Choosing Biology for the Life Science GER Requirements

For students with a strong high school background in science, we recommend Biology 204 (biology from an organismal perspective) as a good choice. Biology 203 can also meet GER requirements; but for the great majority of students, we recommend Biology 204 before Biology 203.

For students who are not especially science-oriented, good choices are the courses specifically designated in the Undergraduate Course Catalog for nonmajors (usually numbered in the 100s). Nonmajors courses are designed to introduce students to science in a context that we hope will stimulate both a lifelong interest in science and a deep understanding of how science can be interpreted and used wisely. These courses include Plants, People, and Agriculture; Disease, Biomedicine, and Biomedical Research; Introduction to Ecology and Environmental Science; and Insects and Society. Some of these have associated laboratory offerings; others do not. Not all are offered in each year, so check the course catalog for offerings.