Biology
Overview
Biology is a rapidly expanding, multifaceted discipline, full of possibilities for undergraduate research and for stimulating graduate study and employment after Occidental. Within an evolutionary framework, our program investigates the interactions between molecules, cells, organisms, populations, and ecosystems that constitute life on earth. Interdisciplinary and integrative by nature, the biology program at Occidental engages both majors and non-majors in a curriculum that emphasizes laboratory and field investigation. Our students are encouraged to collaborate with faculty mentors, whose research employs current methods in addressing questions from the molecular to the global in scale. Students acquire skills from careful observation through hypothesis formulation and experimental design to formal oral and written presentations of results. After participating in the biology program at Occidental College, students are prepared for rewarding work and lifelong learning, armed with the tools necessary to understand large complex data sets and help explain the intricacies of living systems. This rigorous program provides our students with the training to enter the work force after graduation and/or transition to an advanced degree program. After completing the major, many students elect to take graduate training toward the PhD. in biological sciences or doctorates of medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy or dentistry. Many of our students complete Masters programs in Biological Sciences, teaching, environmental health and safety, and resource management. Receiving a degree in Biology at Occidental College enables our students to excel in any post-baccalaureate professional pursuit.
The Department of Biology is housed within the Bioscience building which is contiguous with the Moore Laboratory of Zoology. Facilities include the bird and mammal collections (70,000 specimens) of Moore Laboratory, greenhouses, facilities for microscopy (scanning and transmission electron and fluorescence), a tissue culture suite and fluorescence-activated cell sorter, fully-equipped molecular biology laboratories, field vehicles, and three research vessels for nearshore marine studies and SCUBA diving. Because of its proximity to the Mojave Desert, the Santa Monica, San Gabriel, and San Bernardino Mountains, and seacoast, Occidental College is ideally suited for field and laboratory studies of environmental biology.
Major Requirements
Students are required to complete all major requirements and supporting coursework as detailed below in order to earn their degree in Biology. Those students looking to complete a concentration in the following fields should familiarize themselves with the additional requirements below.
COURSEWORK
Introductory Biology
Select one course from the list below:
| BIO 105 | Marine Biology | 4 units |
| BIO 110 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and the Environment | 4 units |
Cellular and Molecular Biology (2 courses)
Environmental Biology
Select one course from the list below:
| BIO 260 | Biodiversity and Organization of Marine Ecosystems | 4 units |
| BIO 270 | Ecology | 4 units |
| BIO 275 | Flora of Southern California | 4 units |
Evolutionary Biology
Organismal Biology
Select one course from the list below:
| BIO 215 | Invertebrate Form and Function | 4 units |
| BIO 240 | Vertebrate Physiology | 4 units |
| BIO 250 | Plant Form and Function | 4 units |
| BIO 275 | Flora of Southern California | 4 units |
Upper-division Biology
Students must select three 300-level Biology courses (excluding Bio 310, Bio 395, and Bio 397) At least two of these must be Occidental College Biology laboratory courses.
Data Analysis
Select one course from the list below:
Organic Chemistry
Senior Seminar
Supporting Coursework
Students are required to complete two additional courses to complete the major. One must be the supporting course for Organic Chemistry and one must be Calculus 1 or an equivalent course (e.g. MATH 110 or MATH 114). If a student is awarded credit for Calculus 1 for work prior to college entry, then they are required to take an additional quantitative literacy course at the college level (see list below).
Chemistry
Select one from the list:
| CHEM 120 | Foundations of General Chemistry | 4 units |
| CHEM 130 | Advanced Placement General Chemistry | 4 units |
Quantitative Literacy
All biology majors are required to complete a Calculus I-equivalent course (e.g. MATH 110 or MATH 114). Students who pass out of Calculus I are required to take an additional quantitative literacy course at the college level.
Select one course from the list below:
Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology
In addition to completing all major requirements, students pursuing this concentration must complete:
One additional 200-level course, for a total of two courses, in Cell & Molecular Biology. Coursework must be selected from the list below.
Two of the three required 300-level courses must be selected from the list below.
Concentration in Environmental Science
In addition to completing all major requirements, students pursuing this concentration must complete:
Environmental Biology
One additional 200-level course, for a total of two 200-level courses in Environmental Biology. Coursework must be selected from the list below:
| BIO 260 | Biodiversity and Organization of Marine Ecosystems | 4 units |
| BIO 270 | Ecology | 4 units |
| BIO 275 | Flora of Southern California | 4 units |
Upper-division Biology
Two of the three required 300-level courses must be selected from the list below:
| BIO 325 | Microbial Diversity | 4 units |
| BIO 350 | Microbial Symbiosis | 4 units |
| BIO 356 | The Biology of Marine Fishes | 4 units |
| BIO 360 | Avian Biology | 4 units |
| BIO 369 | Biological Oceanography | 4 units |
| BIO 370 | Field Ecology | 4 units |
| BIO 373 | Computational Biology | 4 units |
| BIO 380 | Plant Physiological Ecology | 4 units |
| BIO 372 | Global Change Biology | 4 units |
Geology Component
Two geology courses must be selected from the list below:
| GEO 105 | Earth: Our Environment | 4 units |
| GEO 245 | Earth's Climate: Past and Future | 4 units |
| GEO 106 | Earth and the Human Future | 4 units |
| GEO 160 | Spatial Analysis with Geographic Information Science | 4 units |
| GEO 255 | Remote Exploration of Earth | 4 units |
Concentration in Marine Biology
In addition to completing all major requirements, students pursuing this concentration must complete four courses from the list below:
| BIO 260 | Biodiversity and Organization of Marine Ecosystems | 4 units |
| BIO 268 | Biostatistics | 4 units |
| BIO 325 | Microbial Diversity | 4 units |
| BIO 340 | Sensory Biology and Neurophysiology | 4 units |
| BIO 350 | Microbial Symbiosis | 4 units |
| BIO 356 | The Biology of Marine Fishes | 4 units |
| BIO 369 | Biological Oceanography | 4 units |
| GEO 245 | Earth's Climate: Past and Future | 4 units |
Note that Geo 245 has Geo 105 as a prerequsite.
Honors in the Major
- Student typically will have worked on a research project for 2 semesters (or 1 semester + summer session) minimum, before applying for honors
- Student must have an average GPA of 3.25
Application Process
- Student should discuss with their research mentor and submit an official Letter of Intent to the Biology Chairperson by the beginning of their senior year, or sooner.
- The letter of intent should include a summary of research results (realized and projected), as well as significance of the research and any projects in progress at the time of submission.
- Applications will be evaluated by the Biology faculty.
- Students nominated for honors will be notified by the Biology Chairperson.
Completion Process
- At the time of nomination, each candidate will be assigned an honors thesis committee of two Biology faculty members, in addition to their faculty mentor. This committee will be available for guidance and to help ensure that milestones are met in a timely manner.
- Milestones will include a thorough literature review, written drafts of the introduction, methods, and results sections, including draft figures, and a final discussion section, as well as preparation of a public seminar.
- The candidate must complete a written thesis of their work. It is expected that the student will spend part of their final semester or directed research writing the thesis.
- The written thesis will be due to the mentor by Monday in the 4th week of February.
- The revised honors thesis will be due to the committee by Monday in the 3rd week of February.
- The thesis will be reviewed by committee, and final revisions must be submitted by the last day of March.
- Honors candidates will also give a presentation on their research during the week of April 15. These presentations will last approximately 15 minutes, with 5 min for questions.
- Honors grades are Pass/Fail and reported to the registrar by the Chair. The chair will inform the students of their grade when it is decided upon by the committee.
Minor
Introductory Level
Students must select two courses from:
| BIO 105 | Marine Biology | 4 units |
| BIO 110 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and the Environment | 4 units |
| BIO 115 | General Zoology | 4 units |
| BIO 130 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 units |
Additional Electives
Choose three additional biology courses that are required for the major at the 200- or 300-level, two of which must be taken in the Occidental College Biology Department. Two unit courses may not apply to this requirement. Independent Studies and Advanced Placement credit may not count toward the minor.
Second-Stage Writing
Students majoring in Biology will satisfy the second-stage writing requirement by successfully completing two courses at the 300-level (or appropriate course work). Students should familiarize themselves with the departmental requirement at the time of declaring the major. See the Writing Program and consult the department chair for additional information.
Comprehensive Requirement
The Senior Comprehensive in Biology provides an opportunity for every senior to demonstrate mastery of a topic of current importance and research interest in contemporary biology.
Seniors enroll in small, one-semester seminars (BIO 490) organized around current topics that are meant to span a number of scales in biology. The seminar includes extensive reading (both assigned and independently chosen), discussion and evaluation of primary literature, selection of an appropriate subtopic on which to focus, synthesis and writing of a précis or summary of research on the subtopic, and a major oral presentation by each student. The seminar also involves collaboration in that presenters partner with discussion leaders and work together throughout the semester to hone each other’s written and oral presentations.
Transfer Credit Policies
The Biology Department policy on transfer credit conforms to College policy. Students should reference the Transfer Credit section for more details. IB or A-level examinations in Biology will not substitute for an Occidental course, place students into advanced courses, or allow a wider opportunity for choice of electives in the Department.
For the major at most two 200-level courses and at most one 300-level course will be accepted in transfer.
For the minor at most one course in transfer may be counted toward the 200- and 300-level requirement.
Advising Information
All Biology majors start with the same group of gateway courses. Students should start taking biology classes as soon as possible! An ideal first-year schedule is to take Marine Biology (BIO 105), Organisms on Earth (Bio 110), or General Zoology (Bio 115) in the fall semester, along with Foundations of General Chemistry (CHEM 120 or CHEM 130). This would be followed in the spring semester by Cell and Molecular Biology (BIO 130).
Placement Information
Most students who are interested in majoring in Biology should take the Calculus Placement Assessment (ALEKS) during the summer prior to their first year. You do not need to take the Calculus Placement Assessment if any of the following are true:
- You received a score of 4 or 5 on either the AP Calculus AB or BC exam;
- You received an IB Calculus HL score of 5 or above;
- You have already taken a Calculus 1 course at another accredited college or university.
Sample 4-Year Plan
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Fall
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Spring
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Year 1
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Spring FYS course
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CHEM 120 or CHEM 130 (CPLS)
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Core Requirement (4 units)
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General Elective (4 units)
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Year 2
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Year 3
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300-level BIO
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200-level Cell & Molecular
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General Elective (4 units)
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General Elective (4 units)
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Year 4
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BIO 490 or 300-level BIO
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General Elective (4 units)
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General Elective (4 units)
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General Elective (4 units)
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Curricular Notes
- Introductory BIO courses include: BIO 105, BIO 110, and BIO 115
- CHEM 120 or CHEM 130 are prerequisites for BIO 130, though it is also possible to take the CHEM and BIO courses concurrently.
- Calculus 1 can be fulfilled by MATH 109, MATH 110, or MATH 114. (MATH 109 is part of a two-semester sequence that begins with MATH 108.) An AP Calculus AB score of 4 or 5 also fulfills the Calculus 1 requirement.
Biology Transfer Student Advice
Transfer Course Limit for Transfer Students: No Limit
Designated Transfer Adviser
Expected preparation for transfer students wanting to major in Biology:
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Junior transfers and students transferring mid way through their sophomore year should have completed all their Core requirements before transferring. It may be possible to complete one or two Core requirements while finishing the major depending on how many prerequisite courses for the major and major requirements are complete upon transfer.
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Sophomore transfer students should start with at most three Core requirements to complete at Oxy.
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Junior transfers should have completed the first year chemistry sequence, the first year biology sequence, Biostatistics, and Calculus prior to transferring
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It is preferred that sophomore transfer students have completed the first year chemistry sequence, the first year biology sequence, Biostatistics, and Calculus prior to transferring. Those courses must all be complete by the end of their first year at Occidental.
General advice for transfer students wanting to major in Biology:
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The Senior Seminar and the two 300-level Biology courses with labs that count for the second stage writing requirement must be completed at Occidental
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Transfer students should take no more than two lab courses per semester while at Occidental.
What courses should a transfer student take during their first semester at Occidental?
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A junior transfer student and a transfer student starting mid way through their sophomore year, whether starting in the fall or the spring, should make sure to take any prerequisite courses that are needed for their future choices in the major during their first semester.
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Sophomore students should complete their first year chemistry and biology sequences, Calculus, and Biostatistics by the end of their first term, and if already complete they should take any other prerequisites for their intended coursework in the major
Graduate Study
Graduate study toward the degree of Master of Arts under the thesis plan may be undertaken in Biology by properly qualified students. Thesis projects may be elected in any of the following fields: cellular biology, developmental biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, neurobiology, biochemistry, comparative physiology, animal behavior, environmental biology, ecology, systematics and evolutionary biology, and marine biology. Graduate courses, numbered 500 and above, are valued at five units unless otherwise noted. Consult the department chair for further information on graduate studies.
Courses
Biology Courses
Faculty
Tenure and Tenure Track Faculty
Shana Goffredi, chair
Professor
B.A., University of San Diego; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara
Renee Baran
Professor
B.A., Macalester College; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
Elizabeth Braker
Professor
B.A., Colorado College; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
John McCormack
Professor
Director and Curator of the Moore Laboratory of Zoology
B.S., University of Arizona; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Gretchen North
John W. McMenamin Endowed Chair in Biology
B.A., Stanford University; M.A., University of Connecticut; M.A., College of William and Mary; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Cheryl Okumura
Associate Professor
B.A., Pomona College; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Alexandria Pivovaroff
Assistant Professor, Biology
B.A., Whittier College; Ph.D., University of California, Riverside
Roberta Pollock
Professor
B.S., Emory University; Ph.D., Harvard University
Daniel Pondella
Professor
Director, Vantuna Research Group
A.B., M.A., Occidental College; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Joseph Schulz
Professor
B.S., Indiana University; Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
Amber Stubler
Assistant Professor
B.S., Ph.D., Stony Brook University
Kerry Thompson
Professor
B.A., M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Amanda J. Zellmer
Associate Professor
B.S., University of Wisconsin; Ph.D., University of Michigan
Non-Tenure Track Faculty
Alejandra Martínez Berdeja
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.S., Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Ph.D., University of California, Riverside
Stephanie S. L. Birnbaum
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.S., Emory University; Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
Babak Hassanzadeh
Visiting Instructor
B.S., University of California, Los Angeles
Zoë J. Kitchel
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.S., Yale University; Ph.D., Rutgers University
Mia Mattioli
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.A., Barnard College; M.D., The Pennsylvania State University
Karen Molinder
Resident Assistant Professor
A.B., Occidental College; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Jeffrey Morse
Visiting Assistant Professor
A.B., Pennsylvania State University; M.S., Ph.D., University of Rhode Island
Gary Schindelman
Resident Professor
B.S., State University of New York at Binghamton; Ph.D., New York University
Lucie Suchomelova
Visiting Assistant Professor
M.S., Ph.D., Charles University
Jonathan P. Williams
Resident Senior Instructor
B.S., University of North Carolina at Wilmington; M.S., California State University, Northridge
Sigfrido A. Zimmermann
Visiting Instructor
B.A., M.S., California State University, Northridge