Biology

The Department of Biology offers a B.S. in Biology, a B.S. in Biology of Global Health, a B.S. in Environment Biology, and a B.S. in Neurobiology, as well as a minor in Biology.

Major Programs

The Department of Biology offers four majors: Biology, Biology of Global Health, Environmental Biology, and Neurobiology. These majors are designed to educate students in the breadth of subject matter encompassed by the biological sciences, including advances in knowledge at the forefront of this discipline. Graduates will be well prepared for advanced study in biological sciences, medicine, public health, education, science policy, or law, as well as professional careers in business and biotechnology.

The First and Second Years

Entering the Program, Choosing the Major, and Advising

First-year students enter the program as Biology majors; specific majors within the department are declared in the fall semester of the second year. Students receive an academic advisor from among the faculty in the Department of Biology who will work with them during their first year and beyond. Transfer students should see the Director of Undergraduate Studies to be assigned an advisor.

During the first year, in addition to courses in the liberal arts, students generally enroll in Foundations in Biology I and II (which may be taken in either order), the First-Year Seminar in Biology (BIOL-1201), General Chemistry I and II, Calculus I, and either Probability and Statistics or Calculus II. We strongly recommend that students enroll in no more than four courses in their first semester (e.g., Biology+lab, Chemistry+lab, Math, and perhaps one core requirement, along with the 1-credit BIOL-1201 seminar). In some instances, it may be preferable to postpone Chemistry and/or Math until second year. Consult with your Dean and your departmental advisor.

During the fall term of the second year all students will submit a declaration comprising an essay and an academic plan that proposes future coursework to fulfill the specific requirements of their chosen major. At this time, students are asked to choose which of the four majors within the department they plan to formally join—Biology, Biology of Global Health, Environmental Biology, or Neurobiology. Students will be assigned new academic advisors who will meet with the students within the major each semester to ensure that their academic plans are compatible with the goals of the major.

Second-year students who are undeclared or are considering changing majors may also declare in any of the majors offered through the Department during the fall term and are generally not at a significant curricular disadvantage relative to other students. Interested transfer students or third-year students can also apply at the same time as the second-year students, but they must pay close attention to their four-year plan and ascertain that they will be able to complete the coursework for the specialized major.

Learning Goals and Research

The Department of Biology has developed ten learning goals for majors in the department, outlined below and detailed on the Department web site. The first five learning goals are grouped as “Insight into the Process and Product of Science.” These focus on the process of science, to emphasize our belief that the goal of a biology education is to enable students to make creative use of their knowledge. The second five learning goals are grouped as “Fundamental Biological Concepts.” The learning goals are:

Integrate new knowledge into existing intellectual frameworks.
Engage with scientific inquiry.
Represent and interpret data in quantitative and statistically meaningful forms.
Communicate scientific understanding in oral and written forms.
Appreciate the epistemology of science.
Understand the organization of molecular, cellular, organismal and ecological systems.
Appreciate evolution as a framework for understanding biological systems.
Understand the flow of biological information.
Work with the flow of energy and matter in biological systems.
Understand the interdependence and interactions within biological systems and their emergent properties.

Two themes arise from the five fundamental biological concepts. First, all of biology operates under constraints defined by our understanding of math, physics, and chemistry; it is therefore essential that majors have a strong foundational understanding of both the concepts and the “ways of knowing” in these fields. Second, all of biology operates under the constraints of the mechanisms of evolution; it is therefore essential that majors have a strong foundational understanding of the theories, evidence, and mechanisms of evolution.

Research Intensive Senior Experience (RISE)

The Department of Biology encourages its majors to engage deeply in the subject of biology through a capstone project as a senior. Students can opt to conduct a research project through the RISE program that will earn credit toward any of the Biology majors.

Majors work with a faculty mentor to: 1) conduct an independent laboratory, field, or computational research project; 2) build from an internship experience to conduct critical in-depth research of the literature or publicly available data; or 3) teach biology and conduct research in the community.

Many students begin research before the senior year, some as early as their first year. Students who start their research early (junior year) can earn up to three credits that apply towards the major (BIOL-4950, RISE Tutorial) and up to three additional credits that apply as College elective credits but do not count towards the major (BIOL-4997, Continuing Research). Students interested in research during senior year will take RISE-I (BIOL-4951) in the fall and RISE-II (BIOL-4952) in the spring. Note that all RISE and tutorial courses are by permission of instructor only, so students must consult with a Biology faculty member in order to be enrolled in these options. With approval of a faculty advisor within the Department, research also may be conducted in laboratories outside the Department of Biology, including other departments within the College, laboratories at the GU Medical Center, or in the greater DC area, including the National Institutes of Health, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Zoo, etc.

Study Abroad

Majors from the Department of Biology can study abroad and transfer credits to the majors. All majors are encouraged to consider building a summer or semester abroad into their undergraduate programs. Although not a specific requirement, the perspective gained from the international experience is of value to all majors. Students should plan early and discuss their plans with their departmental advisor, their Dean, and the Office of Global Education. Biology courses successfully completed while studying abroad may count toward the credit requirements for the majors in Biology when specifically approved by the Department in advance. No more than two courses taken abroad may be counted towards the major.

Pre-health studies (medicine, dentistry, etc.)

At Georgetown, pre-health is simply a set of requirements, not a degree program. Each of the majors offered through the Department of Biology provides students with a strong foundation in science and a significant overlap with the pre-health program requirements. For more information, students can consult Georgetown’s pre-health website.

Major in Biology

The Biology major provides a comprehensive perspective on all aspects of the biological world, including ecology, evolutionary biology, molecular and cell biology, and development. This major affords students the greatest latitude in choosing courses of their interest across the breadth of biology. It also permits students to further concentrate their studies in either Ecology, Evolution, and Behavioral Biology (EEB) or Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (BMCDB).

The Biology major consists of biology, mathematics, general chemistry, and additional sciences. After completing the first-year courses, students enroll in intermediate-level courses. Students should take at least one course from each of two distribution areas (“Molecules” and “Populations”) and complete them by the end of the third year. Students will also enroll in a Gateway course (BIOL-1910) in the spring of their second year. This course is a communication-intensive course that satisfies the University Integrated Writing requirement. Upper-level students then choose elective courses from the courses offered by the Department to complete the major.

A concentration within the major (either EEB or BMCDB) requires the completion of 15 credits in the area of concentration. Courses that apply to each area of concentration can be found in a list on the Department’s web site. Each concentration should be devised during careful consultation with a faculty advisor and requires declaration to the Dean’s office. The area of the concentration will appear on the student’s transcript.

Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit

For students who choose to major in Biology, credit from either the AP Biology Exam, AP Environmental Science Exam, or IB Higher Level Biology will be counted toward the major. If a student has taken more than one of these exams, only one will count toward the major.

For an AP score of 5, students will receive four credits, two of which will be applied to the total credits required for the major. For an AP score of 4, students will receive three credits, one of which will be applied to the total credits required for the major. No credit is awarded for an AP score of 3.
For the IB program, students will receive credit from the Higher Level Biology but not the Standard Level. For a score of 6 or 7, students receive four credits, two of which will apply to the major. No credit is awarded for an IB score of 5 or below.
Regardless of AP or IB score, all majors are required to take BIOL-1203/-1213 (Foundations in Biology I with laboratory) and BIOL-1204/-1214 (Foundations in Biology II with laboratory). The equivalent summer courses are BIOL-1205/-1215 and BIOL-1206/-1216, respectively, and can be used to fulfill this requirement in place of the Academic Year courses.

Courses for the Biology Major

Required Biology Courses (23 credits)

Intermediate-level distribution courses should be completed by the end of the third year.

Foundations in Biology I and II (BIOL-1203/-1213 and BIOL-1204/-1214). Note that despite the numbering, these two courses may be taken in either order. The equivalent summer courses are BIOL-1205/-1215 and BIOL-1206/-1216, respectively, and can be used to fulfill this requirement in place of the Academic Year courses.
First-year Seminar in Biology (BIOL-1201)
Two intermediate-level courses – at least one “Molecules” course (BIOL-1510 or BIOL-1520) and at least one “Populations” course (BIOL-1800 or BIOL-1850)
Biology Gateway course (BIOL-1910), which students typically take in their second year and satisfies the University-wide Integrated Writing requirement

Biology Elective Courses (17 credits)

Seventeen credits of additional elective courses offered by the Department of Biology will be taken for a total of 40 credits. If a student takes both intermediate-level courses from a distribution area (“Molecules” or “Populations”), the second course will count as a Biology elective. To replace traditional coursework, students may take RISE Tutorial (BIOL-4950) for up to 3 credits and RISE (BIOL-4951/-4952) for an additional 6 credits. Six credits of additional coursework must be taken at the advanced level (courses in the BIOL-3500-4899 range). The Biology Department also offers a variety of 1-credit courses that count as Biology elective credits.

Almost all courses with a BIOL-prefix count as Biology electives. Exceptions to this are courses intended for non-majors (i.e., courses numbered BIOL-1000–1199 and will have the Science For All tag) and BIOL-4997, which count as College electives. Courses numbered BIOL-5000 and above are reserved for graduate students. Students are permitted to count a single 2000-level Biology course, which explores interdisciplinary connections with biology, toward the major.

Additional Required Science Courses for the Biology Major (21-23 credits)

Calculus I (MATH-1350) and either Probability and Statistics (MATH-1040 or MATH-2140) or Calculus II (MATH-1360)
General Chemistry with laboratory (CHEM-1100/-1105 and CHEM-1200/-1205)
3-5 credits in additional science. Examples include Organic Chemistry I (CHEM-2100); Principles of Physics I (PHYS-2051); Mechanics (PHYS-2101); Electromagnetic Phenomena (PHYS-2102); Math Methods for Computer Science (COSC-1110); Computer Science I (COSC-1021); Advanced Programming (COSC-2020); Introduction to Databases (COSC-3510); Environmental Geoscience (STIA-2127). Students should be aware of prerequisites for individual classes. Students should also note that many of these courses represent the first course in a two-semester sequence and depending on future plans, they may need to take the second course in the sequence for goals outside of the Biology major (i.e., pre-health studies).

Major in Biology of Global Health

An underlying motivation for the study of science is the impact that basic discoveries have on human health across the globe. This major examines the biology behind global health concerns and includes coursework and research spanning laboratory and quantitative sciences, while integrating perspectives from policy, economics, ethics, culture, etc. Georgetown is especially strong in infectious- and genetic-disease research and is at the forefront of interdisciplinary work in application of policy, law, and ethics to global health issues.

Students interested in this major enter the program as Biology majors. Students opting for the Biology of Global Health major will have the opportunity to declare in the fall of second year. At this time, students will be assigned a faculty advisor from within the major.

In spring of the second year, students take BIOL-1940, Biology of Global Health. This Gateway course into the major is a communication-intensive course that satisfies the University Integrated Writing requirement. Required courses in departments outside of Biology include two semesters of Chemistry, one semester of Calculus, one semester of Statistics, and one semester of Quantitative Science (Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Economic Statistics, etc.). In addition, students must take two courses from a diverse course selection that addresses issues at the intersection of global health and society (Ethics, Policy, Law, Economics, etc.).

Students should plan their program in close consultation with their faculty advisor to ensure that they have taken any prerequisites necessary for desired upper level courses. Biology courses successfully completed while studying abroad may count toward the credit requirements for the major in Biology of Global Health when specifically approved by the Department in advance. No more than two courses taken abroad may be counted towards the major.

Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit

For students who choose to major in Biology of Global Health, credit from either the AP Biology Exam, AP Environmental Science Exam, or IB Biology will be counted toward the major. If a student has taken more than one of these exams, only one will count toward the major.

For an AP score of 5, students will receive four credits, two of which will be applied to the total credits required for the major. For an AP score of 4, students will receive three credits, one of which will be applied to the total credits required for the major. No credit is awarded for an AP score of 3.
For the IB program, students will receive credit from the Higher Level Biology but not the Standard Level. For a score of 6 or 7, students receive four credits, two of which will apply to the major. No credit is awarded for an IB score of 5 or below.
Regardless of AP or IB score, all majors are required to take BIOL- 1203/-1213 (Foundations in Biology I with laboratory) and BIOL-1204/-1214 (Foundations in Biology II with laboratory). The equivalent summer courses are BIOL-1205/-1215 and BIOL-1206/-1216, respectively, and can be used to fulfill this requirement in place of the Academic Year courses.

Courses for the Biology of Global Health Major

Required Biology Core Courses (15 credits)

First-year Seminar in Biology (BIOL-1201)
Foundations in Biology I and II (BIOL-1203/-113 and BIOL-1204/-1214). Note that despite the numbering, these two courses may be taken in either order. The equivalent summer courses are BIOL-1205/-1215 and BIOL-1206/-1216, respectively, and can be used to fulfill this requirement in place of the Academic Year courses.
Biology of Global Health (BIOL-1940), which satisfies the University-wide Integrated Writing requirement

Additional Required Science Courses (20-22 credits)

General Chemistry I and II (CHEM-1100/-1105 and CHEM-1200/-1205)
Calculus I (MATH-1350)
Probability and Statistics (MATH-1040) or Introduction to Mathematical Statistics (MATH-2140)
Additional Quantitative Science: Genomics and Bioinformatics (BIOL-3615), Biology of Global Health Statistics (BIOL-3840), Experimental Design and Analysis for Biology (BIOL-4180), Population Genetics (BIOL-4535), Modeling Populations and Diseases (BIOL-4615), Math Methods for Computer Science (COSC-1110), Economics Statistics (ECON-2110), Introduction to Epidemiology (HESY-2004), Regression Analysis (MATH-2540), or Biostatistical Methods (MATH-2625). If students have already fulfilled the Quantitative Science requirement, any Biology courses on this list then count for Biology elective credit.
For students planning to go abroad, up to two courses may count towards Biology elective credit. Students should consult with their dean and their advisor ahead of time.

Biology Elective Courses (24 credits)

At least 1 course must be taken in each of the three clusters (Basic Biology; Ecology and Evolution; and Host and Disease). Students may count RISE Tutorial (BIOL-4950) for up to 3 credits and may take RISE (BIOL-4951 and BIOL-4952) for an additional 6 credits towards the total of 24 credits. The Biology Department also offers 1-credit courses that count as Biology elective credits. In general, biology courses numbered 1000-1199 are for non-majors and bear the Science for All tag, while courses numbered 5000 and above are for graduate students. The Department of Biology offers several courses in the 2000 range; these courses count for the Interdisciplinary Perspectives requirement for Biology of Global Health majors. Note that Animal Behavior (BIOL-3275) and Marine Biology (BIOL-3504) do not count for the Biology of Global Health major.

Students should note that course offerings change frequently, most courses are offered in only a single semester each year, and not all courses are offered every year. Furthermore, courses offered outside of Biology may have limited enrollments for Biology of Global Health majors, and some courses may have prerequisites not listed here or may require permission of the instructor. Students should talk with their Dean and departmental advisors and also look carefully on the departmental and Registrar’s websites to identify course offerings.

Cell and Molecular Cluster

Biochemistry (BIOL-1510)
Genetics (BIOL-1520)
Neurobiology (BIOL-1950)
Seminar: Inquiry into Foundations of Biology (BIOL-1960)
Dynamic Processes in Biological Physics (BIOL-3551)
Genomics and Bioinformatics (BIOL-3615)
Cell Biology (BIOL-3701)
Molecular Biology (BIOL-3702)
Developmental Biology (BIOL-3730)
Synaptic Transmission (BIOL-3798)
Developmental Neurobiology (BIOL-3799)
Sensory Systems (BIOL-3800)
Genome Instability and Human Disease (BIOL-4360)

Ecology and Evolution Cluster

Ecology (BIOL-1800)
Evolutionary Processes (BIOL-1850)
Conservation Biology (BIOL-3503)
Global Climate Change (BIOL-3515)
Molecular Evolution (BIOL-3516)
Genomics and Bioinformatics (BIOL-3615), if the quantitative science requirement above is fulfilled by another choice
Genetic Conflict (BIOL-3635)
Experimental Design and Analysis for Biology (BIOL-4180), if the quantitative science requirement above is fulfilled by another choice
Population Genetics (BIOL-4535), if the quantitative science requirement above is fulfilled by another choice
Biology of Sex (BIOL-4515)
Modeling Biological Populations (BIOL-4615), if the quantitative science requirement above is fulfilled by another choice

Host and Disease Cluster

Mammalian Physiology (BIOL-1750)
Neurobiology (BIOL-1950)
Microbiology (BIOL-3500)
Infection and Immunity (BIOL-3700)
Introduction to Virology and Viral Disease (BIOL-3801)
Introduction to Parasites (BIOL-3802)
Genomics, Disability & Health (BIOL-3940)
Endocrinology (BIOL-4250)
Cell Biology of Cancer (BIOL-4750)

Interdisciplinary Perspectives (minimum of 6 credits)

Students choose two courses in interdisciplinary perspectives from courses offered across campus, including 200-level courses in the Biology Department, such as BIOL-2501 (Global Health History). Most courses with GLOH, HESY, or STIA prefixes will fill this requirement. Students are cautioned that not all courses are offered every year, courses offered in School of Health and STIA may have limited enrollments for Biology of Global Health majors, and that some courses have additional prerequisites not explicitly listed here or may require permission of the instructor. Courses may be added to these lists as new courses are offered. Students may petition the director of the major to determine whether new courses can fulfill this requirement.

Major in Environmental Biology

The Environmental Biology Major is a “liberal science” major, focused on the science of the biological, chemical, and geological processes that operate on our planet, as well as the ways that humans utilize and alter these processes in cultural, economic, agricultural, and public health systems. This major stresses foundations in biological and quantitative sciences and in scientific communication as a means to understand environmental studies and multifaceted environmental issues.

Students interested in this major typically enter the program as Biology majors; however, transfer and undeclared students are also welcome. Students declare their intention to becomes an Environmental Biology major in the fall of second year, and should enroll in Ecology (BIOL-1800) during this term. In the Spring term, Environmental Biology majors will also enroll in the Gateway course, Evolutionary Processes (BIOL-1850). This course is a communication-intensive course that satisfies the University-wide Integrated Writing requirement.

All students in this major take a set of three core courses—Ecology (BIOL-1800), Evolutionary Processes (BIOL-1850), and Experimental Design and Analysis for Biology (BIOL-4180)—in their second and third years to establish a foundation in biological concepts. Majors also complete six upper-level courses, three from thematic categories and three selected from all upper-level electives that are approved for the major. The Biology Department also offers 1-credit courses that count as Biology elective credits. In general, biology courses numbered from 1000-1199 are for non-majors and bear the Science for All tag, while courses numbered 5000 and above are for graduate students.

Students should plan their program of study in consultation with their faculty advisors. Faculty advisors also help students identify summer or senior research opportunities relevant to environmental biology topics as well as sources of competitive financial support for such activities. Biology courses successfully completed while studying abroad may count toward the credit requirements for the major in Environmental Biology when specifically approved by the Department in advance.

Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit

For students who choose to major in Environmental Biology, credit from either the AP Biology Exam, AP Environmental Science Exam, or IB Biology will be counted toward the major. If a student has taken more than one of these exams, only one will count toward the major.

For an AP score of 5, students will receive four credits, two of which will be applied to the total credits required for the major. For an AP score of 4, students will receive three credits, one of which will be applied to the total credits required for the major. No credit is awarded for an AP score of 3.
For the IB program, students will receive credit from the Higher Level Biology but not the Standard Level. For a score of 6 or 7, students receive four credits, two of which will apply to the major. No credit is awarded for an IB score of 5 or below.
Regardless of AP or IB score, all majors are required to take BIOL- 103/-113 (Foundations in Biology I with laboratory) and BIOL-104/-114 (Foundations in Biology II with laboratory). The equivalent summer courses are BIOL-1205/-1215 and BIOL-1206/-1216, respectively, and can be used to fulfill this requirement in place of the Academic Year courses.

Courses for the Environmental Biology Major

Required Biology Courses (23 credits)

First-year Seminar in Biology (BIOL-1201)
Foundations in Biology I and II (BIOL-1203/-1213 and BIOL-1204/-1214). Note that despite the numbering, these two courses may be taken in either order. The equivalent summer courses are BIOL-1205/-1215 and BIOL-1206/-1216, respectively, and can be used to fulfill this requirement in place of the Academic Year courses.
Ecology (BIOL-1800)
Evolutionary Processes (BIOL-1850)
Experimental Design and Analysis for Biology (BIOL-4180)

Distribution Courses (22 credits minimum)

Students must take at least 3 credits from Group A and 3 credits in Group B, as well as at least 3 additional credits from A or B. 13 additional credits may come from A or B or Other Upper-level Electives. One-credit courses may be included in the tally.

Students should note that course offerings change frequently, most courses are offered in only a single semester each year, and not all courses are offered every year. Furthermore, courses offered outside of Biology may have limited enrollments for Environmental Biology majors, and some courses may have prerequisites not listed here or may require permission of the instructor. Students should talk with their departmental advisor and Dean, and also look carefully on the Registrar’s website to identify course offerings. Listed below are examples of appropriate courses. Others may also be acceptable. Consult with the Director of the major.

Group A: Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior

Animal Behavior (BIOL-3275)
Microbiology (BIOL-3500)
Plants and Society (BIOL-3502)
Conservation Biology (BIOL-3503)
Marine Biology (BIOL-3504)
Global Climate Change Ecology (BIOL-3514)
Molecular Evolution (BIOL-3516)
Genomics and Bioinformatics (BIOL-3615)
Evolution of Mammalian Diversity (BIOL-4500)
Networks in Biology (BIOL-4501)
Biodiversity: Genes to Ecosystems (BIOL-4504)
Biology of Sex (BIOL-4515)
Modeling Populations & Diseases (BIOL-4615)

1 credit classes (examples):

Urban Foraging and Ecology (BIOL-4502/ENST-1161)
Advanced Topics in Evolution (BIOL-4503)

Group B: Environmental and Earth Sciences

Global Climate Change Ecology (BIOL-3515)

Molecular Evolution (BIOL-3516)
Microbial Genomics (BIOL-3535)
Genomics and Bioinformatics (BIOL-3615)
Genetic Conflict (BIOL-3635)
Biology of Sex (BIOL-4515)
Population Genetics (BIOL-4535)
Modeling Populations and Disease (BIOL-4615)
Environmental Geoscience (STIA-2127)
Oceanography (STIA-3170)
Geographic Information Systems (STIA-3541)
Remote Sensing (STIA-3554)
Physics and Chemistry of Earth’s Climate (STIA-4131)
Climate Science and Policy (STIA-4961)

Other Upper-level Electives

Principles and Practice in Biology (BIOL-1200; for Regents Scholars only)
Genetics (BIOL-1520)

Science and Society: Grand Challenges (BIOL-2500)

Global Health History (BIOL-2501)
Global History of Plague (BIOL-2504)
Shaping National Science Policy (BIOL-2620)
Dynamic Processes in Biological Physics (BIOL-3551)
RISE Tutorial (BIOL-4950)
RISE I (BIOL-4951)
RISE II (BIOL-4952)
Math Methods for Computer Science (COSC-1110)
Computer Science I (COSC-1020)
Environmental Economics (ECON-2675) (Note: requires ECON-1001)
Environment and Society (ENST-1110)
Issues in Environmental Science (ENST-2220)
Population, Gender, and Environment (ENST-2247)
Environmental Communication (ENST-2290)
Topics in Marine Conservation (ENST-3292)
Gender and Sustainability (ENST-3350)
Environmental Politics (GOVT-2253)
The Politics of Climate Change (GOVT-3243)
Political Theory of Nature and the Environment (GOVT-3823)
Ancient Climate Changes (HIST-4103)
Global History of the Plague (HIST-4104)

Health Impact of the Environment (HSCI-3320)

Environment in Africa (STIA-3127)
Green Revolutions (STIA-3130)
Environmental Security (STIA-3159)
Environmental Security in the Arctic (STIA-3164)
Environmental Policy (STIA-3173)
Water (STIA-3181)
Environmental Sustainability and Business Strategy (STIA-3197)
Clean Energy Innovation (STIA-4102)
Energy & Environment in Eurasia (STIA-4119)

1-credit courses (examples):

Introduction to Programming (BIOL-4650)

Data Analysis with R (BIOL-4550)

Other courses will be considered upon consultation with the Director of the Environmental Biology major.

Additional Required Science Courses (18 credits)

General Chemistry I and II (CHEM-1100/-1105 and CHEM-1200/-1205)
Calculus I (MATH-1350)
Probability and Statistics (MATH-1040) or Introduction to Mathematical Statistics (MATH-2140)

Major in Neurobiology

Given our rapidly evolving understanding of brain as mind, study of the nervous system is considered one of the great frontiers in science today. Within the broader area of Neuroscience, Neurobiology focuses on the molecules, cells, and circuits that promote brain function. The Neurobiology major is designed to educate students in the foundations of biology and neurobiology while providing opportunities for advanced study on a range of disciplines, from cell, molecular, and developmental neuroscience to cognitive science and psychology as well as the intersections of these disciplines.

Students interested in the Neurobiology major typically enter the program as Biology majors. Students declare their intention to join the major in the fall of the second year. In spring of the second year, students take Neurobiology (BIOL-1950). This course is a communication-intensive course that satisfies the University Integrated Writing requirement. In subsequent years, a series of four additional required courses as well as electives to develop depth in neurobiology are required. The Biology Department also offers 1-credit courses that count as Biology elective credits.

Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit

For students who choose to major in Neurobiology, credit from either the AP Biology Exam or IB Higher Level Biology will be counted toward the major. If a student has taken both these exams, only one will count toward the major. The AP Environmental Science Exam will not count toward the Neurobiology major, (i.e., majors in Neurobiology will not be granted credit towards the major for the AP Environmental Science exam, although they will receive elective credit toward their degree).

For an AP score of 5 on the Biology exam, students will receive four credits, two of which will be applied to the total credits required for the major. For an AP score of 4, students will receive three credits, one of which will be applied to the total credits required for the major. No credit is awarded for an AP score of 3.
For the IB program, students will receive credit from the Higher Level Biology but not the Standard Level. For a score of 6 or 7, students receive four credits, two of which will apply to the major. No credit is awarded for an IB score of 5 or below.
Regardless of AP or IB score, all majors are required to take BIOL- 1203/-1213 (Foundations in Biology I with laboratory) and BIOL-1204/-1214 (Foundations in Biology II with laboratory). The equivalent summer courses are BIOL-1205/-1215 and BIOL-1206/-1216, respectively, and can be used to fulfill this requirement in place of the Academic Year courses.

Courses for the Neurobiology Major

Required Biology Courses (28 credits)

First-year Seminar in Biology (BIOL-1201)
Foundations in Biology I and II (BIOL-1203/-1213 and BIOL-1204/-1214). Note that despite the numbering, these two courses may be taken in either order. The equivalent summer courses are BIOL-1205/-1215 and BIOL-1206/-1216, respectively, and can be used to fulfill this requirement in place of the Academic Year courses.
Neurobiology (BIOL-1950)
Synaptic Transmission (BIOL-3789)
Developmental Neurobiology (BIOL-3799)
Sensory Systems (BIOL-3800)
Neurodisorders (BIOL-4140)
Senior Seminar (BIOL-4960)

Elective Courses for the Neurobiology Major (21 credits)

Enrollment in graduate-level courses (numbered 5000 and above) is at the discretion of the instructor. No more than two courses from Group B (Psychology and Animal Behavior classes) can count as Neurobiology electives, unless they are part of a student’s Interdisciplinary Group choice. Students may take up to 3 credits from Group C and up to 3 credits from the Interdisciplinary Group. Groups B, C, and the Interdisciplinary Group are not required.

Students should note that course offerings change frequently, most courses are offered in only a single semester each year, and not all courses are offered every year. Furthermore, courses offered outside of Biology may have limited enrollments for Neurobiology majors, and some courses may have prerequisites not listed here or may require permission of the instructor. Students should talk with their Dean and advisor and also look carefully on the Registrar’s websites to identify course offerings.

Group A

Biological Chemistry (BIOL-1510)
Genetics (BIOL-1520)
Mammalian Physiology (BIOL-1750)
Genomics and Bioinformatics (BIOL-3615)
Genetic Conflict (BIOL-3635)
Infection and Immunity (BIOL-3700)
Cell Biology (BIOL-3701)
Molecular Biology (BIOL-3702)
Developmental Biology (BIOL-3730)
Advanced Developmental Biology (BIOL-4240)
Modeling Biological Populations (BIOL-4615)
Endocrinology (BIOL-4701)
Architecture and Dynamics of the Nucleus (BIOL-4703)
The Dynamic Brain (BIOL-4704)
Unsung Receptors (BIOL-4707)
Advanced Molecular Biology (BIOL-4711)
Cell Biology of Cancer (BIOL-4750)
RISE Tutorial (BIOL-4950)
RISE I (BIOL-4951)
RISE II (BIOL-4952)
Molecular Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration (NSCI-6007)

Group B

Animal Behavior (BIOL-3275)
General Psychology (PSYC-1000)
Research Methods and Statistics (PSYC-2000)
Physiological Psychology (PSYC-2200)
Information in the Brain (PSYC-2300)
Psychological Disorders (PSYC-2700)
Cognitive Neuroscience (PSYC-3200)
Social and Affective Neurosciences (PSYC-3210)
Psychology of Memory (PSYC-3300)
Psychology of Aging (PSYC-3610)

Group C

Organic Chemistry I (CHEM-2100)
Principles of Physics (PHYS-2051)
Mechanics (PHYS-2101)
Computer Science I (COSC-1020)
Biostatistical Methods (MATH-2625)

Interdisciplinary Group

The Interdisciplinary Group is intended to allow students to reach beyond the conventions of our neurobiology major to where neuroscience meets other disciplines. Courses in this category require approval by the director of the neurobiology major; approvals will typically happen en masse during registration. Courses in this category are typically upper- or graduate level. As an example:

Brain and Language (NSCI-6004)

Additional Science and Math Courses (18 credits)

General Chemistry with laboratory (CHEM-1100/-1105 and CHEM-1200/-1205)
Calculus I (MATH-1350)
Calculus II (MATH-1360) or Probability and Statistics (MATH-1040) or Introduction to Mathematical Statistics (MATH-2140)

Minor in Biology

A minor in Biology requires a minimum of five courses and nineteen credits in Biology, excluding BIOL-1201. Courses numbered BIOL-1000 to BIOL-1199, which are intended to satisfy the Science for All requirement, do not count for the minor. Courses numbered in the 2000’s, which explore interdisciplinary connections with biology, similarly do not count for the minor. Foundations in Biology I (BIOL-1203/-1213) and II (BIOL-1204/-1214) are required. (These may also be fulfilled summer equivalents of these courses are BIOL-1205/1215 and 1206/1216, respectively). BIOL-4950 (RISE Tutorial) may be counted towards the minor, but BIOL-4951 and BIOL-4952 (RISE) may not. Credit for AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, or IB Biology is not applicable toward the Biology minor.

Contact Information

Please contact the Director of Undergraduate Students and Studies in Biology with general questions about the majors or minor. This information may be found on the Department website (https://biology.georgetown.edu).

(For course listings for Biology see the Schedule of Classes)