Biology Minor

Biology is the study of life from both basic and applied perspectives across a broad range of analytical levels, from the molecule and cell to the organism and ecosystem.

In addition to the program requirements listed below, students must:

  • take at least nine hours of their minor "core" requirements at UNC–Chapel Hill
  • earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000 in the minor core requirements. Some programs may require higher standards for minor or specific courses.

For more information, please consult the degree requirements section of the catalog.

A student may minor in biology by taking four biology courses beyond BIOL 101/BIOL 101L.

Core Requirements
BIOL 103IDEAs in Action General Education logo How Cells Function F3
or BIOL 104 IDEAs in Action General Education logo Biodiversity
One of the following five core course options:3-4
IDEAs in Action General Education logo Molecular Genetics H
Cell Biology H
Evolutionary Biology
Introduction to Ecology
An organismal structure and diversity course with lab (see list below)
One course with a laboratory 14
One course numbered above 4003-4
Total Hours13-15
H

Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply.

F

FY-Launch class sections may be available. A FY-Launch section fulfills the same requirements as a standard section of that course, but also fulfills the FY-SEMINAR/FY-LAUNCH First-Year Foundations requirement. Students can search for FY-Launch sections in ConnectCarolina using the FY-LAUNCH attribute.

1

BIOL 395 counts as a laboratory course for students entering in Fall 2022 or later. Other laboratory courses include all of the Organismal Structure and Diversity courses listed below, any course with an "L" designation (except BIOL 253/L, which does not count as an elective in the major), and the following courses: BIOL 255H, BIOL 256, BIOL 459, BIOL 461, BIOL 463, BIOL 526H, BIOL 535, BIOL 562, and BIOL 563. If the laboratory elective is also over 400, then the student needs to take another BIOL elective so that two biology electives are taken beyond the fundamental and core course requirements.

Organismal Structure and Diversity Course List
BIOL 271
271L
IDEAs in Action General Education logo Plant Biology
and IDEAs in Action General Education logo Plant Biology Laboratory
4
BIOL 272
272L
Local Flora
and Local Flora Lab
4
BIOL 273Horticulture4
BIOL 274
274L
IDEAs in Action General Education logo Plant Diversity
and IDEAs in Action General Education logo Plant Diversity Laboratory
4
BIOL 277
277L
Vertebrate Field Zoology
and Vertebrate Field Zoology Laboratory
4
BIOL 278
278L
Animal Behavior
and Animal Behavior Laboratory
4
BIOL 279
279L
Seminar in Organismal Biology
and Topics in Organismal Biology Laboratory
3-4
BIOL 422
BIOL 421L
Microbiology
and Microbiology Laboratory with Research
4-5
or BIOL 422
422L
Microbiology
and Microbiology Laboratory
BIOL 441
441L
Vertebrate Embryology
and Vertebrate Embryology Laboratory
4
BIOL 451
451L
Comparative Physiology
and Comparative Physiology Laboratory
4
BIOL 471
471L
Evolutionary Mechanisms
and Evolutionary Mechanisms Laboratory
4
BIOL 472Introduction to Plant Taxonomy4
BIOL 473
473L
Mammalian Morphology and Development
and Mammalian Morphology Laboratory
4
BIOL 474
474L
Evolution of Vertebrate Life
and Vertebrate Structure and Evolution Laboratory H
4
BIOL 475
475L
Biology of Marine Animals
and Biology of Marine Animals Laboratory
4
BIOL 476
476L
Avian Biology
and Avian Biology Laboratory
4
BIOL 479
479L
Topics in Organismal Biology at an Advanced Level
and Laboratory in Organismal Biology: Advanced Topics
4
BIOL 579Organismal Structure and Diversity in the Southern Appalachian Mountains4
H

Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply.

Biology (BIOL) course descriptions.

See program page here for special opportunities.

Department of Biology

Visit Program Website

Coker Hall, 120 South Road, CB# 3280

(919) 962-3390

Chair

Robert Duronio

duronio@med.unc.edu

Departmental Advisor, Abbey Fellow

Gidi Shemer

bishemer@email.unc.edu

Director of Undergraduate Studies

Steve Rogers

SRogers@bio.unc.edu

Director of Undergraduate Studies

Jason W. Reed

jreed@email.unc.edu

Biology Study Abroad

Elaine Yeh

yeh@email.unc.edu

Career Advising

Mara Evans

mara1@email.unc.edu

Assistant for Undergraduate Services

Summer Montgomery

sundance@unc.edu