MY CAREER PATH
CONTENTS
My Career Path ......................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Contents .................................................................................................................................................................................. 1
General Biology ................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Lower-Division Requirements ...................................................................................................................................... 1
Upper-Division Requirements....................................................................................................................................... 1
Additional Requirements ................................................................................................................................................ 2
Minimum Grade Requirement .................................................................................................................................. 2
Upper-Division Unit Requirement .......................................................................................................................... 2
Biology Residency Requirement.............................................................................................................................. 2
Bibliography .............................................................................................................................................................................. 3
GENERAL BIOLOGY
This program allows the most diversified exposure to biology of any of
the majors offered by the Division of Biological Sciences. It is designed
for students with broad interests who do not wish to be constrained
by the specialized requirements of the other majors and who desire
maximum freedom to pursue their particular educational goals.
(Regents of the University of California, 2013)
LOWER-DIVISION REQUIREMENTS
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BILD 1, 2 and 3
Mathematics 10A, B, 11/10C or 20A, B, C
Chemistry 6A, B, C, and 7L
Physics 1A+1AL, 1B+1BL, 1C+1CL or 2A, B, C and one lab (2BL, 2CL, 2DL)
UPPER-DIVISION REQUIREMENTS
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Organic Chemistry (Chemistry 140A and 140B)
Metabolic Biochemistry (BIBC 102)
Genetics (BICD 100)
Two upper-division biology labs to be chosen from the following: BIBC 103, BICD 101, 111,
123, 131, 145, BIEB 121, 165, 167, BIMM 101, 121, BIPN 105, or 145.
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Seven additional upper-division courses (each course must be at least
four units) taken through the UC San Diego Division of Biological Sciences
are required. Only one quarter of BISP 195 and/or one quarter of either
BISP 196, 197 or 199 may be applied toward this requirement.
Subsequent quarters of 195, 196, 197 or 199 may be applied toward
college and university requirements. The following Scripps Institution of
Oceanography courses may be taken and applied to this requirement:
126, 132, 134, 147, 181 and 189. Students are required to meet the
Division of Biological Sciences residency requirement. (Regents of the
University of California, 2013)
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Please Note: DARS may not
automatically reject D grades
for the major. If your DARS
audit appears blue and you
have a D in a required course
for the major, please speak
with a biology adviser.
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Although students are free to design upper-division curricula that meet their individual
educational goals, Molecular Biology (BIMM 100) and Cell Biology (BICD 110) are strongly
recommended for those contemplating applying to graduate or professional schools. (Regents of
the University of California, 2013)
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
MINIMUM GRADE REQUIREMENT
The Division of Biological Sciences has received approval for minimum grade requirements for all
biology majors. The minimum grade requirements for all biology majors are:
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All courses required and used toward any biology major requirements must be passed with
a grade of “C-“ or better.
The minimum grade requirement applies to all lower-division, upper-division, required
courses taken in other departments, as well as courses transferred and used toward major
requirements.
Exceptions will be made only for those required courses that have a P/NP only grading
option (i.e., BISP 199).
The minimum major GPA requirement remains 2.0.
UPPER-DIVISION UNIT REQUIREMENT
To receive a bachelor of science degree in biology from UC San Diego, all biology majors, including
transfer students, must complete at least 48 or more units of upper-division course work within the
major. (Regents of the University of California, 2013)
BIOLOGY RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT
To receive a bachelor of science degree in biology from UC San Diego, all students must complete at
least nine upper-division biology courses (each course must be at least four units) in the Division of
Biological Sciences while officially enrolled at UC San Diego. (Students participating in the
Education Abroad Program (EAP), and courses at other UC campuses, may petition up to three of
these courses to count toward their residency minima.) Biology courses completed through the UC
Extension program (concurrent enrollment) will not be counted toward this residency
requirement. (Regents of the University of California, 2013)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Regents of the University of California. (2013). General Biology. Retrieved April 18, 2013, from
Division of Biological Science: http://biology.ucsd.edu/undergrad/majmin/majors/general.html