Building the department map…
Department paths
Courses with no prerequisites inside the department that unlock the most downstream work.
The shortest canonical route from each entry point to a gateway course.
Generated from Boston College’s catalog, prerequisite, and concentration data. Spotted an error? Departments can adjust labels, ordering, and notes without a code change, so contact us.
A suggested order for the 30 courses on the map, built from prerequisite chains and how often each course has run in fall and spring across the last 1 regular terms. It is not the department’s plan, and it is not a promise a course will run. Confirm against the department’s own advising material.
Semester 1fall
Semester 2spring
Semester 3fall
Semester 5fall
Semester 7fall
Each of these unlocks the largest share of downstream work on this map. Courses from other departments can appear here when they genuinely gate BIOL coursework.
Intro tiers at the top, advanced work below; arrows point from a prerequisite to the course it unlocks. Courses from other departments appear where they gate BIOL work. Click any course to see what it requires and unlocks without leaving this page; hovering lights up its neighbors. The lists on this page carry the same courses in text form.
Showing the 30 BIOL and feeder courses that have prerequisite links. 25 more BIOL courses have no recorded prerequisites. They are listed under Tracks below, not drawn as loose dots here.
The concentrations and majors that build on BIOL, and how their requirements are structured. Expand a program to see which courses satisfy each group, then plan it in the Planner.
Requirements15 required · verify with the official sheet
Advanced Experience courses include undergraduate research, research lab courses, and smaller classes focused on the primary literature and data analysis. Courses fulfilling this requirement are available on the Biology Department website. Note: While independent undergraduate research courses can
Chemistry (15–16 credits)3 required · verify with the official sheet
Chemistry (15–16 credits)
Quantitative Requirements: Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science19 required · verify with the official sheet
Quantitative Requirements: Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Additional options are noted on the Biology Department website. **BIOL3140 and BIOL4250 cannot be used to satisfy both a corequisite and a biology elective.
Requirements1 required · verify with the official sheet
Total Credits: 64–65 Note: The Biochemistry major requires all of its majors to take a Boston College calculus course, regardless of AP score. Students can take Calculus 2 (MATH1101, MATH1103, or MATH1105), or Multivariable Calculus (MATH2202). *With Biology or Chemistry Department approval, no mor
Requirements1 required · verify with the official sheet
These are a series of 2-credit half-semester courses that introduce students to the basic concepts of environmental science from a variety of perspectives and professors, with the specific goal of providing students with a foundation for further interdisciplinary study of environmental issues. Stud
Requirements for Mathematics B.A.5 required · verify with the official sheet
Requirements for Mathematics B.A. The Mathematics B.A. major requires completion of at least 33 credits, including: With the approval of the Assistant Chair for Undergraduate Programs, advanced students may omit required courses, substituting 3 credits in MATH courses numbered 4000 or higher for eac
Computer Science Component3 required · verify with the official sheet
Computer Science Component The 34 credits required for completion of the Bachelor of Arts major are grouped into two categories: eight required core courses (totaling 25 credits) and three electives (totaling at least 9 credits). The eight required core courses are the following: All of these course
Requirements1 required · verify with the official sheet
Note : Some substitutions are possible. Approved substitutions include: EESC1170 for EESC2203, EESC1174 for EESC2205, and EESC1157 for EESC2206. Due to overlapping content, if you have taken one of these pairs of courses, you cannot take the other (i.e., if you have taken EESC1170, you cannot take
Upper-level clusters, grouped by the gateway that opens them.
The deepest prerequisite chains in BIOL. These are the routes that take the most semesters to climb.
4 courses deep, ending at BIOL 5200
3 courses deep, ending at BIOL 4200
2 courses deep, ending at BIOL 3140
2 courses deep, ending at BIOL 4030
Requirements for Mathematics B.S.6 required · verify with the official sheet
Requirements for Mathematics B.S. The Mathematics B.S. major requires completion of at least 36 credits, including: With the approval of the Assistant Chair for Undergraduate Programs, advanced students may omit required courses, substituting 3 credits in MATH courses numbered 4000 or higher for eac
Majors in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Geological Sciences3 required · verify with the official sheet
Majors in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Geological Sciences In your first semester of freshman year, enroll in MATH1102 Calculus I (Math/Science Majors), MATH1103 Calculus II (Math/Science Majors), or MATH2202 Multivariable Calculus. If you have had a solid year of calculus,
Majors in Life and Social Science (E.g., Biology, Neuroscience, Economics, Management) and all Premedical students1 required · verify with the official sheet
Majors in Life and Social Science (E.g., Biology, Neuroscience, Economics, Management) and all Premedical students Enroll in your first semester of freshman year in one of the Calculus courses MATH1100 (Calculus I), MATH1101 (Calculus II), or MATH2202 (Multivariable Calculus). If you have had a soli
Other Students4 required · verify with the official sheet
Other Students For all other students seeking to fulfill the Core requirement in mathematics, you may take a Core-level mathematics course at any time—it need not be (and sometimes simply cannot be) completed right away in freshman year. You certainly have the option to elect a Calculus course for t
Requirements44 required · verify with the official sheet
Computational Corequisite For all B.S. students, participation in research in a laboratory setting (e.g., enrolling in Senior Thesis) is strongly recommended.
Requirements51 required · verify with the official sheet
Computational Corequisite For all B.S. students, participation in research in a laboratory setting (e.g., enrolling in Senior Thesis) is strongly recommended.
Requirements78 required · verify with the official sheet
Computation (6 Credits) Cognitive Neuroscience (3 Credits) Systems Neuroscience (3 Credits) Electives (18 Credits, excluding laboratory credits) Praxis (3 credits) *Students may conduct research with any faculty member, including those conducting neuroscience research outside of the department. Pro
Mathematics Component2 required · verify with the official sheet
Mathematics Component Mathematics courses required for completion of the Bachelor of Arts major: Many students must complete a prerequisite calculus course (e.g., MATH1102 (Calculus I for Science Majors) before MATH1103.
Computer Science Component10 required · verify with the official sheet
Computer Science Component The Bachelor of Science major in Computer Science requires a minimum of 37 credits in computer science. The computer science credits are grouped into two categories: eight required CSCI courses (totaling 25 credits) and four elective courses (totaling at least 12 credits).
Mathematics Component5 required · verify with the official sheet
Mathematics Component At least 12 credits of mathematics are required for completion of the Bachelor of Science major: Since many students will need to complete MATH1102 before taking MATH1103, this calculus requirement will often be met by enrolling in a two-semester sequence.
Science Component2 required · verify with the official sheet
Science Component A two-semester sequence in a laboratory science for science majors. The sequences that fulfill this requirement can be chosen from among Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Earth and Environmental Sciences. Option #1 Then any two of the following 2-credit Environmental Systems courses:
Junior Year5 required · verify with the official sheet
Junior Year All students will have a flexible semester in their junior year. The flexibility will allow for study abroad (if approved by the Office of International Programs and their specific program). Students who are not abroad in their "flex" semester will be scheduled to take at least one clini
Senior Year8 required · verify with the official sheet
Senior Year The Undergraduate Program Office will determine the exact clinical sequence for each senior. This is one example of the senior year schedule below. The Connell School of Nursing reserves the right to alter any program or policy outlined.
Requirements12 required · verify with the official sheet
Note: Any pair of Environmental Systems courses (EESC2201–2208, plus labs) can substitute for EESC1132. (B) At least 11 credits from the following courses (C) At least 19 credits of elective courses, with the following requirements: (D) Five corequisite courses in Natural Sciences and Mathematics (
All BIOL courses in the Boston College catalog
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Use your school emailInstructors on BIOL sections in Fall 2026, from the registrar's schedule.
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