Sample BS Schedule

A typical schedule for eight semesters, showing only required science and math courses, is given below. This should be considered only a general guide, not a rigid schedule. Students should consult with their advisers to plot out the best path given their interests and academic strengths.

Sample Schedule

Freshman Year

Fall SemesterSpring Semester
030.101 Introductory Chemistry I020.303 Genetics
030.105 Introductory Chemistry Lab I030.102 Introductory Chemistry II
110.106 Calculus I030.106 Introductory Chemistry Lab II
110.107 Calculus II

Sophomore Year

Fall SemesterSpring Semester
020.304 Molecular Biology030.206 Intro. Organic Chemistry II
030.205 Intro. Organic Chemistry I030.225 Intro. Organic Chemistry Lab
030.225 Intro. Organic Chemistry Lab or 020.303 Genetics020.306 Cell Biology
020.340 Developmental Genetics Lab 020.316 Cell Biology Lab

Junior Year

Fall SemesterSpring Semester
020.305 Biochemistry171.104 General Physics II
020.315 Biochemistry Project Lab or 250.253 Protein Engineering and Biochemistry Lab171.112 General Physics Lab II
171.103 General Physics020.363 Developmental Biology
173.111 General Physics Lab I020.373 Developmental Genetics Lab

Senior Year

Fall SemesterSpring Semester
1-2 upper-level science courses1-2 upper-level science courses

Planning Your Schedule

This typical schedule may not be the best schedule for every student. Some common exceptions include:

  • If students have advanced placement credits in chemistry equivalent to 030.101 & 102 Introductory Chemistry I & II, the requirement for the Introductory Chemistry Lab 030.105-106 is waived. These students might then take Applied Chemical Equilibrium and Reactivity (030.103) and Chemical Structure and Bonding (030.204). Alternatively, these students, while taking Calculus, could take General Physics during the freshman year.
  • Advanced placement credits in 110.106-107 Calculus I & II will satisfy the requirement for the biology major. If a student tests into and successfully completes Calculus II, the Biology Department will waive the requirement for calculus. These students, however, should consider additional math (Calculus III, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations) or statistics. This is especially important for students wishing to apply to medical school programs after graduation, since these programs usually require one year of mathematics and/or statistics courses taken while in college.
  • Students should consider taking one or more biology courses during their freshman and sophomore years. This could include General Biology, freshman seminars, project lab courses such as Phage Hunting (020.135-6) or Protein Engineering (250.253), or independent research.