Welcome to UCSD!

The following information about the Division of Biological Sciences is intended to provide some basic information for freshmen at UCSD.

Biology Majors

If you indicated that you wished to major in Biology on your SIR at the time of admission to UCSD, you were placed directly into the major of your choice. You should consult the catalog, your College Advisors, and the Biological Sciences Student Affairs advisors to plan a schedule that will allow you to complete your degree in a timely manner. 

Lab Requirement

The Division of Biological Sciences will require students in all biology majors, with the exception of bioinformatics, to take one biology lab before the end of the sophomore year.

Residency Requirement

To receive a bachelor of science degree in biology from UCSD, all students must complete at least nine upper-division biology courses (each course must be at least four units) in the Division of Biological Sciences while officially enrolled at UCSD. 

Note:  Students with transfer course work need to fulfill the UCSD upper-division major requirement which consists of twelve or more upper-division courses (forty-eight or more units).


Changing Your Major

If you enter UCSD under another major or are undeclared, you may change to the Biology major of your choice. Declaration of major forms are available on-line, at the Registrar's office, or at the Student Affairs Office. Students changing to Biology will be subject to the same requirements in order to remain in the major as detailed in the previous section. All Change of Major forms will be reviewed and approved/denied by the Division of Biological Sciences.

AP Biology Credit

Students admitted to UCSD fall 2008 and after who received a 4 or 5 on the Biology AP exam:

You will be exempt from BILD 1, BILD 2 and BILD 3. You will receive credit for these courses. If taken again, no credit will be given.

Students admitted to UCSD prior to fall 2008 and who received a 4 or 5 on the Biology AP exam:

You will be exempt from BILD 1 and BILD 2. You will receive credit for these courses. If taken again, no credit will be given.

Any student with a score of 3 on the Biology AP exam will give credit for BILD 10 regardless of when the student began at UCSD.

Satisfactory Progress

Your GPA in Biology coursework cannot fall below 2.0 (a "C" average). If it does, you will be placed on academic probation by the Division of Biological Sciences, and allowed one quarter in which to raise your GPA. If you do not do so, you may be dropped from the major.

For More Information

There are many sources of information and counseling available to you-your College Advisors, the Advisors in the Biology Student Affairs Office, and the Biology portion of the General Catalog.