Course Planning

Biology Major - Planning

Course planning advice here is limited to majors. For a full description of degree requirements, please see this overview of the Academic Program and refer to the Catalog for details and official rules. Any discrepancy between the Course Planning Pages and the Catalog will be resolved in favor of the Catalog.

The first set of tables below describe course planning for current first year students and incoming students that will use the NEW biology major starting in 2025-2026. Current students that have already completed BIOL 150, BIOL 190, and/or BIOL 220 should use the second set of tables that describe course planning for the EXISTING biology major.

NEW Biology Major:

Possible Degree Path – for completing the NEW major in four years. The following is a typical plan for this 12 course major. This is not the only way forward.  Please consult with your advisor to create your unique path. 

First Year
  • Fund of Cellular Life (BIOL 150)
  • Gen Chem I (CHEM 110) and Gen Chem II (CHEM 120)
Sophomore
  • Evo & Diversity of Life (BIOL 155)
  • Genetics (BIOL 250)
  • Ecology (BIOL 255)
  • Any 200-level statistics course
Junior
  • Biological Comm (BIOL 270)
  • 1-2 Biology Major Electives
  • If not already completed: Any second-year course above
Senior
  • 1-2 Biology Major Electives
  • Biology Senior Seminar (BIOL 497)

Possible Degree Path – for completing the NEW major in three years.  The following is a typical plan to complete this major. Please consult with your advisor or a member of the Department to create your unique path

First Year

-
Sophomore
  • Fund of Cellular Life (BIOL 150)
  • Evo & Diversity of Life (BIOL 155)
  • Biological Comm (BIOL 270)
  • Gen Chem I (CHEM 110) and Gen Chem II (CHEM 120)
  • Any 200-level statistics course
Junior
  • Genetics (BIOL 250)
  • Ecology (BIOL 255)
  • 1-2 Biology Major Electives
Senior
  • Biology Senior Seminar (BIOL 497)
  • 1-2 Biology Major Electives

EXISTING Biology Major:

Possible Degree Path – for completing the EXISTING major in four years. The following is a typical plan for this 13 course major. This is not the only way forward. Please consult with your advisor to create your unique path

First Year

4 courses towards the major. These should include:

  • Fundamentals of Cellular Life (BIOL 150)
  • Botany (BIOL 190)
  • Gen Chem I (CHEM 110)
  • Gen Chem II (CHEM 120)
Sophomore

3-4 courses towards the major. These should include:

  • Zoology (BIOL 220)
  • Genetics (BIOL 250) or Ecology & Evolution (BIOL 260)
  • Any 200-level statistics course

Possibly:

  • Students could consider taking both Genetics (BIOL 250) and Ecology & Evolution (BIOL 260) their sophomore year
Junior

If not already completed:

  • Genetics (BIOL 250)
  • Ecology & Evolution (BIOL 260)

And:

  • 1-3 Biology Major Electives
Senior
  • 1-3 Biology Major Electives
  • Biology Senior Seminar (BIOL 497)

Possible Degree Path – for completing the existing major in three years.  The following is a typical plan to complete this major. Please consult with your advisor or a member of the Department to create your unique path.

First Year

  

-

 

 Sophomore

5-6 courses towards the major. These should include:

  • Fundamentals of Cellular Life (BIOL 150)
  • Botany (BIOL 190)
  • Gen Chem I (CHEM 110)
  • Gen Chem II (CHEM 120)
  • Any 200-level statistics course

Possibly:

  • Genetics (BIOL 250) or Ecology & Evolution (BIOL 260)

 Junior
  • Zoology (BIOL 220) 

If not already completed: 

  • Genetics (BIOL 250)
  • Ecology & Evolution (BIOL 260)

And:

  • 1-3 Biology Major Electives

Senior
  • 1-3 Biology Major Electives
  • Biology Senior Seminar (BIOL 497) 

Capstone: The Biology capstone is composed of a review paper and presentation as part of the senior seminar (BIOL 497), and a comprehensive exam.  See your departmental advisor for more details.

Planning Recommendations:

  • Although research is not required for the major, students planning to pursue a graduate degree in Biology are strongly encouraged to participate in independent research. Students should start exploring research options through consultation with the Department as early as their freshman year.  
  • While each Biology graduate program is different, students considering graduate work should complete a sequence of General Chemistry (CHEM 110 & 120), a sequence of Organic Chemistry (CHEM 240 & 250), a sequence of Physics (PHYS 235 & 245), at least one semester of Calculus (MATH 130), and possibly a semester of Biological Chemistry (CHEM 330). Consult with a member of the Biology Department to discuss additional recommendations for Graduate School.
  • Students interested in any health-related field should also refer to the Health-Related Fields guidelines at [ https://www.hendrix.edu/preprofessional/default.aspx?id=40707].