Program Requirements
- Total Units Required: 58-65
Students interested in Environmental Biology typically take BIOL 2150 Introduction to Environmental Biology during fall of the first year of study, although it may be taken later.
Required Courses
- Students must complete the following courses:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| EEPS 2010 | Earth and the Environment | 3-4 |
| or EEPS 2020 | Introduction to Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Science | |
| or EEPS 2190 | Energy and the Environment | |
| or ENST 2220 | One Health: Linking the Health of Humans, Animals, and the Environment | |
| BIOL 2150 | Introduction to Environmental Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 2960 | Principles of Biology I | 4 |
| BIOL 2970 | Principles of Biology II | 4 |
| BIOL 3810 | Introduction to Ecology | 3 |
| CHEM 1601 | Principles of General Chemistry I | 3 |
| or CHEM 1701 | General Chemistry I | |
| CHEM 1751 | General Chemistry Laboratory I | 2 |
| CHEM 1602 | Principles of General Chemistry II | 3 |
| or CHEM 1702 | General Chemistry II | |
| CHEM 1752 | General Chemistry Laboratory II | 2 |
| MATH 1510 | Calculus I | 3 |
| MATH 1520 | Calculus II | 3 |
| PHYSICS 1740 | Physics I | 3-4 |
| or PHYSICS 1760 | Focused Physics I | |
| PHYSICS 1741 | Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
| Total Units | 37-39 | |
- Students choose one of the following Chemistry courses:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 2561 | Organic Chemistry I With Lab | 4 |
| or CHEM 2501 & CHEM 2551 | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | |
| EEPS 3230 | Biogeochemistry | 3 |
| EECE 2100 | Introduction to Environmental Engineering | 3 |
| EECE 5050 | Aquatic Chemistry | 3 |
| EECE 5120 | Environmental Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| EEPS 4414 | Introduction to Geochemistry | 3 |
- Student choose one of the following courses in Statistics or GIS:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CSE 1301 | Introduction to Computer Science | 3 |
| ENST 3710 | Introduction in GIS | 3 |
| SDS 2020 | Elementary Probability and Statistics | 3 |
| SDS 3020 | Elementary to Intermediate Statistics and Data Analysis | 3 |
- Student choose one upper-level Biology lab course: Any course that fulfills the advanced laboratory requirement of the Biology major is acceptable; we recommend BIOL 4193 Experimental Ecology Laboratory (4 credits, writing intensive).
- Students choose one 3000+ course in Area A or Area B in Biology:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 4581 | Principles of Human Anatomy and Development | 3 |
| BIOL 3041 | Plant Biology and Genetic Engineering | 4 |
| BIOL 3057 | Physiological Control Systems | 3 |
| BIOL 3151 | Endocrinology | 3 |
| BIOL 3240 | Human Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL 3280 | Principles in Human Physiology | 4 |
| BIOL 3340 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 3411 | Principles of the Nervous System | 3 |
| BIOL 3421 | Introduction to Neuroethology | 3 |
| BIOL 3422 | Genes, Brains, and Behavior | 3 |
| BIOL 3424 | Great Discoveries in Neuroscience | 3 |
| BIOL 3481 | Parasitology | 3 |
| BIOL 3490 | Microbiology | 4 |
| BIOL 4026 | How Plants Work: Physiology, Growth, and Metabolism | 3 |
| BIOL 4030 | Biological Clocks | 3 |
| BIOL 4072 | Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 4240 | Immunology | 4 |
| BIOL 4242 | Virology | 3 |
| BIOL 4345 | Epigenetics | 3 |
| BIOL 4381 | Cell-Based Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine | 3 |
| BIOL 4492 | Infectious Diseases: History, Pathology, and Prevention | 3 |
| BIOL 4510 | General Biochemistry | 4 |
| BIOL 4834 | Bioenergy | 3 |
| CHEM 4810 | General Biochemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 4820 | General Biochemistry II | 3 |
| REPRSCI 5000 | Human Reproductive Physiology | 3 |
- Students choose one 3000+ course in Area C in Biology:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 3183 | A History of Genetics in the 20th Century | 3 |
| BIOL 3470 | Darwin and Evolutionary Controversies * | 3 |
| BIOL 3494 | Microbes and the Environment | 4 |
| BIOL 3501 | Evolution | 4 |
| BIOL 3700 | Animal Behavior ** | 3 |
| BIOL 3810 | Introduction to Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 4010 | Biology of Mammals | 3 |
| BIOL 4181 | Population Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL 4182 | Macroevolution | 3 |
| BIOL 4183 | Molecular Evolution | 3 |
| BIOL 4195 | Disease Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 4197 | Community Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 4720 | Behavioral Ecology ** | 4 |
- *
This course also satisfies the Arts & Sciences writing-intensive requirement.
- **
A student may take only one of the courses BIOL 3700 Animal Behavior or BIOL 4720 Behavioral Ecology for credit.
- Students choose one additional BIOL 3000+ major-track course: This may include undergraduate Biology independent research (e.g., BIOL 4950 Independent Research, BIOL 4951 Independent Research). Please refer to the Biology Courses listed in this Bulletin.
- Students choose one of the following EEPS or ENST 3000+ courses:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| EEPS 3173 | Soil Science | 3 |
| EEPS 3230 | Biogeochemistry | 3 |
| EEPS 3400 | Minerals, Rocks, Resources and the Environment | 4 |
| EEPS 3420 | Environmental Systems | 3 |
| EEPS 3530 | Earth Forces | 4 |
| EEPS 3853 | Earth History | 3 |
| EEPS 4094 | Surface Processes | 3 |
| EEPS 4284 | Hydrology | 3 |
| EEPS 4424 | Aqueous Geochemistry | 3 |
| EEPS 4863 | The Earth's Climate System | 3 |
| EEPS 4864 | Paleoclimatology | 3 |
| ENST 3600 | Field Methods for Environmental Science | 3 |
| ENST 3620 | Applied Conservation Biology | 3 |
Additional Information
Research
Research opportunities are available during the student's first and second years through BIOL 2901 Introduction to Research, BIOL 2902 Introduction to Research in Neuroscience, BIOL 2903 Summer Introduction to Research, or BIOL 2904 Summer Introduction to Research in Neuroscience; such opportunities are available during the third and fourth years through BIOL 4950 Independent Research, BIOL 4951 Independent Research, BIOL 4952 Summer Independent Research, BIOL 4953 Summer Independent Research in Neuroscience, or BIOL 4954 Independent Research in Neuroscience. A research emphasis in the major requires at least 6 credits (two semesters) of independent research (BIOL 4950 Independent Research, BIOL 4951 Independent Research, BIOL 4952 Summer Independent Research, BIOL 4953 Summer Independent Research in Neuroscience, or BIOL 4954 Independent Research in Neuroscience) and an approved senior thesis on this research, which is presented at the undergraduate symposium. The research emphasis is acknowledged on the degree as a research milestone.
Senior Honors
Biology majors are encouraged to work for senior honors, which require a 3.30 grade point average in biology, a 3.30 GPA in nonbiological sciences (mathematics, chemistry and physics courses), and a 3.65 overall GPA at the time of graduation. Also required are 6 units of BIOL 4950 Independent Research, BIOL 4951 Independent Research, BIOL 4952 Summer Independent Research, BIOL 4953 Summer Independent Research in Neuroscience, or BIOL 4954 Independent Research in Neuroscience research and an approved thesis from this work, equivalent to the research emphasis described in the preceding paragraph. Students interested in senior honors should begin BIOL 4950 Independent Research, BIOL 4951 Independent Research, BIOL 4952 Summer Independent Research, BIOL 4953 Summer Independent Research in Neuroscience, or BIOL 4954 Independent Research in Neuroscience no later than the spring of their junior year. Information about deadlines and requirements can be found on the Research Emphasis and Latin Honors page of the Biology Undergraduate Independent Research website.
The Department of Biology awards the Marian Smith Spector Prize to an undergraduate who has an excellent academic record and who submits an outstanding honors thesis; it also awards the Ralph S. Quatrano Prize to the student whose thesis shows the greatest evidence of creativity in design, research methodology, and/or broader scientific implications. The Harrison D. Stalker Award is awarded to a graduating senior whose college career is distinguished by scholarship, service, and breadth of interest. More information on these awards and prizes can be found on the Biology Undergraduate Awards webpage.
Contact Info
| Phone: | 314-935-6860 |
| Email: | biology@wustl.edu |
| Website: | https://biology.wustl.edu/ |