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All Biology majors start with the same group of gateway courses. Students should start taking biology classes as soon as possible! An ideal first-year schedule is to take Marine Biology (BIO 105), Organisms on Earth (Bio 110), or General Zoology (Bio 115) in the fall semester, along with Foundations of General Chemistry (CHEM 120 or CHEM 130). This would be followed in the spring semester by Cell and Molecular Biology (BIO 130).

Placement Information

Most students who are interested in majoring in Biology should take the Calculus Placement Assessment (ALEKS) during the summer prior to their first year. You do not need to take the Calculus Placement Assessment if any of the following are true:

• You received a score of 4 or 5 on either the AP Calculus AB or BC exam;
• You received an IB Calculus HL score of 5 or above;
• You have already taken a Calculus 1 course at another accredited college or university.

Sample 4-Year Plan

Curricular Notes

• Introductory BIO courses include: BIO 105, BIO 110, and BIO 115
• CHEM 120 or CHEM 130 are prerequisites for BIO 130, though it is also possible to take the CHEM and BIO courses concurrently.
• Calculus 1 can be fulfilled by MATH 109, MATH 110, or MATH 114. (MATH 109 is part of a two-semester sequence that begins with MATH 108.) An AP Calculus AB score of 4 or 5 also fulfills the Calculus 1 requirement.

Biology Transfer Student Advice

Transfer Course Limit for Transfer Students: No Limit

Designated Transfer Adviser

Expected preparation for transfer students wanting to major in Biology:

• Junior transfers and students transferring mid way through their sophomore year should have completed all their Core requirements before transferring. It may be possible to complete one or two Core requirements while finishing the major depending on how many prerequisite courses for the major and major requirements are complete upon transfer.

• Sophomore transfer students should start with at most three Core requirements to complete at É«ÇéÊÓƵ.

• Junior transfers should have completed the first year chemistry sequence, the first year biology sequence, Biostatistics, and Calculus prior to transferring

• It is preferred that sophomore transfer students have completed the first year chemistry sequence, the first year biology sequence, Biostatistics, and Calculus prior to transferring. Those courses must all be complete by the end of their first year at Occidental.

General advice for transfer students wanting to major in Biology:

• The Senior Seminar and the two 300-level Biology courses with labs that count for the second stage writing requirement must be completed at Occidental

• Transfer students should take no more than two lab courses per semester while at Occidental.  

What courses should a transfer student take during their first semester at Occidental?

• A junior transfer student and a transfer student starting mid way through their sophomore year, whether starting in the fall or the spring, should make sure to take any prerequisite courses that are needed for their future choices in the major during their first semester.

• Sophomore students should complete their first year chemistry and biology sequences, Calculus, and Biostatistics by the end of their first term, and if already complete they should take any other prerequisites for their intended coursework in the major

Graduate Study

Graduate study toward the degree of Master of Arts under the thesis plan may be undertaken in Biology by properly qualified students. Thesis projects may be elected in any of the following fields: cellular biology, developmental biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, neurobiology, biochemistry, comparative physiology, animal behavior, environmental biology, ecology, systematics and evolutionary biology, and marine biology. Graduate courses, numbered 500 and above, are valued at five units unless otherwise noted. Consult the department chair for further information on graduate studies.