Biology

Students are engaged at all levels of the biology curriculum in learning about the functions and evolution of diverse biological systems and the methods by which biologists study nature. The flexible curriculum allows students to craft their biology major or minor to best suit their interests. Students will build a broad biological background with opportunities to concentrate on specialized areas of particular passion.

The best way to learn biology is to do biology.

All our introductory and intermediate core courses have weekly laboratories or field trips where students learn to become biologists. Many biology majors elect to perform independent research in addition to their course work. Our curriculum is based around making original observations, asking questions about life processes, solving problems, and designing and testing hypotheses by performing experiments. Communication skills and nurturing curiosity are emphasized as students participate in labs and lectures, read and evaluate research articles in scientific journals, write laboratory reports according to the standards of professional scientific writing, participate in frequent opportunities for oral presentations and critical discussions, and work in research teams.

The Academic Program

The Biology Department offers a course major, course minor, honors major, and honors minor. In addition, affiliated interdiciplinary majors in Biology and Education, Biochemistry, Environmental Studies, and Neuroscience are offered in cooperation with the Education, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Environmental Studies Program, and Psychology Departments, respectively. Swarthmore students may also pursue an individualized major in a biologically related field.

Studies in Biology at Swarthmore

Students are introduced to the study of biology at Swarthmore by taking BIOL 001: Cellular and Molecular Biology offered each fall, and BIOL 002: Organismal and Population Biology offered each spring. These two courses may be taken in either order (non-sequentially) and are the foundation of further biological studies at Swarthmore. It is not uncommon for students to take BIOL 002 in spring of their first year and then BIOL 001 during the fall of their sophomore year after taking chemistry here at Swarthmore. We find that students perform better in BIOL 001 if they have a solid foundation in chemistry.

Diverse intermediate-level courses, some offered in alternate years, allow students to choose coursework in areas of particular interest. Intermediate courses numbered 010-039 have laboratories (practicums) while courses numbered 040-069 often do not. Intermediate courses generally have BIOL 001 and BIOL 002 as prerequisites. Some of these courses also require prior coursework in the Chemistry and/or Mathematics Departments. Finally, advanced seminars numbered 100-139 have specific intermediate-level courses as prerequisites and are usually taken by students in their junior or senior year.

The Biology courses are grouped as:

• General Studies (BIOL 001 - 009) with no biology prerequisites.
  • BIOL 001 & 002 Foundation series.
  • BIOL 003-009 Other introductory courses and first year seminars (FYS).
  • BIOL 010-019 Group I Cellular & Molecular Biology with laboratory component (practicum).
  • BIOL 020-029 Group II Organismal Biology with laboratory component (practicum).
  • BIOL 030-039 Group III Population Biology with laboratory component (practicum).
  • BIOL 040-069 other intermediate-level topics generally without a lab component.
  • All require specific intermediate course(s) as prerequisites.
  • BIOL 093: Directed Reading
  • BIOL 094: Research Project
  • BIOL 098: Neuroscience Thesis Research
  • BIOL 180: Honors Research.
  • BIOL 097: Themes in Biology
  • BIOL 199: Senior Honors Study
  • BIOL 095: Senior Project with special permission in lieu of BIOL 097.

  Application Process for the Major or Minor

  We ask students to attend the departmental information meeting for Sophomores (usually held in early February). This helps students prepare their plan of study which is submitted in the spring of Sophomore year when declaring majors and minors. Information about courses and other aspects of the major, minor, honors, and affiliated interdisciplinary majors are also available on the Biology Majors & Minors webpage.

  Following the initial submission of a student’s major and plan of study as Sophomores, we strongly encourage all students to update and monitor their plan of study each semester until graduation. This is a planning tool utilized by students, faculty, and the department to determine student needs and departmental course offerings.

  All accepted or deferred biology majors, honors majors, and honors minors are assigned an academic adviser in the Biology Department. Course minors are not assigned an academic advisor. However, the Biology Administrative Coordinator is available for guidance.

  A student’s advisor, the Chair of the Biology Department, and the Administrative Coordinator for Biology are always available to answer any questions.

  Course Major

  Acceptance criteria for the major

  Students declare their intended major(s) and/or minor(s) in the spring of their Sophomore year. A projected course of study, including a narrative of intention, is uploaded to the major/minor portal by the student at that time. The department evaluates these student plans and determines if they are accepted, deferred, or denied to the biology major. Acceptance to the major requires:

  1. Successful completion of BIOL 001, BIOL 002, plus a third biology course with a lab. Courses numbered 003-009, 093, or 094 may not be used for acceptance to the major.
  2. Applicants must have an average grade of C (2.00) or better in BIOL 001 and BIOL 002.
  3. CHEM 010, or placement approved by the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department.
  4. Swarthmore College credit for two courses in mathematics or statistics consisting of MATH 015 or above (except MATH 020) or STAT 011 or above. Alternatively, students may complete Calculus II (MATH 025) to satisfy the math requirement. Students who place out of MATH 025 have satisfied the math requirement for admittance to the major. The Biology Department strongly recommends a course in statistics for majors.
  5. In addition, the applicant must have an average grade of C (2.00) or better in all courses taken in the Biology Department and the Division of Natural Sciences and Engineering (biology, physics and astronomy, chemistry and biochemistry, mathematics and statistics, engineering, computer science, and applicable environmental studies courses).
  6. CR/NC: Unpublished grades in biology for the first semester of the first year will be considered in the C average requirement; passing grades of CR in other courses in the Division of Natural Sciences and Engineering (NSE) are acceptable.
  7. Students who have not completed the requirements for acceptance to the major will be deferred until the end of the fifth semester or until they have completed the requirements. Students who have not completed all requirements for acceptance to the major by the end of the fifth semester will no longer have priority in lotteries based on their sophomore plan, and will need to re-apply for the major before the last day of classes in their junior year.

  Graduation requirements for the major

  1. Credit requirements: Students graduating in the Class of 2025 and majoring in biology must complete a minimum of (8) biology credits, at least (5) of which must be taken at Swarthmore College. CHEM 038 (Biochemistry) may be counted as (1) of the (8) biology credits. SP credits cannot be used to satisfy the major credit requirement. Note: For the Class of 2026 and beyond: Biology majors will be required to complete (9) biology credits. CHEM 038 will no longer be accepted to satisfy the Group I requirement. However, it may be used towards (1) of the biology elective credits for the major.
  2. Grade Point Average: Biology majors must maintain a grade point average of C (2.0) or better in all courses taken in the Biology Department and in the Division of Natural Sciences and Engineering.
  3. CR/NC: Unpublished grades in biology for the first semester of the first year will be considered in the C average. Passing grades of CR in NSE courses are acceptable. After the first semester, only (1) biology course with a recorded grade of CR can be used to fulfill the requirements of a biology major and will not factor into the GPA requirements. Seminars (100-139) and BIOL 097 may not be taken CR/NC.
  4. Major distribution requirements:
     1. Intermediate Courses: Students majoring in biology must pass at least (1) intermediate course in each of the following three groups. These courses are all practicums, including a lab:
        1. Group I. Cellular and Molecular Biology (BIOL 010-019). CHEM 038 (Biochemistry) may be counted as a Group I course for the Class of 2025 and the grade will be counted towards the biology GPA.
        2. Group II. Organismal Biology (BIOL 020-029)
        3. Group III. Population Biology (BIOL 030-039)
        1. Students majoring in biology may count only (1) course numbered 003-009 as a biology elective credit.
        2. Students majoring in biology may count no more than (2) credits in BIOL 093: Directed Reading and/or BIOL 094: Research Project as biology elective credit(s). Note additional requirements for more than (1) credit of 093 and/or 094 on the Research Opportunities @ Swat Bio website.
        3. CHEM 038 (Biochemistry) may be counted as a Group I course for the Class of 2025. If counted as a Group I or biology elective, the CHEM 038 grade will be counted towards the biology GPA. Note: For the Class of 2026 and beyond, CHEM 038 will no longer be accepted to satisfy the Group I requirement. However, it may be used towards (1) of the biology elective credits for the major.
        1. BIOL 097 is required for graduation. Students who fail BIOL 097 have failed the comprehensive exam and thus may not graduate.
           1. A student may be given permission by the chair of the Biology Department to enroll in BIOL 097: Themes in Biology during their junior year. To ensure that students are ready to participate in a meaningful manner in the course they must have successfully completed at least (3) credits of intermediate and advanced seminar courses in addition to BIOL 001 and 002 before enrolling in BIOL 097.
           2. The Biology Department faculty and chair may give permission to a student to write a senior paper and enroll in BIOL 095: Senior Project, to satisfy the College requirement of a comprehensive examination in certain, unusual circumstances.
           1. Courses that satisfy the NSE breadth requirement for the biology major are: ASTRO 014 or above, CHEM 015 or above, COMP SCI 021 or above, ENGR 005 or above (with the exception of ENGR 007 or ENGR 010), ENVS 060, ENVS 068, ENVS 079, MATH 15 or above (with the exception of MATH 020), PHYS 003 or above (with the exception of PHYS 029), STAT 11 or above, ECON 031 or 035.

           i. Courses used to meet the Chemistry or Math/Stat criterion for acceptance to the major may not be counted toward the NSE breadth course requirement. Courses used to meet any other biology major requirement may not be counted toward this requirement. While a student may test or place out of the Math criterion by AP, IB, or math placement test for acceptance to the biology major, both NSE breadth courses necessary for the completion of the major must be taken after matriculation at Swarthmore. If a student uses CHEM 038 to satisfy a biology requirement, it may not be used to satisfy the NSE breadth requirement.

           Course Minor

           Students who wish to minor in biology must complete (6) credits, at least (4) of which are to be taken at Swarthmore College.

           Acceptance to the minor includes BIOL 001 and BIOL 002 with a 2.0 GPA or better in those courses. Completion of a biology minor includes any (4) additional courses from BIOL 003 - BIOL 139. There are no requirements for courses outside the department. Only (1) course numbered 003-009 is allowed. Only (1) credit in BIOL 093 or BIOL 094 is allowed. CHEM 038 (Biochemistry) may be counted as (1) of the (6) biology credits for the Class of 2025. BIOL 095, 097, 098, 180, 199, or SP may not be used towards a Biology minor.

           GPA and CR/NC requirements for completion of a biology minor are the same as a major.

           Note: CHEM 038 will no longer be accepted towards a biology minor for the Class of 2026 and beyond.