The Marine Biology Major

The focus of the MARINE BIOLOGY major is the study of marine organisms and their environment.

Students in the Marine Biology major are required to participate in the Marine Biology Quarter (MBQ). The MBQ provides the opportunity for undergraduates to live the life of a marine biologist. Under the guidance of department faculty and graduate assistants, the students design their own research projects, reside and collect data at a field station, conduct experiments to test their hypotheses, and present their work at the end of the quarter. Moreover, some of our undergraduates have had their research published in major peer-reviewed journals.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

  • (for requirements for previous years, click here)

To plan your 4 year plan, please meet with a full time counselor and review the following pathways using this link: https://lifesciences.ucla.edu/biology-curriculum-options/.

Please select one sequence:

Chemistry : CHEM 14A, 14B, 14BL, 14C, 14D or CHEM 20A, 20B, 20L, 30A, 30AL, 30B

Life Science: LS 7A, 7B, 7C, 23L

Math : LS30A & 30B or MATH 31A, 31B, & 32A or MATH 3A, 3B, & 3C

Statistics : STATS 13 or LS40

Physics : PHYSICS 5A, 5B, & 5C or PHYSICS 1A, 1B, 1C, 4AL, 4BL

Earth, Planetary and Space Science 15 OR Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences 1

TRANSFER STUDENTS ONLY: Students admitted to UCLA as an EEB transfer student can satisfy the one year of math requirement by completing the equivalent of MATH 31A + MATH 31B at their semester system community college and will not be held to completing MATH 32A. However, students who have placed out of UCLA’s Math 31A course based on AP/IB credit may be required to complete UCLA’s Math 3C, 32A or an equivalent course after transfer.

Students must complete courses from each of the following categories:

Category 1: Required Background (2 courses)

Category 2: Laboratory Courses (1 course)

Category 3: Marine Organismic Biology or Physiology (1 course)

Category 4: Ecology or Behavior (1 course)

Category 5: Evolution (1 course)

Category 6: Field Quarter (1 course)

Category 7: Elective (1 course)

Please be sure to review the rules for the major for further information on upper division major requirements

Note: Some department restrict their courses to their declared students for first and second pass. If a class is listed under the major requirements, it does not mean that you will be able to enroll into the course for priority, first, or second pass. We recommend utilizing the class notes to determine when you are eligible to enroll into another department’s course. The class notes can be found by selecting the triangle shape icon with an exclamation point in the center on the schedule of classes.

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology 109 and 109L

*Both courses required

Select 1 course:

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology: EE BIOL 101, 105, 110, 112, 136, 170, 181

Select 1 course:

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology: EE BIOL 101, 105, 107, 112, 128, 140,142, 170*, C174, 184,

Physiological Science 166*

*Students cannot take both EE BIOL 170 and PHYSCI 166.

Select 1 course:

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology: EE BIOL 100, 116, C119A, C119B, 122, C126, 128, 129, M131 (same as Geography M117), 133, 136, 137, 140, 142, 151A, 152, 154, 155, 161, 162, 170*, 184

Anthropology 128P (formerly numbered Anthropology 128A)

*Students with credit for PHYSCI 166 cannot take EE BIOL 170

Select 1 course:

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology: EE BIOL 116, 120*, 121, 130, 133, C135, 140, 144, 149, 150, CM173 (same as Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences CM173), C174, 175, 184, 185*, 186

Life Sciences 107 (only for students who have completed Life Sciences 7A, 7B, 7C; not available for credit for students who completed Life Sciences 4)

Society and Genetics M142 (same as Anthropology M128S)

*Students cannot take both EEB 120 and EEB 185.

Marine Biology Quarter (MBQ) or pre-approved equivalent.

Select 1 course:

Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences: A&O SCI 102, 103, 104, M105 (same as EE BIOL M139), 130

Chemistry: CHEM 103, 153A (strongly recommended)

Earth, Planetary, & Space Sciences: EPS SCI 100, 116, 119, C141, 153

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology: EE BIOL M131 (same as Geography M117), 153, 198A/B (both courses must be taken), 199

Geography: GEOG 100, 101, M106 (same as A&O Sci M106), 123, 130, 169

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering 103, 150A

Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology 172