BS Biology (L&S) at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Programme overview

The Biology major is designed for students with broad interests in the biological sciences. It is intended primarily to: prepare undergraduates for graduate studies in diverse areas of biology; prepare certain preprofessional students (e.g., medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry) for advanced study in the health professions; provide a broad exposure to biology for students who want a general science education as biologists; and serve as initial preparation for students who later choose a more specialized major. The major is offered in both the College of Letters & Science and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences .

Faculty: College of Letters & Science | Department: Integrative Biology | Duration: 120 credits | Study mode: full-time | Location: Madison, WI, United States

What you will study

The degree requires 120 credits in total. Courses listed in the requirements include MATH 221 Calculus and Analytic Geometry; MATH 211 Survey of Calculus; STAT 240 Data Science Modeling I; STAT 301 Introduction to Statistical Methods; STAT 324 Introduction to Statistics for Science and Engineering; STAT 371 Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Applies to College of Letters & Science, not specific to this major: No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare. For information on how to declare, visit Advising & Careers. Courses required to get in None GPA requirements to get in None Credits required to get in None Other None Students who intend to major in Biology in either the College of Letters and Science (L&S) or the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) may not combine this major ("double major") with the Molecular and Cell Biology Major or the Neurobiology Major.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

First-year entry terms: Fall (Early Action and Regular Decision) and Spring. Transfer entry terms: Fall (Priority and Regular Decision) and Spring.

First-year Fall Early Action: application deadline November 1, materials deadline November 9, decision on or before January 31. Fall Regular Decision: application deadline January 15, materials deadline January 22, decision on or before March 31. Spring Regular Decision: application deadline October 1, materials deadline October 15, decision on or before December 31. First-year fall and spring applications open August 1. Early Action is non-binding.

Transfer Fall Priority: application deadline February 1, materials deadline February 16, decision on or before March 31. Fall Regular: application deadline March 1, materials deadline March 15, decision on or before April 30. Spring Regular: application deadline October 1, materials deadline October 15, decision on or before December 31. Fall transfer applications open December 1; spring transfer applications open August 1.

Apply via the Common Application or the Universities of Wisconsin Application. The application fee is $80 US and is non-refundable; fee waivers are available for applicants with financial hardship. ACT and SAT scores are optional for students applying for admission through the spring 2028 term (application deadline October 1, 2027).

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