Major Requirements

Animal Biology Major Requirements

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Preparatory Subject Matter (69-74 units)

Course(s)Title(s)Units
CHE 002A, CHE 002B, CHE 002CGeneral Chemistry15

Organic Chemistry Choose ONE series:

CHE 008A & CHE 008B

OR

CHE 118A & CHE 118B*

 

Organic Chemistry: Brief Course

OR

Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences

 

(6)

OR

(8)

BIS 002A, BIS 002B, BIS 002CIntroduction to Biology15
PHY 007A, 007B, 007CGeneral Physics12

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

ABI 050A

ABI 050B

ABI 050C

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 101Genes & Gene Expression4

Biochem/Metabolism Choose ONE series:

ABI 102 & ABI 103

OR

BIS 102 & BIS 103

 

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
(same course)

 

Comparative Vertebrate Organology

 

4

EVE 100Introduction to Evolution4

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 187Animal Biology Seminar2

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.