Biology Major

The Department of Biology offers a major program designed to provide students with a common conceptual foundation through two required courses and an opportunity to pursue breadth and specialization through an extensive selection of elective course offerings, seminars, and research tutorials. Questions about requirements may be directed to the department chair.

Major Requirements

The major program consists of the following requirements:

Required Biology Courses

• BIOL 181 - Evolution, Ecology, and Diversity and  
• BIOL 182 - Molecules, Cells, and Genes and  
  Both courses and their credit bearing laboratory components must be completed with a grade of C- or better.

Required Chemistry Courses

General Chemistry sequence:

• CHEM 101 - General Chemistry I and  
• CHEM 102 - General Chemistry II and  
  or, if eligible, the following course may be substituted for the above sequence:
• 
  CHEM 111 - Chemical Principles and  

Process of Biology

Courses fulfilling this requirement have an attribute of BIPB in the course offerings.

One course with lab from the following list:

• BIOL 201 - Evolution and   
• BIOL 202 - Genetics and   
• BIOL 203 - Ecology and   
• BIOL 204 - Molecular Biology and   
• BIOL 205 - Cell Biology and  
• BIOL 206 - Organismal Biology and  

Five Electives

• One elective can be at any level.
• The four remaining electives must be numbered 300 or higher and at least two of the four must include a laboratory component. 
• Research-based courses numbered 470 or higher or independent study courses numbered 291, 391, 393 or 491 may not count as electives toward the major. 
•  also serves as an elective biology course.

Research Tutorial Experience

• A one-credit research experience, normally satisfied with a research tutorial (a course numbered BIOL 470-490).
• Research on the Bethesda Biomedical Research study group (BIOL 393 and BIOL 493) may be used to satisfy this requirement.
• UROPS courses taken at the National University of Singapore (NUS) may be used to satisfy this requirement. With prior approval by the biology department, research conducted while participating in the Trudeau Institute Approved Program may be used to satisfy this requirement.
• With prior approval by the biology department, a senior-level independent study course or capstone experience in another department may be used to fulfill the research requirement.

Honors and High Honors

A student may be allowed to stand for honors or high honors in the department following approval of their research adviser. Both honors and high honors in biology require an overall GPA of 3.30 in Colgate courses counted toward the major, a demonstrated deep commitment to research in biology, an oral presentation to the department, and a review paper, and a research paper submitted to the research adviser and one additional reader. The research project evaluated for honors must be based on at least one (honors) or two (high honors) semesters or summers of research. The awarding of honors and high honors will be decided by the faculty in consultation with the adviser and honors committee and will be based on the demonstrated commitment to research and the quality of the research project, the thesis, and the oral presentation. Research projects submitted for honors or high honors must be carried out on campus or on the Bethesda Biomedical Research study group or Singapore Exchange Program. 

Biology Department

For more information about the department, including Faculty, transfer credit, awards, etc., please visit the  catalog page.