Biology is a science of amazing diversity and breadth
From the fundamental processes taking place within cells to the interactions
among populations and the environment that define landscapes, all features
of life interact and are together shaped by evolutionary processes.
Discovering the properties of these interacting systems is the challenge
of modern biology. We expect Coe biology students to make important
contributions to our understanding of the principles and mechanisms
governing life, through careers in health and medicine, genetics and
cell science, or physiology, ecology and the environment. We expect
that for many, those contributions will begin here.
Our goal is
for each student to learn the underlying principles and mechanisms governing
genes, cells, organisms, populations and landscapes, while also developing
the intellectual skills used in the experimental process. This
means that in addition to learning a great deal about what other scientists
have learned about living systems, students in classes will do their
own research and present their results in posters, scientific
papers and presentations.
Our teaching
areas are well-equipped to support lectures, interactive seminars, and
sophisticated laboratory and field studies. Classes are small,
allowing for ample interaction among students and faculty.
The labs are well equipped and provide all students
with the opportunity to conduct independent investigations, beginning
in the very first semester.
Coe's Biology
Major combines breadth and depth. Required courses provide a solid
conceptual foundation on which students can build expertise by selecting
elective courses in areas they find particularly interesting.
In the core courses, students learn to operate and interpret data from
all of the sophisticated instrumentation that the department owns.
In elective courses, they can focus on specifics of the experimental
design rather than how to run the instrument.
Required Courses:
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Introduction to Biology Laboratory
Organismal and Ecological Biology (and lab)
Experimental Human Physiology (and lab)
General Botany (and lab)
Either Organic Evolution or Topics in Evolution
Genetics (and lab)
Principles of Structural Chemistry I and II
Calculus or Statistics
Three
elective courses in biology chosen from a list of 15 lab and field courses
or independent study.
Our goal is
for each student to learn the underlying principles and mechanisms governing
genes, cells, organisms, populations and landscapes, while also developing
the intellectual skills used in the experimental process. This
means that in addition to learning a great deal about what other scientists
have learned about living systems, students in classes will do their
own research and present their results in posters, scientific 
Our teaching
areas are well-equipped to support lectures, interactive seminars, and
sophisticated laboratory and field studies. Classes are small,
allowing for ample interaction among students and faculty. 
Coe's Biology
Major combines breadth and depth. Required courses provide a solid
conceptual foundation on which students can build expertise by selecting
elective courses in areas they find particularly interesting.
In the core courses, students learn to operate and interpret data from
all of the sophisticated instrumentation that the department owns.
In elective courses, they can focus on specifics of the experimental
design rather than how to run the instrument. 
Three
elective courses in biology chosen from a list of 15 lab and field courses
or independent study.