Current Biology Majors
Click for quick access to the Biology Degree Options Canvas Course Modules.
Biology Major Requirements
The requirements for the biology major fall into three categories. Basic courses provide the academic foundation of the major. Electives allow in-depth examination of areas of particular individual interest and the associated laboratories provide hands-on experiences. A senior course provides an opportunity to critically analyze the primary research literature of the discipline and to present results publicly in oral and written form.
Students who completed a series of curricular research training courses will receive the Certificate of Life Science Research; see the Senior Review/Course Plan form for more information.
Course Design/Senior Review Forms
Because of these changes and other issues with Rutgers Degree Navigator, for Biology majors, the department recommends you follow your progress through the major requirements by using the Senior Review Form. The Senior Review Form is not just for seniors and should be used by all Biology students to track their progress through the degree. The form is fillable, so it can be electronically completed and sent to your advisor with questions, to confirm your efficient progress toward your Biology degree.
To receive access to the fillable Senior Review Forms you must be enrolled as a Biology Major. Access is limited to Rutgers Canvas.
Degree Navigator is not sufficient to clear you for graduation. Only the Biology Department Chair can clear you to graduate. If all the courses on the Senior Review Form are filled in (completed), the chair will be able to write an official statement for your records that all Biology requirements have been met and you are cleared to graduate or identify specific courses that still need to be completed before clearance to graduate is granted.
Advising Tips
All current biology majors have an assigned professional advisor.
- Never take three labs with a full load of other courses (16 credits). You might be able to finish quicker, but your grades may suffer.
- If you don’t have Chem. Principles yet, take it this year and Organic in the summer. Another course commonly taken by bio students in the summer is Physics
- Always register as early as possible.
- No course is ever absolutely closed, only instructors can close a course. All instructors have Special Permission Numbers that can override the registrar limits (class size). If a course appears closed, email or phone the instructor, effectively and politely explain your problem, and request a Special Permission Number override, with the exception of #7 below.
- Even if a course is closed and the instructor won’t let you in, check back frequently with the online registration site during the semester break, because if another student drops, a slot will open that you can take.
- If all else fails, ask if there is a waiting list, then show up on the first day of class. Persistence pays off!!
- Missing Prerequisites can be a big problem. You cannot get into a class without your prereq being correctly transferred to your official transcript. You must complete the Department Evaluation/Revision of Transfer Form.
- If you are planning to apply to a medical school, this document may help you plan your courses.