Course Requirements

Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates from the Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology program will have demonstrated:

• An understanding of the tenets of modern biology and an understanding of how functions are integrated from the molecular level to the cellular level, through to the level of organism, populations, and functioning ecosystems.
• An ability to develop and critique hypotheses and to design experiments, models, and/or calculations to address these hypotheses.
• The ability to use appropriate instrumentation and computational tools to collect, analyze and interpret data.
• The ability to read, evaluate, interpret, and apply numerical and general scientific information.
• A familiarity with and application of safety in good laboratory and field practices.
• An ability to communicate biological science topics in written, oral and visual formats
• An understanding of the relationship of biological sciences to society.

Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, B.S Course Requirements

Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, Pre-Health Emphasis, B.S. Course Requirements

Core Lower Division Required Courses [40 Units]

Biology [10 units]

Complete the following courses:

• BIO 011: Introduction to Molecular Biology Units: 4
• BIO 011L: Introduction to Molecular Biology Lab Units: 1
• BIO 012: Introduction to Organismal Biology Units: 4
• BIO 012L: Introduction to Organismal Biology Lab Units: 1

Quantitative [12 units]

Complete the following courses:

• MATH 011: Calculus I Units: 4
• MATH 012: Calculus II Units: 4
• DSC 008: Introduction to Data Science Units: 4

Chemistry [8 units]

Complete the following courses:

• CHEM 002: General Chemistry I Units: 4
• CHEM 002L: General Chemistry I Lab Units: 1
• CHEM 010: General Chemistry II Units: 4
• CHEM 010L: General Chemistry II Lab Units: 1

Physics [10 units]

Complete the following courses:

• PHYS 018: Introductory Physics I for Biological Sciences Units: 4
• PHYS 018L: Introductory Physics I for Biological Sciences Lab Units: 1
• PHYS 019: Introductory Physics II for Biological Sciences Units: 4
• PHYS 019L: Introductory Physics II for Biological Sciences Units: 1

Core Upper Division Required Courses [16 Units]

Complete the following four upper division core biological sciences courses:

• BIO 140: Genetics Units: 4
• BIO 141: Evolution Units: 4
• BIO 148: Fundamentals of Ecology Units: 4 or ESS 148
• BIO 149: Conservation Biology Units: 4 or ESS 149

Quantitative Electives [4 Units]

Complete one of the following courses:

• DSC 111: Intermediate Computing & Statistical Programming Units: 4
• MATH 041: Matrix Analysis and Linear Algebra for Data Science Units: 4
• DSC 011: Introductory Computing & Statistical Programming Units: 4
• BIO 175: Biostatistics Units: 4
• BIO 180: Mathematical Modeling for Biology Units: 4
• BIO 182: Bioinformatics Units: 4
• BIO 184: Python Programming for Life Sciences Units: 4
• BIO 187: Data Science Research in Biology Units: 4

Upper Division EECB Electives [9-12 Units]

Complete three of the following courses:

• BIO 113: Sustainability in the Anthropocene Units: 4 or ESS 113
• BIO 119: Animal Microbiome Research Lab Units: 3
• BIO 120: General Microbiology Units: 4
• BIO 121: Introduction to Ecological and Environmental Microbiology Units: 4 or ESS 120
• BIO 124: Microbial Evolution Units: 4
• BIO 129: Paleoecology Units: 3 or ESS 129
• BIO 130: Plant Biology Units: 4
• BIO 133: Flora of California Units: 4
• BIO 134: Ocean Science Units: 3
• BIO 144: Phylogenetics Units: 4
• BIO 145: Introduction to Population and Community Ecology Units: 4
• BIO 147: Mushrooms
• BIO 148F: Ecology Research in the Field and Lab Units: 4
• BIO 153: Evolution and Development Units: 4
• BIO 156: Ecological Dynamics Units: 3 or ESS 156
• BIO 157: Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology Units: 4 or ESS 124
• BIO 158: Herpetology Units: 4
• BIO 159: Insect Ecology and Evolution Units: 4 or ESS 159
• BIO 172: Sustainability of Agricultural Ecosystems Units: 4 or ESS 172
• BIO 174: Ecosystems Through a Stable Isotope Lens Units: 4
• BIO 180: Mathematical Modeling for Biology Units: 4
• BIO 182: Bioinformatics Units: 4
• BIO 183: Population Genetics Units: 4
• BIO 184: Python Programming for Life Sciences Units: 4
• BIO 187: Data Science Research in Biology Units: 4
• BIO 189: Behavioral Ecology Units: 4
• ESS 170: Fundamentals of Soil Science Units: 3 and ESS 170L
• Choose one of the following
  • BIO 195: Upper division undergraduate research Units: 1-3
  • ESS 195: Upper division undergraduate research Units: 1- 3

Upper Division Practicum [4-5 Units]

Select one from the list below. If lab is separate, both lecture and lab component must be taken.

• BIO 119: Animal Microbiome Research Lab Units: 3
• BIO 120: General Microbiology Units: 4
• BIO 120L: General Microbiology Laboratory Units: 3
• BIO 130: Plant Biology Units: 4 or ESS 130
• BIO 133: Flora of California Units: 4 or ESS 133
• BIO 148F: Ecology Research in the Field and Lab Units: 4 or BIO 148F
• BIO 155: Microbial Symbiosis Units: 4
• BIO 159: Insect Ecology and Evolution Units: 4 or ESS 159
• BIO 160: Comparative Physiology Units: 4
• BIO 161: Human Physiology Units: 5
• BIO 170: Neurobiology Units: 4
• BIO 170L: Neurobiology Laboratory Units: 1
• BIO 174: Ecosystems Through a Stable Isotope Lens Units: 4 or ESS 174
• BIO 187: Data Science Research in Biology Units: 4
• BIO 189: Animal Behavior Units: 4
• ESS 100: Environmental Chemistry in Natural Sciences Units: 4
• ESS 128: Theoretical Ecology Units: 4
• ESS 170: Fundamentals of Soil Science Units: 3 and ESS 170L

Upper Division Science or Engineering Electives [6-9 Units]

Complete two additional upper-division Natural Sciences or Engineering courses (minimum 3 units each). Relevant courses outside of Natural Sciences or Engineering may be allowed with approval. If the lab is separate, both lecture and the lab component must be taken

Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, Pre-Health Emphasis, B.S.