2025-26 Edition

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, B.S.

In the 21st century, biologists in fields ranging from medicine to global change biology increasingly incorporate ecological and evolutionary ideas in their research. The major in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology encourages students to understand and appreciate important linkages between biological disciplines. The major is very broad, including components of evolutionary biology, ecology, and physiology. Faculty interests are also broad and include molecular evolution, population genetics, the evolution of aging, conservation biology, restoration ecology, biogeography, plant and animal population and community ecology, the evolution of infectious disease, experimental evolution, evolutionary ecology, population and community ecology, conservation and restoration ecology, global change, microbial ecology, behavioral ecology, ecophysiology, and evolutionary physiology. Following graduation, students will be especially well prepared to enter graduate programs in either ecology or evolution for advanced study. The major also provides the foundation to pursue careers in governmental and non-governmental environmental organizations, in industry, and in professional schools. The Department considers undergraduate experience in research an integral component of a scientific education, and majors are required to participate in BIO SCI 199 or BIO SCI 197, in which they will be mentored by an individual faculty member within the Department.

All students must meet the University Requirements.
All students must meet the School Requirements.
Major Requirements
A. Required Major Courses:
BIO SCI 2E Topics and Careers in Ecology and Evolution
BIO SCI 4B Introduction to Field Biology
BIO SCI E106 Processes in Ecology and Evolution
BIO SCI E107 Seminar in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
STATS 8 Introduction to Biological Statistics
B. Upper-Division Laboratories:
BIO SCI E115L Evolution Laboratory
BIO SCI E166L Field Biology
and select one of the following:
Habitats and Organisms
Physiology Laboratory
Image Analysis in Biological Research
Evolution and the Environment Laboratory
Field Freshwater Ecology
Population and Community Ecology Lab
One laboratory can be satisfied with completion of Excellence in Research in the Biological Sciences.
C. Upper-Division Biology Electives:
Select three four-unit courses from the following:
BIO SCI E118–E190. These electives fall into three areas (ecology, evolution, and physiology), but students may take any combination of three courses from BIO SCI E118 to BIO SCI E190 and are not required to distribute them among these three areas.
D. Independent Study
Minimum one quarter of independent study, usually BIO SCI 199. BIO SCI 197 can be substituted for BIO SCI 199.

Double majors within the School of Biological Sciences or with Public Health Sciences, Biomedical Engineering: Premedical, Nursing Science, or Pharmaceutical Sciences are not permitted.

Freshman
Fall Winter Spring
BIO SCI 90LBIO SCI 2EBIO SCI 4B
BIO SCI 93BIO SCI 94CHEM 1C
CHEM 1LC
CHEM 1ACHEM 1BLower-Division Writing1
BIO SCI 2ALower-Division Writing1STATS 8
General Education  
Sophomore
Fall Winter Spring
BIO SCI 97BIO SCI 98BIO SCI 99
CHEM 1LDCHEM 51B
CHEM 51LB
CHEM 51C
CHEM 51LC
CHEM 51AGeneral EducationMATH 5B
MATH 5A  
Junior
Fall Winter Spring
BIO SCI E1062 UD Bio Sci ElectivePHYSICS 3C
BIO SCI E107PHYSICS 3BPHYSICS 3LC
PHYSICS 3APHYSICS 3LBUD Bio Sci Elective
BIO SCI 100Bio Sci ResearchBio Sci Research
Bio Sci ResearchGeneral Education 
Senior
Fall Winter Spring
BIO SCI E166LUD Bio Sci ElectiveBIO SCI E115L
UD Bio Sci LabBio Sci ResearchUD Bio Sci Elective
Bio Sci ResearchGeneral EducationGeneral Education
General Elective Bio Sci Research
1

Students have the option of taking HUMAN 1AS, HUMAN 1BS, HUMAN 1CS or WRITING 40, WRITING 50, WRITING 60 in order to fulfill the lower-division writing requirement.

2

BIO SCI E106 is offered in all three quarters, is a prerequisite for many upper-division courses and may be taken at any time after completion of BIO SCI 94.