Biology

Overview

Biology is a rapidly expanding, multifaceted discipline, full of possibilities for undergraduate research and for stimulating graduate study and employment after Occidental. Within an evolutionary framework, our program investigates the interactions between molecules, cells, organisms, populations, and ecosystems that constitute life on earth. Interdisciplinary and integrative by nature, the biology program at Occidental engages both majors and non-majors in a curriculum that emphasizes laboratory and field investigation. Our students are encouraged to collaborate with faculty mentors, whose research employs current methods in addressing questions from the molecular to the global in scale. Students acquire skills from careful observation through hypothesis formulation and experimental design to formal oral and written presentations of results. After participating in the biology program at Occidental College, students are prepared for rewarding work and lifelong learning, armed with the tools necessary to understand large complex data sets and help explain the intricacies of living systems. This rigorous program provides our students with the training to enter the work force after graduation and/or transition to an advanced degree program. After completing the major, many students elect to take graduate training toward the PhD. in biological sciences or doctorates of medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy or dentistry. Many of our students complete Masters programs in Biological Sciences, teaching, environmental health and safety, and resource management. Receiving a degree in Biology at Occidental College enables our students to excel in any post-baccalaureate professional pursuit.

The Department of Biology is housed within the Bioscience building which is contiguous with the Moore Laboratory of Zoology. Facilities include the bird and mammal collections (70,000 specimens) of Moore Laboratory, greenhouses, facilities for microscopy (scanning and transmission electron and fluorescence), a tissue culture suite and fluorescence-activated cell sorter, fully-equipped molecular biology laboratories, field vehicles, and three research vessels for nearshore marine studies and SCUBA diving. Because of its proximity to the Mojave Desert, the Santa Monica, San Gabriel, and San Bernardino Mountains, and seacoast, Occidental College is ideally suited for field and laboratory studies of environmental biology.

Major Requirements

Students are required to complete all major requirements and supporting coursework as detailed below in order to earn their degree in Biology. Those students looking to complete one of 3 related concentrations should familiarize themselves with the additional requirements below. Two-unit courses may not apply to major requirements.

COURSEWORK

Introductory Biology

Select one course from the list below:

The following course is required:

Molecular and Cellular Biology

Select one course from the list below:

Environmental Biology

Select one course from the list below:

Evolutionary Biology

Organismal Biology

Select one course from the list below:

Upper-division Biology

Students must select three 300-level Biology courses (excluding BIO 310, BIO 393, BIO 395, and BIO 397). At least two of these must be Occidental College Biology laboratory courses.

Data Analysis

Select one course from the list below:

Organic Chemistry

Senior Seminar

Supporting Coursework

Students are required to complete two additional courses to complete the major. One must be the supporting course for Organic Chemistry and one must be Calculus 1 or an equivalent course (e.g. MATH 110 or MATH 114). If a student is awarded credit for Calculus 1 for work prior to college entry, then they are required to take an additional quantitative literacy course at the college level (see list below).

Chemistry

Select one from the list:

Quantitative Literacy

All biology majors are required to complete a Calculus I-equivalent course (e.g. MATH 110 or MATH 114). Students who receive credit for Calculus I through an AP or IB exam score are required to take an additional quantitative literacy course at the college level from the list below.

Concentration in Molecular and Cell Biology

In addition to completing all major requirements, students pursuing the Molecular and Cell Biology concentration must complete:

Molecular and Cell Biology

One additional 200-level course, for a total of two courses in Molecular and Cell Biology, must be selected from the list below:

Upper-division Biology

Two of the three required 300-level courses must be selected from the list below.

Concentration in Environmental Science

In addition to all major requirements, students pursuing the Environmental Science concentration must complete:

Environmental Biology

One additional 200-level course, for a total of two 200-level courses in Environmental Biology, selected from the list below:

Upper-division Biology

Ideally, during the course of completing all major requirements, two of the three required 300-level courses would be selected from the list below:

Geology Component

In addition to completing all major requirements, two Geology courses must be selected from the list below:

Concentration in Marine Biology

To satisfy the Marine Biology concentration, students must complete 3 courses from the list below while completing the Biology major requirements, plus one additional course from the list below.

Marine Biology related courses

Honors in the Biology Major

Requirements

• Student typically will have worked on a research project for 2 semesters (or 1 semester + summer session) minimum, before applying for honors
• Student must have an average GPA of 3.25 (college policy)

Application Process

• Students should discuss with their research mentor and submit an official Letter of Intent to the Biology Chairperson by the first week of their senior year, or sooner.
• The letter of intent should include a summary of research results (realized and projected), as well as significance of the research and any projects in progress at the time of submission.
• Applications will be evaluated by the Biology faculty.
• Students nominated for honors will be notified by the Biology Chairperson.

Completion Process

• At the time of nomination, each candidate will be assigned an honors thesis committee of two Biology faculty members, in addition to their faculty mentor. This committee will be available for guidance and to help ensure that milestones are met in a timely manner.
• Milestones will include a thorough literature review, written drafts of the introduction, methods, and results sections, including draft figures, and a final discussion section, as well as preparation of a public seminar.
• The candidate must complete a written thesis of their work. It is expected that the student will spend part of their final semester or directed research writing the thesis.
• The written thesis will be due to the mentor by Monday in the 3rd week of February.
• The revised honors thesis will be due to the committee by Monday in the 2nd week of March.
• The thesis will be reviewed by committee and returned to the student by Monday the 4th week of March, and final revisions must be submitted by the first week of April.
• Honors candidates will also give a presentation on their research to be scheduled on or about April 15. These presentations will last approximately 25 minutes, with 5 minutes for questions.
• Honors grades are Pass/Fail and reported to the registrar by the Chair. The chair will inform the students of their grade when it is decided upon by the committee.

Minor

Introductory Level Biology

Students must select one course from the list below:

Additional Biology Electives

Choose four additional biology courses, including BIO 130, or any 200- or 300-level Biology courses, two of which must be taken in the Occidental College Biology Department. Two-unit courses may not apply to this requirement. Independent Studies and Advanced Placement credit may not count toward the minor.

Second-Stage Writing

Students majoring in Biology will satisfy the second-stage writing requirement by successfully completing two courses at the 300-level (or appropriate course work). Students should familiarize themselves with the departmental requirement at the time of declaring the major. See the Writing Program and consult the department chair for additional information.

Comprehensive Requirement

The Senior Comprehensive in Biology provides an opportunity for every senior to demonstrate mastery of a topic of current importance and research interest in contemporary biology.

Seniors enroll in small, one-semester seminars (BIO 490) organized around current topics that are meant to span a number of scales in biology. The seminar includes extensive reading (both assigned and independently chosen), discussion and evaluation of primary literature, selection of an appropriate subtopic on which to focus, synthesis and writing of a précis or summary of research on the subtopic, and a major oral presentation by each student. The seminar also involves collaboration in that presenters partner with discussion leaders and work together throughout the semester to hone each other’s written and oral presentations.

Transfer Credit Policies

The Biology Department policy on transfer credit conforms to College policy. Students should reference the Transfer Credit section for more details. IB or A-level examinations in Biology will not substitute for an Occidental course, place students into advanced courses, or allow a wider opportunity for choice of electives in the Department.

For the major at most two 200-level courses and at most one 300-level course will be accepted in transfer.

For the minor at most one course in transfer may be counted toward the 200- and 300-level requirement.