Course Requirements
The Major
The curriculum for biology majors consists of two core sequences: 1) a Math
and Physical Sciences Core of courses required of all majors, and 2) a very
flexible Biological Sciences Core that allows students
to explore the diversity of biology.
The department also offers a Biology
Minor.
The major requirements consist of at least 65 credits, with a minimum grade of C required in all courses counted toward the major requirements. No course taken more than two times may be applied toward a major requirement.
I. Math and Physical Sciences Core (30 credits)
A. PHYSIC 131/33 and 132/34 Introductory Physics;
B. CHEM 111 and 112 General Chemistry for Science and Engineering
Majors;
C. CHEM 261, 262, and 269 Organic Chem/Organic Lab for Nonmajors;
D. One of the following courses:
STATISTC 240 Intro to Statistics;
RES ECON 211 Intro Statistics/Life Science;
E. One of the following courses:
MATH 127 Calculus for Life & Social Sciences;
MATH 128 Calculus for Life & Social Sciences;
PUBHLTH 540 Introductory Biostatistics;
STATIS 501 Methods of Applied Statistics;
CMPSCI 121 Introduction to Problem Solving
with Computers.
Note: Students planning post-graduate study are encouraged to take two or more of the courses listed in part E above.
II. Biological Science Core (35 credits)
A. BIOL 100 and 101 Introductory Biology;
Note: Biology majors must achieve a grade of C or better in BIOL 100
and 101 before additional Biology courses may be taken.
B. BIOL 312 Writing in Biology.
C. At least 25 additional credits in biological science courses numbered
200 or above. These credits must include:
i. at least 13 credits in courses numbered 300 and above;
ii. at least one course related to plant biology and one course related
to animal biology;
iii. at least two courses with a laboratory or field component;
iv. at least one course in four of the following five areas:
The 25 additional credits must be chosen from a list of approved
courses (below), except that the credits may include up to three credits
of Independent Study. In addition, the credits may also include up to 3 credits
of Undergraduate Teaching Practicum in a Biology Department course.
The 25 additional credits MUST be taken in the Biology Department of UMass Amherst. Note that this stipulation excludes courses taken while on exchange, in other departments at UMass Amherst, or at other colleges. (Exception: With advance approval from his or her advisor, a student may substitute a 500-level course taken outside the UMass Amherst Biology Department for a course applied toward the 25 additional credits.)
The Minor
An undergraduate minor in Biology requires successful completion of at least
17 credits (all with grade of 'C' or better) from the Biological Sciences Core:
I. BIOL 100 and 101 Introductory Biology;
II. Three additional Biology Department courses chosen from the list
of approved courses for the major, subject to the
following stipulations.
i. Each of the three courses must be from a different subject area;
ii. No more than one of the three courses may also be used to satisfy
the requirements of another major;
iii. Only 3-credit and 4-credit courses may be used;
iv. Only Biology Department courses may be used;
v. All three courses must be taken at UMass Amherst.
Approved Course List
The following lists specify the courses that may be taken toward fulfillment
of the biology core requirements. If a course appears in more than one area,
it may used to fill only one area requirement.
GENETICS and MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
BIOL 283 General Genetics
BIOL 284 Genetics Lab [Lab]
BIOL 285 Cell & Molecular Biology
BIOL 391H Cell & Molec: A Problems Approach
BIOL 397AH Gene & Genome Analysis [PL] [Lab as of 2007]
BIOL 491H Molecular Biology of Model Systems [PL] [Lab]
BIOL 514 Population Genetics
BIOL 597A Cancer Genetics
BIOL 597J Plant Genetics [PL]
CELLULAR BIOLOGY and DEVELOPMENT
BIOL 285 Cell & Molecular Biology
BIOL 297C Cell & Molecular Biology Lab [Lab]
BIOL 391H Cell & Molec: A Problems Approach
BIOL 491H Molecular Biology of Model Systems [PL] [Lab]
BIOL 497B Plant Cell Biology [PL]
BIOL 497D Bioimaging [Lab]
BIOL 523 Histology [Lab]
BIOL 559 Cell & Molecular Biology II
BIOL 580 Developmental Biology
PHYSIOLOGY
BIOL 297A Introductory Physiology
BIOL 510 Plant Physiology [PL]
BIOL 511 Plant Physiology Lab [PL] [Lab]
BIOL 564/565 Human Physiology [Lab if 565]
BIOL 566/567 Comparative Animal Physiology [Lab if 567]
BIOL 568/569 Endocrinology [Lab if 569]
BIOL 571 Biological Rhythms
BIOL 572 Neurobiology
BIOL 597E Sex Steriods
EVOLUTION and BIODIVERSITY
BIOL 280 Evolution
BIOL 297B Marine Vertebrates
BIOL 426 New England Flora [PL] [Lab]
BIOL 485 Aquatic Vascular Plants [PL] [Lab]
BIOL 497H Tropical Field Biology [PL] [Lab]
BIOL 504 Plant Morphology [PL] [Lab]
BIOL 514 Population Genetics
BIOL 521 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy [Lab]
BIOL 522 Vertebrate Fossils and Evolution [Lab]
BIOL 528 Principles of Evolution
BIOL 540 Herpetology [Lab]
BIOL 542 Ichthyology [Lab]
BIOL 544 Ornithology [Lab]
BIOL 548 Mammalogy [Lab]
BIOL 597G Environmental Evolution
BIOL 597L Principles of Molecular Evolution [Lab]
ECOLOGY and BEHAVIOR
BIOL 287 Introductory Ecology
BIOL 421 Plant Ecology [PL] [Lab]
BIOL 426 New England Flora [PL] [LAB]
BIOL 485 Aquatic Vascular Plants [PL] [Lab]
BIOL 497H Tropical Field Biology [PL] [Lab]
BIOL 544 Ornithology [Lab]
BIOL 550 Animal Behavior
MISCELLANEOUS
BIOL 597D Biometry
BIOL 597F Technology in Biology Education
[PL] = Course that fulfills the "plant course" requirement.
[Lab] = Course that fulfills the "lab or field component" requirement.
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