MIT Department of Biology: Undergraduate Degree Requirements

The Biology Curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology (Course VII or VII-A), or to a minor in Biology, includes the General Institute Requirements, as well as the specific subjects listed, below. The degree program allows students to take graduate level courses in Biology; to explore relevant classes in other departments; and to perform significant research through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP).

The Departmentally required subjects, prerequisites, and allowed substitutions are shown below. Information on what the prerequisites and/or co-requisites for the below classes are can be found here.

See the MIT Course Bulletin online for more information.

The Biology Department Program Requirements are also available in this brochure, including Course VII Questions and Answers, with Graduation Checklist. (pdfs)

SB in Biology/Course VII Program
Required lecture subjects:
7.012 or 7.013 or 7.014 Introductory Biology
7.03 Genetics
7.05 or 5.07 General Biochemistry
7.06 Cell Biology
5.111 or 5.112 or 3.091 Introductory Chemistry
5.12 Organic Chemistry
7.10J or 20.110J or 5.60 Thermodynamics
(2.005, 3.012, 8.044, or 10.213 can also substitute for 7.10)

Required restricted electives:
Three courses from the following list are required: 7.08J, 7.20J, 7.21, 7.22, 7.23, 7.24, 7.25, 7.27, 7.28, 7.29J, 7.30J, 7.31, 7.32, 7.35, 7.36, and 7.37J.

Required laboratory subjects:
7.02 Introduction to Experimental Biology and Scientific Communication (10.702 or 20.109 will substitute)
and one of the following Project Labs:
7.13 Experimental Microbial Genetics
7.16 Experimental Molecular Biology: Biotechnology II
7.17 Experimental Molecular Biology: Biotechnology III
7.18 Topics in Experimental Biology

The SB in Biology/Course VII-A Program provides flexibility for students wishing to include extensive course work from other Departments. The VII-A curriculum is identical to the Course VII curriculum except that it does not require Project Laboratory; the corresponding credit can be taken from any Institute subjects.

Communication Intensive in the Major (CI-M)
All Biology majors must complete two CI-M courses, generally by their Junior or Senior year. CI-Ms teach the specific forms of written, oral, and/or visual communication appropriate to Biology’s professional and academic culture.

CI-M subjects for the Course VII degree are: 7.02/10.702 or 20.109, and one of: 7.13, 7.16, 7.17, or 7.18.

CI-M subjects for Course VII-A are: 7.02/10.702 or 20.109, and one of: 3.014, 5.36, 5.38, 7.19, 8.13, 9.02, 9.12, 9.18, 9.63, 10.26, 10.27, 10.28, 10.29, 20.380 or 2.791J/6.021J/20.370J.

More information about the CI-M requirement is available on this page.

The Minor in Biology
This link has complete information on the Minor in Biology.