Organismal Biology

As an Organismal Biology student, you’ll gain the skills and knowledge to engage with and evaluate issues in Biology and the wider world, leaving you poised to take the lead in a wide range of fields.

What You'll Learn

1. How to understand, articulate, and apply foundational scientific principles and findings in Physiology, Ecology, and Evolutionary Biology.
2. How to think critically, analytically, and scientifically by developing scientific questions and using research tools and methods to answer them.
3. How to read and critique original research articles.
4. How to use quantitative approaches to data analysis, presentation, and modeling.
5. How to articulate the ways science relates to current problems, especially in relation to conservation, climate change, and ecosystem degradation.

Required Coursework

Foundation courses

• Biology – Choose one of the following course combinations:
  • BIOL 043L KS – Introductory Biology (fall) and BIOL 044L KS – Introductory Biology (spring)
  • BIOL 042L KS – Integrated Biology & Chemistry and BIOL 044L KS – Introductory Biology (spring)
• Chemistry – Choose one of the following courses or course combinations:
  • CHEM 014L KS – Basic Principles of Chemistry (fall) and CHEM 015L KS – Basic Principles of Chemistry (spring)
  • CHEM 014L KS – Basic Principles of Chemistry (fall) and CHEM 042L KS – Integrated Biology & Chemistry
  • CHEM 029L KS – Accelerated General Chemistry
• Math: MATH 030 PZ – Calculus I
• Physics: PHYS 030L KS – General Physics for the Life Sciences (fall) and PHYS 031L KS – General Physics for the Life Sciences (spring)
• Research Foundations: BIOL 120 KS – Research Tools in Organismal Biology

Upper division courses

Upper division courses are divided into four different groups. Students must take at least one course from each group, and at least three courses from either group one or group three. Three of these courses must include a lab component (indicated by an "L" next to the course number).

• Group One: Anatomy and Physiology – Take at least three courses from this group or Group Three
  • BIOL 129 KS – Neuromuscular Physiology in Health and Diseases
  • BIOL 131L KS – Vertebrate Physiology
  • BIOL 132L KS – Comparative Physiology
  • BIOL 133L KS – Dynamical Diseases: Introduction to Computational Neuroscience
  • BIOL 140 KS – Selected Topics in Neuroscience
  • BIOL 141L KS – Vertebrate Anatomy
  • BIOL 149 KS – Neuroscience 2: Systems
  • BIOL 150AL KS – Functional Human Anatomy and Biomechanics: Limbs and Movement
  • BIOL 150BL KS – Functional Human Anatomy and Biomechanics: Back and Core Stabilization
  • BIOL 163L KS – Plant Physiology and Biotechnology
  • BIOL 166 KS – Animal Physiological Ecology
  • BIOL 167 KS – Sensory Evolution
  • BIOL 183L KS – Nutritional Biology
  • BIOL 185L KS – Biochemical Physiology
  • BIOL 187C KS – Special Topics in Biology: Neural Organization of Behavior
• Group Two: Microbiology, Cell Biology, and Genetics – Take at least one course from this group
  • BIOL 118 KS – Life in Extreme Environments
  • BIOL 143 KS – Genetics
  • BIOL 144 KS – Drugs and Molecular Medicine
  • BIOL 148L KS – Neuroscience 1: Cell, Molecular
  • BIOL 151L KS – Developmental Biology
  • BIOL 156L KS – Genomics and Bioinformatics
  • BIOL 157L KS – Cell Biology
  • BIOL 158 KS – Cell Cycle, Diseases and Aging
  • BIOL 164 KS – Virology
  • BIOL 168L KS – Microbiology
  • BIOL 170L KS – Molecular Biology
  • BIOL 171 KS – Biology of Cancer
  • BIOL 177 KS – Biochemistry
  • BIOL 181 KS – Molecular Basis of Neurological Disorders
  • BIOL 187A KS – Special Topics in Biology: Epigenetics
  • BIOL 187B KS – Topics in Biology: Molecular Ecology
  • BIOL 187F KS – Special Topics in Biology: Unsolved Problems in Genetics
• Group Three: Zoology – Take at least three courses from this group or Group One
  • BIOL 133L KS – Ornithology
  • BIOL 118 KS – Life in Extreme Environments
  • BIOL 135L KS – Field Biology
  • BIOL 138L KS – Applied Ecology and Conservation Lab
  • BIOL 138 KS – Applied Ecology and Conservation
  • BIOL 145 KS – Evolution
  • BIOL 146L KS – Ecology with Lab
  • BIOL 147 KS – Biogeography
  • BIOL 154 KS – Animal Behavior
  • BIOL 154L KS – Animal Behavior Lab
  • BIOL 165 KS – Advanced Topics in Environmental Biology
  • BIOL 169L KS – Marine Ecology
  • BIOL 176 KS – Tropical Ecology
  • BIOL 182L KS – Applied Phylogenetics
  • BIOL 184L KS – Disease Ecology and Evolution
  • BIOL 187M KS – Special Topics in Biology: Unnamed Aerial Vehicles
• Group Four: Research Statistics – Take either of the following
  • BIOL 174L KS – Introduction to Biological Research Statistics
  • BIOL 175 KS – Applied Biostatistics

Senior Thesis

As an Organismal Biology major, you are required to complete a one– or two–semester thesis in an area of your choosing. This is a great opportunity to pursue field research away from campus over the summer through Pitzer's study abroad programs, or at the Robert Redford Conservancy and Bernard Field Station. The thesis requirement can be fulfilled by the following:

• One-Semester Thesis: BIOL 191 KS – One–Semester Thesis in Biology
• Two-Semester Thesis: BIOL 188L KS – Senior Thesis Research Project in Biology and BIOL 190L KS –  Senior Thesis Research Project in Biology (Second Semester)
• Two-Semester Thesis with Summer Research: BIOL 189L KS – Senior Thesis Summer Research Project and BIOL 190L KS – Senior Thesis Research Project in Biology (Second Semester)