Major Declaration Checklist
Major Declaration Checklist
Declaring A Major in Biology
Students declare their major by March 1st of their sophomore year. However, for a student that knows they want to declare a major in Biology ahead of this deadline, we encourage them to do so as soon as they are ready. To declare a single or double major, submit the Major Declaration form to the Registrar's Office. In Biology, as of spring 2022, students will be assigned a major advisor by the Associate Chair, with the option to suggest one in Slate, assuming the suggested advisor is accepting advisees.
Regardless of when you declare, once you have decided that you will declare a major in Biology, be sure to take a look at the checklist below. Questions about the major can be directed to the Department Administrator.
A minimum of six semester (non-summer) courses towards the major must be completed while the student is in residence at Barnard. Each course must be 3 credits or more. Only courses graded C– or higher will be credited toward the major. Students cannot elect Pass/D/Fail grading for courses required for the major.
Checklist
First, you will need to ensure that you have familiarized yourself with our department's Major Requirements page. Here, you'll find outlined the five possible ways to complete a major within Biology. Students may opt to major in General Biology (that is, without a specialization), or select one of four tracks to specialize in a level of biological organization: Cellular & Molecular (C&M), Physiological & Organismal (P&O), Ecological & Evolutionary (E&E), or Computational Biology (CB).
As of spring 2022, the department will assign a faculty advisor who will guide you through the remainder of your time at Barnard and assist you as you choose your advanced coursework in our department. When you submit your major declaration using the Slate platform, you will see that you are not required to identify your own advisor, but you may suggest one. Keep in mind that faculty members may not be accepting new advisees if, for example, they are taking a sabbatical leave the following semester or already handling the maximum number of advisees. The Associate Chair approves the declaration and assigns the advisor using the Slate platform.
Students are always welcome to directly contact faculty advisors whose research interests or backgrounds align with their own, to discuss advising, research mentoring, and other biology-related topics. Please consult this page, attend regular program planning meetings, or accept invitations to periodic social events in the department.
Be sure to familiarize yourself with the Faculty Advisor Profiles on our Major Advising page.
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