BIOL BS major worksheet, provided by The Department of Biological Sciences. Updated 10/2020
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Column A electives
(see notes 4 & 5)
Column B electives
(see notes 4 & 5)
Upper Level Laboratories
(see note 4)
BIOL 304
BIOL 305
BIOL 306
BIOL 307
BIOL 313
BIOL 375 (formerly 275)
Any BIOL 4XX course
except BIOL 430, 442,
497H, 499, 499H, 499L or
any Lab course
Any BIOL 3XXL or 4XXL Lab
course except BIOL 300L
CHEM 352 and CHEM 352L
(must take both - see note 6)
CHEM 437
CHEM 438
Two semesters of BIOL 499
(total of 4 credits or more)
and one semester of either
BIOL 499L or BIOL 497H
STAT 414
STAT 420
STAT 454
(see note 9)
STAT 414 STAT 419
STAT 420 STAT 454
Important Notes:
1) Students must earn a “C” or better in all major courses AND course prerequisites.
2) Residency requirement: At least half of the required BIOL courses and electives must be completed in residence:
at least six of eleven BIOL classes for the BIOL BS must be taken at UMBC.
3) BIOL 141, BIOL 142 and BIOL 302 are considered an academic sequence. Once you pass BIOL 302 you may not go
back and repeat BIOL 141 or BIOL 142.
4) See the Undergraduate Catalog for additional non-BIOL courses that may be used as electives for the major.
Biologically relevant 4XX level courses from other departments may be acceptable as a ‘Column B’ elective for
the BIOL BS degree. Prior approval from the Biological Sciences Department Undergraduate Committee is
required, using the form indicated in note 12. Such courses may not be used for the BIOL 4XX requirement.
5) The following courses are similar in content and only one in each grouping can be used towards major
requirements: BIOL 305 and 307; BIOL 430, BTEC 430, and CHEM 437 and 438; BIOL 444 and BTEC 444; or BIOL
495 and BTEC 395. See Catalog for more information.
6) Students can substitute CHEM 352 and CHEM 352L (must take both) for one Column B course.
7) At least one BIOL 4XX lecture course must be taken at UMBC. BIOL 430, 442, 497H, 499 and Lab classes may NOT
be used to satisfy this requirement.
8) Students may substitute PHYS 121 for PHYS 111, and PHYS 122 for PHYS 112, but should note that PHYS 121/122
may not satisfy some professional school admission requirements.
9) Students using a STAT class as a Column B course may not use the same course to fulfill the MATH/STAT/CMSC
elective requirement.
10) The Biological Sciences Department evaluates completion of major requirements based on COURSES completed,
not CREDITS completed.
11) Students who are Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BIOC) majors who wish to also pursue a BIOL BS degree
may use Core BIOL, CHEM, MATH/STAT and PHYS courses from the BIOC major towards the BIOL BS degree, but
MUST take separate electives for the two degrees (ie., no “double-dipping” for the electives).
12) Under exceptional circumstances, the Department may waive or alter a BIOL major requirement. Students
seeking to petition for a waiver must consult with their academic adviser, then may submit a ‘Petition for
Waiver/Substitution of Program Requirements’ form, found here: https://biology.umbc.edu/undergrad/forms-
links/.
