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  Bachelor of Arts
  in Environmental   Biology
  

  Bachelor of Arts
  in Evolutionary   Biology of the   Human Species
  

  Summer
  Internships



Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Biology

The Director of Undergraduate Studies is Matthew Palmer.

Program Requirements

Requirements for Major  |   Requirements for Concentration


Major

I. Relation to Columbia University Core Curriculum

It is possible for some "major cultures" core offerings to fill the policy or economics requirements of the major. Please consult the Departmental Representative for details.

II. Lower Division Curriculum

Required Subject Area with Sample Courses Number required Total Points Required
Introductory biology sequence: EEEB W2001 Molecules to Cells, W2002 Organisms to Ecosystems 2 7
Introductory environmental science sequence: EESC V2100 Climate System, V2200 Solid Earth System 2 9
General chemistry: CHEM C1403, C1404 or C2407 & C2507 2 7
Introductory physics: PHYS V1201 1 3
Statistics : STAT W1111, W1211 or BIOL BC2286 1 3
Calculus: MATH V1101, V1102, V1105 or V1106 1 3

Total points for lower division requirements: 33

III. Upper Division Curriculum

Individual courses from the following groups must be approved by director of undergraduate studies. At least one of these courses must include a laboratory component. A list of appropriate courses is available.

  • Ecology, behavior, or conservation biology
  • Evolution or genetics
  • Morphology, physiology or diversity
  • Policy or economics
  • One additional course from the proceeding four groups
Required subject area with courses offered
Points
Lab
Ecology/Behavior/Conservation Biology
BIOL BC3280 Animal behavior
3
BIOL BC3372 Population and community ecology
3
*
EEEB W3940 Current controversies in primate behavior & ecology
3
EEEB G4060 Invasion biology
3
EEEB G4086 Ethnobotany
3
Yes
EEEB G4100 Forest ecology
4
Yes
EEEB G4120 Islands: ecology, evolution and conservation
3
EEEB G4126 Conservation genetics 3  
EEEB G4127 Disease ecology and conservation
3
EEEB G4130 Restoration and urban ecology
4
Yes
EEEB G4184 Plant conservation in theory and practice
3
EEEB G4185 Insect ecology and conservation
3
EEEB G4650 Biodiversity and ecosystem function
3
EEEB W3011 Behavioral biology of the living primates
3
EEEB W3087 Conservation biology
3
EEEB W4610 Case studies in conservation biology: the Hudson Valley ecosystem
3
EESC BC3021 Forests and environmental change
4
EESC W4550 Plant ecophysiology
3
Yes
EESC W4835 Wetlands and climate change
3
Yes
Evolution/Genetics
ANEB W3204 Dynamics of human evolution
4
Yes
ANEB W3970 Biological basis of human variation
4
Yes
ANEB G4146 Human brain evolving
4
Yes
ANEB W4200 Fossil evidence of human evolution
3
BIOL BC3200 Genetics
3
*
BIOL BC3260 Vertebrate evolution
3
BIOL BC3278 Evolution
3
BIOL W3031 Genetics
3
BIOL W3032 Genetics
3
BIOL W3208 Introduction to evolutionary biology
3
BIOL W4205 Origins of life
3
EEEB G4205 Extinction science
3
EEEB G4789 Biogeography
3
EEEB W4020 Population genetics
3
EEEB W4601 Biological systematics
3
Morphology/Physiology/Diversity
ANEB G4147 Human skeletal biology I
3
Yes
ANEB G4148 Human skeletal biology II
3
Yes
BIOL BC3240 Plant evolution
3
Yes
BIOL BC3250 Invertebrate zoology
3
BIOL BC3260 Vertebrate evolution
3
BIOL BC3340 Plant physiology
3
*
BIOL BC3360 Animal physiology
3
*
BIOL W3002 Animal structure and function
6
BIOL W3006 Physiology
3
BIOL W3022 Developmental Biology
3
BIOL W3041 Cell Biology
3
EEEB W3030 Biology, systematics, and evolutionary history of the apes
3
EEEB W3204 Primate skeletal anatomy
3
EEEB W3215 Forensic osteology
3
Yes
EEEB G4140 Ornithology
3
EEEB G4200 Ecotoxicology
3
EEEB G4210 Herpetology
4
Yes
EEEB G4650 Biodiversity and ecosystem processes
3
EEEB G4660 Fish biodiversity, systematics, and evolution
3
EEEB W4666 Insect biodiversity
4
Yes
EEEB W4668 Diverity in fungi
3
EEEB W4910 Field Botany
4
Yes
EESC W4550 Plant ecophysiology
3
Yes
Policy/Economics
ANTH V3004 Introduction to environmental anthropology
3
ANTH W3973 Environment and development
3
ANTH W4022 Political ecology
3
ECON BC3039 Environmental and natural resource economics
3
EEEB G4180 Zoological gardens as conservation partners
3
EEEB G4184 Plant conservation in theory and practice
3
EEEB G4190 Conservation in Managed Landscapes
3
 
EEEB W4610 Case studies in conservation biology: the Hudson Valley ecosystem
3
EEEB G4645 Cultural and Biological Diversity
3
 
EESC BC3032 Agricultural and urban land use
4
EESC BC3035 Environmental hazards and disasters
3
EESC BC3040 Environmental law
3
EESC W3018 Weapons of mass destruction
3
EESC W4917 The earth/human system
3
INAF U4729 Alternative energy resources
3
INAF U4737 Economics of the environment
3
INAF U4740 Introduction to environmental sociology
3
SOCI W3290 Environmental sociology
3
SUSD W3300 Challenges of sustainable development
3
Lab
BIOL C3052 Project lab in molecular genetics
5
BIOL W2501 Contemporary biology lab
3
EEEB W3208 Primate anatomy
3
EESC BC3014 Field methods in environmental science
3
ENVB 2102 AND ENVB 2103 SEE-U summer course
6
ENVB 2106 AND ENVB 2107 Punta Cana I and II
6
Senior Seminar in Enviornmental Biology
3

*Course has a lab, but students must register for lab section seperately

Total points for upper division requirements: 18

IV. Research Seminar

Each student is required to complete an environmental biology research internship after the junior year. This research serves as the basis for the senior thesis, which is developed during optional independent study (EEEB 3398 or EESC BC 3997) and the required senior thesis seminar (EEEB 3392). Students participate in a wide range of research projects run by scientists working at Center for Environmental Research consortium institutions. For example, they have studied maroon-fronted parrots in Mexico, blue monkeys in Kenya, the ecology of corals in Belize, and community gardens in New York City. Students do real fieldwork under the guidance of an experienced researcher who not only assists with the field work, but also provides guidance as the student writes up his/her thesis. Students have the opportunity to develop a professional working relationship with a respected researcher, and experience first hand the realities of conducting original research under field conditions. Many interns have found these experiences pivotal in choosing a career path. Summer Internship Program webpage.



Concentration

Requirements for the concentration are 35 points. All students must take EEEB 2001 and 2002 (or equivalents); EESC 2100 and 2200; CHEM 1403 and 1404 OR equivalents; STAT 1111, 1211, OR BIOL BC 3386; EEEB 3087; and two other 3000 or 4000-level courses from the upper division of the environmental biology major requirements. The concentration differs from the major in omitting calculus, physics, the policy course, and the senior seminar with thesis project.


Summary of Requirements

Total points required for graduation: 124

Total points required for concentration: 35

Total points required for major: 57


Organic chemistry and a second semester of calculus are strongly recommended to all students who intend to attend graduate school in a biological science or medical school.

SEE-U Program:

The SEE-U program (Summer Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduates), can be used to fullfill one upper division course in environmental biology.