| Institution | Undergraduate Courses | Typical Sequence | Additional Information |
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| Institution 1 | Required: total 25 credit hours | Electives: total 24 credit hours beyond the core (for junior/senior) | |
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- Molecular Biology(includes Biochemistry)
- Cell/Developmental Biology
- Ecology and Evolution
- Organismal Biology: Human Physiology, Botany, Plant Ecology, Cell Neuroscience, Comparative Animal Physiology, Microbiology
| - Introductory, Organic and Physical Chemistry w/lab
- General Physics (1 year w/lab)
- Math through Calculus
- 1 course: Math, Statistics or Comp. Science
- Additional Math: differential equations, linear algebra and probability theory
| First Year:
Inorganic Chemistry
Math: Calculus and Analytic Geometry
Second Year:
Genetics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology course
Cell Biology and Animal Physiology course
Plant Biology, Evaluation and Ecology course
Core experimental lab
Chemistry: Organic and Physical Chemistry
General education requirements or electives
Third Year:
Physics
General education requirements or electives
Fourth Year:
Electives | Students should have the equivalent of an undergraduate major in biology. In addition to the usual basic undergraduate courses in biology, it is recommended that preparation for graduate work include courses in chemistry through organic chemistry, general physics and math through calculus. A balanced undergraduate program that is very roughly equivalent to our undergraduate program is desired. We occasionally get some students with lots of chemistry and physics and little to no biology, and that's OK, too. Good grades are key. What is critical is the research experience--no matter what kind, it has to be a serious commitment. |
| Institution 2 | Required courses for bio majors | |
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- Math 1A, 1B: Calculus (2 semesters)
- Chemistry 1A: General Chemistry (1 semester)
- Chemistry 3A/3AL, 3B/3BL: Organic Chemistry (2 semesters)
- Biology 1A/1AL, 1B, General Biology (2 semesters)
- Physics 8A, 8B: Physics (calculus based) (2 semesters)
| Various electives | You must hold (or expect to hold prior to the beginning of classes) a bachelor's degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution.
You must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B grade) on a 4.0 scale.
You must take the General Graduate Record Exam (GRE). The average percentile for those being admitted to our program is ~80 percent. The GRE Subject Test is not required but it is strongly recommended.
You should have research laboratory experience.
We require three letters of recommendation, preferably from individuals who know your research ability and goals. | The Admissions Committee weighs many factors including the applicant's undergraduate scholastic record, prior performance in lab research, letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose and GRE scores. Strong undergraduate preparation for this program would include at least 1 year each of calculus, physics and general biology; 3 years of chemistry (general, organic and physical chemistry); and additional advanced coursework in such areas as biochemistry, biophysics, cell biology, genetics, microbiology, molecular biology, immunology and/or neurobiology. |
| Institution 3 | - Biology I & Biology II
- Physiology, Endocrinology or Neurobiology
- Cell Biology or Genetics
- Ecology, Behavior or Evolution
- Calculus I & Calculus II
- Introduction to Statistics & Applied Statistics or Introduction to Computer Science
- 2 courses in Physics
- 3 courses Chemistry (General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II, Organic Chemistry and General Quantitative Chemistry)
| Various electives | | You do not need a specific degree, but you do need to have a strong background in organic and inorganic chemistry, cell biology, and/or genetics, physics and calculus. |
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| Institution 4 | Courses that serve as excellent (and looked for) markers of student preparation for Ph.D. studies in biomedical sciences: - Calculus and/or Biostatistics
- Inorganic and Organic Chemistry
- General Biology and specialized biology courses:
- Biochemistry and/or genetics and/or cell biology and/or other advanced biology courses
In general, the ability to handle multiple science courses with a B or better in any semester is a positive indicator, particularly when it includes courses that are beyond introductory level. The specific courses that programs will look for vary depending on specific grad program emphasis (e.g. biostatistics and epidemiology versus neuroscience versus molecular and cell biology). Past performance at an excellent level in rigorous advanced courses in addition to meaningful research experience will be viewed most positively. |
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