BIOL - Biology Major (B.A.)

The biology major requires 9 BIOL courses (at least 6 with lab) and 3 cognate courses (in chemistry and mathematics). No course with a grade less than C- may be counted toward the major.

Students who are considering a major in biology should consult a member of the biology department as early in their undergraduate career as possible. The faculty member will help plan a sequence of courses appropriate for the student's particular interests and needs.

For both the B.A. and B.S. degrees, all candidates must complete the following requirements.

Foundational requirement: BIOL 182L and BIOL 183L.

Note that first year students interested in biology are strongly advised to take BIOL 182L and CHEM 111L in the fall semester, BIOL 183L, and CHEM 112L in the spring. Both BIOL 182L and BIOL 183L are required by most upper level courses in biology, so completing them in the first year allows the greatest number of course options in the second year. If necessary, students may begin the introductory series with BIOL 183L in the spring, followed by BIOL 182L in the next semester. Students are strongly advised to complete CHEM 111L and CHEM 112L by the end of their sophomore year; this provides the greatest flexibility in course choices later on.

Breadth requirement: One course in each of the two areas: biodiversity, and “cellular/molecular,” selected from the list below.

• Biodiversity

  • BIOL 215L. Botany

  • BIOL 222L. Invertebrate Zoology

  • BIOL 308L. Microbiology

  • BIOL 205L. Evolution

• Cellular/molecular basis of life

  • BIOL 226L. Foundations and Techniques in Molecular Biology

  • BIOL 227L. Cell Biology

  • BIOL 317L. Biochemistry

  • BIOL324L. Advanced Molecular Approaches in Neurobiology

Capstone requirement: One course selected from the list below. These courses provide students with a culminating experience in the major and satisfy the senior exercise requirement. These courses also satisfy the Writing Intensive Part II requirement for the major. Students using research in biology (BIOL 419 or BIOL 425) to satisfy the capstone requirement should inform their research adviser so that appropriate writing intensive assignments are arranged.

• BIOL 419. Research in Biology (Library), plus BIOL 403 or BIOL 404

• BIOL 425. Research in Biology (Laboratory), plus BIOL 403 or BIOL 404

• BIOL 427. Membrane Biology

• BIOL 429. Behavioral Mechanisms of Ecology

• BIOL 431. Signal Transduction in Physiological Stress and Disease

• BIOL 433. Plants and Global Climate Change

• BIOL 446. Bacterial Pathogenesis

• BIOL 464. Molecular Genetics

• BIOL 473L. Sensory Biology

Elective requirement: Additional courses (200-level and above) to fulfill the 9 BIOL course (and 6 labs) requirement. You choose the courses from our course offerings, 200-level and above. These courses are intended to allow students the opportunity to explore other areas of biology in detail.

Electives to round out the biology major: Elective courses are intended to allow students the opportunity to explore other areas of biology in detail. Only ONE course outside of the biology department from the lists below will be accepted toward the biology major.

• BIOL 207 Metabolic Health

• BIOL208L Mammalogy

• BIOL 216L. Human Anatomy

• BIOL 224 or 224L. Genetics

• BIOL 233. Conservation Biology

• BIOL 244. Biology of Infectious Disease

• BIOL 310L. Developmental Biology

• BIOL 315L. Vertebrate Zoology

• BIOL 319L. Physiology

• BIOL 333L. Ecology

• NESC 201 or 201L. Principles of Neuroscience: Neurobiology

• NESC 210. Neuroendocrinology

• BIOL 419 or 425, Research. Students who wish to use research in biology as one of their 9 majors courses must take either two semesters of BIOL 419 or 425, or one semester of either with concurrent enrollment in BIOL 403 or 404, Research Seminar.

One of the following courses may be used as an elective toward the B.A. degree if taken before beginning the introductory sequence of BIOL 182 and 183:

• BIOL 119. Nutrition: Food and Fads

• BIOL 120. Genes, Clones, and Biotechnology

• BIOL 123. Genotypes and Phenotypes

• BIOL 124. Genes and Human Disease

• BIOL 127. Living Marvels

• BIOL 141. Global Perspectives in Biodiversity and Conservation

• NESC 120. Nervous Connections

• NESC 262. Introduction to Animal Behavior

Cognate requirement: Required cognate courses include CHEM 111L and 112L, which should be completed no later than the end of the sophomore year, and one of the following courses in quantitative methods: MATH117, MATH 126, MATH 131, MATH 132, MATH 142, MATH 207, PSYC 221L.

Both B.S. and B.A. degrees offer students breadth and depth in the field. The bachelor of science (B.S.) degree is recommended to undergraduates who want the strongest background in the discipline and to students who are interested in pursuing a graduate degree in the biological (or related) sciences. The bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree offers a level of flexibility and is appropriate for students with plans that do not necessarily include graduate school. Either the B.S. or B.A. degree is appropriate for students aspiring to health professions schools. If the biology major is to be used as preparation for one of the health-related professions, the student should consult with a member of the Health Professions Advising Committee (see the advising section in the Bulletin).

Biology major concentration:

Biology majors may choose one of these four concentrations:

• Biomedical sciences. Students in this track complete courses related to the structure/function of life from cells and microbes to animals and humans. This group includes health-related topics such as infectious disease, bacterial pathogenesis, and brain health.

• Organismal and evolutionary biology. Students in this track complete that emphasize the evolutionary diversity of life and how the earth's organisms have adapted to their environments.

• Cellular/molecular biology. Students in this track complete courses related to the molecular and cellular processes that are common to all life.

• Field biology and ecology. Students in this track complete) courses related to the interactions of organisms and their environments.

If a student opts to fulfill a concentration in a particular area, they must complete four (4) courses within any one of the groups listed below. Transfer courses may be applied toward a concentration as approved by the department chair.

Biomedical sciences concentration:

• BIOL 207. Metabolic Health

• BIOL 224. Genetics

• BIOL 227L. Cell Biology

• BIOL 244. Biology of Infectious Disease

• BIOL 308L. Microbiology

• BIOL 317L. Biochemistry

• BIOL 319L. Physiology

• BIOL 431. Signal Transduction in Physiological Stress and Disease

• BIOL 432. Nutrition and Brain Health

• BIOL 446. Bacterial Pathogenesis

• BIOL 473. Sensory Biology

Organismal and evolutionary biology concentration:

• BIOL 205L. Evolutionary Biology

• BIOL 215L. Botany

• BIOL 222L. Invertebrate Zoology

• BIOL 236. Global Change, Evolution and Biodiversity

• BIOL 302. Amphibian Ecology and Conservation

• BIOL 308L. Microbiology

• BIOL 315L. Vertebrate Zoology

• BIOL 319L. Physiology

• BIOL 433. Plants and Global Climate Change

• BIOL 473. Sensory Biology

Cellular/molecular biology concentration:

• BIOL 224. Genetics

• BIOL 226L. Foundations and Techniques in Molecular Biology

• BIOL 227L. Cell Biology

• BIOL 310L. Developmental Biology

• BIOL 317L. Biochemistry

• BIOL 324. Advanced Molecular Approaches in Neurobiology

• BIOL 446. Bacterial Pathogenesis

• BIOL 464. Molecular Genetics

Field biology and ecology concentration:

• BIOL 215L. Botany

• BIOL 222L. Invertebrate Zoology

• BIOL 233. Conservation Biology

• BIOL 236. Global Change, Evolution and Biodiversity

• BIOL 302. Amphibian Ecology and Conservation

• BIOL 315L. Vertebrate Zoology

• BIOL 333L. Ecology

• BIOL 429. Behavioral Mechanisms of Ecology

• School for Field Studies (SFS) field course (as approved by the department)
  

ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

AP/IB credit: Students who receive a score of 4 or 5 on the AP examination in biology may receive one course credit toward graduation. This course credit may not be counted toward the biology major, nor does it exempt students from any of the courses required for the major. IB credit is also not accepted for credit towards the biology major.

Study away: While there are many general programs of study away for Trinity students, biology majors interested in foreign study should be aware of programs designed particularly for serious biological study outside the College. Examples of suitable programs in which Trinity students participate regularly are listed below:

• Duke University Marine Laboratory

• DIS Copenhagen

• School for Field Studies (field sites in Kenya/Tanzania, Costa Rica, Turks and Caicos Islands, Bhutan, and Australia/New Zealand)

• Organization for Tropical Studies

• Marine Biological Laboratory Semester in Environmental Science

• SEA Semester, Woods Hole

Consortium Courses: The biology department accepts biology credits for pre-approved courses taken from Hartford Consortium for Higher Education institutions. Upon approval from the Chair, up to 3 biology courses taken away from Trinity College's biology department may be counted towards the biology major. Students wishing to apply more than three courses taken away from our home department should petition the department for permission. Students may NOT receive credit for taking BIOL 216: Human Anatomy and BIOL319: Physiology at Trinity and also receive credit for taking Human Anatomy & Physiology I or Human Anatomy & Physiology II at another institution.

Honors: Students seeking honors must apply for the honors program in biology. This application must be in written form and should be submitted to the chair of biology before the sixth week of classes of a student's sixth semester. The biology faculty will act upon each application. Students seeking honors must have completed five biology courses that count toward the major by the end of their fifth semester, and their grade point average in these courses must be at least 3.3. In addition, they must demonstrate in their work a scholarly intent. Students not qualifying for the honors program after five semesters may be invited by the faculty to enter the program at a later time.