skip to content

Curriculum for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) Major

Students majoring in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology may opt for either a Bachelor of Arts degree or Bachelor of Science degree. However, both BA and BS degree candidates must complete the following courses in addition to the general College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) requirements for these degrees:

  • Biology 1107 and either Biology 1108 or Biology 1110 (8 credits total)
  • Chemistry 1127 and 1128 (8 credits total) or Chem 1124 and 1125 and 1126 (10 credits total)

An alternative for some students is a Minor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Requirements are a minimum of 15 credits of 2000's level (or higher) EEB courses, including both General Ecology (EEB 2244 or 2244W) and Evolutionary Biology (EEB 2245 or 2245W). Forms are located at the EEB Undergraduate Coordinator's office, Torrey Life Science Room 372.

Requirements for the EEB Major (BS or BA)

I. Both EEB 2244 and EEB 2245:

EEB 2244General Ecology 4 credits, taught every
EEB 2244WGeneral Ecology (writing intensive) 4 credits, taught every
EEB 2245Evolutionary Biology 3 credits, taught spring
EEB 2245WEvolutionary Biology (writing intensive) 4 credits, taught spring

II. At least one of the following animal diversity courses:

EEB 2214 Biology of the Vertebrates 3 credits, taught fall
EEB 3254Mammalogy 4 credits, taught alternate falls
     (Instructor Consent, see also EEB 5254)
EEB 3265Herpetology 4 credits, taught alternate springs
     (see also EEB 5265 )
EEB 3273Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy 4 credits, taught alternate falls
EEB 4200Biology of Fishes 4 credits, taught alternate springs
     (see also EEB 5200)
EEB 4250General Entomology 4 credits, taught fall
EEB 4252Field Entomology 3 credits, taught summer
     (Summer Session 2)
EEB 4260 Ornithology 2 credits, taught spring
     (must also take EEB 4261 to fulfill animal diversity requirement for EEB major)
EEB 4261Ornithology Lab 2 credits, taught spring
     (must also take EEB 4260 to fulfill animal diversity requirement for EEB major)
EEB 4274Introduction to Animal Parasitology 4 credits, taught alternate falls
EEB 4275Invertebrate Zoology 4 credits, taught alternate falls
EEB 5200Biology of Fishes 4 credits, taught alternate springs
     (see also EEB 4200)

III. At least one of the following plant diversity courses:

EEB 2227Biology of Plants 3 credits, taught infrequent
EEB 3203Developmental Plant Morphology 4 credits, taught alternate falls
     (see also EEB 5203)
EEB 3204Aquatic Plant Biology 4 credits, taught alternate falls
     (see also EEB 5204)
EEB 3220Evolution of Green Plants 3 credits, taught alternate springs
     (see also EEB 5220)
EEB 3220WEvolution of Green Plants 4 credits, taught alternate springs
EEB 3240Biology of Bryophytes and Lichens 4 credits, taught alternate springs
     (see also EEB 5240)
EEB 3250Biology of the Algae 4 credits, taught alternate falls
     (also offered as EEB 5250 )
EEB 3271Systematic Botany 4 credits, taught alternate springs
     (see also EEB 5271)
EEB 4272 The Summer Flora 3 credits, taught summer
     (Summer Session 1)

IV. A course in physiology:

EEB 4215Physiological Ecology of Animals 3 credits, taught fall
     (also offered as EEB 5215)
EEB 5215Physiological Ecology of Animals 3 credits, taught fall
     (also offered as EEB 4215)
PNB 2250Animal Physiology 3 credits, taught fall
     (if taken, meets a related course requirement)

V. It is recommended that students take at least four EEB courses that require extensive laboratory or field work

VI. Students are encouraged to complete a course in statistics

VII. At least 24 credits of EEB courses at the 2000-level or above, which may include courses in I-IV above

Related Course Requirements

VIII. At least 12 credit hours in 2000 level or higher science courses outside EEB, which must include either MCB 2410 (Human Genetics) or MCB 2413 (Concepts of Genetic Analysis). One semester of organic chemistry is recommended

IX. Below is a list of the undergraduate EEB courses that can be applied to the major:

Ordinarily, students will fulfill their requirement primarily or exclusively with undergraduate courses. However, some graduate courses are open to undergraduates with the consent of the instructor (see section X, below).

Bold course numbers indicate laboratory and/or field courses.

EEB 2202Evolution and Human Diversity 3 credits, taught spring
     (Also fulfills GenEd CA 4 International)
EEB 2208Introduction to Conservation Biology 3 credits, taught spring
EEB 2210 Animal Models and Human Evolution 3 credits, taught spring
EEB 2214 Biology of the Vertebrates 3 credits, taught fall
EEB 2227Biology of Plants 3 credits, taught infrequent
EEB 2244General Ecology 4 credits, taught every
EEB 2244WGeneral Ecology (writing intensive) 4 credits, taught every
EEB 2245Evolutionary Biology 3 credits, taught spring
EEB 2245WEvolutionary Biology (writing intensive) 4 credits, taught spring
EEB 3201Animal Behavior 3 credits, taught every
     (see also Psych 3201)
EEB 3203Developmental Plant Morphology 4 credits, taught alternate falls
     (see also EEB 5203)
EEB 3204Aquatic Plant Biology 4 credits, taught alternate falls
     (see also EEB 5204)
EEB 3205Current Issues in Environmental Science 3 credits, taught alternate falls
     (Honors)
EEB 3220Evolution of Green Plants 3 credits, taught alternate springs
     (see also EEB 5220)
EEB 3220WEvolution of Green Plants 4 credits, taught alternate springs
EEB 3221Evolution of Green Plants Laboratory 1 credits, taught alternate springs
     (instructor consent; see also EEB 5221)
EEB 3230Marine Biology 3 credits, taught fall
     (also offered as MARN 3014)
EEB 3240Biology of Bryophytes and Lichens 4 credits, taught alternate springs
     (see also EEB 5240)
EEB 3247Limnology 4 credits, taught alternate falls
EEB 3250Biology of the Algae 4 credits, taught alternate falls
     (also offered as EEB 5250 )
EEB 3254Mammalogy 4 credits, taught alternate falls
     (Instructor Consent, see also EEB 5254)
EEB 3256Plants and Civilization 3 credits, taught infrequent
EEB 3265Herpetology 4 credits, taught alternate springs
     (see also EEB 5265 )
EEB 3269Social Insects 3 credits, taught alternate springs
EEB 3271Systematic Botany 4 credits, taught alternate springs
     (see also EEB 5271)
EEB 3273Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy 4 credits, taught alternate falls
EEB 3307African Field Ecology and Renewable Resource Management 4 credits, taught alternate springs
     (see also EEB 5307 or NRME 3305)
EEB 3891Internship in Ecology variable credits, taught every
     (see also EEB 5891)
EEB 3894Undergraduate Seminar - Current Topics in Ecology and Evolution 1 credits, taught variable
EEB 3894Undergraduate Seminar - Plants and Civilization 2 credits, taught variable
EEB 3894 Undergraduate Seminar - Behavioral Endocrinology 3 credits, taught variable
EEB 3894Undergraduate Seminar variable credits, taught every
EEB 3895Special Topics variable credits, taught variable
EEB 3895Special Topics - Biology of Marine Algae 4 credits, taught variable
     (see also EEB 5895)
EEB 3895Special Topics - Biogeography 2 credits, taught alternate springs
     (See also EEB 5895)
EEB 3898 Variable Topics - Field Methods in Ornithology 3 credits, taught summer
     (May Term)
EEB 3899Independent Study variable credits, taught every
EEB 4120Paleobiology 4 credits, taught alternate springs
EEB 4200Biology of Fishes 4 credits, taught alternate springs
     (see also EEB 5200)
EEB 4215Physiological Ecology of Animals 3 credits, taught fall
     (also offered as EEB 5215)
EEB 4230WMethods of Ecology 4 credits, taught fall
EEB 4243Insect Classification and Identification 4 credits, taught infrequent
EEB 4243W Insect Classification and Identification 4 credits, taught infrequent
EEB 4248 Limnological Methods 3 credits, taught infrequent
EEB 4250General Entomology 4 credits, taught fall
EEB 4251Medical Entomology 3 credits, taught infrequent
EEB 4251W Medical Entomology 4 credits, taught infrequent
EEB 4252Field Entomology 3 credits, taught summer
     (Summer Session 2)
EEB 4253 Concepts of Applied Entomology 3 credits, taught infrequent
EEB 4260 Ornithology 2 credits, taught spring
     (must also take EEB 4261 to fulfill animal diversity requirement for EEB major)
EEB 4261Ornithology Lab 2 credits, taught spring
     (must also take EEB 4260 to fulfill animal diversity requirement for EEB major)
EEB 4268 Ecological Plant Geography 3 credits, taught infrequent
EEB 4272 The Summer Flora 3 credits, taught summer
     (Summer Session 1)
EEB 4274Introduction to Animal Parasitology 4 credits, taught alternate falls
EEB 4275Invertebrate Zoology 4 credits, taught alternate falls
EEB 4276 Plant Anatomy 4 credits, taught alternate falls
EEB 4276WPlant Anatomy (writing intensive) 4 credits, taught alternate falls
EEB 4896WSenior Research Thesis in EEB 3 credits, taught every
BIOL 3520WEthical Perspectives in Biological Research and Technology 3 credits, taught spring

X. Graduate courses that can be applied to the major with the consent of the instructor:

Bold course numbers indicate laboratory and/or field courses.

EEB 5209Soil Degradation and Conservation 3 credits, taught infrequent
     (also EEB 3209W)
EEB 5221Evolution of Green Plants Laboratory 1 credits, taught alternate springs
     (see also EEB 3221)
EEB 5254Mammalogy 4 credits, taught alternate falls
     (see also EEB 3254)
EEB 5265Herpetology 4 credits, taught alternate springs
     (see also EEB 3265)
EEB 5302Organisms and Ecosystems 3 credits, taught alternate springs
EEB 5307African Field Ecology and Renewable Resource Management 4 credits, taught alternate springs
     (see also EEB 3307)
EEB 5350Molecular Systematics 2 credits, taught alternate springs
     (instructor consent; meets 3/15-4/27/12)
EEB 5452 Field Ecology 2 credits, taught alternate springs
     (Required 2 week field trip in May)
EEB 5889Research variable credits, taught every
EEB 5891Graduate Internship in Ecology, Conservation or Evolutionary Biology variable credits, taught every
EEB 5894 Seminar - Introduction to Natural History Collections 1 credits, taught fall
     (Section 1; Meets 3rd & 4th weeks of semester: Sept. 10, 12, 17, 19)
EEB 5894-10GIS cyberinfrastructure 1 credits, taught variable
EEB 5894-11Climate Modeling 1 credits, taught variable
EEB 5894-12Modeling Biodiversity patterns and ecological processes 1 credits, taught variable
EEB 5894-13Specimen-level databases 1 credits, taught variable
EEB 5894-14Developing Online Databases and serving biological research data 1 credits, taught variable
EEB 5895Special Topics - Biogeography 2 credits, taught variable
EEB 5899Independent Study variable credits, taught every
EEB 6481Seminar in Biodiversity 1 credits, taught fall
     (Topic: How to Get a Job or Postdoc)
EEB 6490Seminar in Behavioral Ecology 1 credits, taught variable
     (Evolution of Animal Communication)