Principles Biology Lab. Coming Fall 2026.
1 — I have AP (or IB) Bio credit. Do I need to take BSCI180?
It depends. If you received a 4 or 5 on the AP Bio exam (or 6-7 on the HL IB Bio exam) and the credit for BSCI161 and BSCI171 has already been listed on your transcript, you do not need to take BSCI180.
However, incoming freshman and transfer students will no longer receive credit for BSCI161 and BSCI171 via the AP or IB exams. These students will need to complete BSCI180, if required by their major.
Students with sufficient scores (AP: 4-5; IB HL: 6-7) will still earn credit for the lecture courses, BSCI160 and BSCI170, as well as credit for a DSNL GenEd.
2 — I took introductory biology labs at another institution, and the transfer database says they will transfer as BSCI161 and BSCI171. Do I still need to take BSCI180?
No. BSCI161 and BSCI171 will continue to satisfy prerequisites. However, you are encouraged to take BSCI180 as it introduces new skills, such as coding.
3 — I failed BSCI171 (or BSCI161) and need to retake it for my major. Should I take BSCI180 instead?
Yes. Because BSCI180 is a new, distinct course, this will not count against your repeat credit limit.
4 — Will BSCI180 be offered in the summer?
While it will not be offered this summer (2026), we plan to offer it in future summers.
5 — My major requires BSCI171, but not BSCI161. Do I still need to take BSCI180?
Yes, BSCI180 is replacing both BSCI171 and BSCI161. If you only need one, then you should take BSCI180. If you need both, you should also take BSCI180.
6 — My major requires BSCI170 and BSCI171, but not BSCI160 or 161. Can I take BSCI170 and BSCI180 concurrently?
No. To enroll in BSCI180 you need to have completed either BSCI170 or BSCI160 with a C- or better.
7 — BSCI171 is/was a prerequisite for a course. Should I take BSCI180 instead?
If you do not already have credit for BSCI171, then you should plan to take BSCI180 to fulfill the prerequisite. If you have already completed BSCI171, then that will continue to satisfy the prerequisite. All course prerequisites will be updated to indicate that the original prerequisite labs (BSCI161 and/orBSCI171) OR BSCI180 is sufficient.
8 — Both BSCI171 and BSCI161 are/were prerequisites for a course. I have taken one but not the other, do I need to take BSCI180?
Yes. If you are missing credit for either BSCI171 or BSCI161, then you will need to take BSCI180 to satisfy the prerequisite.
9 — My major doesn’t require it, but I was planning on taking BSCI160 and BSCI161 (or BSCI170 and BSCI171) to meet my general education requirement, what should I take now?
You can search the Schedule of Classes for programs offering DSNL credit. Alternatively, you can still take BSCI160 and then take BSCI180 in a subsequent semester to complete your general education lab requirement.
If you have further questions, please reach out to your academic advisor or college student services office to understand how these changes apply to your major and/or academic plans for your Fall ‘26 schedule.
