Current Courses

We strongly suggest reading the Gustavus Catalog to learn more about the various majors and minors supported by the Biology Department.

Our Core Sequence. All students are required to complete a core introductory biology sequence of courses (BIO-101, 102, 201, and 202) augmented with courses in chemistry and mathematics. The core course sequence prepares students for advanced studies and also presents the breadth of biological studies. The core courses are taken in sequence. It is required that CHE-107 and CHE-141 be taken prior to BIO-201 and BIO-202. Level II (200-299) courses have a prerequisite of BIO-101 and BIO-102, while Level III (300-399) courses require completion of the four course biology core and 2 courses in chemistry.

Grade Minima. Sequential courses and courses with prerequisites require that prior courses have been completed with a grade of C or better (with the exception of BIO-101 and CHE-107 which must be graded C- or better) for all students.

Current Offerings. Courses offered by our department, as well as courses from other departments that can count towards our majors, are listed below. Some of these classes (marked with strikethrough letters) are not currently offered, but will most likely be offered in future semesters. Click on course titles for a sample syllabus. Please use the syllabus for general information only; exact course content and requirements will vary among instructors and semesters!

Credit Transfer, Study Abroad Credits, Special Requests. Please see our Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

 

Fall

Spring

Classes for Non-Majors

 FTS 100 First-Term Seminar WRITI (past offerings include: reproductive technology, explorer naturalists, genetic testing, pirates and sea monsters, and more)

NDL144 Life Hacks for STEM Success

BIO100 Biology Explorations NASP

Biology Core

& required Chemistry

BIO101 Principles of Biology NASP (syllabus from Grinnell; 2016 lab syllabus)

CHE107 Principles of Chemistry NASP

BIO201 Cell and Molecular Biology 

BIO102 Organismal Biology (syllabi from Bloch-Qazi; lab syllabus

CHE141 Organic Chemistry

BIO202 Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior RR

200-level Electives

One may count as a required elective.

BIO241 Invertebrate Zoology WRITD, ODD

BIO245 Conservation Biology WRITD, RR

CHE255 Biochemistry RR

GEO241 Paleontology ODD

BIO218 Fundamentals of Microbiology

BIO242 Vertebrate Zoology

CHE255 Biochemistry RR

PSY260 Introduction to Neuroscience

300-level Electives

Requires completion of Core.

Biology majors require 4 additional courses, of which 3 must be of 300-level.

BIO344 Bioinformatics OCC

BIO344 Ecosystem Processes OCC, RR

BIO372 Animal Behavior

BIO374 Genetics LEC

BIO375 Cancer Biology WRITD, RR

BIO376 Entomology EVEN

BIO378 Plant Physiology EVEN

BIO383 Aquatic Biology ODD

BIO384 Neurobiology WRITD

CHE360 Proteins OCC, WRITD

BIO370 Ecology RR

BIO373 Cell Biology WRITD, RR

BIO377 Plant Systematics ODD

BIO380 Microbiology WRITD, RR

BIO382 Developmental Biology

BIO386 Comparative Physiology RR

BIO388 Molecular Genetics WRITD, RR

CHE360 Proteins OCC, WRITD

PSY385 Neuroscience Capstone

Additional Options

List of Abbreviations

  • BIO = strikethrough indicates a class that is taught regularly, but not this academic year
  • EVEN = typically offered in even years (2018, 2020, ...)
  • LEC = lecture only. Only two 300-level courses without laboratory may count towards the major.
  • NASP = meets Natural Science Perspective general education requirement
  • OCC = offered occasionally
  • ODD = typically offered in odd years (2017, 2019, ...)
  • RR = Registration Restricted to declared majors only
  • WRITD = Writing in the Discipline course
  • WRITI - Writing Intensive course

The following table provides a complete, sortable list of sections (with instructors) offered this semester. 

TermNameCourseSectionProfessor
2024/SP BioExp w/lab:MN Biomes BIO-100 001 Robert Shoemaker
2024/SP BioEx Lab:MN Biomes BIO-100 003 Robert Shoemaker
2024/SP BioEx Lab:MN Biomes BIO-100 004 Robert Shoemaker
2024/SP Organismal Biology BIO-102 001 Robert Shoemaker
2024/SP Organismal Biology BIO-102 002 Amy Kochsiek
2024/SP Organismal Biology BIO-102 003 Yuta Kawarasaki
2024/SP Organismal Biology BIO-102 004 Angela Walczyk
2024/SP Organismal Biology Lab BIO-102 006 Reina Nielsen ’16
2024/SP Organismal Biology Lab BIO-102 007 Reina Nielsen ’16
2024/SP Organismal Biology Lab BIO-102 008 Jon Grinnell
2024/SP Organismal Biology Lab BIO-102 009 Reina Nielsen ’16
2024/SP Organismal Biology Lab BIO-102 010 Amy Kochsiek
2024/SP Organismal Biology Lab BIO-102 011 Amy Kochsiek
2024/SP Organismal Biology Lab BIO-102 012 Angela Walczyk
2024/SP Organismal Biology Lab BIO-102 013 Heather Haemig
2024/SP Organismal Biology Lab BIO-102 014 Reina Nielsen ’16
2024/SP Ethnobotany BIO-144 001 Angela Walczyk
2024/SP Evolutn, Ecol and Behav w/Lab BIO-202 001 Pamela Kittelson
2024/SP Evolutn, Ecol and Behav w/Lab BIO-202 001 Jon Grinnell
2024/SP Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior Lab BIO-202 003 Eric Elias
2024/SP Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior Lab BIO-202 004 Eric Elias
2024/SP Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior Lab BIO-202 005 Eric Elias
2024/SP Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior Lab BIO-202 006 Pamela Kittelson
2024/SP Fund Microbiol w/ Lab BIO-218 001 Jim Parejko
2024/SP Microbio Lab BIO-218 003 Jim Parejko
2024/SP Microbio Lab BIO-218 004 Jim Parejko
2024/SP Microbio Lab BIO-218 005 Jim Parejko
2024/SP Vertebrate Zoology BIO-242 001 Jon Grinnell
2024/SP Vertebrate Zoology Lab BIO-242 003 Jon Grinnell
2024/SP Biology Research BIO-292 001 Jeff Dahlseid ’90
2024/SP Biology Research - CBA BIO-292 002 Yuta Kawarasaki
2024/SP ST:Ecosystem Processes BIO-344 001 Amy Kochsiek
2024/SP ST:Invasive Species BIO-344 002 Angela Walczyk
2024/SP Microbiology BIO-380 001 Laura Burrack
2024/SP Microbiology Lab BIO-380 003 Laura Burrack
2024/SP Microbiology Lab BIO-380 004 Laura Burrack
2024/SP Comparative Physiology BIO-386 001 Yuta Kawarasaki
2024/SP Physiology Lab BIO-386 003 Yuta Kawarasaki
2024/SP Molecular Biology BIO-388 001 Katherine Leehy
2024/SP Molecular Biology Lab BIO-388 003 Katherine Leehy
2024/SP Molecular Biology Lab BIO-388 004 Katherine Leehy
2024/SP Biology Honors Thesis - CBA BIO-397 001 Laura Burrack