You will need to schedule an appointment with a Biology Major advisor to declare the major. Please schedule with the advisor assigned for your last name. Appointments made via Starfish.

If you are a student with broad interest in the biological sciences who wants to:

• prepare for graduate studies in diverse areas of biology;
• prepare for advanced study in the health professions (e.g., medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry);
• gain broad exposure to biology as part of a general science education as a biologist; and
• explore the biological sciences before choosing a more specialized major.

The coursework for the Biology Major or named option in Evolutionary Biology within each college is nearly identical. See the Requirements page for more specific requirements for each college, such as differences in GPA requirements and non-major coursework. One degree does not “look” better than the other for purposes of employment, professional school, or graduate school, so students are encouraged to select the option that fits best given their academic interests, advanced standing credit, courses already taken, and/or courses they’d like to take in the future.

Yes, though you may also need to change your college affiliation. If you are in the College of Letters and Science you may need to transfer to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, or vice versa depending on the location of the program you wish to pursue. Be sure to check with your advisor since requirements will differ from the Biology Major.

The L&S Bachelor of Science requires completion of the third unit (3 years in high school or 3 semesters college) of a foreign language. CALS requires completion of the second unit (2 years in high school or 2 semesters college) of a foreign language.

If you want earn retroactive credits for your high school language course, you need to take a specific course on campus and pass it with a “B” or better. If you plan to study abroad there are often very specific language requirements. Foreign language and retroactive credits for language count toward gradation in either college.

Yes. Please see honors information.

There are many Biology-Related Student Organizations: https://cfli.wisc.edu/discover-an-organization/

Yes, it may be possible for these types of courses to count towards the requirement listed above. Please check the Guide and your DARS report to see that the independent study or senior thesis meets the Additional Laboratory or Field Research Requirement. If it is not, please see your Biology Advisor.

No, your Laboratory or Field Research Experience must be taken after you have completed Introductory Biology (4/15/03)

For the Biology Major with no named option, if you have taken your 3 first three upper-level breadth in the major courses from three different areas, one being from A or B, and one being from C or D, the fourth course can be taken from any of the five topic areas, even from an area you’ve already taken.

Please see capstone guidelines.

• If a student completed Biocore 381-382, the student should take Biology/Botany/Zoology 151 and a foundation course.
• If a student completed Biocore 381-382 and 383-384, the student should take an Animal Physiology (e.g., Phys 335 or 435 or Dy Sci 373) or a Plant Physiology (e.g., Bot 500) course with the physiology course counting toward intro biology credits and not in the upper-level breadth for the major category.  A foundation course is not required.
• Previously:  If you have taken Biocore/Biology 301-302/381-382, you should take Biology/Botany/Zoology 151 and a foundation course. You are also strongly encouraged to take a course in physiology (AHABS/An Sci 301, Botany 500, Physiology 335, Zoology 611-612). If you have taken Biocore/Biology 301-302/381-382 and 303-304/383-384, you should take Biology/Botany/Zoology 152. A foundation course is not required. Please consult with your advisor before choosing any of these options.

Prior to Fall 2017, students were required to complete four lectures (Biocore 381, 383, 485, 487) and two of the three labs (Biocore 382, 384 or 486). Students who completed all three labs could use 486 to fulfill the intermediate lab or field course requirement.

Current UW–Madison students should first check Transferology to see if a matching course equivalent exists. International courses that are not on Transferology can be found at go.wisc.edu/intl-equiv.

If you plan to enroll in a summer or winter course at another institution and the course equivalent is not listed in Transferology, you may request course equivalencies via the Course Equivalency Service.

Read the Transfer Credit Guidelines courses for additional information on selecting courses for transfer.

Yes, however, it will not count towards your Breadth or Major requirements. For additional information, please see CALS Pass/Fail Privilege and L&S Pass/Fail Privilege.

Your advisor(s) are listed under the Student Center and on your DARS reports. If your listed advisor is incorrect or if you would like to change advisors, please contact the Biology Major Office.