Suggested 4-year Plan
- We encourage you to select your General Education (GE) and minor/second major/Themed Inquiry/Honors program around the plan below. Once you fill your GE classes around your major classes, you will have a better idea of space remaining each semester when choosing your Exploration Focus.
- To be enrolled full time, you must take at least 12 credits a semester.
- In order to graduate within 4 years, we recommend you take 30 credits a year.
Year 1
Fall Semester (14 credits for major)
- FFC 100B First Year Foundations: Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering (3 credits)
- MATH 110 Single Variable Calculus I (3 credits)*
- CHEM 140 General Chemistry I (3 credits)*
- CHEM 140L General Chemistry I Laboratory (1 credit)*
- BIOL 204 From Molecules to Cells: Evolution of Life on Earth (Gen Biol I), Lecture and Laboratory (4 credits)*
Spring Semester (14 credits for major)
- BIOL 101 Introduction to the Biological Sciences Major (1 credit)
- MATH 111 Single Variable Calculus II (3 credits)*
- CHEM 150 General Chemistry II (3 credits)
- CHEM 150L General Chemistry II Laboratory (1 credit)
- SCI 150 Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering I (1 credit)
- BIOL 205 Evolution and Diversity of Multicellular Organisms (Gen Biol II), Lecture and Laboratory (4 credits)
* These courses may be waived with appropriate test scores. You can find the test score requirements to waive these courses on the Biological Sciences Catalog page.
Year 2
Fall Semester (11-12 credits for major)
- SCI 200 Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering II (1 credit)
- CHEM 230 Organic Chemistry I (3 credits)
- CHEM 230L Organic Chemistry I Laboratory (1 credit)
- CPSC 292 Introduction to Exploratory Data Analysis (3 credits)**
- Biology Elective (3-4 credits)
Spring Semester (7-8 credits for major)
- SCI 250 Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering III (1 credit)
- MATH 303 Biostatistics (3 credits)
- Biology Elective (3-4 credits)*
** This course may be waived with appropriate test scores. You can find the test score requirements to waive these courses on the Biological Sciences Catalog page.
*** You can find the list of electives for your area of study on the Biological Sciences Catalog Page. Biology requirements must total a minimum of 24 credits, of which 16 credits must be lab based. To complete the remaining 8 credits, students may take 2 or 3 courses, depending on the credits of the courses taken.
Year 3
If you are accepted into the Integrated Bachelor of Science/Master of Science in Food Science program, you should consult with their faculty advisor about graduate-level courses. These courses can be taken as part of the integrated program as electives in the undergraduate program.
Fall Semester (10-12 credits for major)
- PHYS 107 General Physics for the Life Sciences I, Lecture and Laboratory (4 credits)
- Area of Study Elective (3-4 credits)
- Area of Study Elective (3-4 credits)
Spring Semester (7-8 credits for major)
- PHYS 108 General Physics for the Life Sciences II, Lecture and Laboratory (4 credits)
- Area of Study Elective (3-4 credits)
Year 4
Fall Semester (6-11 credits for major)
- Area of Study Elective (3-4 credits)
- Area of Study Elective (3-4 credits)
- BIOL 498 Capstone Course for Biological Sciences Majors (3 credits)****
Spring Semester (3-7 credits for major)
- BIOL 494 Senior Research: Data Analysis and Presentation (3 credits) or Area of Study Elective (3-4 credits)
- BIOL 498 Capstone Course for Biological Sciences Majors (3 credits)****
**** BIOL 498 can be taken in either the Fall or Spring Semester of your fourth year.
