Marine Biology Major

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The major in marine biology provides students with a broad understanding of the basic biological and ecological principles as they relate to the marine ecosystems. Core courses will expose students to the discovery nature of science and educate them in their roles as global citizens in preserving the health of the marine environment. The major prepares students to enter careers and advanced studies in biological research, environmental science, and conservation.

Major Requirements (11 courses)

Eleven (11) courses are required: eight (8) core marine biology courses, two (2) core chemistry courses, and one (1) biology elective course. Satisfactory performance on a comprehensive standard exam is also required. At least six (6) of the eleven (11) courses required for the major must be taken at Rollins College or as part of a Rollins-sanctioned program and include at least five (5) BIO prefix courses beyond BIO 120 /BIO 121 .

Required Core (8 courses)

BIO 120 - General Biology I
BIO 121 - General Biology II
BIO 210 - Oceanography
One course in Marine Organisms chosen from: BIO 211 Marine Botany or BIO 236 Invertebrate Zoology or BIO 237 Vertebrate Zoology
One course in Molecular Biology/Genetics chosen from: BIO 308 Genetics or BIO 310 Microbial Genetics or BIO 341 Molecular Biology
BIO 316 - Ecology
BIO 335 - Marine Biology
BIO 435 - Senior Seminar in Marine Biology or BIO 499 Independent Study: Biological Research

Required Chemistry (2 courses)

Biology Elective (6 semester hours)

Six (6) semester hours.

Any biology course from BIO 210 and above. Courses from the core groupings, other than those used to fulfill the core requirements, may be used to satisfy the requirement. The course(s) used to fulfill the biology elective for the Marine Biology major may not be used to satisfy the requirements of other majors.

Recommendations

Students are encouraged to participate in BIO388 - Marine Biology Field Study or another field study when offered.

Students preparing for graduate programs in Marine Biology, Biology, or professional schools in health-related areas such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, or pharmacy require a thorough introduction to physics and calculus. Therefore, they are advised to take CHM 221/221L , PHY 120 /PHY 130 and PHY 121 /PHY 131 , a calculus course and a statistics course.

Major Policies

To declare this major, a student must have a minimum 2.0 major GPA in at least two (2) of the courses listed on the major map.
Students may not major, double major, or minor in both Marine Biology and Biology.
Students with AP Biology scores of 5, or IB scores of 5, 6, or 7 (on the higher level IB exam), can be given the option of exemption from either BIO 120 or BIO 121 upon department chair approval.