Degree Requirements
Advising Resources for Current Students
Biology Major Degree Requirements
University Requirements |
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List of Approved International Perspective Courses |
List of Approved U.S. Diversity Courses |
College Requirements |
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List of Approved GenEds for LAS |
Approved GenEds for AgLS: Humanities list, Social Sciences list, Ethics list |
Biology Major Requirements | Catalog Year | Downloadable PDF |
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Biology Major Requirements | current (2022-2023) | Biology Requirements 2022-2023 (PDF) |
Advanced Biology Courses | current (2022-2023) | Advanced Biology Courses 2022-2023 (PDF) |
Biology Major Requirements (old catalogs)
Biology Minor Requirements
Biology Minor Requirements | Catalog Year | Downloadable PDF |
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Biology Minor | current (2021-2022) | Biology Minor Requirements 2021-2022 (PDF) |
Degree Planning
Sample 4-year plans |
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CALS 4-year plan (PDF) |
LAS 4-year plan (PDF) |
All of these PDFs are fillable forms that you can keep on your computer and revise throughout your degree program.
Degree Planning Worksheets |
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Degree Planning Worksheet - Semester-by-Semester |
Biology Planning Worksheet (AgLS) |
Biology Planning Worksheet (LAS) |
Helpful Resources & Commonly Used Forms |
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How to Run a Degree Audit |
Link to Registrar Forms |
Biology Major Degree Requirements
Iowa State University offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology through its interdepartmental undergraduate Biology Program. Consisting of 120 credit hours, students can complete this degree within four years (8 semesters) to pursue a wide variety of career options. The links below contain downloadable, printer-friendly 4-year plans and our current degree requirements:
- Bachelor of Science in Biology Degree Requirements - 2023-2024 Catalog Year (PDF)
- Bachelor of Science in Biology 4-Year Plan - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (PDF)
- Bachelor of Science in Biology 4-Year Plan - College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (PDF)
University Requirements
Students enrolled in any major at Iowa State University complete a common set of general education requirements. These requirements include:
Course # | Course Name | Credits |
---|---|---|
ENGL 150 | Critical Thinking and Communication | 3 |
ENGL 250 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition | 3 |
(varies) | Advanced Communications (determined by choice of college and major) | 3 |
LIB 160 | Introduction to College Level Research | 1 |
(varies) | International Perspective (click here for a list of approved courses) | 3 |
(varies) | U.S. Diversity (click here for a list of approved courses) | 3 |
For additional information about English and communications coursework, including test-out and placement tests, see the ISUComm website.
College Requirements
Students majoring in Biology can do so through two colleges: the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). Each college has additional general education requirements students are expected to complete. They key differences between these requirements for Biology majors are summarized below:
LAS Requirement | CALS Requirement | |
---|---|---|
Foreign Language | 101/102 college-level language proficiency or 3+ years in high school | none required |
Advanced Communications | advanced writing (ENGL 312 preferred) -or- speech (SP CM 212, COMST 214, or AGEDS 311) | speech (SP CM 212, COMST 214, or AGEDS 311) |
Math (met by completing Biology major requirements) | mathematics and/or statistics | mathematics AND statistics |
Science (met by completing Biology major requirements) | natural sciences | biological and physical sciences |
Arts and Humanities | 12 credits (select here for approved course list) | 3 credits (select here for approved course list) |
Social Sciences | 9 credits (select here for approved course list) | 3 credits (select here for approved course list) |
Ethics | None required | 3 credits (select here for approved course list) |
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences also requires completion of 45 credits of 300-level coursework.
Biology Major Requirements
Biology Core Requirements
This coursework provide students with a broad foundation in the biological sciences. Students must maintain a 2.0 or higher cumulative GPA for these courses.
Course # | Course Name | Credits | Learning Goals |
---|---|---|---|
BIOL 110 & BIOL 111 (students entering directly from high school) -or- BIOL 112 (students transferring from another school) | Introduction to Biology and Opportunities in Biology -or- Transfer Student Orientation | 1 to 1.5 | |
BIOL 211 & BIOL 211L | Principles of Biology I & lab | 4 | BIOL 211+L Learning Goals |
BIOL 212 & BIOL 212L | Principles of Biology II & lab | 4 | BIOL 212+L Learning Goals |
BIOL 312 | Ecology (with lab) | 4 | |
BIOL 313 & BIOL 313L | Principles of Genetics & lab | 4 | |
BIOL 314 | Principles of Molecular Cell Biology | 3 | |
BIOL 315 | Biological Evolution | 3 |
The 300-level core courses do not need to be taken in numerical order. Students should aim to take the course which relates to their primary interest areas first.
Advanced Biology Requirements
Advanced biology coursework allows students to tailor their degree program to their interests with over 200 course options, making Biology the most flexible life-science major at Iowa State University. Advanced biology courses include traditional instructional content as well as opportunities such as field trip courses, teaching experiences, internships, and research experiences. Biology majors complete 21 credits of advanced biology coursework, including:
- At least 9 credits from Biology Program offerings (e.g., BIOL, EEOB, and GDCB courses)
- At least 2 advanced courses containing a laboratory/field component
As with the biology core, students must maintain a 2.0 or higher cumulative GPA for these courses. Note that advanced biology courses cannot be used to meet general education requirements.
Complementary or Supporting Science Requirements
An understanding of math, chemistry, and physics is required for completing a Biology major. What courses a student takes depends largely on their career interests, and is best discussed with their advisor or our Student Services Office.
Mathematics
Biology majors complete two semesters of calculus and/or statistics. Choice of college (LAS or CALS) impact a student's mathematics requirements per the options below:
Math/Stats Option | Mathematics Course | Statistics Course | Credits |
---|---|---|---|
Mathematics Only (LAS) | MATH 165 (Calculus I) and MATH 166 (Calculus II) | none (LAS only) | 8 |
Statistics Only (LAS) | none (LAS only) | STAT 101 (Principles of Statistics) or STAT 104 (Introduction to Statistics) -and- STAT 301 (Intermediate Statistical Concepts and Methods) | 7 to 8 |
Mathematics and Statistics (LAS and CALS) | MATH 160 (Survey of Calculus) or MATH 165 (Calculus I) | STAT 101 (Principles of Statistics) or STAT 104 (Introduction to Statistics) | 7 to 8 |
Statistics Only (CALS) | any college-approved mathematics course | STAT 101 (Principles of Statistics) or STAT 104 (Introduction to Statistics) -and- STAT 301 (Intermediate Statistical Concepts and Methods) | 10 to 13 |
Placement in math courses is governed by the ALEKS exam and the Department of Mathematics.
Chemistry
Biology majors complete a minimum of one semester of general chemistry (with lab), one semester of organic chemistry (with lab), and one semester of biochemistry (12 credits total). Students often complete more than this because it is recommended or required for their career path or post-graduate plans.
Minimum Chemistry Sequence
Course # | Course Name | Credits |
---|---|---|
CHEM 163 & CHEM 163L | College Chemistry & lab | 5 |
CHEM 231 & CHEM 231L | Elementary Organic Chemistry & lab | 4 |
BBMB 316 | Principles of Biochemistry | 3 |
Advanced Chemistry Sequence
Course # | Course Name | Credits |
---|---|---|
CHEM 177 & CHEM 177L | General Chemistry I & lab | 5 |
CHEM 178 & CHEM 178L | General Chemistry II & lab | 4 |
CHEM 331 & CHEM 331L | Organic Chemistry I & lab | 4 |
CHEM 332 & CHEM 332L | Organic Chemistry II & lab | 4 |
BBMB 404 | Biochemistry I | 3 |
BBMB 405 | Biochemistry II | 3 |
Physics
Biology majors complete one semester of physics with a lab (5 credits). Students may opt to take a full year of physics because it is recommended or required for their career path or post-graduate aspirations.
Physics Option | Course # | Course Name | Credits |
---|---|---|---|
Single Semester | PHYS 115 & PHYS 115L | Physics for Life Sciences | 5 |
Full Year (algebra-based) | PHYS 131 + PHYS 131L -and- PHYS 132 + PHYS 132L | General Physics I and II | 10 |
Full Year (calculus-based) | PHYS 231 + PHYS 231L -and- | Classical Physics I and II | 10 |
Biology Major Requirements – Advanced Biology Coursework
In addition completing a common core, Biology majors select 21 credits of advanced (300+ level) life science coursework related to their interests. This makes Biology a highly customizable life science program. The Biology Program has compiled a list of life science courses at Iowa State pre-approved for use as advanced biology credits. A printer-friendly, downloadable list courses is available here: Advanced Biology Courses 2022-2023 (PDF)
Advanced Biology Courses Offered by the Biology Program
Biology majors must take 9 of their 21 advanced biology credits from BIOL, EEOB, or GDCB course offerings. Courses listed as BIOL are intended for undergraduates, while EEOB and GDCB are intended for graduate students and open for well-prepared undergraduates.
Undergraduate Biology Program Courses
Course # | Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
BIOL 322 | Introduction to Bioinformatics and Computational Biology | 3 | |
BIOL 328 | Molecular and Cellular Biology of Human Diseases | 3 | |
BIOL 335 | Human and Other Animal Physiology | 3 | |
BIOL 335L | Human and Other Animal Physiology Lab | 1 | Y |
BIOL 336 | Ecological and Evolutionary Animal Physiology | 3 | |
BIOL 344 | Human Reproduction | 3 | |
BIOL 349 | The Genome Perspective in Biology | 3 | Y |
BIOL 350 | Comprehensive Human Anatomy | 4 | Y |
BIOL 351 | Comparative Chordate Anatomy | 5 | Y |
BIOL 352 | Vertebrate Histology | 4 | Y |
BIOL 353 | Introductory Parasitology | 3 | |
BIOL 354 | Animal Behavior | 3 | |
BIOL 354L | Animal Behavior Lab | 1 | Y |
BIOL 355 | Plants and People | 3 | |
BIOL 356 | Dendrology | 4 | Y |
BIOL 357 | Biology of Plants | 3 | |
BIOL 358 | Bee Biology, Management, and Beekeeping | 3 | Y |
BIOL 364 | Invertebrate Biology | 3-4 | |
BIOL 365 | Vertebrate Biology | 4 | Y |
BIOL 366 | Plant Systematics | 4 | Y |
BIOL 370 | GIS for Ecology and Environmental Science | 1-6 | Y |
BIOL 371 | Ecological Methods | 3 | Y |
BIOL 375X | Marine Ecology & Ecosystem Dynamics | 3 | |
BIOL 381 | Environmental Systems I | 3 | |
BIOL 382 | Environmental Systems II | 3 | Y |
BIOL 393 | North American Field Trips | 1-4 | Y |
BIOL 394 | International Field Trips | 1-4 | Y |
BIOL 395X | Professional Development in Biological Sciences | 2 | |
BIOL 401 | Fundamentals of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology | 4 | |
BIOL 402 | Introduction to Pathology | 3 | |
BIOL 403X | Introduction to Pathology II | 3 | |
BIOL 406 | Bioinformatics of OMICS | 3 | |
BIOL 414 | Life History and Reproductive Strategies | 3 | |
BIOL 421 | Biological Principles of Aging | 3 | |
BIOL 423 | Developmental Biology | 3 | |
BIOL 423L | Developmental Biology Lab | 1 | Y |
BIOL 428 | Cell Biology | 3 | |
BIOL 430 | Principles of Plant Physiology | 3 | |
BIOL 434 | Endocrinology | 3 | |
BIOL 436 | Neurobiology | 3 | |
BIOL 451 | Plant Evolution and Phylogeny | 4 | Y |
BIOL 454 | Plant Anatomy | 4 | Y |
BIOL 455 | Bryophyte and Lichen Biodiversity | 3 | Y |
BIOL 456 | Principles of Mycology | 3 | Y |
BIOL 457 | Herpetology | 2 | |
BIOL 457L | Herpetology Lab | 1 | Y |
BIOL 458 | Ornithology | 2 | |
BIOL 458L | Ornithology Lab | 1 | Y |
BIOL 459 | Mammalogy | 2 | |
BIOL 459L | Mammalogy Lab | 1 | Y |
BIOL 462 | Evolutionary Genetics | 3 | |
BIOL 464 | Wetland Ecology | 3 | |
BIOL 465 | Macroevolution | 3 | |
BIOL 471 | Introduction to Conservation Biology | 3 | |
BIOL 472 | Community Ecology | 3 | |
BIOL 474 | Plant Ecology | 3 | |
BIOL 476 | Functional Ecology | 3 | |
BIOL 480 | Studies in Marine Biology | 1-8 | Y |
BIOL 481 | Summer Field Studies | 1-8 | Y |
BIOL 482 | Tropical Biology | 1-4 | Y |
BIOL 483 | Environmental Biogeochemistry | 3 | |
BIOL 484 | Ecosystem Ecology | 3 | |
BIOL 486 | Aquatic Ecology | 3 | |
BIOL 486L | Aquatic Ecology Lab | 1 | Y |
BIOL 487 | Microbial Ecology | 3 | |
BIOL 488 | Identification of Aquatic Organisms | 1 | Y |
BIOL 489 | Population Ecology | 3 | Y |
BIOL 490 | Independent Study | 1 | |
BIOL 491 | Undergraduate Teaching Experience | 1-2 | Y |
BIOL 492 | Preparing for Graduate School in Biology | 1 | |
BIOL 494 | Biology Internship | 1-2 | Y |
BIOL 495 | Undergraduate Seminar | 1-3 | |
BIOL 498 | Cooperative Education | R | |
BIOL 499 | Undergraduate Research | 1-3 | Y |
Advanced Biology Courses Offered by Other Departments
Iowa State University is a great place to study biology because there are so many departments involved in life sciences. Advanced (300+ level) courses from other departments can also count towards the 21 credits of advanced biology coursework students need to complete their Bachelor of Science in Biology.
Course # | Agronomy Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
AGRON 316 | Crop Structure-Function Relationships | 3 | |
AGRON 317 | Principles of Weed Science | 3 | |
AGRON 338 | Seed Science and Technology | 3 | Y |
AGRON 354 | Soils and Plant Growth | 3 | |
AGRON 354L | Soils and Plant Growth Laboratory | 1 | Y |
AGRON 421 | Introduction to Plant Breeding | 3 | |
AGRON 485 | Soil and Environmental Microbiology | 3 | Y |
Course # | Animal Science Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
AN S 313 | Exercise Physiology of Animals | 2 | |
AN S 319 | Animal Nutrition | 3 | |
AN S 331 | Domestic Animal Reproduction | 3 | |
AN S 332 | Lab Methods in Animal Reproduction | 1 | Y |
AN S 333 | Embryo Transfer and Related Technology | 3 | |
AN S 334 | Embryo Transfer Laboratory | 1 | Y |
AN S 337 | Lactation | 3 | |
AN S 345 | Growth and Development of Domestic Animals | 3 | |
AN S 352 | Genetic Improvement of Domestic Animals | 3 | Y |
AN S 419 | Advanced Animal Nutrition | 2 |
Course # | Anthropology Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
ANTHR 307 | Biological Anthropology | 3 | Y |
ANTHR 317 | Primate Behavior, Ecology and Evolution | 3 | |
ANTHR 319 | Skeletal Biology | 3 | Y |
ANTHR 424 | Forensic Anthropology | 3 | Y |
ANTHR 438 | Primate Evolutionary Ecology and Behavior | 3 | |
ANTHR 482 | Topics in Biological Anthropology | 3 |
Course # | Biochemistry Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
BBMB 405 | Biochemistry II | 3 | |
BBMB 411 | Techniques in Biochemical Research | 4 | Y |
BBMB 420 | Mammalian Biochemistry | 3 | |
BBMB 430 | Prokaryotic Diversity and Ecology | 3 | |
BBMB 440 | Microbial Physiology, Diversity, and Genetics Lab | 4 | Y |
Course # | Biomedical Studies Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
B M S 329 | Anatomy and Physiology of Domestic Animals | 3 | |
B M S 401 | Introduction to Aquatic Animal Medicine | 1 | Y |
B M S 438 | Principles of Physiology | 4 | |
B M S 448 | Principles of Human Gross Anatomy | 4 | Y |
Course # | Entomology Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
ENT 370 | Insect Biology | 3 | Y |
ENT 374 | Insects and our Health | 3 | |
ENT 374L | Insects and our Health Laboratory | 1 | Y |
ENT 374 | Plant Protection Using Natural Enemies | 3 | |
ENT 425 | Aquatic Insects | 3 | Y |
ENT 471 | Insect Ecology | 3 | Y |
Course # | Food Science and Human Nutrition Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
FS HN 360 | Advanced Human Nutrition and Metabolism | 3 | |
FS HN 362 | Nutrition in Growth and Development | 3 | |
FS HN 364 | Nutrition and Prevention of Chronic Disease | 3 | |
FS HN 367 | Medical Terminology | 1 |
Course # | Geology Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
GEOL 406 | Geology Field Course | 1-2 | Y |
GEOL 412 | Micropaleontology | 3 |
Course # | Genetics Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
GEN 340 | Human Genetics | 3 | |
GEN 409 | Molecular Genetics | 3 | |
GEN 410 | Analytical Genetics | 3 |
Course # | Health Studies Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
H S 350 | Human Diseases | 3 |
Course # | Horticulture Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
HORT 321 | Horticulture Physiology | 3 | |
HORT 322 | Plant Propagation | 3 | Y |
Course # | Kinesiology Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
KIN 355 | Biomechanics | 3 | |
KIN 363 | Basic Electrocardiography | 2 |
Course # | Microbiology Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
MICRO 302 | Biology of Microorganisms | 3 | |
MICRO 302L | Microbiology Lab | 1 | Y |
MICRO 310 | Medical Microbiology | 3 | |
MICRO 310L | Medical Microbiology Lab | 1 | Y |
MICRO 320 | Molecular and Cellular Bacteriology | 4 | |
MICRO 360 | Global Health | 3 | |
MICRO 402 | Microbial Genetics and Genomics | 3 | |
MICRO 408 | Virology | 3 | |
MICRO 420 | Food Microbiology | 3 | |
MICRO 475 | Immunology | 3 | |
MICRO 475L | Immunology Lab | 1 | Y |
Course # | Toxicology | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
TOX 401 | Principles of Toxicology | 3 | |
TOX 450 | Pesticides in the Environment | 3 |
Course # | Natural Resource Ecology and Management Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
A ECL 321 | Fish Biology | 3 | Y |
A ECL 366 | Natural History of Iowa Vertebrates | 3 | Y |
A ECL 415 | Ecology of Freshwater Invertebrates, Plants, Algae | 3 | Y |
A ECL 418 | Stream Ecology | 3 | Y |
A ECL 442 | Aquaculture | 3 | |
A ECL 454 | Principles of Wildlife Disease | 3 | |
FOR 302 | Silviculture | 3 | Y |
NREM 301 | Natural Resource Ecology and Soils | 4 | Y |
NREM 345 | Natural Resource Photogrammetry and GIS | 3 | Y |
NREM 357 | Midwestern Prairie Plants | 1 | Y |
NREM 358 | Forest Herbaceous Layer | 1 | Y |
NREM 390 | Fire Ecology and Management | 3 | |
NREM 407 | Watershed Management | 4 | Y |
NREM 446 | Integrating GPS and GIS for Natural Resource Management | 3 | Y |
NREM 452 | Ecosystem Management | 3 | Y |
Course # | Plant Pathology Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
PL P 408 | Principles of Plant Pathology | 3 | |
PL P 416 | Forest Insects and Diseases | 3 | |
PL P 416L | Forest Insects and Diseases Laboratory | 1 | Y |
PL P 477 | Bacterial-Plant Interactions | 3 | |
PL P 494 | Seed Pathology | 2 |
Course # | Psychology Course Name | Credits |
---|---|---|
PSYCH 310 | Brain and Behavior | 3 |
PSYCH 315 | Drugs and Behavior | 3 |
Graduate Biology Program Courses
Graduate-level courses can be taken by undergraduate students with permission from the instructor.
Course # | Course Name | Credits | Lab? |
---|---|---|---|
EEOB 507 | Advanced Animal Behavior | 3 | |
EEOB 514 | Life History and Reproductive Strategies | 3 | |
EEOB 521 | Biological Principles of Aging | 3 | |
EEOB 531 | Conservation Biology | 3 | |
EEOB 534 | Endocrinology | 3 | |
EEOB 535 | Restoration Ecology | 3 | Y |
EEOB 546 | Computational Skills for Biological Data | 3 | |
EEOB 551 | Plant Evolution and Phylogeny | 4 | |
EEOB 553 | Agrostology | 3 | |
EEOB 555 | Bryophyte and Lichen Biodiversity | 3 | Y |
EEOB 558 | Ornithology | 2 | |
EEOB 559 | Mammology | 2 | |
EEOB 561 | Evolutionary and Ecological Genomics | 3 | |
EEOB 562 | Evolutionary Genetics | 3 | |
EEOB 563 | Molecular Phylogenetics | 3 | |
EEOB 564 | Wetland Ecology | 3 | |
EEOB 565 | Macroevolution | 3 | |
EEOB 566 | Molecular Evolution | 3 | |
EEOB 567 | Empirical Population Genetics | 3 | |
EEOB 568 | Advanced Systematics | 3 | Y |
EEOB 569 | Biogeography | 3 | |
EEOB 573 | Techniques for Biology Teaching | 1-2 | |
EEOB 576 | Functional Ecology | 3 | |
EEOB 577 | Concepts in Theoretical Ecology and Evolution | 1 | |
EEOB 581 | Environmental Systems I | 3-4 | |
EEOB 582 | Environmental Systems II | 3-4 | Y |
EEOB 584 | Advanced Ecosystem Ecology | 3 | |
EEOB 585 | Advanced Community Ecology | 3 | |
EEOB 586 | Aquatic Ecology | 3 | |
EEOB 586L | Aquatic Ecology Lab | 1 | Y |
EEOB 587 | Microbial Ecology | 3 | |
EEOB 589 | Population Ecology | 3 | Y |
EEOB 590 | Special Topics | 1-3 | |
EEOB 596 | Ecology and Society | 3 | |
GDCB 510 | Transmission Genetics | 3 | |
GDCB 511 | Advanced Molecular Genetics | 3 | |
GDCB 513 | Plant Metabolism | 2 | |
GDCB 528 | Advances in Molecular Cell Biology | 3 | |
GDCB 533 | Advances in Developmental Biology | 3 | |
GDCB 536 | Statistical Genetics | 4 | |
GDCB 542 | Intro to Molecular Biology Techniques | 1 | Y |
GDCB 444 | Fundamentals of Bioinformatics | 4 | |
GDCB 545 | Plant Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology | 3 | |
GDCB 556 | Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Neuroscience | 3 | |
GDCB 557 | Advanced Neuroscience Techniques | 3 | |
GDCB 568 | Statistical Bioinformatics | 3 | |
GDCB 569 | Structual Bioinformatics | 3 | |
GDCB 570 | Systems Biology | 3 | |
GDCB 585 | Fundamentals of Predictive Plant Phenomics | 4 | |
GDCB 590 | Special Topics | variable |
This past summer, the Biology faculty voted on two proposals brought forward by the Biology Program Committee. The results of these votes mean a few changes in Biology Program degree requirements for students.
More Flexibility with Lab/Field Courses for Students
To meet the degree requirements for Biology at Iowa State, students must complete two advanced biology courses with a laboratory or field component. The first approved change grants students more flexibility when selecting these lab/field courses. Previously, Biology majors needed to select these courses from Biology Program offerings only (i.e., those listed as BIOL in the university catalog). The Biology faculty voted to allow any approved advanced biology course with a laboratory component to satisfy the lab/field requirement.
Changing Expectations to Grades Earned in Biology Courses
Biology majors are also expected to demonstrate greater competency in their discipline of choice. Previously, this was reflected by requiring students to earn a "C-" grade or above in all biology core and advanced biology courses. The Biology faculty voted to adopt a new standard: a 2.0 or higher cumulative grade point average (GPA) for both the biology core and advanced biology courses. These grade point averages are calculated independently, so students must have a 2.0 for both their core courses and a 2.0 for their advanced courses.