FAQs

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.

Students who declare a major in Biology at UW-Madison have the option to enroll in either the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) or the College of Letters and Science (L&S). While the courses in the Biology Major are basically the same in both colleges, the academic environment and degree options can differ. The following comparison can help you decide which college is the best fit for your academic goals and interests. As your academic goals and interests change, you can work with advisors to change your college or major.

Additional Resources

Explore L&S Resources

Explore CALS Resources

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, 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.

Yes, prospective students and their families can meet with Biology Major advisors! Send an email to the Biology Major advisor for your last name, include days and times you are available on your campus visit or if you would prefer to meet virtually on a different day.

Biology Major advisors can discuss the curriculum, resources, and opportunities in the major. We cannot evaluate transfer credits or develop course plans – this will be covered at Student Orientation Advising and Registration.

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.

The Biology Major utilizes peer mentoring to build community within the major and to promote academic success. By pairing 3rd/4th year students with 1st/2nd year students, mentors are in a position to leverage their experiences and help mentees with information about the major, learning & student support services, undergraduate research, and campus involvement. Mentees also engage in topics such as cultural adjustment, professional development, and leadership with mentors. Questions about this program, can be directed to Damien Parks (dmparks2@wisc.edu).

If you are a CALS student you can reach out to the CALS Office of Academic Affairs. If you’re a L&S student contact (L&S) Undergraduate Academic Deans’ Services.

A great source of scholarship information is your colleges, CALS or L&S, scholarship office. Other good places to look are the Office of Student Financial Aid and the Undergraduate Academic Awards Office.

A great place to begin looking into studying abroad is the Biology major study abroad map. Here you will find great information on getting started on your study abroad journey. You should also visit the Study Abroad site.

Yes. Please see honors information.

• 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., Anat&Phys 235, 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.

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.

In terms of finding research on campus, there are a lot of opportunities and several different ways to go about looking for one that fits your needs. Listed below are a few places that are typically recommended, in terms of how to start the process and where to find opportunities. The CPHA and BioCommons websites have a lot of information about the process and how to get started, and the Student Job Center websites will get you specific job postings or links to places where job opportunities are posted. Research at UW-Madison and Experts Database are two places to browse and learn about the research that is being done at UW-Madison, along with identifying faculty on campus that you may want to work with. You can also look at specific department websites. Additionally, WISCIENCE has events, and a few courses related to research, which can be found via the link below.

WISCIENCE: https://wiscience.wisc.edu/upcoming-events/

BioCommons: https://biology.wisc.edu/undergraduate-research

Center for Pre-Health: https://prehealth.wisc.edu/research-opportunities/

Student Jobs Center: https://studentjobs.wisc.edu/

Research at UW-Madison: https://wisc.discovery.academicanalytics.com/dashboard

Experts Database: https://experts.news.wisc.edu/

UW-Madison Departments: https://www.wisc.edu/academics/departments-and-programs/

Department Example: UW-Madison Department of Medicine: https://www.medicine.wisc.edu/research/research-areas

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)

Please see capstone guidelines.

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.

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

Your advisor is a great place to start when discussing career options and pathways. Additionally, we encourage you to visit your college’s career office. If you are a CALS student, reach out to CALS Career Services. If you are in L&S, contact SuccessWorks. Both of these offices are excellent resources for planning your future. If you are interested in a career in health care the Center for Pre-Health Advising is a great place to start.

Clinical Research
Coordinator
Dentist
Medical/Nursing Assistant
Medical Scribe
Optometrist
Pharmacist/Pharmacy
Manager
Physical Therapist
Physician
Physician Assistant
Professor
Project Manager
Registered Nurse
Research Assistant
Scientist
Veterinarian

50% Employment

47% Continuing Education or Grad School

2% Volunteer or Service Program

1% Other

1. Healthcare
2. Higher Education
3. Life Sciences
4. Information Technology
5. Government
6. Research
7. Non-profit
8. Biomanufacturing
9. Finance

44% Wisconsin

9% Illinois

9% Minnesota

6% California

3% New York

29% Other