Prerequisites and How They Can Be Met

A number of these prerequisites can be met with acceleration credits. Students who have scored either a 5 on the AP test or 710 or above on the SAT II biology test can place out of MCDB 120a, E&EB 122b and their associated labs. Students who have equivalent scores on the chemistry achievement test can place out of MCDB 120a and MCDB 121La, but they are advised to consult with the director of undergraduate studies if they are not confident about their preparation in biology. They must consult with the chemistry department, however, about their placement in chemistry.

Advanced placement credit awarded in general chemistry, physics and math or completion of advanced courses in those departments, is accepted in lieu of the relevant prerequisite for the Biology major. Students who already have mathematics preparation equivalent to Mathematics 115a or b are encouraged to take additional mathematics (e.g. MATH 120a or b or linear algebra) or statistics (e.g. E&EB 210).

Since the required chemistry courses are prerequisite to a number of MCDB and MB&B courses, students are strongly urged to take general or organic chemistry in their freshman year.

Premedical students will likely need to take the laboratory with introductory physics, although it is not required for the major in Biology. Premedical students should consider the advisability of taking both terms of the introductory biology laboratories (MCDB 121La and E&EB 123Lb). Note that the premedical requirements and the prerequisites for both Biology and MB&B majors are virtually the same, so students do not have to choose among these paths during their freshman year.

Back to Degree Programs