Curriculum
A Flexible Curriculum Allows Students to Focus on Their Interests
Students are encouraged to use their biology electives to develop a concentration in one area, such as health science, molecular biology, or environmental biology. The curriculum is designed to be flexible and to allow students to tailor their courses to their specific needs.
The faculty in biology, along with cooperative programs, summer courses, clinical experiences, and participation in various research programs, provide biology majors with an undergraduate education that will allow them to pursue a variety of career or graduate study opportunities.
Biology majors are able to minor in several areas such as psychology, business, environmental science and policy, and environmental and occupational health.
You can also find out more about a minor in biology.
Curriculum requirements
The majors' biology curriculum requirements are listed below, with a sample schedule for a general program of study.
|
Core Biology Courses (22 credits) |
||
| Course # | Course Name | Credit Value |
| BY140 | Biology I: Inheritance, Evolution and Diversity | 3 |
| BY142 | Biology I: Laboratory | 2 |
| BY160 | Biology II: Cell and Molecular Biology |
3 |
| BY162 | Laboratory | 2 |
| BY214 | Genetics | 3 |
| BY422 | Undergraduate Seminar | 1 |
| Two of the Following Lecture/Lab Sequences: | ||
| Course # | Course Name | Credit Value |
| BY222 | Ecology & BY224 Ecology Laboratory | 4 |
| BY320 | Microbiology & BY322 Microbiology Laboratory | 4 |
| BY350 | Comparative Anatomy & BY352 Comparative Anatomy Laboratory | 4 |
| BY360 | Human Physiology & BY362 Human Physiology Laboratory | 4 |
| Biology Electives (15 credits minimum required): | ||
| Course # | Course Name | Credit Value |
| BY280 | Environmental Science | 3 |
| BY300 | Advances in Biological Research | 1 |
| BY302 | Introductory Botany/Lab | 4 |
| BY310 | Developmental Biology | 3 |
| BY312 | Advanced Cell Biology | 3 |
| BY314 | Bioinformatics/Lab | 4 |
| BY328 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
| BY340 | Behavioral Ecology / Sociobiology | 3 |
| BY358 | Animal Learning & Cognition | 3 |
| BY412 | Molecular Biology Laboratory | 4 |
| BY416 | Principles of Toxicology and Epidemiology | 3 |
| BY418 | Human Anatomy | 4 |
| BY420 | Evolution | 3 |
| BY425 | Biological Systems and Environmental Change | 3 |
| BY431 | Limnology | 4 |
| BY440 | Introduction to Biomedical & Rehabilitation Engineering | 3 |
| BY444 | Introduction to Biomedical | 3 |
| BY450 | Biochemistry I | 3 |
| BY451 | Biochemistry II | 3 |
| BY454 | Physiological Psychology | 3 |
| BY455 | Cell and Molecular Biology of Cancer | 3 |
| BY458 | Cognitive Neuroscience | 3 |
| BY460 | Neurobiology | 3 |
| BY470 | Biochemistry and Biotechnology Laboratory | 3 |
| BY476 | Current Topics in Biology and Medicine | 3 |
| Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics Core Requirements (36 credits): | ||
|
Course # |
Course Name | Credit Value |
| CM103 | Structure and Bonding | 3 |
| CM105 | Chemistry Laboratory I | 2 |
| CM104 | Equilibrium and Dynamics | 3 |
| CM106 | Chemistry Laboratory II | 2 |
| CM241 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CM242 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CM244 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 3 |
| PH131 | Physics I (or PH141 Physics for Life Sciences) | 4 |
| PH132 | Physics II (or PH142 Physics for Life Sciences II) | 4 |
| MA131 | Calculus I (or MA180 Introduction to College Math) | 3 |
| MA132 | Calculus II (or MA181 Basic Calculus) | 3 |
| MA282 | General Statistics (or MA383 Applied Statistics) | 3 |
| Clarkson Common Experience Requirements (28 Credits): | ||
| Course # | Course Name | Credit Value |
| FY100 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| UNIV190 | The Clarkson Seminar | 3 |
| Knowledge Area (5 electives) | 15 | |
| Technology Course | 3 | |
| BY314 | Bioinformatics or Information Technology Course | 3 |
| Professional Experience in Biology | 3 | |
| Free Electives (19 credits): | ||
| 6-7 Elective Courses | ||

"The flexibility of the Clarkson Biology program allowed me to take classes in physics and math in addition to my biology requirements. This has enabled me to pursue Biophysics in graduate school."
— Jessica Snyder '05 is a Ph.D. student in Biophysics at the University of Rochester.








