Program of Study (CAS Bulletin)

DEPARTMENTAL OBJECTIVES

The department offers students the opportunity to explore the various areas of current biology. The major in biology is an integrated yet diverse program that builds a solid foundation in four foundational areas of modern biology: genomics and systems biology, developmental biology, molecular and cellular biology, and evolution and environmental biology. These four foundational areas cover the basic elements of molecular and cellular biology, genetics, evolution, organ systems, and population studies. Students are exposed to modern concepts, state-of-the-art approaches, and current methods of experimentation in molecular biology, biochemistry, genomics, and bioinformatics through introductory courses taken at the very outset of their studies. Inter-mediate courses then provide in-depth exploration of the major areas of biology, including molecular genetics, developmental biology, genomics and bioinformatics, and evolution and environmental biology. Advanced students may register for graduate-level courses, which are most often given in the specialized areas of faculty research.

The department also offers a series of discrete minors in the life sciences, specifically in the areas of molecular and cell biology, genetics, genomics and bioinformatics, and environmental biology. Each minor is designed to hone skills in a particular contemporary area of biology and requires a laboratory experience. The minors permit students to create a course of study that will meet their unique academic and career goals.

This program provides outstanding preparation for careers in research, academia, medicine, dentistry, and related fields. Graduates of the department have a remarkable record of success in acceptance into professional schools and in establishing notable careers in the biomedical sciences.

Other courses offered by the department are designed to acquaint nonscience majors with contemporary issues in biology. Such courses are often topical, addressing problems such as environmental pollution, limits of the earth, and human physiology.

Outstanding and highly motivated students are offered special opportunities for honors work, independent study, summer laboratory research, internships, and other enhancements. Upper-level students may become involved in research projects in faculty laboratories through the many formal and informal opportunities afforded by the department. The department has a tradition of important research accomplishment and contains several specialized research and laboratory facilities that are integrated into the educational programs. These include undergraduate labs in molecular biology, cell biology, experimental physiology, genomics and informatics, and ecological analysis. Field studies are carried out at many regional sites. Department faculty are also affiliated with the NYU Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, the NYU Center for Developmental Genetics, NYU Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, the NYU School of Medicine, the NYU College of Dentistry, the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Botanical Garden, and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

Students with questions about majoring in biology or minoring in a specific area of biology should visit the office of the Department of Biology. Those declaring a major in biology are assigned a faculty adviser from the department; students meet with that professor to design a program of study, determine course selections, and discuss career goals. The faculty adviser is also available to provide guidance concerning the many options and opportunities afforded by the department for curricular enhancement, including research experiences.

MAJOR (BACHELOR OF ARTS)

The following courses (completed with grades of C or higher and a minimum GPA of 2.0 for all courses required by and taken as electives in the major) are required.

• One of the following: Principles of Biology I (BIOL-UA 11), Honors Principles of Biology (BIOL-UA 13), or Principles of Biology I in London (BIOL-UA 9011)
• One of the following: Principles of Biology II (BIOL-UA 12), Honors Principles of Biology II (BIOL-UA 14), or Principles of Biology II in London (BIOL-UA 9012)
• Molecular and Cell Biology I and II (BIOL-UA 21, 22)
• Biology majors also complete five additional 5-point upper-level biology courses. In consultation with their adviser or with the director of undergraduate studies, students select at least one course from each of the following skill categories:
  
  
• Lab Skill Courses: At the Bench or Research Courses
  (BIOL-UA 27, BIOL-UA 31,BIOL-UA 36, BIOL-UA 37, BIOL-UA 45, BIOL-UA 49, BIOL-UA 980, or  BIOL-UA 997);
  Students must take at least one course from this category.
  



At the Bench: Applied Molecular Biology	BIOL-UA 36	Fall
At the Bench: Experimental Physiology	BIOL-UA 27	Spring
At the Bench: Applied Cell Biology	BIOL-UA 37	Spring
At the Bench: Epidemiology	BIOL-UA 49	Spring
At the Bench: Laboratory in Genetics	BIOL-UA 31	Spring
At the Bench: Experimental Microbiology	BIOL-UA 45	Fall
Internship Credits (4 Credits)	BIOL-UA 980, 981	Fall, Sp
Independent Study (4 Credits)	BIOL-UA 997, 998	Fall, Sp

• Quantitative Skill Courses:  Math, Computer and Modelling Courses
  (BIOL-UA 38, BIOL-UA 42, BIOL-UA 45, BIOL-UA 120, BIOL-GA 1007, BIOL-GA 1127, BIOL-GA 1130, BIOL-GA 1131, BIOL-GA 1501, or BIOL-GA 1502);
  Students must take at least one course from this category.

Quantitative Methods in Human Genetics	BIOL-UA 35	Spring
Introduction to Genomics and Bioinformatics	BIOL-UA 38	Fall
Biostatistics	BIOL-UA 42	Fall
Special Topics: Computing with Large Data Sets	BIOL-UA 120	Fall
Human Genetics	BIOL-UA 45	Spring
Bioinformatics in Medicine and Biology	BIOL-UA 103	Fall
Bioinformatics for Biologists	BIOL-GA 1007	Fall
Applied Genomics: Intro to Bioinformatics and Network Modeling	BIOL-GA 1130	Fall
Mathematics in Medicine and Biology	BIOL-GA 1501	Fall
Bioinformatics and Genomes	BIOL-GA 1127	Spring
Biophysical Modeling of Cells and Populations	BIOL-GA 1131	Spring
Computers in Medicine and Biology	BIOL-GA 1502	Spring



• Reasoning Skill Courses: Reading Intensive Courses
  (BIOL-UA 26, BIOL-UA 44, BIOL-UA 970, BIOL-GA 1011, BIOL-GA 1023, BIOL-GA 1069, BIOL-GA 1072, BIOL-GA 1082, BIOL-GA 1128, or BIOL-GA 1129);
  Students must take at least one course from this category.



Microbiology and Microbial Genomics *	BIOL-UA 44	Fall
Systems Biology *	BIOL-GA 1128	Fall
Developmental Biology	BIOL-UA 26	Fall
Advanced Immunolgy *	BIOL-GA 1011	Spring
Principles of Evolution *	BIOL-GA 1069	Spring
Genes and Animal Behavior  *	BIOL-GA 1082	Spring
Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics *	BIOL-GA 1129	Spring
Molecular Controls of Organismal Form and Function *	BIOL-GA 1072
Hot Topics in Infectious Diseases	BIOL-GA 1023	Spring
Honors Seminar: Signaling in Biological Systems.  (Offered in the Fall starting in 2012)	BIOL-UA 970	Fall



• Foundational Courses
  (BIOL-UA 23, BIOL-UA 25, BIOL-UA 30, BIOL-UA 32, BIOL-UA 48, BIOL-UA 50, BIOL-UA 58, BIOL-UA 100, BIOL-UA 201, BIOL-UA 202, BIOL-UA 303, BIOL-UA 332, BIOL-GA 1004 BIOL-GA 1006, BIOL-GA 1027, BIOL-GA 1031, BIOL-GA 1080, or BIOL-GA 1101).
  Students can complete their Biology electives by choosing two courses from the list below or take additional courses from the three categories defined above.
  



Principles of Animal Physiology	BIOL-UA 25	Fall
Genetics	BIOL-UA 30	Fall
Immunology	BIOL-UA 50	Fall
Evolution	BIOL-UA 58	Spring
Introduction to Neural Science	BIOL-UA 100	Fall
Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience	BIOL-UA 201	Fall
Devlopmental Neurobiology	BIOL-UA 303	Fall
Vertebrate Anatomy	BIOL-UA 23	Spring
Gene Structure and Expression	BIOL-UA 32	Spring
Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience	BIOL-UA 202	Spring
Current Topics in Earth System Sciences:	BIOL-UA 332	Spring
Endocrinology	BIOL-UA 48	Spring
Graduate Courses  (Open to UG with permission from the DUGS) These courses will count towards the biology major. Foundational course requirement.
Toxicology	BIOL-GA 1006	Fall
Special Topics in Physiology	BIOL-GA 1031	Fall
Environmental Health	BIOL-GA 1004	Spring
Neuronal Plasticity	BIOL-GA 1101	Spring
Animal Virology	BIOL-GA 1080	Spring
Advanced Immunology	BIOL-GA 1011	Spring

• General Chemistry I and Laboratory (CHEM-UA 125)
• General Chemistry II and Laboratory (CHEM-UA 126)
• Organic Chemistry I and Laboratory (CHEM-UA 225)
• Organic Chemistry II and Laboratory (CHEM-UA 226)

PHYSICS

• General Physics I and II (PHYS-UA 11, 12)

MATHEMATICS

• Calculus I (MATH-UA 121)

A maximum of 4 points in either Independent Study (BIOL-UA 997, 998) or Internship in Biology (BIOL-UA 980, 981) may be counted toward fulfilling the major requirements. To permit the maximal choice of appropriate advanced courses, we strongly recommend that students take biology (BIOL-UA 11, 12), chemistry (CHEM-UA 101, 102 and CHEM-UA 103, 104), and mathematics in their freshman year and BIOL-UA 21, 22 as sophomores.

A number of graduate courses are available for undergraduate major programs. Programs of majors must be approved each term by a department adviser.

Biology major with a minor in computer science: For students who wish to combine their biology training with basic information on computer operations. The course requirements for this minor are mathematics (MATH-UA 121) and computer science (CSCI-UA 101, CSCI-UA 102, and CSCI-UA 201). It may be necessary for some students to take 18 points per semester to accommodate this minor. Suggested elective courses in biology for this combination are Introduction to Genomics and Bioinformatics (BIOL-UA 38), Bioinformatics for Biologists (BIOL-GA 1007), Applied Genomics: Introduction to Bioinformatics and Network Modeling (BIOL-GA 1130), Bioinformatics and Genomics (BIOL-GA 1127), and Systems Biology (BIOL-GA 1128).

MINOR

The following courses (completed with grades of C or higher and a minimum GPA of 2 in all biology courses) are required for the specific minors. Students interested in one of the minors offered in biology should consult the director of undergraduate studies as early as possible to plan a course of study that meets their needs.

MINOR IN MOLECULAR AND CELL BIOLOGY: BIOL-UA 11, 12, plus BIOL-UA 21, 22 and either At the Bench: Applied Molecular Biology (BIOL-UA 36) or At the Bench: Applied Cell Biology (BIOL-UA 37)

MINOR IN GENETICS: BIOL-UA 11, 12, plus BIOL-UA 21, Genetics (BIOL-UA 30), and At the Bench: Laboratory in Genetics (BIOL-UA 31)

MINOR IN GENOMICS AND BIOINFORMATICS: BIOL-UA 11, 12, plus BIOL-UA 21, At the Bench: Introduction to Genomics and Bioinformatics (BIOL-UA 38), and one of the following: Microbiology and Microbial Genomics (BIOL-UA 44), Bioinformatics and Genomes (BIOL-GA 1127), or Systems Biology (BIOL-GA 1128)

MINOR IN ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY: BIOL-UA 11, 12 or the equivalent; one of the following laboratory courses: Field Laboratory in Ecology (BIOL-UA 16), Urban Ecology (BIOL-UA 18) or Ecological Analysis with Geographic Information System (BIOL-UA 64); and two of the following: Evolution (BIOL-UA 58), Introduction to Ecology (BIOL-UA 63), Biogeochemistry of Global Change (BIOL-UA 66) or Current Topics in Earth System Sciences (BIOL-UA 332).

ADVANCED PLACEMENT

Students who achieve satisfactory grades on the College Entrance Examination Board Advanced Placement Examination may be granted advanced placement. Advanced placement ordinarily allows exemption of BIOL-UA 11, 12.

GRADUATE COURSES

A number of courses in specialized fields are given at the graduate level. Courses at the BIOL-GA 1000 level are available to undergraduates who have the necessary prerequisites. To take any of the relevant BIOL-GA 1000-level graduate courses in biology, students must obtain the signature of the course instructor and the director of undergraduate studies and have their registration material approved in the department’s graduate office.

HONORS PROGRAM

Candidates for a degree with honors in biology must have an overall GPA of at least 3.65 and a minimum 3.65 GPA in all science and mathematics courses required for the major. Departmental honors candidates must also take one honors-level seminar in biology, either BIOL-UA 970 or an equivalent. They must take at least one semester of a 4-point Independent Study (BIOL-UA 997, 998) or 4-point Internship (BIOL-UA 980, 981) that must be a laboratory-based research project. Subsequently, honors candidates must register for BIOL-UA 999 to prepare a written thesis based on the research results from their independent study or internship experience and to defend the thesis at an oral examination before a faculty committee. Application forms, available at the biology departmental office, must be submitted by the beginning of the final semester. It is the student’s responsibility to secure a faculty member to sponsor the research and to provide laboratory space and equipment. All necessary arrangements should be completed by the end of the junior year. For general requirements, please see the Honors and Awards section of this bulletin.