THE BIOLOGY MAJOR
The Department of Biological Sciences offers both a B.S. degree and a B.A. degree in Biological
Sciences. Majors are required to take courses from the three groups of courses listed:
Core Courses - all are required for the major:
BIRU 1403 - Introductory Biology I and BIRU 1413 - Introductory Biology Lab I
BIRU 1404 - Introductory Biology II and BIRU 1414 - Introductory Biology Lab II
BIRU 2539 - General Genetics and BIRU 2549 General Genetics Lab
BIRU 2561 - Ecology and BIRU 2571 Ecology Lab
Distribution Courses - any two of the seven courses below:
BIRU 3221 - Human Anatomy and BIRU 3231 - Human Anatomy Lab
BIRU 3232 - Human Physiology and BIRU 3242 - Human Physiology Lab
BIRU 3405 - Plant Biology and BIRU 3415 - Plant Biology Lab
BIRU 3521 - Biochemistry
BIRU 3643 - Microbiology and BIRU 3653 - Microbiology Lab
BIRU 3752 - Molecular Biology
BIRU 3754 - Cell Biology
Elective Courses - a choice of one for the B.A. degree or three for the B.S.:
Any of the Distribution courses among thse not taken to fulfill the disttribution requirement or any
other biology courses offered by the department.
In addition to the biology courses, the following courses in other disciplines are required for the majors:
CHRU 1321 - General Chemistry I and CHRU 1331 - General Chemistry Lab I
CHRU 1322 - General Chemistry II and CHRU 1332 - General Chemistry Lab II
CHRU 2521 - Organic Chemistry I and CHRU 2541 - Organic Chemistry Lab I
CHRU 2522 - Organic Chemistry II and CHRU 2542 - Organic Chemistry Lab II
PYRU 1501 - General Physics I and PYRU 1511 - General Physics I Lab,
or
PYRU 1701 - Physics I and PYRU 1511 - Physics I Lab
PYRU 1502 - General Physics II and PYRU 1512 - General Physics II Lab
or
PYRU 1702 - Physics II and PYRU 1512 - Physics II Lab
MTRU 1206 - Calculus I, or MTRU 1207 - Calculus II, or MTRU 1203 - Applied Calculus I,
or MTRU 1204 - Applied Calculus II
UNDERGRADUATE SEQUENCE OF STUDY
The following is a sample course selection for a student declaring the Biology major in Fordham
College - Rose Hill. Courses taken in each semester is not indicated, and except for the sequenced
courses which must be taken in numberical order, sequencing is at the discretion of the student. As
a general rule, five courses (two of these in the major) must be taken each semester, except for the
first semester of Freshman year when only four courses are taken. Note that associated lecture and
lab courses are counted as a single course.
Freshman
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Sample - Freshman Year
| First Semester |
CR |
Second Semester |
CR |
Introductory Biology I and Lab I
(BIRU 1403 & 1413) |
5 |
Introductory Biology II & Lab II
(BIRU 1404 & 1414) |
5 |
General Chemistry I & Lab I
(CHRU 1321 & 1331) |
6 |
General Chemistry II & Lab II
(CHRU 1322 & 1332) |
6 |
Faith and Critical Reason*
(RSRU 1000) |
3 |
Philosphy of Human Nature*
(PHRU 1000) |
3 |
Close Reading
(ENRU 1000) |
3 |
The West from the Enlightenment
to the Present*
(HSRU 1000) |
3 |
Pre-Health Symposium
(SYRU 0001) |
1 |
English Composition
(ENRU 1100) |
3 |
| Total Credits |
18 |
Total Credits |
20 |
* One of the above courses mut be a Freshman Seminar (designated XXRF XXXX)
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Sample - Sophomore Year
| First Semester |
CR |
Second Semester |
CR |
Choice of General Genetics & Lab
(BIRU 2539 & 2549),
Human Anatomy & Lab
(BIRU 3221 & 3231),
Human Physiology & Lab
(BIRU 3232 & 3242),
Microbiology & Lab (BIRU 3643 & 3653) |
5 |
Choice of General Genetics & Lab
(BIRU 2539 & 2549),
Human Anatomy & Lab
(BIRU 3221 & 3231),
Human Physiology & Lab
(BIRU 3232 & 3242),
Microbiology & Lab (BIRU 3643 & 3653) |
5 |
Organic Chemistry I &Lab I
(CHRU 2521 & 2541) |
6 |
Organic Chemistry II & Lab II
(CHRU 2522 & 2542) |
6 |
Literature Course
(CLRU 1240, 1250 CORU 1210 to 1250;
ENRU 1200 to 1240; MLRU 1210 to 1260)* |
3 |
Philosphy Ethics
(PHRU 1100)* |
3 |
Theology - 2 Courses
(RSRU 2000 to 2999)* |
3 |
History - 2 Courses
(HSRU 1100 to 1700)* |
3 |
Introduction to Art or Music History Intro.
(AHRU/MURU 1100) |
3 |
Social Science - 1 Course
(Micro/Macroeconomics, Introduction
to Politics, Sociology, or Cultural
Anthropology |
3 |
| Total Credits |
20 |
Total Credits |
20 |
* Note that how these courses are scheduled during sophomore year is up to the individual.
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Sample - Junior Year
| First Semester |
CR |
Second Semester |
CR |
Any two upper Biology courses (BIRU
2500 to 4999). For example:
Human Anatomy & Lab
(BIRU 3221 & 3231),
Human Physiology & Lab
(BIRU 3232 & 3242),
Biochemistry (BIRU 3521)
Microbiology & Lab (BIRU 3643 & 3653)
Molecular Biology (BIRU 3752)
Cell Biology (BIRU 3754) |
5
or
3 |
Any two upper Biology courses (BIRU
2500 to 4999). For example:
Human Anatomy & Lab
(BIRU 3221 & 3231),
Human Physiology & Lab
(BIRU 3232 & 3242),
Biochemistry (BIRU 3521)
Microbiology & Lab (BIRU 3643 & 3653)
Molecular Biology (BIRU 3752)
Cell Biology (BIRU 3754) |
5
or
3 |
Physics I & Lab I
(PYRU 1701 or 1501 & 1511) |
4 |
Physics II & Lab II
(PYRU 1702 or 1502 & 1512) |
4 |
| Foreign Language 1 Course# |
3 |
Foreign Language 1 Course# |
3 |
Social Science - 1 Course
(Micro/Macroeconomics, Introduction
to Politics, Sociology, or Cultural
Anthropology |
4 |
Free Elective |
4 |
| Total Credits |
16
or
14 |
Total Credits |
16
or
14 |
#Note that the language sequence may be taken in sophomore year in lieu of Art/Music
History and Social Science I.
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Sample - Senior Year
| First Semester |
CR |
Second Semester |
CR |
Any three upper Biology courses (BIRU
2500 to 4999). For example:
Human Anatomy & Lab
(BIRU 3221 & 3231),
Human Physiology & Lab
(BIRU 3232 & 3242),
Biochemistry (BIRU 3521)
Microbiology & Lab (BIRU 3643 & 3653)
Molecular Biology (BIRU 3752)
Cell Biology (BIRU 3754) |
5
or
3 |
Any three upper Biology courses (BIRU
2500 to 4999). For example:
Human Anatomy & Lab
(BIRU 3221 & 3231),
Human Physiology & Lab
(BIRU 3232 & 3242),
Biochemistry (BIRU 3521)
Microbiology & Lab (BIRU 3643 & 3653)
Molecular Biology (BIRU 3752)
Cell Biology (BIRU 3754) |
5
or
3 |
Calculus I (MTRU 1206 or 1203) or
Biology Elective |
5,4
or
3 |
Calculus II (MTRU 1206 or 1203) or
Biology Elective |
5,4
or
3 |
| Free Elective* |
4 |
Senior Values Seminar |
4 |
| Free Elective* |
4 |
Free Elective* |
4 |
| Total Credits |
18
to
14 |
Total Credits |
18
to
14 |
* Three free elective courses; one elective in or outside Psychology
NB: Some time during your undergraduate career you must take one course that fulfills a
Fordham College core requirement and is:
A Global Studies course (designated XXRG XXXX)
An American Pluralism course (designated XXRP XXXX)
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