Life and Health Sciences

UC Santa Cruz offers a wide range of majors focused on the life sciences. The following information is for majors in general biology, cognitive science, ecology and evolution, human biology, molecular, cellular and developmental biology, marine biology, neuroscience, plant sciences, and science education. In addition to the college core course, first quarter students enroll in two or more lower-division courses (1 - 99), for a total of 15-19 credits, their first term.

INITIAL PLACEMENT

• Mathematics:  Determine your math placement by completing an assessment in ALEKS. If you completed a college-level math course, or scored 3 or better on an AP calculus exam, or 5 or better on an IBH mathematics exam, you may be able to use that for placement instead of the ALEKS assessment. Math assessment indicates the mathematics course where you should begin.

• Chemistry Self-Assessment: The following majors in this cluster require chemistry: general biology, ecology and evolution, human biology, molecular, cellular and developmental biology, marine biology, neuroscience, plant sciences, and science education. Students can take the Chemistry Self Assessment for assistance in determining when to begin in general chemistry.

• Spanish (for human biology major): The human biology major requires completion of Spanish 1-4 (or equivalent) and one quarter of Spanish for health-care workers (Spanish 5M). Review information on the Language and Applied Linguistics website to determine whether you need Spanish placement.

QUALIFICATION FOR MAJORS IN THIS CLUSTER

Students must qualify for majors within this cluster by earning specific grades in foundation courses. Consult the Getting Started in the Major Guides below and/or the UCSC General Catalog for specific information about qualification requirements for majors you are considering.

GETTING STARTED IN THE MAJOR GUIDES

• Biology
• Cognitive Science
• Ecology and Evolution
• Human Biology
• Marine Biology
• Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology
• Neuroscience
• Plant Sciences
• Science Education

RELATED MAJORS

Contact advisors early if you are interested in these programs, since lower division requirements are different from the majors in this cluster:

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Contact information:
chemistryadvising@ucsc.edu

Biomolecular Engineering & Bioinformatics
Contact information:
Baskin School of Engineering
advising@soe.ucsc.edu, (831) 459-5840
https://www.soe.ucsc.edu/

Combined major in Environmental Studies/Biology
Contact information:
Program Advisor, envsadvising@ucsc.edu, (831) 459-2634
Environmental Studies, 405 Interdisciplinary Sciences Building
https://envs.ucsc.edu

CONTACT INFORMATION

Biology, B.A.
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Advising
eebadvising@ucsc.edu
https://www.eeb.ucsc.edu/academics/undergrad/index.html

Biology, B.S.
MCD Biology Advising
mcdadvising@ucsc.edu

Cognitive Science
Program Advisor, psyadv@ucsc.edu, (831) 459-2481
Psychology Department: 273 Social Sciences 2
https://psychology.ucsc.edu/undergraduate/cog-science-major/index.html

Ecology and Evolution
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Advising
eebadvising@ucsc.edu
https://www.eeb.ucsc.edu/academics/undergrad/index.html

Human Biology
MCD Biology Advising
mcdadvising@ucsc.edu

Marine Biology
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Advising
eebadvising@ucsc.edu
https://www.eeb.ucsc.edu/academics/undergrad/index.html

Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
MCD Biology Advising
mcdadvising@ucsc.edu

Neuroscience
MCD Biology Advising
mcdadvising@ucsc.edu

Plant Sciences
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Advising
eebadvising@ucsc.edu
https://www.eeb.ucsc.edu/academics/undergrad/index.html

Science Education
physicsadvising@ucsc.edu
https://www.physics.ucsc.edu/

Last updated 8/2021