The Biology Major is designed for students with broad interests in the biological sciences. It is intended primarily to:
- prepare undergraduates for graduate studies in diverse areas of biology;
- prepare certain pre-professional students (e.g., medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry) for advanced study in the health professions;
- provide a broad exposure to biology for students who want a general science education as biologists, and
- serve as initial preparation for students who later choose a more specialized major.
The major is offered by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and the College of Letters & Science.
How to Get in
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare. For information on how to declare, visit Advising & Careers. |
| Courses required to get in | None |
| GPA requirements to get in | None |
| Credits required to get in | Must have fewer than 86 credits. |
| Other | Students who do not meet the requirements above or are not in good academic standing should schedule a meeting with CALS Dean on Call (https://go.wisc.edu/g85h79) to discuss exceptions. |
Prospective UW-Madison Students
All prospective UW–Madison students must apply through the Office of Admissions and Recruitment.
Students interested in this major should select it as the first choice major on their UW–Madison application. Admitted students who enroll at UW-Madison and attend Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) with the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences have the option to declare this major at SOAR.
Students who intend to major in Biology in either the College of Letters and Science (L&S) or the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) may not combine this major ("double major") with the Molecular and Cell Biology Major or the Neurobiology Major.
University Requirements
All undergraduate students must complete both the following Core General Education (Core GenEd) and University Degree and Quality of Work requirements. The requirements below apply to students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution is Summer 2026 or later.
Students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution occurred before Summer 2026 should refer to the archived Guide for the requirements that apply to them.
Core General Education (Core GenEd) Requirements
| Civics & Perspectives | 3 credits of Civics & Perspectives coursework. |
| Communication & Literacy | 6 credits of Communication & Literacy coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingenglishplacement |
| Humanities & Arts | 6 credits of Humanities & Arts coursework. |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 credits of Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingmathplacement |
| Natural Science & Wellness | Complete both:
|
| Social & Behavioral Science | 3 credits of Social & Behavioral Science coursework. |
| Total Credits | 30 credits. |
For more information see the policy.
University Degree and Quality of Work Requirements
All undergraduate degree recipients must complete the following minimum requirements. Requirements for some programs will exceed these requirements; see program requirements for additional information.
| Total Degree | 120 degree credits. |
| Residency | Complete 30 credits in residence. A course is considered “in residence” if it is taken when in undergraduate degree-seeking status and:
|
| Quality of Work | Achieve at least the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, and/or academic program. |
| Math | Demonstrate minimal mathematics competence by: |
| English Language | If required to take the UW-Madison English as a Second Language Assessment Test (MSN-ESLAT), demonstrate minimal English language competence by:
|
| Language | Complete one:
|
| Major Declaration | Declare and complete the requirements for at least one major. |
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Requirements
CALS Graduation Requirements
| Cumulative Credits |
|
| Quality of Work | Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.000 to remain in good standing and be eligible for graduation. |
| Residency | Students must complete 30 degree credits in residence at UW–Madison after earning 86 credits toward their undergraduate degree. |
In addition to the university's general requirements, all undergraduate students in CALS must satisfy a set of college and major requirements. Courses may not double count within university requirements, CALS college requirements, or major requirements. A course may count toward university requirements and a college and/or a major requirement; similarly, a course counted toward college requirements may also be used to satisfy a university and/or a major requirement.
CALS College Requirements
| CALS First-Year Seminar | 1 credit. See the full list of eligible courses below or use this link: https://go.wisc.edu/calsfirstyearseminars |
| Ethnic Studies | 3 credits with the Ethnic Studies designation. |
| Communication A | Complete either:
|
| Quantitative Reasoning A | Complete either:
|
| Introductory Chemistry | Complete one: |
| CALS International Comparisons | 3 credits. See the full list of eligible courses below or use this link: https://go.wisc.edu/calsinternationalcomparisons |
| Communication B | 1 course with the Communication B designation. |
| Quantitative Reasoning B | 1 course with the Quantitative Reasoning B designation. |
| Biological Science | 5 credits with the Biological Science designation. |
| Additional Science | 3 credits with the Biological, Physical, or Natural Science designations. |
| Science Breadth | 3 credits with the Biological, Physical, Natural, or Social Science designations. |
| Humanities | 6 credits with the Humanities or Literature designation. |
| Social Sciences | 3 credits with the Social Sciences designation. |
| Capstone Learning Experience | Each major articulates the required capstone learning experience. |
CALS First-Year Seminars
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AN SCI 135 | Grand Challenges and Career Opportunities in Animal and Dairy Sciences | 1 |
| BIOCHEM 100 | Biochemistry First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| COUN PSY 125 | The Wisconsin Experience Seminar | 1 |
| F&W ECOL 101 | Orientation to Wildlife Ecology | 1 |
| F&W ECOL 105 | Environment, Pollutants, and You | 3 |
| GENETICS 155 | Freshman Seminar in Genetics | 1 |
| INTEGSCI 100 | Exploring Biology | 2 |
| INTEGSCI 140 | Exploring Service in STEM | 1 |
| INTER-AG 155 | Issues in Agriculture, Environment, and Life Sciences | 1 |
| LSC 155 | First-Year Seminar in Science Communication | 1 |
| MICROBIO 150 | Microbiomes and Microbiology - First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| PLANTSCI/AGROECOL 100 | First-Year Seminar in Agroecology and Plant Science | 1 |
| PL PATH 155 | Food Frontlines: Security, Sustainability, and Survival | 1 |
| SOIL SCI 155 | First-year Seminar in Soil and Environmental Sciences | 1 |
| Learning Community/Student Group Courses | ||
| The following learning community/student group courses are approved as CALS First-Year Seminars. | ||
| COUN PSY 117 | PEOPLE First Year Seminar | 1 |
| INTEGSCI 110 | BioHouse Seminar: Biology for the 21st Century | 1 |
| INTER-AG 117 | GreenHouse Roots Seminar | 1 |
| INTER-AG 140 | CALS QuickStart: Foundations | 1 |
| INTER-AG 175 | WISE Seminar | 1 |
CALS International Comparisons
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| The 3 credit requirement may be fulfilled as either a stand-alone 3 credit course or as a set of courses as listed below. | ||
| A A E/ENVIR ST 244 | The Environment and the Global Economy | 4 |
| A A E 319 | The International Agricultural Economy | 3 |
| A A E/NUTR SCI 350 | World Hunger and Malnutrition | 3 |
| A A E 352 | Global Health: Economics, Natural Systems, and Policy (approved for enrollments Summer 2021 and later) | 4 |
| A A E/INTL ST 373 | Globalization, Poverty and Development | 3 |
| A A E/INTL ST 374 | The Growth and Development of Nations in the Global Economy | 3 |
| A A E/ECON 473 | Economic Growth and Development in Southeast Asia | 3 |
| A A E/ECON 474 | Economic Problems of Developing Areas | 3 |
| A A E/ECON/INTL BUS 462 | Latin American Economic Development | 3 |
| A A E/ECON 477 | Agricultural and Economic Development in Africa | 3 |
| AGROECOL 377 | Global Food Production and Health | 3 |
| AN SCI/DY SCI 370 | Livestock Production and Health in Agricultural Development | 3 |
| ASIAN/HISTORY/POLI SCI 255 | Introduction to East Asian Civilizations (approved for enrollments Summer 2021 and later) | 3-4 |
| C&E SOC/SOC 341 | Labor in Global Food Systems (approved for enrollments Summer 2020 and later) | 3 |
| C&E SOC/ENVIR ST/SOC 540 | Sociology of International Development, Environment, and Sustainability | 3 |
| CSCS 500 | Global Health and Communities: From Research to Praxis | 3 |
| DY SCI 471 | Food Production Systems and Sustainability | 3 |
| ENTOM/ENVIR ST 201 | Insects and Human Culture-a Survey Course in Entomology | 3 |
| ENTOM/ENVIR ST 205 | Our Planet, Our Health (approved for enrollments Fall 2026 and later) | 3 |
| ENTOM/ZOOLOGY 371 | Medical Entomology: Biology of Vector and Vector-borne Diseases | 3 |
| F&W ECOL/ENVIR ST 100 | Forests of the World (approved for enrollments Summer 2020 and later) | 3 |
| F&W ECOL/ENVIR ST/ZOOLOGY 360 | Extinction of Species | 3 |
| LSC 251 | Science, Media and Society (approved for enrollments Summer 2020 and later) | 3 |
| PL PATH/BOTANY 123 | Plants, Parasites, and People | 3 |
| PL PATH 311 | Global Food Security | 3 |
| PLANTSCI 370 | World Vegetable Crops | 3 |
| The following study abroad courses fulfill the CALS International Comparisons requirement. Only the specific course numbers and titles listed, including Topics titles (in parentheses), are approved to meet the CALS International Comparisons requirement. | ||
| BIOCHEM 307 | Study Abroad: Introduction to Biological Sciences Research in Japan (approved for enrollments Fall 2026 and later) | 3 |
| NUTR SCI/INTER-AG 421 | Global Health Field Experience (UW Mobile Clinics and Health Care in Uganda) | 3 |
| INTER-AG 321 & INTER-AG/NUTR SCI 421 | Study Abroad Pre-Departure Seminar and Global Health Field Experience (UW Global Health Community Health and Asset-Based Community Development in Sri Lanka) | 3 |
| INTER-AG 321 & INTER-AG/NUTR SCI 421 | Study Abroad Pre-Departure Seminar and Global Health Field Experience (UW Agriculture, Health and Nutrition in Uganda) | 3 |
| INTER-AG/NUTR SCI 421 | Global Health Field Experience (UW Health, Education and Tanzanian Culture) | 3 |
Requirements for the Major
A minimum of 15 credits must be completed in the major that are not used elsewhere. Students must complete a minimum of 31 credits of biological science courses within the introductory biology, foundation course, upper-level breadth in the major, and capstone requirements. Unless specifically stated otherwise, courses may not be used to meet multiple requirements of the major.
In addition to the standard Biology major, there is a Named Option in Evolutionary Biology. Students may complete only one Biology major/named option and must declare the option they are pursuing.
Core Requirements
Mathematics and Statistics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| Calculus and Analytic Geometry 1 | ||
| Survey of Calculus 1 | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Data Science Modeling I | ||
| Introduction to Statistical Methods | ||
| Introduction to Statistics for Science and Engineering | ||
| Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences | ||
| Total Credits | 7-9 | |
Chemistry
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Chemistry (Complete one of the following): | 5-10 | |
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II | ||
| Advanced General Chemistry | ||
| Chemical Principles I and Chemical Principles II | ||
| Organic Chemistry | ||
| CHEM 343 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 344 | Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| CHEM 345 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| Total Credits | 13-18 | |
Physics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Semester Physics (complete one of the following): | 4-5 | |
| General Physics | ||
| General Physics | ||
| General Physics | ||
| Second Semester Physics (complete one of the following): | 4-5 | |
| General Physics | ||
| General Physics | ||
| General Physics | ||
| Total Credits | 8-10 | |
Introductory Biology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following options: | 10-13 | |
| Option A: | ||
| Introductory Biology | ||
| Introductory Biology | ||
| Option B: | ||
| Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics | ||
| Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics Laboratory | ||
| Cellular Biology | ||
| Cellular Biology Laboratory | ||
| Principles of Physiology | ||
| Option C: | ||
| Animal Biology | ||
| Animal Biology Laboratory | ||
| General Botany | ||
| Total Credits | 10-13 | |
Foundation Course (complete one of the following):
Students may use BIOCORE 381 and BIOCORE 383 toward both introductory biology and foundation.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOCHEM 501 | Introduction to Biochemistry | 3 |
| BIOCHEM 508 | General Biochemistry II | 3-4 |
| BIOCORE 381 & BIOCORE 383 | Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics and Cellular Biology | 6 |
| GENETICS 466 | Principles of Genetics | 3 |
| GENETICS 468 | General Genetics 2 | 3 |
| MICROBIO 470 | Microbial Genetics & Molecular Machines | 3 |
Upper-Level Breadth in the Major
Minimum of 13 credits required and must include one approved lab course. Approved lab courses are identified as approved in parentheses after the course title in the list below. A course taken to meet the foundation requirement may not also count as an upper-level breadth course.
- Complete at least two credits from either category A or B.
- Complete at least two credits from either category C or D.
- Complete at least two credits from an unused category (A, B, C, D, or E).
A. Cellular and Molecular Biology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AN SCI 336 | Animal Growth and Development | 3 |
| AN SCI 362 | Veterinary Genetics | 3 |
| AN SCI 366 | Concepts in Genomics | 3 |
| BIOCHEM 501 | Introduction to Biochemistry | 3 |
| BIOCHEM 507 | General Biochemistry I | 3 |
| BIOCHEM 508 | General Biochemistry II | 3-4 |
| BIOCHEM/NUTR SCI 510 | Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism | 3 |
| BIOCHEM/NUTR SCI 560 | Principles of Human Disease and Biotechnology | 2 |
| BIOCHEM/M M & I 575 | Biology of Viruses | 2 |
| BIOCHEM 601 | Protein and Enzyme Structure and Function | 2 |
| BIOCHEM/GENETICS/MICROBIO 612 | Prokaryotic Molecular Biology | 3 |
| BIOCHEM/GENETICS/MD GENET 620 | Eukaryotic Molecular Biology | 3 |
| BIOCHEM/BOTANY 621 | Plant Biochemistry | 3 |
| BIOCHEM 625 | Mechanisms of Action of Vitamins and Minerals | 2 |
| BIOCHEM/GENETICS 631 | Plant Genetics and Development | 3 |
| BMOLCHEM/MICROBIO 668 | Microbiology at Atomic Resolution | 3 |
| BOTANY/ENTOM/PL PATH 505 | Plant-Microbe Interactions: Molecular and Ecological Aspects | 3 |
| CRB 640 | Fundamentals of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology | 3 |
| CRB 670 | Biology of Cardiac Function and Disease | 3 |
| DERM 601 | Skin Biology and Skin Diseases | 3 |
| DERM 602 | Advances in Skin Biology and Skin Diseases | 2 |
| GENETICS 466 | Principles of Genetics | 3 |
| GENETICS 467 | General Genetics 1 | 3 |
| GENETICS 520 | Neurogenetics | 3 |
| GENETICS 525 | Epigenetics | 3 |
| GENETICS 527 | Developmental Genetics for Conservation and Regeneration | 3 |
| GENETICS 588 | Immunogenetics | 3 |
| GENETICS 605 | Clinical Cases in Medical Genetics | 3 |
| GENETICS 627 | Animal Developmental Genetics | 3 |
| GENETICS/NEURODPT 650 | Functional Genomics of Brain Disorders | 3 |
| GENETICS/MD GENET 662 | Cancer Genetics | 3 |
| H ONCOL/MED PHYS 410 | Radiobiology | 2-3 |
| MICROBIO 345 | Introduction to Disease Biology | 3 |
| MICROBIO 470 | Microbial Genetics & Molecular Machines | 3 |
| MICROBIO/SOIL SCI 523 | Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry | 3 |
| MICROBIO 626 | Microbial and Cellular Metabolomics | 3 |
| M M & I 341 | Immunology | 3 |
| M M & I/PATH-BIO 528 | Immunology | 3 |
| NEURODPT/NTP 610 | Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience | 4 |
| NEURODPT 629 | Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Memory | 3 |
| ONCOLOGY/M M & I/PL PATH 640 | General Virology-Multiplication of Viruses | 3 |
| PHM SCI 254 | Tiny Earth Genomics - Researching Uncultured Antibiotic-Producing Microbes (approved lab course) | 3 |
| PHM SCI 558 | Laboratory Techniques in Pharmacology and Toxicology (approved lab course) | 2 |
| PLANTSCI 340 | Plant Genome Engineering and Editing | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 370 | General Molecular Biology | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 444 | Neuronal Cell Biology in Health and Disease | 2 |
| ZOOLOGY 470 | Introduction to Animal Development | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY/PSYCH 523 | Neurobiology | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 555 | Laboratory in Developmental Biology (approved lab course) | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 570 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 604 | Computer-based Gene and Disease/Disorder Research Lab (approved lab course) | 2 |
| ZOOLOGY 655 | Modeling Neurodevelopmental Disease | 3 |
B. Organismal Biology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AN SCI/DY SCI 373 | Animal Physiology | 3 |
| AN SCI 377 | Integrative Animal Physiology Laboratory (approved lab course) | 1 |
| AN SCI/DY SCI 434 | Reproductive Physiology (approved lab course) | 3 |
| ANAT&PHY 335 | Physiology (approved lab course) | 5 |
| ANAT&PHY 337 | Human Anatomy | 3 |
| ANAT&PHY 338 | Human Anatomy Laboratory (approved lab course) | 2 |
| ANAT&PHY 435 | Fundamentals of Human Physiology (approved lab course) | 5 |
| ANTHRO/PSYCH/ZOOLOGY 619 | Biology of Mind | 3 |
| BIOCORE 486 | Principles of Physiology Laboratory (approved lab course) | 2 |
| BOTANY 300 | Plant Anatomy (approved lab course) | 4 |
| BOTANY 330 | Algae (approved lab course) | 3 |
| BOTANY/PL PATH 332 | Fungi (approved lab course) | 4 |
| BOTANY/PL PATH 333 | Biology of the Fungi | 2 |
| BOTANY/F&W ECOL 402 | Dendrology: Woody Plant Identification and Ecology (approved lab course) | 3 |
| BOTANY 500 | Plant Physiology (approved lab course) | 3-4 |
| CS&D 503 | Neural Mechanisms of Speech, Hearing and Language | 3 |
| DY SCI 378 | Lactation Physiology (approved lab course) | 3 |
| ENTOM/ZOOLOGY 302 | Introduction to Entomology (approved lab course) | 4 |
| ENTOM 321 | Physiology of Insects | 3 |
| ENTOM 331 | Taxonomy of Mature Insects (approved lab course) | 4 |
| F&W ECOL/ZOOLOGY 520 | Ornithology | 3 |
| F&W ECOL/ZOOLOGY 521 | Birds of Southern Wisconsin | 3 |
| GENETICS 545 | Genetics Laboratory (approved lab course) | 2 |
| GENETICS/MD GENET 565 | Human Genetics | 3 |
| GEOSCI/ZOOLOGY 542 | Invertebrate Paleontology | 3 |
| KINES 314 | Physiology of Exercise (approved lab course) | 4 |
| MICROBIO 303 | Biology of Microorganisms | 3 |
| MICROBIO 304 | Biology of Microorganisms Laboratory (approved lab course) | 2 |
| MICROBIO 526 | Physiology of Microorganisms | 3 |
| M M & I 301 | Pathogenic Bacteriology | 2 |
| M M & I/ENTOM/PATH-BIO/ZOOLOGY 350 | Parasitology | 3 |
| NTP/NEURODPT/PSYCH 611 | Systems Neuroscience | 4 |
| NUTR SCI 431 | Nutrition in the Life Span | 3 |
| NUTR SCI 631 | Clinical Nutrition I | 3 |
| ONCOLOGY 401 | Introduction to Experimental Oncology | 2 |
| PATH 404 | Pathophysiologic Principles of Human Diseases | 3 |
| PSYCH 406 | Psychology of Perception | 3-4 |
| PSYCH 414 | Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 454 | Behavioral Neuroscience | 3 |
| PSYCH 513 | Hormones, Brain, and Behavior | 4 |
| ZOOLOGY 303 | Aquatic Invertebrate Biology | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 403 | Endocrinology | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 430 | Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates (approved lab course) | 5 |
| ZOOLOGY 611 | Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 612 | Comparative Physiology Laboratory (approved lab course) | 2 |
| ZOOLOGY 620 | Neuroethology Seminar | 2 |
C. Ecology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AGROECOL 370 | Grassland Ecology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 444 | Primate Nutritional Ecology | 3 |
| AN SCI 420 | Microbiomes of Animal Systems | 3 |
| BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 450 | Midwestern Ecological Issues: A Case Study Approach | 2 |
| BOTANY 455 | The Vegetation of Wisconsin (approved lab course) | 4 |
| BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 460 | General Ecology (approved lab course) | 4 |
| BOTANY/ENTOM/ZOOLOGY 473 | Plant-Insect Interactions | 3 |
| BOTANY/ENVIR ST/F&W ECOL/ZOOLOGY 516 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
| ENTOM 344 | From Flowers to Food: Pollinator Ecology and Conservation | 3 |
| ENTOM 450 | Basic and Applied Insect Ecology | 3 |
| ENTOM 490 | Biodiversity and Global Change | 3 |
| ENVIR ST/LAND ARC 361 | Wetlands Ecology | 3 |
| F&W ECOL 448 | Disturbance Ecology | 3 |
| F&W ECOL 550 | Forest Ecology | 3 |
| F&W ECOL 551 | Forest Ecology Lab (approved lab course) | 1 |
| F&W ECOL/LAND ARC/ZOOLOGY 565 | Principles of Landscape Ecology | 2 |
| F&W ECOL/ZOOLOGY 660 | Climate Change Ecology | 3 |
| GENETICS 528 | Study Abroad: International Field Study in Animal Biodiversity | 1 |
| MICROBIO/BOTANY 335 | The Microbiome of Plants, Animals, and Humans | 3 |
| PL PATH 300 | Introduction to Plant Pathology (approved lab course) | 4 |
| PL PATH 315 | Plant Microbiomes (approved lab course) | 4 |
| ZOOLOGY 304 | Marine Biology | 2 |
| ZOOLOGY/ENVIR ST 315 | Limnology-Conservation of Aquatic Resources | 2 |
| ZOOLOGY 316 | Laboratory for Limnology-Conservation of Aquatic Resources (approved lab course) | 2-3 |
| ZOOLOGY 320 | Field Marine Biology (approved lab course) | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 333 | Marine Ecology | 2 |
| ZOOLOGY/ENVIR ST 510 | Ecology of Fishes | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY/ENVIR ST 511 | Ecology of Fishes Lab (approved lab course) | 2 |
D. Evolution and Systematics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 302 | Hominoid Evolution | 3 |
| ANTHRO 304 | Heredity, Environment and Human Populations | 3 |
| ANTHRO/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 410 | Evolutionary Biology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 411 | The Evolution of the Genus, Homo | 3 |
| ANTHRO 458 | Primate Behavioral Ecology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 603 | Seminar in Evolutionary Theory | 3 |
| BIOLOGY/GENETICS 522 | Communicating Evolutionary Biology | 2-3 |
| BOTANY 305 | Plant Morphology and Evolution (approved lab course) | 4 |
| BOTANY 400 | Plant Systematics (approved lab course) | 4 |
| BOTANY 401 | Vascular Flora of Wisconsin (approved lab course) | 4 |
| BOTANY 422 | Plant Geography | 3 |
| BOTANY/PL PATH 563 | Phylogenetic Analysis of Molecular Data | 3 |
| ENTOM 432 | Taxonomy and Bionomics of Immature Insects (approved lab course) | 4 |
| ENTOM/GENETICS/ZOOLOGY 624 | Molecular Ecology | 3 |
| ENVIR ST/F&W ECOL/ZOOLOGY 360 | Extinction of Species | 3 |
| GENETICS 468 | General Genetics 2 | 3 |
| GENETICS 633 | Population Genetics | 3 |
| MICROBIO 450 | Diversity, Ecology and Evolution of Microorganisms | 3 |
| MICROBIO 520 | Planetary Microbiology: What Life Here Tells Us About Life Out There | 3 |
| MICROBIO 525 | Field Studies of Planetary Microbiology and Life in the Universe (approved lab course) | 3 |
| PATH-BIO 307 | Superbugs, Sex, & Drugs: Why Modern Medicine Needs Evolutionary Biology | 2 |
| PSYCH 449 | Animal Behavior | 3 |
| PSYCH 450 | Primate Psychology: Insights into Human Behavior | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 300 | Invertebrate Biology and Evolution | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 301 | Invertebrate Biology and Evolution Lab (approved lab course) | 2 |
| ZOOLOGY 415 | Genetics of Human History | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 425 | Behavioral Ecology | 3 |
E. Applied Biology, Agriculture and Natural Resources
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A A E/NUTR SCI 350 | World Hunger and Malnutrition | 3 |
| AGROECOL 377 | Global Food Production and Health | 3 |
| AMER IND/ANTHRO/BOTANY 474 | Ethnobotany | 3-4 |
| AN SCI/DY SCI/NUTR SCI 311 | Comparative Animal Nutrition | 3 |
| AN SCI/DY SCI 320 | Animal Health and Disease | 3 |
| AN SCI 361 | Breeding and Genetics of Livestock and Companion Animals | 3 |
| BIOCORE 587 | Biological Interactions | 3 |
| B M E 430 | Biological Interactions with Materials | 3 |
| B M E/MED PHYS/PHMCOL-M/PHYSICS/RADIOL 619 | Microscopy of Life | 3 |
| BOTANY 403 | Field Collections and Identification | 1-4 |
| DY SCI 471 | Food Production Systems and Sustainability | 3 |
| ENTOM 351 | Principles of Economic Entomology | 3 |
| ENTOM/ZOOLOGY 371 | Medical Entomology: Biology of Vector and Vector-borne Diseases (approved lab course - 4th credit meets lab requirement) | 3-4 |
| ENVIR ST/POP HLTH 471 | Introduction to Environmental Health | 3 |
| ENVIR ST/POP HLTH 502 | Air Pollution and Human Health | 3 |
| ENVIR ST/LAND ARC 581 | Prescribed Fire: Ecology and Implementation (approved lab course) | 3 |
| F&W ECOL 306 | Terrestrial Vertebrates: Life History and Ecology (approved lab course) | 4 |
| F&W ECOL 410 | Silviculture: Applied Forest Ecology (approved lab course - 4th credit meets lab requirement) | 3-4 |
| F&W ECOL 458 | Environmental Data Science | 3 |
| F&W ECOL/SURG SCI 548 | Diseases of Wildlife | 3 |
| F&W ECOL 561 | Wildlife Management Techniques (approved lab course) | 3 |
| FOOD SCI/MICROBIO 324 | Food Microbiology Laboratory (approved lab course) | 2 |
| FOOD SCI/MICROBIO 325 | Food Microbiology | 3 |
| GENETICS 548 | The Genomic Revolution | 3 |
| M&ENVTOX/ONCOLOGY/PHM SCI/PHMCOL-M/POP HLTH 625 | Toxicology I | 3 |
| MED PHYS/PHYSICS 265 | Introduction to Medical Physics | 2 |
| MED PHYS 651 | Methods for Neuroimaging Research | 3 |
| MICROBIO 357 | General Bioinformatics for Microbiologists | 3 |
| MICROBIO/SOIL SCI 425 | Environmental Microbiology | 3 |
| M M & I 554 | Emerging Infectious Diseases and Bioterrorism | 2 |
| NUTR SCI 332 | Human Nutritional Needs | 3 |
| PATH 501 | Topics in Environmental Viral Pathogen Surveillance | 3 |
| PLANTSCI/LAND ARC 263 | Woody Landscape Plant Identification, Culture, and Use | 4 |
| PLANTSCI 300 | Cropping Systems | 3 |
| PLANTSCI 302 | Forage Management and Utilization | 3 |
| PLANTSCI 338 | Plant Breeding and Biotechnology | 3 |
| PLANTSCI 360 | Genetically Modified Crops: Science, Regulation & Controversy | 2 |
| PLANTSCI 370 | World Vegetable Crops | 3 |
| PLANTSCI 378 | Study Abroad: Tropical Horticultural Systems International Field Study | 2 |
| PLANTSCI 501 | Principles of Plant Breeding | 3 |
| PLANTSCI/ATM OCN 532 | Environmental Biophysics | 3 |
| PLANTSCI 550 | Molecular Approaches for Crop Improvement | 3 |
| PL PATH 517 | Plant Disease Resistance | 2-3 |
| SOIL SCI 323 | Soil Biology | 3 |
| SOIL SCI 621 | Soil and Environmental Chemistry | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 335 | Human/Animal Relationships: Biological and Philosophical Issues | 3 |
Capstone Requirement
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Two credits minimum required. With advisor approval, directed study or research-based senior thesis in a biological science discipline can also count. The experience must be completed after the first year of an introductory biology sequence above. The capstone experience will normally be completed during the student’s final two or three semesters. Also, a subset of laboratory courses has been approved for capstone. The following courses, along with 682s and 692s in biological science departments (taken senior year), can be accepted as fulfilling the capstone experience. | ||
| ANAT&PHY 435 | Fundamentals of Human Physiology | 5 |
| BIOCORE 486 | Principles of Physiology Laboratory | 2 |
| BOTANY 455 | The Vegetation of Wisconsin | 4 |
| BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 460 | General Ecology | 4 |
| ENVIR ST/ZOOLOGY 511 | Ecology of Fishes Lab | 2 |
| F&W ECOL 595 | Wildlife Research Capstone (limited access) | 3 |
| GENETICS 527 | Developmental Genetics for Conservation and Regeneration | 3 |
| PL PATH 315 | Plant Microbiomes | 4 |
| ZOOLOGY 316 | Laboratory for Limnology-Conservation of Aquatic Resources | 2-3 |
| ZOOLOGY 555 | Laboratory in Developmental Biology | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 612 | Comparative Physiology Laboratory | 2 |
Biology Named Option
Instead of completing the requirements above, students may choose to select the named option below.
Honors in the Major
Admissions Criteria
Students admitted to the university and to the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences are invited to apply to be considered for admission to the CALS Honors Program.
New First-Year Students
- Complete program application including essay questions
Transfer and Continuing UW-Madison Students
- UW-Madison cumulative GPA of at least 3.25
- Complete program application including essay questions
How to Apply
The application is available on the CALS Honors Program website. Applications are accepted at any time.
New first-year students with accepted applications will automatically be enrolled in Honors in Research. It is possible to switch to Honors in the Major in the student’s first semester on campus after receiving approval from the advisor for that major. Transfer and continuing students may apply directly to Honors in Research or Honors in the Major (after approval from the major advisor).
Requirements
All CALS Honors programs have the following requirements:
- Earn at least a cumulative 3.25 GPA at UW-Madison (some programs have higher requirements)
- Complete the program-specific requirements listed below
- Submit completed thesis documentation to CALS Academic Affairs
Honors in the Major in Biology: Requirements
To earn Honors in the Major in Biology, students must satisfy the requirements for the major (above) as well as the following requirements:
- Earn a 3.300 overall university GPA
- Complete a two-semester senior honors thesis for 6 credits total and present research in a public forum
- Complete at least 20 credits of honors coursework from the following sections of the Biology curriculum:
- Introductory biology
- Foundation courses
- Upper-level breadth in the major
- At least 6 of the 20 credits of honors coursework must be from the upper-level breadth in the major requirement
Learning Outcomes
- Know and understand core concepts that unify the breadth of biological sciences including: evolution; structure and function; information flow, exchange, and storage; pathways for transformations of energy and matter; and systems.
- Demonstrate practical skills of a professional biologist including: problem‐solving by engaging the process of science; written and verbal proficiency; laboratory skills; quantitative analysis skills; and teamwork skills.
- Graduates will be able to engage and make broader connections to other scientific disciplines and society.
Four-Year Plan
Four-year plans for the biology major are designed to support biological science major exploration. The four-year plan is a tool to assist you and your advisor in planning your academic career. Use it along with your DARS report and Course Search & Enroll. Your specific program of study could, and probably will, look different. You should customize your own four-year plan to fit your unique path at UW–Madison. Consult with your advisor about the best path for you.
Sample Biology Four-Year Plan
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CHEM 103 or 109 | 4-5 | CHEM 104 | 5 |
| Math Course | 3-5 | Math or Statistics | 3-4 |
| General Education or Breadth Courses | 4 | General Education or Breadth Courses | 5-7 |
| First Year Seminar | 1 | ||
| 12-15 | 13-16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CHEM 343 | 3 | CHEM 344 | 2 |
| Math or Statistics (if needed) | 3-4 | CHEM 345 | 3 |
| Intro Biology Courses | 5 | Intro Biology Courses | 5 |
| Breadth Course | 3 | Breadth Courses | 4-6 |
| 14-15 | 14-16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| PHYSICS 103 or 207 | 4-5 | PHYSICS 104 or 208 | 4-5 |
| Foundational or Biocore | 3 | Biocore or Upper-Level Breadth in the Major | 3-5 |
| Elective Courses | 5-8 | Elective Courses | 5-8 |
| 12-16 | 12-18 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Upper-Level Breadth in the Major | 3-5 | Upper-Level Breadth in the Major | 3-5 |
| Capstone or Research Course | 2-3 | Capstone or Research Course | 2-3 |
| Elective Courses | 7-10 | Elective Courses | 7-10 |
| 12-18 | 12-18 | ||
| Total Credits 101-132 | |||
Advising and Careers
Advising
Your advisor is here to guide you through the Biology Major. We can address your questions and concerns, provide advice, help you create a four-year degree plan that meets your major and professional goals, and connect you to resources. It is important to remember that advising is about the process, and some questions do not have a quick and easy answer. Your advisor will challenge you to self-reflect, to critically think about your goals and strategies, and to develop decision-making skills. For more information about what to expect during your advising appointment, visit UW Undergraduate Advising.
In the Biology Major, students are assigned to an advisor according to last name. Please schedule an advising appointment here.
Careers
The Biology Major encourages students to begin working on their career exploration and preparation soon after arriving on campus. We partner with the CALS Career Services office to help you leverage the academic skills learned in your major and liberal arts degree, explore and try out different career paths, participate in internships, prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications, and network with professionals in the field (alumni and employers).
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences graduates are in high demand by employers and graduate programs. It is important to us that our students are career ready at the time of graduation, and we are committed to your success.
Career Resources:
Wisconsin Experience
The following opportunities can help students connect with other students interested in biology, build relationships with faculty and staff, and contribute to out-of-classroom learning:
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Many study abroad programs offer a plethora of excellent upper-level biological science courses. Students often complete courses abroad that meet major requirements while others use this opportunity to focus on non-science coursework and explore other topics that interest them. Students can explore studying abroad as a Biology major utilizing the Biology Major Advising Page. Students work with their advisor and the CALS Study Abroad Office to identify appropriate programs.
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Students are encouraged to get involved in research in any life science department. Research can be performed for either course credit or pay, depending on the opportunity. Research opportunities can be identified by inquiring directly with faculty members, reading the Biology Major Newsletter, or announcement on the Student Job Center.