There is no single department of biology at UC Berkeley; courses in the biological sciences are offered through many campus departments including the Departments of Integrative Biology; Environmental Science; Policy & Management; Molecular & Cell Biology; and Plant & Microbial Biology.
However, Berkeley offers three interdepartmental biology courses, which provide a broad, basic introduction to the biological sciences for both majors and non-majors. These courses are taught by faculty from the four departments named above. The name "biology" has been retained for these courses to reflect their interdepartmental character.
BIOLOGY 1A & BIOLOGY 1AL and BIOLOGY 1B are taught fall, spring, and summer semesters, and students may enroll in either the 1A series or 1B (but not both) during any semester. The courses do not need to be taken in any particular order.
For information regarding undergraduate programs and other courses in the biological sciences, see the following department listings in this Guide and visit Biology @ Berkeley.
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Summer 2024 8 Week Session
General introduction to cell structure and function, molecular and organismal genetics, animal development, form and function. Intended for biological sciences majors, but open to all qualified students. General Biology Lecture: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites:CHEM 1A with minimum grades of C-; or CHEM 4A with minimum grade of C-; or AP Chem with minimum score of 4; or Chem HL IB with minimum score of 5; or GCE A-Level Chem with minimum grade of C. Corequisite: BIOLOGY 1AL (co-requirements enforced when BIO 1AL is offered). Recommended: CHEM 3A or CHEM 12A with minimum grade of C-. BIOLOGY 1B may be taken before BIOLOGY 1A
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 6 hours of lecture and 2 hours of discussion per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Biology/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Spring 2024
Laboratory that accompanies 1A lecture course. Intended for biological science majors, but open to all qualified students. General Biology Laboratory: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Prerequisite: CHEM 1A with minimum grades of C-; or CHEM 4A with minimum grade of C-; or AP Chem with minimum score of 4; or Chem HL IB with minimum score of 5; or GCE A-Level Chem with minimum grade of C. Corequisite: BIOLOGY 1A. Recommended: CHEM 3A or CHEM 12A with minimum grade of C-
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1.5 hours of lecture and 3 hours of laboratory per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 6 hours of laboratory per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Biology/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam not required.
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Summer 2024 8 Week Session
General introduction to plant development, form, and function; population genetics, ecology, and evolution. Intended for students majoring in the biological sciences, but open to all qualified students. Students must take both Biology 1A and 1B to complete the sequence. Sponsored by Integrative Biology. General Biology Lecture and Laboratory: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of laboratory per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 6 hours of lecture and 8 hours of laboratory per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Biology/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
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