Welcome to the University of Wisconsin-Madison!

What an exciting place for students interested in Biology! We offer over 30 majors to undergraduates along with a wealth of opportunities for getting involved with lab or field research, service learning, student clubs and more… You can work on stem cell development, or cancer research; study animal behavior or plant diversity, travel abroad to study sustainable agriculture or health care systems to mention just a few. We encourage you to take advantage of all UW-Madison has to offer. Here are a few suggestions to help you get started.

How will I get help at SOAR?

Talk to Pat Henrikson, the Biological Sciences Advisor. She will be at SOAR to help you select courses and plan your schedule. She can answer all kinds of questions about biology-related opportunities at UW Madison and also tell you more about the many different majors in the biological sciences.

Are there biology courses for first year students?

Some exciting options are available to students who want to take an elective biology course during their first year – First-Year Interest Groups (called FIGs) and Ways of Knowing Biology.

The First-year Interest Groups (FIGs) consist of three courses clustered around a common theme. In the past these have included topics such as ecological issues, health care, infectious diseases and biodiversity. For more information about the FIGs offerings for this year, check the FIGs website or see the Biological Sciences Advisor during your SOAR session.

Ways of Knowing Biology is a course for first-year students interested in learning about research in the biological sciences. It is offered in the spring semester. See the WOK-Bio website for more information.

For more options, check with the Biological Sciences Advisor at SOAR.

What choices do I have for introductory biology courses?

Although some students take a biology course their first semester, most wait until the spring semester or second year to start biology. There are more course options if you wait a semester or two to start biology. Courses are often closed for first semester students; chemistry is recommended in preparation for some of the biology courses and the honors sequence, Biocore, requires chemistry and math as prerequisites. When you are ready to start introductory biology there are four options to consider.

  • Biocore: a challenging, honors-level, four-semester introductory biology sequence (An application is required)
  • Biology 151-152: a two-semester introductory biology sequence
  • Botany 130: a one-semester introductory plant biology course
  • Zoology 101-102: a one-semester introductory animal biology course.

More information is available from the on-line publication, Which Intro Biology Course?

How do I pick a major? There are so many to choose from!

The online publication, Which Biology Major?, has information about all the different majors, including course requirements, career paths and research opportunities.

I would like to do research. How do I get involved?

As one of the greatest research institutions in the world, UW-Madison offers you many opportunities for lab or field experience. Check out this on-line guide for ideas on how to get started.

I have a lot of questions. Where can I go to discuss them?

The Biological Sciences Advisor will be at SOAR all summer. During the school year, you can contact her at (608) 262-6836 or by email at phenriks@wisc.edu.