Advising

The biology major comprises a three-course introductory sequence: BIOL 130, BIOL 135, and BIOL 150. Biology majors should plan to start the introductory sequence during their first or second year and you can begin the sequence with either BIOL 130 or BIOL 135. First and Second Year students enrolling in BIOL 130 are also required to enroll in the 1-unit BIOL 131 Biology Learning Teams course. Intermediate level biology courses require completion of BIOL 150, so students wishing to take intermediate-level courses in the second year should complete BIOL 150 during the first year. Please note that BIOL 130 is a prerequisite for BIOL 150. Students with a strong background in chemistry who pass the on-line chemistry placement exam could begin with CHEM 116 in term I.

• First Year: BIOL 135 (term I), BIOL 130 & BIOL 131 (term II), BIOL 150 (term III)

• Second Year: CHEM 116 (term I) or [CHEM 115 (term II) & CHEM 116 (term III)]

• First Year: BIOL 130 & BIOL 131 (term I), BIOL 150 (term II),  BIOL 135 (term III)
• Second Year: CHEM 116 (term I) or [CHEM 115 (term II) & CHEM 116 (term III)]

• First Year: CHEM 116 (term I), BIOL 130 & BIOL 131 (term II), BIOL 150 (term III)
• Second Year: BIOL 135 (term I)

• First Year: No science (term I), BIOL 130 & BIOL 131 (term II), BIOL 150 (term III)
• Second Year: BIOL 135 (term I), CHEM 115 (term II), CHEM 116 (term III)

Students who have earned AP or IB credit in biology are exempt from the BIOL 130 & BIOL 131 course, but not the other introductory courses. Students also can take a departmental exemption exam for either BIOL 130 and/or BIOL 150 if they feel well qualified based on previous coursework.

Students who would like to fulfill the GER natural science requirement with a biology course  should take BIOL 103. We do not recommend taking BIOL 130 to fulfill the GER natural science requirement.

Contact the program chair, Judith Humphries (judith.humphries@lawrence.edu), for more information.