NB: Note that the Biology major, and the numbering of courses, was changed in 2006-2007.
Basic Structure of the Department
- Biology has one single major and one single minor. The major can be modified.
- Within the major there are various areas of concentration a student can choose, including “Ecology,” “Genetics,” “Molecular Evolution.” or “Human Biology” (the ORC lists seventeen different areas, along with possible faculty mentors in those areas).
- The gateway-course to the major, and the prerequisite for all other major courses, is BIOL 11. It is offered fall, winter and spring terms with no prerequisites. Different offerings of BIOL 11 focus on different topics and students should choose the offering that is most interesting to them. BIOL 11 is a non-lab class. It is designed to introduce students to the study of Biology at the college level.
- The foundation courses are numbered 12-16. BIOL 12 (Cell Structure and Function), BIOLl 13 (Gene Expression and Inheritance), BIOL 14 (Physiology), BIOL 15 (Microevolution) and BIOL 16 (Ecology). The major requires three of these five courses.
- Courses numbered 2-10 are non-major courses, have no lab, and do not count towards a major or minor in Biology.
- Biology offers an FSP to Central America and the Caribbean in the winter term. The application deadline is February 2 for the program in 2009-2010. Students who may want to participate in this FSP during their junior year should take BIOL 11 and BIOL 16 (Ecology) as soon as possible.
Courses for the Student with Little or No Background Who Wants to Explore Biological Sciences
- BIOL 11 is a topics-based course; i.e. different offerings focus on different aspects of Biology. BIOL 11 is open to all students since the course does not have a prerequisite and enrollment is not capped.
- Other possibilities include non-major courses such as BIOL 2 (Human Biology), BIOL 4 (Genes and Society), BIOL 5 (Philosophy of Biology), and BIOL 6 (Dinosaurs). These courses are not appropriate for students who might want to major in Biology or who are thinking of a pre-health career.
Information for the First-Year Student Who Plans on Pursuing Studies in Biological Sciences
- Students who decide to major in Biology will have to take or place out of Chem 5-6 (or equivalent), in addition to their Biology courses. Some upper-level Biology courses such as Biol 40 (Biochemistry, formerly Biol 77) also require Chem 51-52 (or equivalent). Therefore, students who are serious about pursuing a Biology major are advised to begin their Math and Chemistry requirements early in their college careers.
- Contact the main Biology office (103 Gilman) for details and more information about majoring or minoring in Biology
Other Information About Courses and Course Sequences
- BIOL 11-16 are large lecture classes often with more than 100 students. Students must realize that regular attendance, steady work, and developed study skills are critical to success in these classes.
- BIOL 12 and Biol 13 demand the mastery of large amounts of information. Students concerned about the transition to college may be advised to wait until they have developed their study skills before they enroll in Biol 12 or 13.
- BIOL 15 and Biol 16 involve problem solving skills, including the use of high-school algebra to solve word problems about quantitative aspects of Biology.
- The foundation courses, BIOL 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 are not sequenced and can be taken in any order (i.e., 12 does not have to be taken prior to 13).
- Intermediate-level courses (numbered 20-49) can be taken once students have taken the appropriate foundation course as a prerequisite. Students are encouraged to enroll in appropriate intermediate-level courses prior to completing all of their foundation courses.
Information for Pre-Health
- Students who want to apply to medical school or other post-graduate health programs (veterinary medicine, dental, etc.) do not have to be Biology majors. (Many majors in the other natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences at Dartmouth have had an excellent track record for post-graduate acceptances.) Students do, however, have to master certain categories of material taught by the Biology department.
- A student who wants to keep open the option of attending medical school immediately following graduation should take BIOL 12 and 13 by the end of their second year. BIOL 14 is also a good choice for students interested in health careers. In 08-09, BIOL 12 is offered 08F and 09S (and then next in 09F and 10S) and BIOL 13 is offered 09W and 09X (and then next in 10W). Students pursuing health careers are also advised to begin Math and General Chemistry (BIOL 5-6) in their first year, and to complete the Organic Chemistry (CHEM 52-52) sequence in their second year. This is to allow students to take the MCAT by no later than early summer following their junior year, followed by submission of their application during the summer before their senior year. In planning for their pre-health science requirements, students should take into account whether two courses with laboratories in the same term might present extra challenges. All students should consult with a pre-health advisor when devising their curricular plan.
- Note that students from Dartmouth are following a national trend and are tending to apply to medical school after they graduate (this necessitates at least one year off from school). This allows for more flexibility in scheduling courses required for medical school, and often strengthens applications.
For more information on requirements for medical, dental, and veterinary school, please refer to Required Courses for Medical, Dental or Veterinary Schools
Current Enrollments, Class Size, and Distributives
The ORC
The Biological Sciences Homepage
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