Mar 28, 2024  
Rensselaer Catalog 2017-2018 
    
Rensselaer Catalog 2017-2018 [Archived Catalog]

Biology


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Schools & Departments

The undergraduate curriculum in biology is designed to prepare students for admission to graduate or professional school or to enter the workplace. Recognizing that flexibility is essential for students with specific interests and goals other than those spelled out in the traditional curricula, it is designed to leave many options open to the student. The following is a sample biology curriculum, completion of which requires a minimum of 128 credit hours.

First Year


Fall


  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 2 below)

Spring


  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 2 below)

Second Year


Fall


  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 2 below)

Spring


  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 2 below)

Third Year


Summer Arch*


*For students who have applied for and been granted an exception, the Summer Arch courses would be taken during the fall semester. For listing of the exception process go to: http://info.rpi.edu/arch/students/#ExceptionProcess.

  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 2 below)
  • BIOL Biology Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 6 below)
  • Elective Credit Hours: 4

Fall or Spring


  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 2 below)
  • BIOL - Biology Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 6 below)
  • Elective Credit Hours: 4
  • Elective Credit Hours: 4

Fourth Year


Fall


  • BIOL - Advanced Lab Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 3 below)
  • BIOL - Biology Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 6 below)
  • Elective Credit Hours: 4

Spring


  • BIOL - Culminating Experience Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 4 below)
  • BIOL - Biology Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 6 below)
  • Elective Credit Hours: 4
  • Elective Credit Hours: 4

Electives


Careful selection of biology electives and technical electives in the third and fourth years may contribute significantly to preparation for various professional goals. Technical electives include any pertinent course in biology, other sciences, or mathematics.

Students who anticipate working on a senior thesis are strongly urged to take BIOL 4200 Biostatistics as soon as possible and one of the following advanced laboratory courses (BIOL 4320, BIOL 4710, BIOL 4720, BIOL 4740) in their junior year, since these courses offer excellent preparation for independent laboratory work and meet the communication intensive requirement.

Concentrations


Technical and free electives may be chosen to provide a concentration in biochemistry, bioinformatics, biomedical engineering, biophysics, biotechnology (genetic engineering), chemical engineering, computer science, environmental science, management, mathematics, microbiology, psychology, or technical communication. Program advisers should be consulted.

Additional Information


  1. Only four credits from the following courses are allowed as biology electives: BIOL 4970 - Non-Thesis Research, BIOL 4990 - Senior Thesis Research.
  2. Transfer credit can be accepted for two Biology elective courses at the 4000 level, but two Biology elective courses must be taken at Rensselaer. If the two courses accepted for transfer credit are 3-credit courses, the courses wil be accepted but the total number of credits for the Biology electives must equal 16 credits. The two required Rensselaer biology electives must be 4-credit BIOL/BCBP courses. BIOL 2900, BIOL 2930, BIOL 4900 or BIOL 4970 may not be substituted for these two required courses.

Summer Courses*


*Available to Summer Arch students from all programs with science requirements.

128 credit requirement


This curriculum requires a minimum of 128 credit hours.

Footnotes


  1. Students who apply Advanced Placement credits in place of BIOL 1010 may take BIOL 2120 in its place.
  2. Humanities, Arts, and Social Science (HASS) courses should add up to 24 credits.
  3. Communication Intensive Requirement (4 credits) cannot be satisfied with transfer credits. (see list below)
  4. Culminating Experience Requirement (4 credits.) (see list below)
  5. Cannot be satisfied with transfer credits.
  6. Biology Elective Requirement (16 credits). One of the biology electives can be chosen from any of the following classes:  any BCBP course except BCBP 4760, or any BIOL course. BIOL 2900, BIOL 2930, BIOL 4900 or BIOL 4970 may not be substituted for these two required courses.

 

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Schools & Departments