) the delivery of an oral presentation to the department or at an approved undergraduate or professional research conference during the senior year.

Required supporting courses:

Chemistry 111 General Chemistry I and Chemistry 112 General Chemistry II, or 115 Accelerated General Chemistry
Math 135 Applied Calculus (see math/statistics guidelines)
Math 155 Introduction to Statistical Modeling (see math/statistics guidelines)

Note: Deviations from the Math 135/155 sequence will not be accepted unless approved ahead of time by the Chair.

Two elective supporting courses.

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Comments and questions to Mark Davis: davis@macalester.edu