Biology Major Requirements (B.A.)
(Also see Requirements for a Bachelor's Degree.)
The B.A. degree in biology is designed to provide students with a thorough grounding in modern biology, with special emphasis on the molecular aspects of the discipline.
All courses required for the biology major must be taken for a letter grade (not S/U) and be passed with a grade of C- or better with one exception. The department will accept one passing grade below C- in the senior year provided that the average for all formal lecture and laboratory courses is at least 2.0.
Writing and Communication Requirement in the Major
Students must complete at least 6 credits of Writing and Communication Foundational Ability coursework in one major. Students can fulfill this requirement by selecting 6 credits from a combination of core and elective courses in the major that are designated as FA#1: Writing and Communication.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | ||
| AS.110.106 | Calculus I (Biology and Social Sciences) | 4 |
| or AS.110.108 | Calculus I (Physical Sciences & Engineering) | |
| AS.110.107 | Calculus II (For Biological and Social Science) | 4 |
| or AS.110.109 | Calculus II (For Physical Sciences and Engineering) | |
| or AS.110.113 | Honors Single Variable Calculus | |
| Physics | ||
| AS.171.101 | General Physics: Physical Science Major I | 4 |
| or AS.171.103 | General Physics I for Biological Science Majors | |
| or AS.171.107 | General Physics for Physical Sciences Majors (AL) | |
| AS.171.102 | General Physics: Physical Science Major II | 4 |
| or AS.171.104 | General Physics/Biology Majors II | |
| or AS.171.108 | General Physics for Physical Science Majors (AL) | |
| AS.173.111 | General Physics Laboratory I | 1 |
| AS.173.112 | General Physics Laboratory II | 1 |
| Chemistry | ||
| AS.030.101 & AS.030.105 | Introductory Chemistry I and Introductory Chemistry Laboratory I | 4 |
| AS.030.102 & AS.030.106 | Introductory Chemistry II and Introductory Chemistry Laboratory II | 4 |
| or AS.030.103 | Applied Chemical Equilibrium and Reactivity w/lab | |
| AS.030.205 | Introductory Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
| AS.030.206 | Organic Chemistry II | 4 |
| or AS.030.212 | Honors Organic Chemistry II | |
| AS.030.225 | Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 3 |
| or AS.030.227 | Chemical Chirality: An Introduction in Organic Chem. Lab, Techniques | |
| Biology | ||
| AS.020.151 | General Biology I | 3 |
| AS.020.152 | General Biology II | 3 |
| AS.020.303 | Genetics | 3 |
| AS.020.304 | Molecular Biology | 3 |
| AS.020.306 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| AS.020.305 | Biochemistry | 3 |
| AS.020.363 | Developmental Biology | 3 |
| AS.020.315 | Biochemistry Project lab | 2-3 |
| or AS.250.253 | Protein Engineering and Biochemistry Lab | |
| AS.020.340 | Developmental Genetics Lab | 3 |
| AS.020.316 | Cell Biology Lab | 1 |
| Electives | ||
| At least three courses totaling at least seven credits (see POS-Tag BIOL-UL in the Schedule of Classes) from the courses approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. At least one course must be taught by the Biology Department (AS.020.xxx) and be a 2 or 3 credit course. | 7 | |
| Total Credits | 71-72 | |
Sample Program of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.030.101 | 3 | AS.030.102 | 3 |
| AS.030.105 | 1 | AS.030.106 | 1 |
| AS.110.106 | 4 | AS.110.107 | 4 |
| AS.020.151 | 3 | AS.020.152 | 3 |
| AS.020.153 | 1 | AS.020.154 | 1 |
| 12 | 12 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.030.205 | 4 | AS.020.303 | 3 |
| AS.030.225 or 227 | 3 | AS.020.340 | 3 |
| AS.020.304 | 3 | AS.030.206 | 4 |
| 10 | 10 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.020.305 | 3 | AS.020.306 | 3 |
| AS.020.315 or AS.250 253 | 1 | AS.020.316 | 1 |
| AS.171.103 or 101 | 4 | AS.171.104 or 102 | 4 |
| AS.173.111 | 1 | AS.173.112 | 1 |
| Upper Level Biology Elective | 2-3 | ||
| 9 | 11-12 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| Upper Level Biology Elective | 2-3 | AS.020.363 | 3 |
| Upper Level Biology Elective | 2-3 | ||
| 2-3 | 5-6 | ||
| Total Credits 71-74 | |||
Honors in Biology
Students completing the B.A. in Biology are eligible to receive their degree with honors.
The B.A. in biology with honors requires, in addition to the regular requirements for the B.A. in biology, a 3.5 GPA for natural sciences and quantitative studies courses, two semesters of research, a presentation of a poster describing the independent research, and a recommendation from the research sponsor.
The research requirement must be completed under the direction of a faculty member in a department associated with the Johns Hopkins University or the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. If the student’s research director for independent research is not a member of the Department of Biology, a Biology faculty member must serve as a sponsor and approve the recommendation from the research director.