THE BIOLOGY MAJOR
The BIOLOGY major can be designed by students to include courses from a variety of life and physical sciences departments. This major is suitable for students who would like to obtain a broad knowledge of science, as well as for students preparing for careers in the health sciences.
MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
Undergraduates in the Biology major are expected to meet a standard set of requirements from introductory Life Science classes to upper division electives. The courses build on each other to give students a well rounded education in Biology.
- Interactive Major sheet for Fall 2020 admits and forward [download]
- Curriculum for all admits prior to Fall 2020 [download]
- (for requirements for previous years, click here)
You can find EEB Sample Education Plan Templates here.
Lower Division - Major Required courses
Please select one sequence:
Life Science: LS7A, 7B, 7C, 7L
Math : LS30A & 30B or MATH 31A, 31B, &32A or MATH 3A, 3B, & 3C
Chemistry : CHEM 14A, 14B, 14BL, 14C, 14D or CHEM 20A, 20B, 20L, 30AL, 30A, 30B
Physics : PHYSICS 5A, 5B, & 5C or PHYSICS 1A, 1B, 1C, 4AL, 4BL
Statistics : STATS 13 or LS40
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.
Upper Division Major Requirements information
Student must complete 2 courses from each of the following 5 core principles for a total of 10 courses:
- Principle of Evolution & Genetics
- Principle of Information Flow
- Principle of Structure Function
- Principle of Transformation of Energy & Matter
- Principle of Systems
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.
Principle of Evolution & Genetics
Select 2 courses:
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology 103, 104, 108, 109, 109L, 110, 111, 112, 113A, 113AL, 114A, 115, 117, 118, 120 (or 185), 121, C126, 129, 130, C135, 136, 140, 143, 144, M145 (same as EPSS M118), C146, 149, 150, 158, 160, 169, 171, C174, CM173, 175, 181, 184, 185, 186
Anthropology 120, 124P, 124Q, 124S, 128P
Earth & Planetary Sciences 116
Life Science 107
Microbiology, Immunology, & Molecular Genetics CM156, 158
Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology 138, CM156
Society & Genetics M142
Principle of Information Flow
Select 2 courses:
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology 100, 100L, 116, 120 (or 185), 121, 122, 125, C126, 129, 132*, 134B, C135, 136, 137, 143, C146, 149, 150, 153, 156, 162, 162L, 169, 170, 171, C172, C174, 176, M178 (same as C&S BIOL M186), C179, 180A, 180B, 183
Anthropology 124P, 128P
Chemistry C100, 153A, 166
Life Science 107
Microbiology, Immunology, & Molecular Genetics 101, 103AL, 103BL, 109AL, 109BL, 123, 132, CM156, 158, C185A
Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology 100, 138, 143, 144, C150, 150AL, CM156, 165B, 168, M175A, M175B, M175C, 187AL
Neuroscience M101A, M101B, M101C, 102
Physiological Sciences M106, 111A, 111B, CM123, 124, C126, C127, 128, C130, 136, 138, M140, C144, M145, 146, 147, 149, C152, 154, 155, 165, 166, 167, 173, 174, 175, M176, 177, M180A, M180B, M180C
*Field Quarter courses
Principle of Structure Function
Select 2 courses:
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology 101, 102*, 103, 104,105, 106*, 107, 109, 109L, 110, 111, 112, 113A, 113AL, 113B*, 114A, 114B*, 115, 117, 118, 121, 122, 123A*, 123B*, 124A*, 125, M127, M127L, 128, 129, M131 (same as GEOG M117), 136, 140, 144, M145 (same as EPSS M118), 147, 148, 151A, 151B*, 152, 155, M157, 160, 161, 162, 162L, 163*, 164*, 165*, 166*, 169, 170 (or PHYSCI 166), 171, C174, 181, 184
Chemistry C105, 153A, 153D, 153L
Earth & Planetary Sciences 116
Geography 108, 111, 112
Microbiology, Immunology, & Molecular Genetics 101, 103AL, 103BL, 109AL, 132, CM156, 158, 168, C185A
Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology 100, 138, M140, C141, 143, 144, 146, C150, 165A, 165B, 168, M175A, M175B, M175C
Neuroscience M101A, M101B, M101C, 102
Physiological Sciences 107, 108, 111A, 111B, 120, 121, 122, CM123, 124, C126, C127, 128, C130, 136, 138, M140, C144, M145, 146, 147, 149, C152, 153, 154, 155, 165, 166, 167, 173, 174, 175, M176, 177, M180A, M180B, M180C
*Field Quarter courses
Principle of Transformation of Energy and Matter
Select 2 courses:
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology 103, 109, 109L, 123A*, 123B*, 124A*, M131 (same as GEOG M117), M139, 143, M151A, 153, 161, 162, 162L, 170, 184,
Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences 102, 103, 104, M105, 130, 145
Chemistry 103, 110A, 110B, 114, C123A, C123B, 136, C143A, C143B, 144, C145, 153A, 153B, 153C, 153D, 153L, 154, C159, C164
Environmental Health Sciences 100
Microbiology, Immunology, & Molecular Genetics 101
*Field Quarter courses
Principle of Systems
Select 2 courses:
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology 101, 102, 104, 105, 106*, 107, 108, 110, 111, 112, 113A, 113AL, 113B*, 114A, 114B*, 115, 116, 117, C119A, C119B, 120 (or 185) , 122, 123A*, 123B*, 124A*, 124B*, 125, C126, M127, M127L, 128, 129, M131 (same as GEOG M117), 132*, 133, 136, 137, M139, 140, 142, 144, C146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151A, 151B*, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 158, 160, 161, 162, 162L, 163*, 164*, 165*, 166*, 169, 170, C172, 176, C177, M178 (same as C&S BIOL M186), C179, 180A (2 units), 180B, 182*, 183, 184
Anthropology 124P, 128P
Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences 102, 103, 104, M105, 130, 145,
Biostatistics 100B
Chemistry 103, 153A, 153L
Environmental Health Sciences 100
Earth & Planetary Sciences 116
Geography 108, 111, 112
Life Science 107, M174
Microbiology, Immunology, & Molecular Genetics 101, 103AL, 103BL, 105, 109AL, 109BL, 123, 132, C134, 158, 168, 180A, 180B, C185A
Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology 100, 138, M140, C141, 143, 144, 146, C150, 150AL, CM156, 160, 165A, 165B, 168, M175A, M175B, M175C, 187AL
Neuroscience M101A, M101B, M101C, 102
Physiological Sciences 100, M106, 107, 108, 111A, 111B, 120, 121, 122, CM123, 124, C126, C127, 128, C130, M135, 136, 138, M140, C144, M145, 146, 147, 149, C152, 153, 154, 155, 165, 166, 167, 173, 174, 175, M176, 177, M180A, M180B, M180C
Psychology 115, 133B
Society & Genetics M142
*Field Quarter courses
Rules for the Biology major (2020-Present)
- All Life Science Core Curriculum courses must be passed with a letter grade of C- or better and must be completed with an overall GPA of 2.00 (C) or better. Students receiving a grade below C- in three core curriculum courses, either in separate courses or repetitions of the same course, are ineligible to pursue the Biology major.
- For the upper division (UD) major requirements, you must pass each course with a letter grade of D- or better. However, in order to graduate, you are required to maintain a global GPA (UD major requirements) of 2.00 or better.
- A maximum of four (4) units of graduate work may be applied on the major, BUT only if approved by the department.
- Two courses from each Core Principle are required.
- Courses applied to the upper division (UD) major requirements may be applied to ONE Core Principle only. Courses listed in multiple categories MAY NOT be applied to multiple Core Principles simultaneously.
- Minimum of 5 Upper Division courses for the major must be taken within the EE BIOL Department.
- Minimum of 2 lab courses must be taken toward the degree, including a minimum of 1 Upper Division EE BIOL lab course.
- In order to receive lab credit for EEB 100L, 109L, 113AL, or 162L, the corresponding lecture course (EEB 100, 109, 113A, and 162, respectively) must be completed, either as a pre-requisite or as a co-requisite. The lecture course may be applied to a separate Core Principle.
- MIMG 101 + MIMG 100L – in order to receive lab credit for MIMG 100L, MIMG 101 must also be completed, either as a pre-requisite or as a co-requisite. However, MIMG 100L cannot be applied as a separate Core Principle since it is only three (3) units.
- Credit deductions: students cannot take the following pairs of courses:
- EE BIOL 120 & 185
- EE BIOL 170 & PHYSCI 166
- MCD BIOL 100 & 165A
- FBQ/MBQ instructors determine which Core Principles their courses will help complete Upper Division requirements for the major (up to 4 requirements total).
- A maximum of four (4) units of EE BIOL 199 OR eight (8) units of EE BIOL 198A & 198B may be applied to the major. Credit for 199 courses from other departments may NOT be applied. NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY.
- Each Primary Investigator (PI) will sign off on a form stating which Core Principle the student’s research course should count for, after the student’s work and quarter are completed. The research course must be for a minimum of 4 units.
- Regarding classes offered by Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology and Physiological Science (Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, IBP): enrollment in ALL upper division (UD) Physiological Science courses will be restricted to their majors during first pass. You must consult the IBP department about enrollment in courses during second pass for UD elective Physiological Science courses. Non-Physiological Science majors are restricted from enrolling in PHYSCI 107 and 111A/B at ALL TIMES.