A student puts specimens into test tubes in a lab while a faculty member looks on.

Academics

Biological Sciences Collegiate Division

By acquainting students with the four core features of all living things—continuity (genetics), organization, regulation, and evolution—the Biological Sciences Collegiate Division (BSCD) prepares them to ask and answer complex questions about the natural world.

Quick Links

Programs of Study

Biological Sciences Curriculum

The College believes that knowledge of biology is essential for understanding ourselves and the world in which we live. The BSCD offers courses for prospective biologists and non-biologists alike.

The BSCD prepares students from all majors to engage in intelligent discourse about health, life on earth and its history, and biotechnology, as well as the scientific problems facing the modern world.

If you have any questions about navigating the Biological Sciences Collegiate Division curriculum, please contact the BSCD Advisors:

The BSCD offers specializations in subjects such as molecular biology, genetics, immunology, quantitative biology, and global health. Specializations outline a recommended program of study for biological sciences majors with specific interests.

College students can receive honors in the biological sciences by preparing a thesis following one of two tracks—Scholars Honors and Research Honors. 

A broad liberal arts education provides an exceptional preparation for a career in the health professions. Students are encouraged to concentrate in any discipline in which they have a strong interest, while making sure that they fulfill the common entry requirements for professional school.

 Learn More About the Biological Sciences Curriculum

Stories in the BSCD

Two students work alongside a professor in a field near a lake near the Marine Biological Laboratory.

Marine Biological Laboratory

Through a partnership with the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, MA, students in the College with an interest in biological sciences have the unique opportunity to engage in thrilling fieldwork and take courses at a world-renowned research destination.

Quick Links

Learning Beyond the Classroom

Take advantage of experiences off campus, in Chicago, across the nation, and around the globe.