Biology
Overview
Biology is a rapidly expanding, multifaceted discipline, full of possibilities for undergraduate research and for stimulating graduate study and employment after Occidental. Within an evolutionary framework, our program investigates the interactions between molecules, cells, organisms, populations, and ecosystems that constitute life on earth. Interdisciplinary and integrative by nature, the biology program at Occidental engages both majors and non-majors in a curriculum that emphasizes laboratory and field investigation. Our students are encouraged to collaborate with faculty mentors, whose research employs current methods in addressing questions from the molecular to the global in scale. Students acquire skills from careful observation through hypothesis formulation and experimental design to formal oral and written presentations of results. After participating in the biology program at Occidental College, students are prepared for rewarding work and lifelong learning, armed with the tools necessary to understand large complex data sets and help explain the intricacies of living systems. This rigorous program provides our students with the training to enter the work force after graduation and/or transition to an advanced degree program. After completing the major, many students elect to take graduate training toward the PhD. in biological sciences or doctorates of medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy or dentistry. Many of our students complete Masters programs in Biological Sciences, teaching, environmental health and safety, and resource management. Receiving a degree in Biology at Occidental College enables our students to excel in any post-baccalaureate professional pursuit.
The Department of Biology is housed within the Bioscience building which is contiguous with the Moore Laboratory of Zoology. Facilities include the bird and mammal collections (70,000 specimens) of Moore Laboratory, greenhouses, facilities for microscopy (scanning and transmission electron and fluorescence), a tissue culture suite and fluorescence-activated cell sorter, fully-equipped molecular biology laboratories, field vehicles, and three research vessels for nearshore marine studies and SCUBA diving. Because of its proximity to the Mojave Desert, the Santa Monica, San Gabriel, and San Bernardino Mountains, and seacoast, Occidental College is ideally suited for field and laboratory studies of environmental biology.
Major Requirements
Students are required to complete all major requirements and supporting coursework as detailed below in order to earn their degree in Biology. Those students looking to complete a concentration in the following fields should familiarize themselves with the additional requirements by clicking the link below.
Cell and Molecular Biology
Environmental Science
Marine Biology
COURSEWORK
Introductory Biology
Select one course from the list below:
Cellular and Molecular Biology (2 courses)
Environmental Biology
Select one course from the list below:
| BIO 106 | Biology of California | 4 units |
| BIO 260 | Biodiversity and Organization of Marine Ecosystems | 4 units |
| BIO 270 | Ecology | 4 units |
| BIO 275 | Flora of Southern California | 4 units |
Evolutionary Biology
Organismal Biology
Select one course from the list below:
| BIO 240 | Vertebrate Physiology | 4 units |
| BIO 250 | Plant Form and Function | 4 units |
| BIO 275 | Flora of Southern California | 4 units |
Upper-division Biology
Students must select three 300-level Biology courses. At least two of these must be Occidental College Biology laboratory courses.
Senior Seminar
Supporting Coursework
Students are required to complete five additional courses. Two must be in chemistry as detailed below and three additional quantitative courses.
Chemistry
Quantitative Coursework
Three 4-5-unit courses are required to satisfy the quantitative requirement. These courses include a Mathematics/Calculus, Data Analysis, and an elective Quantitative Course. Two 2-unit courses taken at Occidental College may be combined to satisfy one quantitative elective requirement.
Students are required to take one of five classes (Calculus 1, Calculus 2, MATH 210, MATH 212, or MATH 214) to satisfy the math requirement for the Biology major. Students who pass out of Calculus 2 may take MATH 210, MATH 212, MATH 214 or an additional Data Analysis course to satisfy the math requirement for the Biology major.
Mathematics/Calculus
Select one course from the list below:
Data Analysis
Select one course from the list below:
| BIO 260 | Biodiversity and Organization of Marine Ecosystems | 4 units |
| BIO 268 | Biostatistics | 4 units |
| COGS 255 | Data Analysis and Visualization | 4 units |
| COMP 146 | Statistics | 4 units |
| GEO 255 | Remote Exploration of Earth | 4 units |
| MATH 150 | Statistical Data Analysis | 4 units |
| PSYC 201 | Statistics in Psychological Science | 4 units |
The most current version as taught as 146 statistics in COMP Sci. is suitable as a data analysis course.
Additional Quantitative Elective
Select an additional course from the math or data analysis lists above or one course from the list below.
Second-Stage Writing Requirement
Students majoring in Biology will satisfy the second-stage writing requirement by successfully completing two courses at the
300-level (or appropriate course work). Students should familiarize themselves with the departmental requirement at the time of declaring the major. See the Writing Program and consult the department chair for additional information.
Comprehensive Requirement
The Senior Comprehensive in Biology provides an opportunity for every senior to demonstrate mastery of a topic of current importance and research interest in contemporary biology.
Seniors enroll in small, one-semester seminars (BIO 490) organized around current topics that are meant to span a number of scales in biology. The seminar includes extensive reading (both assigned and independently chosen), discussion and evaluation of primary literature, selection of an appropriate subtopic on which to focus, synthesis and writing of a précis or summary of research on the subtopic, and a major oral presentation by each student. The seminar also involves collaboration in that presenters partner with discussion leaders and work together throughout the semester to hone each other’s written and oral presentations.
College Honors
Requirements
- Student typically will have worked on a research project for 2 semesters (or 1 semester + summer session) minimum, before applying for honors
- Student must have an average GPA of 3.25 (college policy)
Application Process
- Student should discuss with their research mentor and submit an official Letter of Intent to the Biology Chairperson by the beginning of their senior year, or sooner.
- The letter of intent should include a summary of research results (realized and projected), as well as significance of the research and any projects in progress at the time of submission.
- Applications will be evaluated by the Biology faculty.
- Students nominated for honors will be notified by the Biology Chairperson.
Completion Process
- At the time of nomination, each candidate will be assigned an honors thesis committee of two Biology faculty members, in addition to their faculty mentor. This committee will be available for guidance and to help ensure that milestones are met in a timely manner.
- Milestones will include a thorough literature review, written drafts of the introduction, methods, and results sections, including draft figures, and a final discussion section, as well as preparation of a public seminar.
- The candidate must complete a written thesis of their work. It is expected that the student will spend part of their final semester or directed research writing the thesis.
- The written thesis will be due to the mentor by Monday in the 4th week of February.
- The revised honors thesis will be due to the committee by Monday in the 3rd week of February.
- The thesis will be reviewed by committee, and final revisions must be submitted by the last day of March.
- Honors candidates will also give a presentation on their research during the week of April 15. These presentations will last approximately 15 minutes, with 5 min for questions.
- Honors grades are Pass/Fail and reported to the registrar by the Chair. The chair will inform the students of their grade when it is decided upon by the committee.
Minor Requirements
COURSEWORK
Choose two introductory courses:
| BIO 105 | Marine Biology | 4 units |
| BIO 106 | Biology of California | 4 units |
| BIO 110 | Organisms on Earth | 4 units |
| BIO 115 | General Zoology | 4 units |
| BIO 130 | Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology | 4 units |
Additional Electives
Choose three additional courses at the 200- or 300-level, two of which must be taken in the Occidental College Biology Department. Independent Studies and Advanced Placement credit may not count toward the minor.
Transfer Credit Policies
The Biology Department policy on transfer credit conforms to College policy. Students should reference the Transfer Credit section for more details. IB or A-level examinations in Biology will not substitute for an Occidental course, place students into advanced courses, or allow a wider opportunity for choice of electives in the Department. For the major at most two 200-level courses and at most one 300-level course will be accepted in transfer. For the minor at most one course in transfer may be counted toward the 200- and 300-level requirement.
Graduate Study
Graduate study toward the degree of Master of Arts under the thesis plan may be undertaken in Biology by properly qualified students. Thesis projects may be elected in any of the following fields: cellular biology, developmental biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, neurobiology, biochemistry, comparative physiology, animal behavior, environmental biology, ecology, systematics and evolutionary biology, and marine biology. Graduate courses, numbered 500 and above, are valued at five units unless otherwise noted. Consult the department chair for further information on graduate studies.
Courses
Biology Courses
Faculty
Regular Faculty
Kerry Thompson, chair
Professor
B.A., M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Renee Baran
Associate Professor
B.A., Macalester College; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
Elizabeth Braker
Professor
B.A., Colorado College; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
Shana Goffredi
Professor
B.A., University of San Diego; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara
Amanda Zellmer McCormack
Associate Professor
B.S., University of Wisconsin; Ph.D., University of Michigan
John McCormack
Associate Professor
B.S., University of Arizona; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Gretchen North
John W. McMenamin Endowed Chair in Biology
B.A., Stanford University; M.A., University of Connecticut; M.A., College of William and Mary; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Cheryl Okumura
Associate Professor
B.A., Pomona College; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Roberta Pollock
Professor
B.S., Emory University; Ph.D., Harvard University
Daniel Pondella
Professor
Director, Vantuna Research Group
A.B., M.A., Occidental College; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Joseph Schulz
Professor
B.S., Indiana University; Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
Amber Stubler
Assistant Professor
B.S., Ph.D., Stony Brook University
On Special Appointment
Maria Adreani
Non-Tenure Track Assistant Professor
B.S., University of California, Santa Barbara; M.A., Northeastern University; M.S., California State University, Northridge; Ph.D., Florida State University
Babak Hassanzadeh
Non-Tenure Track Instructor
B.S., University of California, Los Angeles
Karen Molinder
Non-Tenure Track Assistant Professor
A.B., Occidental College; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Gary Schindelman
Non-Tenure Track Associate Professor
B.S., State University of New York at Binghamton; Ph.D., New York University
Jonathan P. Williams
Non-Tenure Track Instructor
B.S., University of North Carolina at Wilmington; M.S., California State University, Northridge