Biology Major Requirements

A grade of C- or better must be earned and revealed on your transcript for any course -- including the first semester -- to be counted towards the major or concentration requirements. The grade of P is not acceptable, but a course that was taken P/D/F may be counted if and only if the P is uncovered by the Registrar's deadline. Please note that an exception is made for major courses taken in Spring 2020, when all courses were Pass-Fail. Further exceptions are allowed for 2020-21, when students can opt to take one course Pass/Fail during the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, without any restrictions - this can be in a course required for their major or concentration. (details here). If you are concerned about a P grade counting for the major, please consult with your advisor.

Students may substitute Barnard College courses only with prior permission from an Advisor.

If you are planning to study abroad, please meet with your Advisor before you go. You'll need prior approval for any major courses that you take abroad.

For transfer students, at least 4 biology or biochemistry courses and at least 18 credits of the total (biology, biochemistry, math, physics and chemistry) must be taken at Columbia. Barnard courses may not be substituted for the required Columbia courses without advance permission from the advisor. The two required core courses should be taken at Columbia. Courses covering the same topics as Bio dept core courses, but taken elsewhere,  are counted as electives, not as core courses.

I. Required Biology Courses 

1. Two introductory biology courses (Barnard courses cannot be used for Intro Bio):
   • UN2005 - Introductory Biology I: Biochemistry, Genetics & Molecular Biology 
     UN2006 - Introductory Biology II: Cell Biology, Development & Physiology
2. Two lecture courses from this list of core courses 
   • Genetics -- UN3031
   • Cell Biology -- UN3041
   • Developmental Biology -- UN3022
   • Biochemistry -- BIOC UN3501/GU4501 (Biochemistry) or BIOC UN3300
   • Molecular Biology -- BIOC UN3512/GU4512 (Molecular Biology)
3. One of the following 4 options to fulfill the lab requirement: 
   • Option 1: A 5-point biology lab. Current offerings include: 
     • UN3058 - Project laboratory in microbiology
     • UN3052 - Project laboratory in molecular genetics
   • Option 2: Two semesters of UN3500 - Independent research in the same lab for either 3 or 4 credits each semester
     • 3 credits of 3500 = 3 credits x 4 = 12 hours / week on average in the lab
     • 4 credits of 3500 = 4 credits x 4 = 16 hours / week on average in the lab

• Option 3: One summer of SURF program is sufficient to fulfill the bio lab requirement for the bio major. (Students who complete SURF are encouraged to continue working in the same lab by enrolling in independent study, UN3500, or working on their own terms but it is not necessary. Summer lab work under other auspices may not be substituted for SURF. Paid laboratory work may not be substituted for SURF or UN3500. 
• Option 4: UN2501 - Contemporary biology laboratory and one of the following
  • UN3040 - Lab in Molecular Biology - not currently offered
  • A 3 pt. Barnard lab course (Bio advisor approval required)

     4. Two additional 3000- or 4000- level lecture courses for 3 or more pts. The following are recommended. Prior approval is required for any course not on this list.

• UN3004 - Neurobiology I: Cellular & Molecular Neurobiology
• UN3005 - Neurobiology II: Development & Systems
• UN3006 - Physiology
• UN3019 - Brain Evolution
• UN3022 - Developmental Biology
• UN3025 - Neurogenetics
• UN3031 - Genetics
• UN3034/GU4034 - Biotechnology
• UN3799/GU4799 - Molecular Biology of Cancer
• UN3041 - Cell Biology
• UN3073 - Cellular and Molecular Immunology
• UN3193/GU4193 - Stem Cell Biol & Applications
• BIOC UN3300 - Biochemistry
• UN3310/GU4310 - Virology
• UN3320 - Regulation of Behaviors for Survival
• UN3404 - Antimicrobial Resistance
• BIOC UN3501/GU4501 - Biochemistry
• BIOC UN3512/GU4512 - Molecular Biology
• UN3560/GU4560 - Evolutionary Biology in the Genomic Era
• GU4001 - Advanced Genetic Analysis
• GU4002 - Macromolecular Structure and Interactions
• GU4008 - Advanced seminar in neurobiology (topic varies)
• GU4011 - Neural Syst: Circuits in the Brain
• GU4035 - Seminar in Epigenetics
• GU4036 - Transformative Concepts in Systems Biology
• GU4075 - Biology at Physical Extremes
• GU4777 - From Curiosity to Cure Case Studies
• GU4080 - Ancient and Modern RNA Worlds
• GU4082 - Theoretical Foundations and Applications of Biophysical Methods
• GU4088 - Seminar in Neurobiochemistry and Neurology
• GU4290 - Biological Microscopy
• GU4300 - Drugs and Disease
• BIOC GU4323 - Biophysical Chemistry I
• BIOC GU4324 - Biophysical Chemistry II
• GU4510 - Genomics of Gene Regulation
• GU4551 - A Structural View of Biology
• GU4600 - Cell Signaling
• GU4777 - From Curiosity to Cure Case Studies

Note: SCNC & HPSC courses do not count towards the Major even if listed under Biology courses on Bio web site.  BIOT courses will not be counted towards the Major.

II. Other Required Courses

• Chemistry: One of the following three groups of chemistry courses is required:
  
  • Option 1: General chemistry - UN1403-UN1404 and lab UN1500

Organic chemistry - UN2443-UN2444 and lab UN2495-UN2496

• Option 2: For students who qualify for intensive chemistry 

Second Semester General Chemistry (Intensive) UN1604 and Intensive lab UN1507 

Organic Chemistry - UN2443-UN2444 and lab UN2495-2496

• Option 3: For students who qualify for 1st year organic chemistry 

Intensive General Chemistry Lab - UN1507 (Previously W2507)

Intensive Organic Chemisty UN2045-UN2046 AND Orgo lab UN2495-UN2496, or Intensive Organic Chem lab UN2545 (Previously W3045-3046, W3493-3494, or W3545)

• Physics: Two semesters of physics are required, including the accompanying labs. The usual choices are General physics (UN1201-UN1202) and labs (UN1291-UN1292). The 1400 sequence is recommended if you plan to take 3 terms of physics. Higher level physics sequences are ok too
• Math: The math requirement can be fulfilled by taking either of these
  • Two semesters of calculus
  • One semester of calculus plus one semester of statistics (UN1101 or UN1201)**
  • For students with AP credit, A 4 or 5 in Calculus A/B in high school or a 4 in B/C calculus fulfills the requirement of one term of calculus toward the biology major. A score of 5 in B/C calculus fulfills the requirement of one year of calculus toward the biology major. (Students with these scores are exempt from some bio major requirements, as explained above, but will not receive AP credit if they take Calculus 1, or if they take no calculus at Columbia.) For more details, see the mathematics department web site.

**Note: old course numbers W1111/W1211 still count for the statistics portion of the math requirement. Please consult with your advisor if you are unsure if your course counts toward your major.

For transfer students, at least 4 biology or biochemistry courses and at least 18 credits of the total (biology, biochemistry, math, physics and chemistry) must be taken at Columbia. Barnard courses may not be substituted for the required Columbia courses without advance permission from the advisor.