Animal Biology Major Requirements
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Preparatory Subject Matter (69-74 units)
Course(s) | Title(s) | Units |
---|---|---|
CHE 002A, CHE 002B, CHE 002C | General Chemistry | 15 |
Organic Chemistry — Choose ONE series: CHE 008A & CHE 008B OR |
Organic Chemistry: Brief Course OR Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences |
(6) OR (8) |
BIS 002A, BIS 002B, BIS 002C | Introduction to Biology | 15 |
PHY 007A, 007B, 007C | General Physics | 12 |
Calculus — Choose ONE series: MAT 017A, 017B, 017C (recommended) OR MAT 021A, 021B, 021C |
Calculus for Biology & Medicine OR Calculus |
(9) OR (12) |
Statistics — Choose ONE: STA 13 STA 100 PLS 120 |
Elementary Statistics Applied Statistics for Life Sciences Applied Statistics in Agricultural Sciences | 4 |
Animal Biology: Learn to do Science Animal Biology: Evaluate Science Animal Biology: Apply Science | 8 |
*If taking CHE 118 series, CHE 118C is recommended for graduate/veterinary programs.
Depth Subject Matter (30-38 Units)
Course(s) | Title(s) | Units |
---|---|---|
BIS 101 | Genes & Gene Expression | 4 |
Biochem/Metabolism — Choose ONE series: ABI 102 & ABI 103 OR |
Animal Biochemistry & Metabolism OR Structure & Function of Biomolecules, Bioenergetics & Metabolism |
(10) OR (6) |
Physiology — Choose ONE: NPB 101 NPB 117 ENT 102 WFC 121 |
Systemic Physiology Avian Physiology Insect Physiology Physiology of Fishes |
5 3 4 4 |
Organology — Choose ONE: APC 100 or NPB 123 |
Comparative Vertebrate Organology |
4 |
EVE 100 | Introduction to Evolution | 4 |
Ecology — Choose ONE: ESP 100 EVE 101 EVE 102 ESP 121 ENT 105 |
General Ecology Introduction to Ecology Population and Quantitative Genetics Population Ecology Insect Ecology | 4 |
ABI Practicum Research | ||
ABI 187 | Animal Biology Seminar | 2 |
ABI 189 ABI 189D | Senior Practicum Senior Practicum Discussion | 2 1 |
Restricted Electives (minimum 25 units)
- What are Restricted Electives (REs)?
- REs are specialty courses that ABI students select to complement their practicum research and allow them to emphasize in a desired area.
- What are the limitations or restrictions?
- REs must total a minimum of 25 units. REs must also be upper-division courses. Exceptions might be made for a lower division course IF said course does not have an upper-division equivalent, with sufficient explanation for why you should take it and approval from ABI Lead Faculty Advisor Dr. McMunn and Academic Advisor Elvira.
- When do we start taking REs?
- Students usually start taking REs around their junior year.
- When do we pick REs?
- You can start choosing your REs as early as you wish. Depending on your schedule, some students might be recommended by an advisor to take an RE in the quarter before ABI 187 if they need extra units to fill. We recommend students generate a list of possible REs that interest them, research their prerequisites, when they are offered, and check in with an ABI advisor to integrate them into their academic plans.
- What REs should I take?
Every student’s practicum will be different, so it is hard to recommend specific courses. However, courses like upper-division scientific writing classes, upper-division stats, or public speaking are always good general ones to take and can apply to many different areas. Once you know what your practicum project will be, you can start picking specialized courses (such as avian biology, climate change, invertebrate biology, etc. depending on your project). Animal Welfare, Animal Ethics, or Animal Communication courses are also good options since they are fairly generic and can also apply to most projects.
Linked here is a list of courses that have been used as REs in the past (drawn from practicum proposals). If you are struggling to think of REs to take, this list can provide ideas for the departments that have been used before and the kinds of courses you could take. This list is not exhaustive. You do not have to directly choose from this list as this is just a sample of possibilities.
If you wish to apply a course for RE credit that is not on this list, please consult with and receive approval from ABI Lead Faculty Advisor Marshall McMunn and Academic Advisor Elvira first.
- Can I take research (199) units for REs?
- Up to 2 units of 199 research units are allowed to apply to your REs.
- Can I take internship (192) units for REs?
- No, 192 internship units cannot be used to for REs.
- What happens if I need to change one or more REs that I planned to take?
- The REs you initially select may not be the ones you end up taking, and it is not uncommon to have to change your REs multiple times. If you are unsure if a course can be used as an RE, please reach out to abi-advising@ucdavis.edu.
- Can I take an RE for Pass/No Pass grading?
- No, all major requirements, including Restricted Electives, must be taken for a letter grade. If you take a course for P/NP grading, you cannot use it to fulfill any major requirements.
- Can I use my REs to fulfill minor requirements?
- Only one course is allowed to overlap between major and minor requirements. This includes ABI Restricted Electives.