The Undergraduate Major | Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Documents:

2024-25_eeb_ug_booklet-final.pdf

Profs. Marta Wells & Richard Prum with members of the Class of 2023

Students majoring in EEB may receive either a B.A. or a B.S. degree. The B.A. program is intended for students who are interested in ecology, evolution and organism diversity as a part of a liberal education but do not intend to pursue graduate work in the discipline. The B.S. program is designed for students headed for medical or veterinary school or for graduate study in ecology and evolutionary biology, other biological disciplines, or the environmental sciences. The two degree programs share prerequisite and core requirements but differ in elective and senior requirements.

The prerequisites for the EEB major provide core scientific literacy. Beyond the prerequisites, the EEB major may be satisfied by pursuing either of two tracks. The Biodiversity and the Environment Track emphasizes courses appropriate for careers in ecology, evolutionary biology, and environmental science . The Organismal Biology Track is appropriate for premedical and preveterinary students who can use courses required by medical schools, but not required by the major, as electives.

The department also offers courses suitable for non-majors that do not require pre-requisites. These include all 1000-level offerings, and the 2000-level courses that deal with particular organism groups (e.g., fish, mammals, birds, arthropods, invertebrates). See the complete listing of course offerings.

Structure of the Undergraduate Major

The programs in the major are designed both to enhance a liberal education and to provide excellent preparation for professional and graduate study, both in the biological or environmental sciences, and in medicine and other health-related fields. After a shared set of prerequisites, the major is organized as two tracks that differ in their core requirements.

A visual “roadmap” of the major can be viewed here.

Prerequisites for the Major

Effective Academic Year 2023-24

BIOL 1010 Introduction to Biochemistry
BIOL 1020 Principles of Cell Biology & Membrane Physiology
BIOL 1030 Basic Genetics & Developmental Biology
BIOL 1040 Principles of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

2 terms of General Chemistry (CHEM 1610, 1650 or CHEM 1630, 1670)

2 terms of General Chemistry Lab (CHEM 1340L and 1360L)

1 term of Mathematics (MATH 1150, 1160, or 1200) or Statistics & Data Science (S&DS 1000-1060 or 2300)

Students should take four additional courses, for a total of four credits, from among the following options: MATH 1150 or 1160, 1180 or 1200, 2220 or 2250, 2350, 2410, 2420, 2440, 2460, 2550; S&DS 1000-1060, 2200, 2300, 2380, 2400; CPSC 1000, 1120, 1230, 2010; CHEM 1740 or 2200, 1750 or 2210, 2220L, 2230L, PHYS 1700 or 1800, 1710 or 1810, EPS 1100, 2120, 2200, 2220, 2320, 2400, 2550No more than two of these four additional courses may originate in the same department.

Core Courses for the Major

Biodiversity and the environment Track	Organismal Biology Track
EEB 2220 General Ecology	MCDB 3000 Biochemistry or MB&B 3000 Principles of Biochemistry 1
EEB 2225 Evolutionary Biology	EEB 2295 Comparative Physiology or BENG 3200 Physiological Systems
EEB 2xxx or 3xxx Organismal Diversity Course	EEB 2290 Comparative Anatomy
EEB 2xxxL or 3xxxL Organismal Diversity Lab	EEB 2291L Comparative Anatomy Lab

For the B.A. degree only (one credit required, one of the following must be taken in senior year):

EEB 4470 (Tutorial)

Senior Essay (no credit)

For the B.S. degree only (four credits required; 2 semesters of senior research must be taken in senior year for a letter grade):

EEB 4475 and 4476 (Research)

EEB 4495 and 4496 (Intensive Senior Research)

Elective lectures, labs and/or research (2 credits)

For a complete listing of EEB offerings click here or visit Yale Course Search.

For additional details on the major please contact the current E&EB DUS and consult the Undergraduate Handbook linked at the top of the page.