The Senior Requirement

In addition to the course work described on previous pages, all majors in Biology must satisfy the senior requirement of Yale College. This can be accomplished in any of several ways, depending on whether the student is a candidate for a B.A. or B.S. degree. The senior requirement must be done during the senior year.

The B.A. degree
The requirement can be met in any one of three ways: by submitting a senior essay of 15-20 pages evaluating current research in a field of biology, by one credit of tutorial work (470a, b), or one credit of individual research (475a, b).

A senior choosing to fulfill the requirement with a senior essay must consult with a faculty advisor on the scope and literature of the topic and submit their written approval to the appropriate director of undergraduate studies at least one month before the paper is due in the student’s last term. The senior essay may be related to the subject matter of a course, but the essay is a separate departmental requirement in addition to any work done in a course. It does not count toward the grade in any course. The senior essay must be completed and submitted to the office of the director of undergraduate studies by the last day of classes.

The B.S. degree
The B.S. differs from the B.A. in its greater emphasis on individual research. The senior requirement for the standard B.S. is two contiguous terms of 475, at least one of which must be taken during the senior year. Ordinarily both terms of 475 will be taken during the senior year, but it is possible for a student to begin work toward the senior requirement in the spring of the junior year, continue it over the summer, and complete it during the final year, an arrangement that may be particularly useful for students doing field work.

For the intensive B.S. students fulfill the senior requirement by taking 495, Intensive Research for four credits.