Course Scheduling Advice

The OBE Major requires that a student earn a C- or higher in 15 courses. Many of these courses must be taken in a prescribed order. Thus, it is very important to plan out your OBE major early in your career, and try to take at least 4 courses each year that apply to the major. Students who want to study abroad have to plan carefully, as many study abroad programs do not enable students to earn credit towards the OBE major while studying abroad. Study abroad is a valuable experience, so plan ahead: you may have to take more than 4 required courses in the year before or after your study abroad experience.

It is also important to consider what extracurricular activities you will pursue in order to move toward gaining entrance to a post-graduate degree program, or toward employment following graduation. In particular, you should work with the Career Center and your advisor to plan for summer activities that will enrich your academic experience and make you more eligible for post-graduate work or employment. Summer research experience is increasingly required for admission to graduate programs including medical school, and is essential to qualify for Ph.D. programs. Furthermore, students earning high enough grades to qualify to graduate with distinction should plan to do undergraduate research during the summer between their junior and senior years, because a senior thesis (BE499) is required to graduate with distinction and extensive research and writing time is required to complete a thesis.

The department strives to make all OBE courses accessible to all CC students and to offer sufficient sections of all courses to meet the needs and desires of our students; however, there is high demand for most OBE courses. OBE majors must consult with the academic advisor to wisely allocate points during registration. By department policy, OBE faculty generally hold to course limits. If you are on the wait list for a course you need/want, show up the first day of class and you may get in. Faculty are not obliged to overload any course, and you should not expect that to happen. See your academic advisor if you have problems enrolling in an OBE course.

 


FIRST YEAR:
At least 2-3 of the following:
BE105 Biology of Plants MB131 Intro to Molecular and Cellular Biology
BE106 Biology of Animals CH107 General Chemistry I
BE107 Biology of Microbes CH108 General Chemistry II
SECOND YEAR:
At least 3-4 of the following:
BE105, BE106, or BE107 MB131, if not already completed
Statistics requirement (recommended before BE208)
BE208 Ecology CH107, CH108 if not already completed
Calculus requirement CH250 Organic Chemistry
Talk with your advisor and the Career Center about possible summer activities between your second and third years at the college. Talk to your OBE advisor and declare your major before the end of your sophomore year.
THIRD YEAR:
Finish your Calculus and Statistics requirements
BE280 Population Genetics or MB201 Laboratory in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Genetics
2-3 approved OBE electives
Talk with your advisor to find out if you might be eligible to graduate with distinction, so that you can complete those requirements.
FOURTH YEAR:
Complete the entire Senior Capstone Experience (includes seminars & abstracts; ETS or GRE exam, senior capstone course)
2-3 approved OBE electives

Report an issue - Last updated: 05/02/2024