Information and Policies
Introduction
The marine biology major is designed to introduce students to the great diversity of marine organisms and the biological and physical processes that affect these organisms, their populations, and their coastal and oceanic ecosystems. Curricular emphasis is on basic principles that help in understanding the processes that shape life in marine environments. The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) is located on the University of California, Santa Cruz, Coastal Science Campus (CSC). CSC is situated on Monterey Bay and its great diversity of coastal marine ecosystems, nature reserves, and state, federal, and private marine research institutions and management agencies. Both the National Marine Fisheries Service and the California Department of Fish and Game have laboratories located on the CSC, providing students with research and internship opportunities. Long Marine Laboratory on the CSC provides logistical support including diving and boating facilities, running seawater systems, and marine mammal facilities. Descriptions of nearby environments, institutions, and facilities are available through the EEB Department website.These resources, combined with computing and analytical facilities on main campus and the CSC, make for exceptional opportunities for the study of marine biology and its application to coastal conservation and management. Students can readily engage in basic and applied (e.g., fisheries management) research from estuaries to the deep sea, and plankton to whales.
Program Learning Outcomes
The undergraduate curriculum offered by the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) is designed to ensure that all students declared in any EEB sponsored major will achieve the following seven program learning outcomes.
- Students will demonstrate broad-based knowledge of the fundamentals of ecology, behavior, evolution and physiology and the relationships among these disciplines.
- Students will demonstrate skills in the observation and experimental study of organisms, using both field-based and laboratory-based approaches.
- Students will demonstrate skills in identifying, accessing, comprehending and synthesizing scientific information, including interpretation of the primary scientific literature. This includes understanding key questions and hypotheses, interpreting results and conclusions, and evaluating quality through critique.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to conceive and execute independent scientific research, including developing their own questions and hypotheses, designing an appropriate theoretical or empirical/experimental approach, executing that approach, and analyzing and interpreting data.
- Students will demonstrate an ability to understand and apply fundamental quantitative skills, including models and statistical analyses, so as to properly interpret published research and apply such skills in their own research.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate scientific work, such as a scientific paper, proposal, essay, or notebook, in written, oral or poster format.
- Students will exhibit strong teamwork and problem solving skills. They will demonstrate the ability to make arguments from evidence and work together to find optimal solutions.
Academic Advising for the Program
Academic advising is available at the EEB undergraduate advising office located in the Coastal Biology Building on the UC Santa Cruz Coastal Science Campus, and via email at eebadvising@ucsc.edu. The undergraduate webpages contain advice and information pertinent to students’ most frequently voiced questions. Each student should review the information posted on the website; for further assistance, contact an EEB undergraduate advisor at eebadvising@ucsc.edu. Transfer students should also review the Transfer Information and Policy Section.
Getting Started in the Major: Frosh
Prerequisites
The introductory biology sequence is prerequisite to virtually all upper-division biology courses. BIOL 20A (offered by the Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology Department) has a prerequisite of CHEM 3A or CHEM 4A. Therefore, it is essential for students to start chemistry as soon as possible. Students who have not taken CHEM 3A or CHEM 4A may begin the introductory sequence with BIOE 20C. The entire introductory biology sequence should be taken the first and second year, concurrently with or following the general chemistry sequence. We also strongly recommend completing the lower-division physics requirements early in your academic career.
An online mathematics placement is required to enroll in a mathematics course. Students are expected to take this examination and are encouraged to work in the learning modules until they place into calculus. For more information see the mathematics placement website.
Advanced placement (AP) course equivalencies can be used to fulfill prerequisites.
Transfer Information and Policy
Transfer Admission Screening Policy
The following courses or their equivalents are required prior to transfer, by the end of the spring term for students planning to enter in the fall.
| BIOL 20A | Cell and Molecular Biology | 5 |
| BIOE 20B | Development and Physiology | 5 |
| BIOE 20C | Ecology and Evolution | 5 |
| | AND | |
| | Either these courses | |
| CHEM 3A | General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 3B | General Chemistry | 3 |
| | or these courses | |
| CHEM 4A | Advanced General Chemistry: Molecular Structure and Reactivity | 5 |
Plus, one of the following calculus courses:
| MATH 11A | Calculus with Applications | 5 |
| MATH 19A | Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics | 5 |
| MATH 16A | Mathematics for Life and Environmental Sciences | 5 |
A C or above must be earned in all major screening courses.
In addition, the following courses are recommended prior to transfer to ensure timely graduation.
| | Either these courses | |
| CHEM 3BL | General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
| CHEM 3C | General Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 3CL | General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
| | or these courses | |
| CHEM 4AL | Advanced General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
| CHEM 4B | Advanced General Chemistry: Molecular Structure and Reactivity | 5 |
| CHEM 4BL | Advanced General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
Plus one of the following calculus courses:
| MATH 11B | Calculus with Applications | 5 |
| MATH 19B | Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics | 5 |
| MATH 16B | Mathematics for Life and Environmental Sciences | 5 |
Choose one of the following options:
| | Either these courses | |
| PHYS 6A | Introductory Physics I | 5 |
| PHYS 6L | Introductory Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
| PHYS 6B | Introductory Physics II | 5 |
| | or these courses | |
| PHYS 6A | Introductory Physics I | 5 |
| PHYS 6L | Introductory Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
| PHYS 6C | Introductory Physics III | 5 |
Plus one of the following statistics options:
| STAT 5 | Statistics | 5 |
| | OR | |
| STAT 7 | Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences | 5 |
| STAT 7L | Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences Laboratory | 2 |
Getting Started in the Major: Transfer Students
Transfer students who satisfy the major screening requirements may declare the major at any time after matriculation only after their official transcripts have been posted to their MyUCSC student portal by the UC Santa Cruz Office of Admissions.
Beginning in late June and early July (for fall transfer students) EEB advising will review admitted students' reported transfer course work and determine how it applies to their major's requirements.
EEB advising will contact admitted students via email. The email will include information on how students' transfer coursework fulfills major requirements. We will suggest courses for students' Fall enrollment, and invite you to make an appointment to talk with EEB undergraduate advising or direct questions to eebadvising@ucsc.edu. Transfer students may also expect to receive regular email messages from EEB advising in June, July, and August with additional information about the major.
Major Qualification Policy and Declaration Process
Major Qualification
All courses must be taken for a letter grade. The following qualification courses, or their equivalents, must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better:
All of the following courses:
And one of the following options:
| | Either these courses | |
| CHEM 3A | General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 3B | General Chemistry | 3 |
| | or this course | |
| CHEM 4A | Advanced General Chemistry: Molecular Structure and Reactivity | 5 |
And one of the following courses:
| MATH 11A | Calculus with Applications | 5 |
| MATH 19A | Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics | 5 |
| MATH 16A | Mathematics for Life and Environmental Sciences | 5 |
Students with one grade of NP, C-, D+, D, D-, or F in one of the qualification courses are eligible to declare after successfully repeating the same or an equivalent course with a grade of C (2.0) or better.
Students with two or more grades of NP, C-, D+, D, D-, or F in the qualification courses are not eligible to declare. Mathematics courses will not be included in this calculation.
Students with AP credit for any of the qualification course(s) are eligible to declare after successfully completing the remaining qualification courses.
Consult with an EEB undergraduate advisor when requesting to declare the major after the campus declaration deadline. Transfer students should also review the Transfer Information and Policy Section.
For information on qualifying for the environmental studies/biology combined major, please see environmental studies in this catalog.
Appeal Process
Students who are not eligible to declare the major may appeal this decision after they have successfully completed the qualification courses by submitting an appeal letter to EEB undergraduate advising. Within 15 business days of receipt of the appeal, the department will notify the student and college of the decision. For more information about the appeal process, see the appeal process website.
How to Declare a Major
Students may log into MyUCSC and submit the Petition for Major/Minor via MyUCSC as soon as they have completed the EEB major qualification requirements and/or reached their declaration deadline quarter, whichever comes first. The department will declare the student's major, deny the student admission to the major, or set conditions for admission (provided the conditions may be met within no more than one quarter of enrollment) based on the student's qualification to declare at the time the major declaration petition is received. Information on major declaration can be found here. Additional questions may be directed to eebadvising@ucsc.edu.
Letter Grade Policy
All courses used to satisfy any major requirement must be taken for a letter grade.
Course Substitution Policy
To discuss the process for a course substitution, contact an EEB undergraduate advisor.
At least half of the upper-division courses (numbered BIOE 100–BIOE 179) required for each major must be taken in EEB at UC Santa Cruz not as transfer credits from another department or institution.
Transfer students are advised to contact an EEB undergraduate advisor before enrolling in numerous upper-division courses at other institutions. For more information on transferring courses to UC Santa Cruz, please consult the Transfer Coursework website. Additional information for transfer students is provided above in the “Transfer Students” section.
Only one upper-division course requirement may be met with a research-based independent study or graduate-level UC Santa Cruz biology course.
Double Majors and Major/Minor Combinations Policy
Students interested in pursuing multiple majors within the biological sciences may NOT declare the following combination of majors:
-
Biology B.A. and any other major or minor sponsored by EEB and MCD Biology.
-
Any combination of two EEB majors: Ecology & Evolution B.S., Marine Biology B.S., and Plant Sciences B.S., or the Environmental Studies/Biology combined B.A.
Should a student choose to double major, they must qualify for and complete the disciplinary communication and comprehensive requirements for each of the majors.
Students pursuing an EEB-sponsored major may not declare a Biology minor.
Study Abroad
The UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) offers qualified students unique opportunities to broaden their educational horizons. The EEB Department encourages interested students to participate. It is possible to satisfy major requirements abroad and graduate on time; consult with an EEB undergraduate advisor early in the planning process.
Many programs are in English-speaking countries or use English for advanced courses. Many programs offer small classes, extensive laboratories, and/or field research experience.
There are excellent programs in Costa Rica, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Germany, among others. The Costa Rica Tropical Biology Program is of note to students interested in tropical biology and ecology. Held spring and fall quarters at the Monteverde research station, this program gives students experience with hands-on field research and offers a homestay program. The University of Queensland (Australia) offers an intensive, full-semester marine science program, which includes stays at research stations on the Great Barrier Reef and in sheltered mangrove and seagrass habitats near Brisbane.
Students interested in study abroad need to get an early start on their introductory requirements, including chemistry, mathematics, and biology and must declare their major prior to going abroad. Visit the UCEAP office as soon as possible to begin planning and seek advice and approval for your UCEAP plan from an EEB undergraduate advisor prior to participation in UCEAP.
Honors
Honors in the biological sciences majors are awarded to graduating students whose academic performance demonstrates excellence at a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 to 3.794. Highest honors are awarded to those students whose performance demonstrates the highest level of excellence and results in a GPA of 3.795 or above.
Requirements and Planners
Course Requirements
Lower-Division Courses
Introductory Biology:
General Chemistry:
| | Either these courses | |
| CHEM 3A | General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 3B | General Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 3BL | General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
| CHEM 3C | General Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 3CL | General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
| | or these courses | |
| CHEM 4A | Advanced General Chemistry: Molecular Structure and Reactivity | 5 |
| CHEM 4AL | Advanced General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
| CHEM 4B | Advanced General Chemistry: Molecular Structure and Reactivity | 5 |
| CHEM 4BL | Advanced General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
Students may choose to complete the Chemistry 3 or 4 series.
This requirement may also be satisfied with prior completion of CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B, CHEM 1C, and CHEM 1N or equivalent.
Previous to July 1, 2023, the General Chemistry series, offered by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, was listed in the General Catalog as CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B and CHEM 1C, with associated laboratories CHEM 1M and CHEM 1N. As of academic year 2023-24, this series was replaced with two distinct series: CHEM 3A, CHEM 3B and CHEM 3C, with labs CHEM 3BL and CHEM 3CL; or CHEM 4A and CHEM 4B with labs CHEM 4AL and CHEM 4BL. Descriptions of these two series are given here.
Calculus:
Choose one of the following options:
| | Either these courses | |
| MATH 11A | Calculus with Applications | 5 |
| MATH 11B | Calculus with Applications | 5 |
| | or these courses | |
| MATH 19A | Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics | 5 |
| MATH 19B | Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics | 5 |
| | or these courses | |
| MATH 16A | Mathematics for Life and Environmental Sciences | 5 |
| MATH 16B | Mathematics for Life and Environmental Sciences | 5 |
Biostatistics:
| STAT 7 | Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences | 5 |
| STAT 7L | Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences Laboratory | 2 |
Physics:
| | Either these courses | |
| PHYS 6A | Introductory Physics I | 5 |
| PHYS 6L | Introductory Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
| PHYS 6B | Introductory Physics II | 5 |
| | or these courses | |
| PHYS 6A | Introductory Physics I | 5 |
| PHYS 6L | Introductory Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
| PHYS 6C | Introductory Physics III | 5 |
Upper-Division Courses
A total of 11 upper-division courses, including relevant electives; two must include laboratory or fieldwork; two must apply to the Disciplinary Communication requirement. Courses appearing in more than one category can fulfill only one requirement.
Lecture/Lab Combination Notes:
Lecture and lab combinations generally count as one course. For 5-credit lectures with required, concurrent 2-credit labs, successful completion of both the lab and lecture is required and counts as one course. For 5-credit lectures with optional labs, only the lecture must be successfully completed to count as one course. Successful completion of the optional lab will count as overall unit credit and may count toward the comprehensive requirement. 5-credit lectures with 5-credit labs count as two courses. 7-credit labs count as one course.
Two core courses:
One ecology course:
One marine-environment course:
One marine course:
Note: Lecture/lab combinations count as a single course. See note under "Upper-Division Courses" for more details.
BIOE 129/BIOE 129L: lab optional
Electives
Three topical electives chosen from the following:
Note: Lecture/lab combinations count as a single course. See note under "Upper-Division Courses" for more details.
Three general electives chosen from the following:
Note: Lecture/lab combinations count as a single course. See note under "Upper-Division Courses" for more details.
Biological Sciences-EEB
Any upper-division BIOE course numbered BIOE 100-BIOE 179 of 5 or more credits
Biological Sciences-MCDB
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Economics
| ECON 166A
/CSE 166A
| Game Theory and Applications I | 5 |
| ECON 166B
/CSE 166B
| Game Theory and Applications II | 5 |
Environmental Studies (enrollment by permission of instructor)
| ENVS 104A | Introduction to Environmental Field Methods | 2 |
| ENVS 104L | Field Methods Laboratory | 5 |
| ENVS 107A | Natural History Field Quarter | 5 |
| ENVS 107B | Natural History Field Quarter | 5 |
| ENVS 107C | Natural History Field Quarter | 5 |
| ENVS 108 | General Entomology | 5 |
| ENVS 115A | Geographic Information Systems and Environmental Applications | 5 |
| ENVS 115L | Exercises in Geographic Information Systems | 2 |
| ENVS 120 | Conservation Biology | 5 |
| ENVS 122 | Tropical Ecology and Conservation | 5 |
| ENVS 123 | Animal Ecology and Conservation | 5 |
| ENVS 130A | Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture | 5 |
| ENVS 130L | Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture Laboratory | 2 |
| ENVS 130B
/LGST 130B
| Justice and Sustainability in Agriculture | 5 |
| ENVS 131 | Insect Ecology | 5 |
| ENVS 160 | Restoration Ecology | 5 |
| ENVS 161A | Soils as Living Systems | 5 |
| ENVS 162 | Plant Physiological Ecology | 5 |
| ENVS 163 | Plant Disease Ecology | 5 |
| ENVS 167 | Freshwater and Wetland Ecology | 5 |
| ENVS 168 | Biogeochemistry and the Global Environment | 5 |
Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology
Ocean Sciences
Psychology
Some of these electives may have prerequisites that do not satisfy major or minor requirements.
One of the following may also be used as an upper-division general elective:
Biological Sciences-EEB
Any 5 credits of undergraduate research
or
Environmental Studies
| ENVS 183 | Environmental Studies Internship | 5 |
Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement
Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division disciplinary communication (DC) Requirement. The DC requirement in marine biology is satisfied by completing two of the following ecology and evolutionary biology courses:
Note: Lecture and 2-credit lab combinations count as a single course.
For 2-credit laboratory courses listed above that are taken concurrently with 5-credit lectures, both courses must be passed to receive one half of the DC requirement. BIOE 117 and BIOE 137 require concurrent enrollment in 2-credit labs, BIOE 117L and BIOE 137L, but these are not part of the DC requirement.
NRS/BIOL 188, California Ecology and Conservation course, taken spring 2023 or later, will satisfy 1/2 DC credit. For more information about this course contact an EEB undergraduate advisor or email eebadvising@ucsc.edu.
Comprehensive Requirement
All majors in the biological sciences require completion of a comprehensive requirement. This requirement can be satisfied in one of the following ways:
- receiving a passing grade in an independent research course, or field/laboratory course listed below;
- completing a senior thesis;
- achieving a graduate record examination (GRE) score at or above the 50th percentile on the biology subject test or the biochemistry, cell, and molecular biology subject test. Reports of GRE scores must be submitted to the EEB undergraduate advising office before the last day of the graduating quarter;
- obtaining a medical college admission test (MCAT) score at or above the 50th percentile on the biological sciences section. Reports of MCAT scores must be submitted to the EEB undergraduate advising office before the last day of the graduating quarter.
Comprehensive courses offered by Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Note: Lab courses may have associated prerequisite or corequisite lecture courses.
| BIOE 112L | Ornithology Field Studies | 2 |
| BIOE 114L | Field Methods in Herpetological Research | 2 |
| BIOE 117L | Systematic Botany of Flowering Plants Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOE 120L | Marine Botany Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOE 122L | Invertebrate Zoology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOE 124L | Mammalogy Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOE 127L | Ichthyology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOE 128L | Large Marine Vertebrates Field Course | 7 |
| BIOE 129L | Biology of Marine Mammals Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOE 131L | Animal Physiology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOE 133L | Exercise Physiology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOE 134L | Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOE 135L | Plant Physiology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOE 137L | Molecular Ecology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOE 141L | Behavioral Ecology Field Course | 7 |
| BIOE 142L | Animal Behavior in the Wild (A Virtual Field Course) | 5 |
| BIOE 145L | Field Methods in Plant Ecology | 5 |
| BIOE 150L | Ecological Field Methods Laboratory | 5 |
| BIOE 151A
/ENVS 109A
| Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods | 5 |
| BIOE 151B
/ENVS 109B
| Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods Laboratory | 5 |
| BIOE 151C | Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Functions and Processes of Terrestrial Ecosystems | 5 |
| BIOE 151D
/ENVS 109D
| Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Conservation in Practice | 4 |
| BIOE 153A | Introduction to Arctic Ecology | 5 |
| BIOE 153B | Arctic Ecology | 5 |
| BIOE 153C | Disciplinary Communication for Biologists | 5 |
| BIOE 155L | Freshwater Ecology Laboratory | 5 |
| BIOE 158L | Field Methods in Marine Ecology | 5 |
| BIOE 159A | Marine Ecology Field Quarter: Marine Ecology with Laboratory | 5 |
| BIOE 159B | Marine Ecology Field Quarter: Ichthyology with Laboratory | 5 |
| BIOE 159C | Marine Ecology Field Quarter: Methods in Field Ecology | 5 |
| BIOE 159D | Marine Ecology Field Quarter: Methods in Field Ecology Laboratory | 5 |
| BIOE 161L | Kelp Forest Ecology Laboratory | 5 |
| BIOE 163L | Ecology of Reefs, Mangroves, and Seagrasses Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOE 183W | Undergraduate Research in EEB--Writing | 2 |
Comprehensive courses offered by Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology
Comprehensive courses offered in other departments
Planners
The tables below are for informational purposes and do not reflect all university, general education, and credit requirements. See Undergraduate Graduation Requirements for more information.
In addition to the specific courses shown in these planners, a student must complete courses satisfying the IM, TA, PE, PR, CC, ER and C campus general education requirements.
Sample Frosh Planner
| Year |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
Summer |
| Entering |
|
|
|
College 1A |
| |
|
|
Summer Edge (optional) |
| |
|
|
|
| 1st (frosh) |
BIOE 20C |
MATH 11A or MATH 19A or MATH 16A |
MATH 11B or MATH 19B or MATH 16B |
|
| College 1 |
CHEM 3A |
CHEM 3B & CHEM 3BL |
|
| |
WRIT 1/WRIT 1E (if needed) |
|
|
| 2nd (soph) |
BIOL 20A |
BIOE 20B |
BIOL 105 |
|
| CHEM 3C & CHEM 3CL |
STAT 7 & STAT 7L |
PHYS 6A & PHYS 6L |
|
| WRIT 2** |
|
|
|
| 3rd (junior) |
BIOE 109 |
BIOE 107 or BIOE 108 |
EEB general elective |
|
| PHYS 6B & 6M |
Marine core |
*MABI topical elective |
|
| |
|
|
|
| 4th (senior) |
EEB general elective |
Marine environment core |
EEB general elective |
|
| *MABI topical elective |
*MABI topical elective |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
*MABI = Marine Biology B.S.
** WRIT 2 should be taken in or before spring quarter of the second year.
Electives must be chosen to satisfy the Disciplinary Communication and Comprehensive requirements.
Additional Frosh sample planners may be found on the EEB website.
Sample Transfer Planner
For students who transferred in after completing the transfer screening courses and:
| |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
Summer |
| Entering |
|
|
|
KRSG 1T |
| |
|
|
Summer Edge (optional) |
| |
|
|
|
| 3rd (junior) |
BIOL 105 |
BIOE 107 or BIOE 108 |
BIOE 109 |
|
| *MABI topical elective |
*MABI topical elective |
*MABI topical elective |
|
| STAT 7 & STAT 7L |
|
|
|
| 4th (senior) |
Marine core |
Marine environment core |
EEB general elective |
|
| EEB general elective |
EEB general elective |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
*MABI = Marine Biology B.S.
Electives must be chosen to satisfy the Disciplinary Communication and Comprehensive requirements.
Additional Transfer sample planners may be found on the EEB website.