Advising for Biology Majors

If you are planning on transferring to a four-year institution as a science major, you should receive advice on your academic plan from a faculty advisor. The information provided here is not a substitute for working with a science faculty member.

Our biology program at Edmonds College features small class sizes, a comparatively low tuition cost, individual attention, and campus-wide services to support learning. We provide a student-friendly learning environment with accessible faculty and staff, modern laboratories (including workstations for differently-abled students), equipment, study areas, and computer labs adjacent to the science laboratories. Edmonds is an ideal place to study and learn in preparation for transferring to a four-year institution. 

If you plan to major in a biological science (biology, genetics, microbiology, zoology, etc.), environmental science, or plan to attend dental school, medical school, or veterinary school, you typically need to take at one year of calculus (or a combination of calculus and statistics), one year of general chemistry (CHEM& 161, 162, 163) and one year of college biology (BIOL& 211, 212, 213). Most biology majors will also have to take Organic Chemistry (CHEM& 261, 262, and often 263) and Physics (PHYS& 114, 115, 116; or PHYS& 221, 222, 223).

If you major in biology you will complete the Associate in Biology DTA/MRP. The courses you take will vary and depend on your preparation, proposed major, and transfer school. You must earn a 2.5 GPA or better in the required science and math courses to be accepted into most science departments at four-year institutions. All science students should consult a science faculty advisor for a detailed academic plan tailored to the student's academic and career goals.

You may have to take additional science and math courses that help ensure your success while saving time, money, and frustration in the long run. Most students will take two quarters of precalculus in addition to calculus (or calculus and statistics) and also take pre-chem (CHEM& 139) before beginning general Chemistry (CHEM& 161) classes. For this reason, it is not uncommon for science majors to take more than four years to obtain a bachelor's degree.

It is important to take the two- and three-quarter science sequences (e.g., BIOL& 211, 212, & 213) at the same college to ensure transferability to four-year universities.

Transfer colleges websites

• University of Washington Biology Program
• University of Washington Pre-Med Program
• Western Washington University, Biology Department
• Western Washington University, Huxley College (Environmental Studies)