I am thinking about choosing biology as my major. How can I get more information on the major?
Visit the Dept of Biological Sciences office which is located in room 292 Lapham Hall. Ask the secretaries for the handouts defining the requirements for the major. Also ask to see a faculty Advisor. You can choose a general advisor or an advisor for a more specific area of biology. Call and make an appointment or stop by at their office hours. The secretaries in the office can provide you with their office hours for a specific semester.

When should I formally declare my major in Biology?
You should complete BioSci 150,152 and 260 or their equivalents before declaring a major in Biological Sciences. The major should be declared after 45 credits. Feel free to contact a Biological Sciences Advisor prior to declaring your major. You should also see a Letters & Science (L & S) advisor in Holton Hall regarding your general education and college requirements.

How can I formally declare my major in Biology?
You must complete a "Declaration of Major Form" for the College of Letters & Science and the Dept of Biological Sciences. You can obtain this form from the Biological Sciences office (Lapham Hall Rm 292) or the Letters & Science Advising Office (Holton Hall 141). You will need to choose an Advisor in biology, evaluate your courses with your advisor, get their signature on the form and return the form to the secretaries in the Biological Sciences department office. After the Department Chair signs the form, it will be sent to the Letters & Science Student Services. They will evaluate your current transcript and send you a "Summary of Major Requirement". Examine this summary carefully, discuss the evaluations and future course requirements with your advisor in biology and use this form to track your requirements for the major.

I need a unofficial copy of my transcript to evaluate my current status. Where do I get one?
You can get an unofficial copy of your transcripts in Enrollment Services which is located in Mellencamp Hall, room 274.

I am a pre-professional major (Pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, etc.) and have been regularly seeing the specific Letters & Science advisor in Holton Hall. Do I also need to see an Biology advisor and declare a major in Biology?
Yes. Majors are declared in an academic department and you need to see an Advisor to declare a major. The pre-professional advisor in Letters & Science can provide more specific requirements and admission information on applying to the various professional schools. You should see both advisors.

I am a transfer students from another campus and need my biology courses evaluated for biology credit. How do I get them evaluated?
Visit the Dept of Biological Sciences office which is located in room 292 Lapham Hall. Ask the secretaries for the name of the faculty who will do the course evaluation. You should come with a transcript, description of the course from the university catalog, and all available material on the course (course syllabus for lecture and/or lab, textbook used, number of lecture, discussion and/or laboratory hours).

I would like to do laboratory/library research with one of the Biology faculty under the independent study course (204-699). How do I arrange this special course?
First, determine if you meet the course prerequisites (GPA of 2.5 or better, jr. status). Second, you need to talk to the faculty with whom you like to do research. Normally you would have had this faculty in some course which would provide the foundation for the type of research you wish to pursue. Visit their home page to determine their scientific discipline and the type of research they do. It is recommended that you make an appointment with the faculty or visit him/her during their office hours. Faculty normally instruct a limited number of students per semester because of the one-on-one instruction involved. It is recommended that you contact them the semester before you plan on taking the course. Present your request, future goals and interests. If the faculty accepts you for the independent study, you will need to complete an independent study form. You can pick up the form from the Department secretaries in Rm 292 Lapham Hall. You will need to complete the form (4-5 copies) including the study proposal and course requirements for grading. The study proposal is usually developed in consultation with the faculty and requires their signature. Third, drop off the independent study form with the secretaries in Rm 292 and they will obtain the signature of the department chair and then forward the forms to the Letters & Science Dean for Student Academic Services. At the end of the course, a copy of any paper must be submitted to the department office (room 292).

I plan on graduating this year. What do I need to do?
Schedule a visit with both your Letters & Science advisor and your Advisor in biology to insure that you have met all requirements for graduation. The semester you plan to graduate you will also need to complete the "Graduation Request" form. This form will be sent to you automatically if you check the appropriate box during registration. The university will re-evaluate whether you have met all requirements for graduation and will notify you if you have any deficiencies.

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Last Modified: March 14, 1998

Thomas P. Schuck