Requirements for the Biology Major-- for GS Students
Last update: August 2001

I. Required Biology & Biochemistry Courses

    1. Introductory Biology. Two introductory biology courses (one year total):

• 1. F2401 - Contemporary Biology I or C2005 - Introduction to molecular and cellular biology I (Biochemistry and genetics) or ENVB 2001 - Environmental & Evolutionary Biology 
  
• 2. F2402 - Contemporary Biology II or C2006 - Introduction to molecular and cellular biology II (Cell biology, development, physiology)

For a description of the differences between F2401/2 and C2005/6 see FAQ for GS Students, Q5.

    2. Genetics  -- W3031 or C3032  

• A 5-point biology lab. Current offerings include:
  • W3050 - Project laboratory in protein biochemistry 
  • C3052 - Project laboratory in molecular genetics
    
• Both of these labs:
  • W2501 - Contemporary biology laboratory and
  • W3002 - Introduction to animal structure and function (Note: W3002 is a 6 point course, so it counts both towards the lab requirement and towards one additional course required in 5 below.)
    
• Two semesters of  F3403 - Special Research Projects
  
• One semester of F3403  and one summer of SURF in the same lab, with permission of the SURF director. 

C3600 - Biological Research Skills (1 pt)  is recommended as a co-requisite when taking F3403. Summer lab work under other auspices may not be substituted for SURF.  Paid laboratory work may not be substituted for SURF or F3403. 

    5. Electives: Two additional 3000- or 4000- level courses. Current offerings include the following:

W3002 - Introduction to animal structure & function
W3004 - Cellular neurobiology
W3005 - Systems neurobiology
W3006  (or W3033) -  Physiology
W3020 - Molecular evolution
W3022 - Developmental biology
W3034 - Biotechnology
W3041 - Cell Biology
W3073 - Immunology
W3150 - The Cell as a Machine
W3208 - Introduction to evolutionary biology
C3799 - Readings in the molecular biology of cancer
G4008 - Advanced seminar in neurobiology (topic varies)
G4011 - Neural systems: circuits in the brain
G4048 - Genetic approaches in cell and developmental biology
W4065 - Molecular biology of disease
W4205 - Origins of life
G4600 - Signal transduction
G4054 - Mammalian cell genetics
Biochem G4026 or Bio-Chem 3512 - Molecular Biology

II. Other Required Courses

1. Chemistry:  Chemistry through organic, and accompanying laboratories, are required:

   One Year  of General Chemistry (F1403 - F1404)
   One Semester of general chemistry laboratory (F1500)
   One Year of Organic Chemistry: (F3443 - F3444) 
   One Semester of organic chemistry laboratory (F3543).    
   
   The Columbia College equivalents may be taken instead, with the permission of the chemistry dept.
   

2. Physics: Two semesters of physics are required, including the accompanying labs.  The usual choices are General physics (W1201-W1202) and labs (V1291-V1292) or Honors general physics (V1301-V1302) and labs (V1391-V1392). Higher level physics sequences are ok too. 
   
3. Math:  The math requirement can be fulfilled by taking either of these:
   • Two semesters of calculus
   • One semester of calculus plus one semester of statistics

At least 4 biology or biochemistry courses and at least 18 credits of the total (biology, biochemistry, math, physics and chemistry) must be taken at Columbia. Barnard courses may not be substituted for the required Columbia courses without advance permission from the advisor. 

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Dr. Deborah Mowshowitz, dbm2@columbia.edu
Director of Undergraduate Programs
Department of Biological Sciences
Columbia University