Biology & Society Major - Course Checklist

I. Basic Courses:

  • Biological Sciences (Two courses)
  • College Calculus (One course)
  • General Chemistry (One year sequence) RECOMMENDED BUT NOT REQUIRED

II. Foundation Courses

  • Ethics (one course)
  • Social Sciences/Humanities Foundation (Two courses - each selected from two different subject areas listed below:
History of Biology/History of Science Politics of Science
Philosophy of Science Science Communication
Anthropology of Science, Medicine and Environment Literature of Science
  Sociology of Science
  • Biology Foundation (BREADTH - Three courses - each selected from three different subject areas listed below)
Ecology Animal Behavior
Biochemistry, Molecular & Cell Biology Anatomy & Physiology
Genetics & Development Biological Diversity
Neurobiology Nutrition
  • Biology Foundation (DEPTH - One course)
  • Statistics (One course)

III. Core Courses - BSOC 3011, 2821, 2468, 1942, NTRES 2320

  • Core course (One course)

IV. Theme - Five courses forming a coherent theme

Your theme: _______________________________ 

  • Biology & Society Natural Sciences Issues/Biology Elective (Two courses)
  • Humanities/Social Sciences Electives (Two courses)
  • Senior Seminar (One course taken junior or senior year)

NOTE: All courses taken to fulfill BSOC requirements must be at the 2000 level or abgove (except BIOEE/STS 1180, MATH 1710, NS 1150, NS 1220, BSOC 1941 & 1942), at least 3 credit hours, and taken for a letter grade, receiving at least a C- as a final grade. AP credit is only accepted for Calculus and Statistics requirements. A list of courses that meet these requirements is availabe in 303 Morrill Hal or online at http://sts.cornell.edu/bio-society

I. Basic Courses

A. Biological Sciences (Two of the following): BioEE 1610 or BioSM 1610; BioEE 1780 or BioSM 1780; BioG 1440 or BioG 1445; or BioMG 1350. Avoid Forbidden overlaps as indicated students are not required to take BioG 1500 or BioSM 1500, but may wish to for lab experience.

B. College Calculus (One course): Math 1106, 1110, 1120 or any higher level calculus. Students may petition to take a second statistics course (an advanced course in sequence with the statistics course taken in the foundation) in place of calculus. 

C. General Chemistry (One year sequence) (Prerequisite to biochemistry and other chemistry courses): Chemistry 1560, 2070-2080, or 2150-2160 RECOMMENDED BUT NOT REQUIRED 

II. Foundation Courses

NOTE: These courses are intended to provide a broad introduction to a methodology and theory in each of the following areas:

A. Ethics (One course): Either BSOC/S&TS 2051 or BSOC/S&TS 2061 (To be completed by end of junior year).

B. Social Sciences/Humanities Foundation (Two courses): One from each of two of the following subject areas: History of Science; Philosophy of Science; Sociology of Science; Politics of Science; Science Communication; Literature and Science; Anthropology of Science, Medicine and Environment

C. Biology Foundation (BREADTH) (Three courses): One from each of the three following subject areas: Ecology (BioEE 2650; Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology (BioMG 3300 or 3310 or 3330 or 3350 or NS 3200); Genetics & Development (BIOMG 2800 or PLBRB 2250, or NTRES2830); Neurobiology (BioNB 2220); Animal Behavior (BioNB 2210, BioNB 2213 or BioSM 3290); Anatomy & Physiology (NS 3410 or BioAP 3110 or DEA 4520 formerly 3520); Biological Diversity (BioMI 2900 or PLBIO 2410 or PLBIO 2480 or BioEE 2740 or BioEE 4500 or BioEE 4750 or BioEE 4760 or BioEE 4500 AND 4701 or ENTOM 2120 or PLPPM 3010 or PLPPM 3090 or BioSM 3740 or BioSM 3210; Nutrition (NS 1150 o rNS 1220)

D. Biology Foundation (DEPTH): One course for which one of the biology BREADTH courses (in 2.C) is a prerequisite.

E. Statistics: Choose one from: BTRY 3010, AEM 2100, ILRST 2100, STSCI 2150, Soc 3010, Math 1710, PAM 2100, Econ 3130, and Psych 3500

III. Core Course

NOTE: One course - BSOC 3011, BSOC 2821, BSOC 2468, BSOC 1942, NTRES 2320 (to be completed by end of junior year). 

IV. Theme

NOTE: SUGGESTED THEMES: Biology, Behavior & Society; Biology & Public Policy; Biology & Human Population; Environment & Society; Health & Society; Biology & Inequality; Biology & Human Difference (race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity); Other (specified by you)

A. Biology & Society Natural Sciences Issues/Biology Elective (Two courses) Selected from the list of BSOC-approved Natural Sciences Issues courses.

B. Humanities/Social Sciences Electives (Two courses) Select from the list of BSOC-approved Humanities/Social Sciences courses. 

C. Senior Seminar (One course) To be taken junior or senior year. 

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