There are also six different specialized fields of study within the Biology major for students who have a specific interest within the general Biology field:

Biochemistry and Biophysics
Ecology and Evolution
Marine Biology
Microbes and Immunity
Molecular and Cell Biology
Neurobiology

Useful links:

• E-mail Archive
  
• Hopkins Marine Station
• BioBridge - our peer advising group
• Research & Honors in Biology
• Career Development Center

Documents and Forms:

Biology Major Declaration Form - submission of this form is required to declare the Biology major
B.S. Checklist and Requirements - complete list of requirements and checklist for the B.S. degree
B.S. Student Handbook - comprehensive guide to the B.S. program
Approved Out-Of-Department Electives - list of non-BIOSCI courses that can be used toward the B.S. elective requirements
Central Menu courses - list of courses that satisfy the Central Menu requirements within the electives
General Petition - form to be used when requesting a substitution, exemption or other exception toward the regular B.S. degree. If you are considering submitting a petition for a BIOSCI 44X or 44Y exemption, please read the guidelines.
Evaluation of Course Content - form to be used when requesting evaluation of transfer credit toward the B.S. degree
Pre-Vet Club - flyer describing Stanford's Undergraduate Pre-Vet Club
Faculty Office Hours - list of current faculty office hours for Winter 07-08

Steps for Declaring the Biology Major

You can either download the form from this website (above) or pick up the green double-sided form from the Student Services Office in Gilbert 108. This form must be signed by your chosen Biology Faculty advisor and returned to Student Services after you have officially declared the Biology major on Axess.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I pick an advisor?
2. How do I get transfer credit pre-approved?
3. Can I choose any class to count toward the Biology major?
4. How likely is it that my petition will be approved?
5. How long will it take to hear back about my petition?
6. I heard Surgery 101 can count for Biosci 44X or Y. Is that true?
7. What are the prerequisites for taking classes at Hopkins Marine Station?
8. Can I take any classes CR/NC? How will grad school/med school perceive a CR/NC?
9. How do I get bio units for out of department research?
10. When is the deadline to apply to coterm?
11. How do I find a research position on campus?
12. Where are good places to look for research opportunities off campus?
13. How do I petition to graduate with honors?
14. What is a field of study?
    
15. Do I have to do honors if I want to do a field of study?
    

1. How do I pick an advisor?

There is no set way to pick an advisor. Ideally, you would want to pick an advisor that does research in an area you would like to pursue, and one that you would feel comfortable talking to about classes, and goals after graduation. Talk to professors you have taken classes with (including the bio core). There is a binder with biographical and personal information about our faculty advisors in the Student Services Office. You can also look up faculty member profiles. Finally, talk to your friends, upperclassmen, and BioBridge peer advisors about their experience in the department.

2. How do I get transfer credit to count toward the major?

There are two separate sets of approval that you need to get in order for a transfer course to count toward the Biology major requirements:

• University Approval. The guidelines for transferring courses to Stanford are located on the Registrar's Office webpage. Please be sure to follow these instructions; without doing so, you run the risk of not having your courses transferred.
• Department Approval. The first thing to do is check the "Pre-Approved" binder in the Student Services Office. If the course you want to take is in there, you are done! If not, you will need to fill out an Evaluation of Course Content Form Fill out this form, attach a syllabus and/or course description, and turn it into the appropriate person listed on the back of the form. Once you have obtained a signature on this form, return it to the Student Services Office.

3. Can I choose any class to count toward the Biology major?

Any BIOSCI or BIOHOPK class above 100 (not including freshman/sophomore seminars) can count toward the Biology major, however, there are limitations for courses outside the department. Please refer to the list of Out-of-Department Electives. If you believe a class is relevant to the Biology major but is NOT on this list, you are welcome to submit a General Petition.

4. How likely is it that my petition will be approved?

We cannot predict whether or not your petition will be approved.

5. How long will it take to hear back about my petition?

It typically takes 1-2 weeks to get a response. Because of this, it is in your best interest to submit the petition as soon as you can.

6. I heard Surgery 101 can count for Biosci 44X or Y. Is that true?

No - Surgery 101 cannot be used in place of Biosci 44X or 44Y for the Biology major requirements. If you would like to know how to successfully petition for an exemption from BIOSCI 44X or 44Y, please see these guidelines. If you would like to know whether or not Surgery 101 can count as one of the Biology lab requirements for medical school, please consult the pre-med advisors in the UAR.

7. What are the prerequisites for taking classes at Hopkins Marine Station?

There are no prerequisites to take classes at Hopkins. Having a biology background from the Bio or Humbio core would be helpful, but not necessary.

8. Can I take any classes CR/NC? How will grad school/med school perceive a CR/NC?

The Bio core must be taken for a letter grade. A maximum of two foundational breadth classes, and a maximum of 6 units toward the elective requirement can be taken CR/NC. Grading option rules are slightly different for the 6 specialized fields of study; please see individual requirement sheets for details. If you plan on applying to medical school, keep in mind that all of the foundational breadth courses must be taken for a letter grade. Furthermore, certain medical schools require additional advanced courses in genetics, molecular biology, or biochemistry to be taken during the undergraduate curriculum for a grade. This requirement varies widely amongst schools and can be best determined at the individual schools' web-site or by perusing the AAMC Medical School Admissions Requirements (a copy of this is kept at the UAR in Sweet Hall).

9. How do I get bio units for out of department research?

The petition to get credit for out of department research for BIOSCI 199X can be downloaded from the BioHonors website.

10.When is the deadline to apply to coterm?

You can apply for the coterm once you have completed 120 units towards graduation, but you must apply at least one quarter prior to graduating with your undergraduate degree. Please see our Coterm information for specific deadlines. If you have transfer units (as opposed to AP credit) be careful! Transfer units can count for an actual quarter at Stanford, and therefore impact the final date you can apply to the coterm program.

11. How do I find a research position on campus?

• A good place to start is the Odyssey database search. See their website for instructions on how to use the database
• Faculty research descriptions (look at the Biology Department faculty listings, as well as other departmental websites.)
• The Community Academic Profiles website lists all biology and medical research associated with Stanford University, except for research in ecology and evolution.
• The Biohonors website has information about previous internships
• Check out the Stanford Biologist Journal to get a sense of what type of topics students research in specific labs.

12. Where are good places to look for research opportunities off campus?

• Career Development Center
• Monstertrak

13. How do I petition to graduate with honors?

You must complete the Honors Petition form, available at BioHonors, three quarters in advance of your expected graduation date. A minimum Bio GPA of 3.0, ten units of BIOSCI 199 or 199X, and an honors thesis & presentation are also required.

14. What is a field of study?

It is a specialized area of biology in which students can choose to study, if they wish. Fields of Study used to be referred to as "Specialization Tracks."

15. Do I have to do honors if I want to do a field of study?

Yes - all Fields of Study require a specific set of course requirements as well as completion of the departmental honors requirements.