Biology Major

Note(s) on Requirements

• Students must complete at least five lab experiences:
  • three from the required core courses (category A)
  • two from post-core, upper-level courses (one from category B and a second from either category B or C)
• The equivalent of one full-course in BIOL 501 and/or BIOL 502 may be applied to the major; one half or one full course may count as a laboratory experience.
• At least 3.5 full biology courses from categories A, B, and C, including two full courses (or the equivalent) of post-core coursework, must be taken at Oberlin.
• No more than two advanced courses from outside the biology department (including transfer credits) may count toward the major.
  • Post-core coursework taken outside the Oberlin biology department and applied to the major may not exceed the equivalent of two full courses.
• Students who place out of CHEM 101 and move directly into CHEM 102 only need a total of three affiliated sciences courses (CHEM 102, CHEM 205, and one from the proceeding list); all other students need four (CHEM 101, CHEM 102, CHEM 205, and one from the proceeding list).
• Private readings, first-year seminar courses, colloquia, and practica do not count toward the major.
• Students may not receive both academic credit and financial compensation for the same research work.

Off-Campus or Summer Study

Students planning off-campus study are advised to consult first with their advisor and then with the Chair to determine acceptability of courses to the major. The department offers limited scholarships for summer course work at approved field (inland and marine) stations in the United States. Applications for these scholarships are invited early in the spring semester; awards are made in May.

Preparation for Post-Graduate Education

Medical School, Dental and Veterinary Medicine

 See more about health career pathways.

Graduate Schools

Students planning to pursue an advanced degree should consult individual admission requirements of the schools and graduate departments in which they are interested.  For example, some graduate schools in biology expect a major in the biological sciences to include:

• Two years of chemistry with laboratory;
• One year of physics with laboratory;
• College-level mathematics (calculus and statistics); and
• Courses in computer science.

Certain deficiencies in course work may be made up in graduate school but generally not for graduate credit. The majority of graduate schools require the GRE General Examination for admission but there is variation with respect to the Advanced (subject) requirement. Students are strongly urged to consult with members of the biology department in preparing for graduate work.

Biology Major Course Lists