There are gateway courses that students must complete with at least a C- before they can apply and declare Biological Sciences (BSCI).

Learn how to declare the Biological Sciences major at bsci.umd.edu/declare

If you are in high school, or if you have fewer than 12 semester hours or 18 quarter hours of university-level credit, then you must apply to the University of Maryland as a freshman applicant to be considered for admission.

Get started on bsci.umd.edu/credit

Official midterm grades are submitted by most instructors during the semester and are discussed during mandatory advising. Students can review their official midterm grades under Grades in Testudo. Mind that non-letter grades such as S stand for Satisfactory (passing), and U stands for Unsatisfactory (not passing).

If a student earns a midterm grade of U or below C-, then they are expected to report to their instructors’ office hours for learning enrichment. Come prepared and bring specific questions about course topics for discussion.

Explore and enroll in a University Learning Enrichment Program.

None of the specializations for Biological Sciences can be combined with Neuroscience (NEUR) due to a significant overlap in the requirements for both programs.

However, the Neuroscience minor can be combined with any of the BSCI specializations (except PHNB: Physiology & Neurobiology).

Students can use the Advanced Placement Exams for GenEd Guide to assess how incoming AP scores may be marked as academic credit. 

If a student has already sent their AP exam scores from the College Board to the University Registrar, then those credits will be processed and posted to their unofficial transcript, usually during the month of July. Students may review their unofficial transcript in Testudo.

Undergraduate Teaching Assistants (UTAs) are hired for some lower-level and upper-level biological sciences (BSCI) classes. Each UTA works under the supervision of the lab/discussion coordinator or class instructor.

UTA work varies depending on the course assignments. Duties include teaching lab or discussion sections, facilitating in-class learning activities, holding review sessions, and grading exams, papers, worksheets, and problem sets. UTAs are expected to be mature, responsible, and attentive to requirements.

UTA work requires an average of 10 hours per week, depending on the course. New UTAs will also be required to attend a weekly 1-credit teaching seminar. The stipend is determined by the current minimum wage policy at UMD and is paid as an hourly wage for 150 hours per semester. Application information is available on Canvas.

If you have questions, email DR. DANIELLE ADAMS at dadams37@umd.edu.

For other UTA opportunities in the College of CMNS, go to this webpage.

Current students who are looking to change their specialization can submit a request form through TerpEngage at go.umd.edu/majorchange.

If a major change request is submitted during the schedule adjustment period, then it may be reviewed and updated in the same semester.

Submissions after the schedule adjustment period will become effective in the subsequent semester. A major change is not complete until the CMNS Office of Student Services has approved it.

Prospective students or those enrolled in the College of Letters & Sciences who are interested in declaring Biological Sciences: go to bsci.umd.edu/declare for next steps.

Academic advisors are not course schedulers.

Students are responsible for their course scheduling: this includes adding, dropping, and waitlisting for courses based on the options that are available to all students on Testudo. Academic advisors do not “force add” or “oversubscribe” students into closed sections.

If no open seats are available:

—then students must add themselves to any available waitlists once they have been opened by the appropriate academic department. Check Testudo periodically if a waitlist has yet to open.

No, students cannot waitlist for a course they are already registered for. Do not drop a course to waitlist—especially an LEP-Benchmark Requirement—as being on the waitlist does not guarantee admission into a course.

Being on the waitlist does not guarantee admission into a course. Students must complete the waitlist check-in daily to reserve their spot on the waitlist and to maximize their chance of being admitted into a course.

If a course expected for registration during the Fall or Spring is not attempted on time—especially an LEP-Benchmark Requirement—then an attempt during the Summer or Winter Session‍ may be expected to get back on track.

In most cases, new seats are added or a waitlist is opened when every section of a specific course is shown as filled on the Schedule of Classes (SOC).

Check Testudo periodically to monitor the opening of new seats.

Students must register for what is open, available, and what can be added to their schedule first. Students can expect to switch sections in courses they may have already added—wherever flexibility is evident on the Schedule of Classes (SOC)—to incorporate STEM lectures or labs that have limited seats and are time sensitive to complete.

If no open seats are available

—then students must add themselves to any available waitlists once they have been opened by the appropriate academic department. Check Testudo periodically if a waitlist has yet to open.

Academic advisors do not administer course waitlists.

If significant time has elapsed between checking Testudo and following the instructions above, and no changes in course availability have been observed, then students may contact the academic department that administers the course for more information. Go-to bsci.umd.edu/register for a list of contacts.

No. All prerequisites posted in the Schedule of Classes (SOC) must be satisfied to register (or remain registered) for a course.

Any student who manages to register for a course without the necessary prerequisite will be administratively dropped.

Students may take a maximum of 17 credits per fall or spring semester, 4 credits per winter semester, and 8 credits in a single summer session under the College of CMNS maximum credit limit.

A request for high credit load (credit overload) is an exception to policy that is ruled on by the College of CMNS. Exceptions to College and University policy (such as credit overload) are approved only under rare and extenuating circumstances.

Students are instructed to discuss any requests for credit overload with their academic advisor during mandatory advising or via email BEFORE submitting any forms to the College of CMNS.

After the student has shared a list of specific courses with the total number of credits requested, the academic advisor will evaluate their case and then elect either of the two options below. Once elected, the decision by the program is final, and students shall continue submitting the College’s petition form to process the request:

A note signed on behalf of the program that supports an exception for credit overload

OR

A note signed on behalf of the program that objects to an exception for credit overload

The student’s academic advisor is expected to document whether the Biological Sciences Program supports or objects to an exception in TerpEngage.

Factors considered by the program when evaluating support or objection for a credit overload exception:

• NECESSITY OF THE EXCEPTION

• THE COMBINATION OF STEM COURSES REQUESTED

• WHETHER LEP-BENCHMARK COURSES ARE OUTSTANDING

• STUDENT’S FLEXIBILITY TO REPRIORITIZE COURSES IN GRAD PLAN (this includes leveraging options available during the UMD Summer or Winter Sessions)

• ACADEMIC STANDING AND PERFORMANCE

Students are responsible for filing their request with the College of CMNS to process the petition, and the College ultimately rules on the exception.

Students who have received a note of objection from the Biological Sciences Program may still submit their request to the College using the petition form on their website. Students retain the option to appeal a request that has been denied by the College, but may only appeal once.

• Refer to this webpage to access the petition form for credit overload. See under Request for High Credit Load.

A registration appointment is the scheduled date and time that Testudo will allow a specific student to register for courses—provided all outstanding registration blocks have been cleared.

Check Appointment and Registration Status to see the day and time you can first register and view any registration blocks that need to be resolved before you can register.

Using the Appointment and Registration Status app, you can view all registration blocks at one time. Whereas, if you wait until you register, the Registration (Drop/Add) app only displays one block at a time, which must be cleared to continue registration.

Your registration appointment is not the same as mandatory advising. Mandatory advising must be satisfied before students can register for courses on their registration appointment. See under Mandatory Advising on bsci.umd.edu/advising for more information.

Current and newly admitted students are matched with an academic advisor in either October or March during their first Fall or Spring semester in Biological Sciences.

If you have yet to be matched with an academic advisor from Biological Sciences Program, then you may email specific questions to bscique@umd.edu until you are matched to an advisor in either October (Fall admit) or March (Spring admit).

Students may log in to TerpEngage—Maryland’s central advising portal—to review their matched advisor under Success Team.

If you are a new student who has yet to be matched with an academic advisor from Biological Sciences Program, then you may email specific questions to bscique@umd.edu until you are matched to an advisor in either October (Fall admit) or March (Spring admit).

Students can expect a response within 1-3 business days (or less) for questions sent to their academic advisor by email. Faculty and staff are not expected to work and respond to student emails during the weekend or during University-recognized holidays or breaks.

If it has been longer than 3 business days and a student is without a response, then they shall:

1. Send their academic advisor another message (a follow-up in the same thread) to raise the query in their Inbox.

2. If the student is still without a response after the second attempt, then they may email the undergraduate director of the advisor’s department for assistance. Refer to the Biological Sciences Directory to find the appropriate undergraduate director to contact.

Students will submit a rough grad plan for Biological Sciences that their academic advisor will proofread ahead of mandatory advising.

Rough grad plans must be on the CMNS College template, which is sought by meeting with a CMNS Peer Mentor. For instructions, get started on bsci.umd.edu/gradplan.

Academic advisors will confirm how students can submit their rough grad plan ahead of the appointment scheduling for mandatory advising.

Academic advisors document whether students’ rough grad plans are responsible or must be revised during mandatory advising.

Students can connect with their academic advisor about their grad plan by email whenever mandatory advising for the semester has already been completed. See the Biological Sciences Directory for contact information.

Students are delivered a list of courses they are expected to register for after mandatory advising is completed.

This list accounts for an appropriately balanced course load and registration that follows University policy, expectations for responsible grad planning, and timely completion of the LEP-Benchmark Requirements for Biological Sciences—which students must complete on time in order to remain in the major.

Official midterm grades and LEP-Benchmark Requirements are discussed during mandatory advising.

Official midterm grades are submitted by most instructors during the semester. Students can review their official midterm grades under Grades in Testudo. Mind that non-letter grades such as S stand for Satisfactory (passing), and U stands for Unsatisfactory (not passing).

If a student earns a midterm grade of U or below C-, then they are expected to report to their instructors’ office hours for learning enrichment. Come prepared and bring specific questions about course topics for discussion.

ALL STUDENTS WHO

• are still completing the degree’s basic program

• have a GPA below 2.5

• are UMD athletes

• or are in their first semester matched to a faculty advisor

Must report to mandatory advising before they can register for courses.

The mandatory advising requirement can be waived for students who do not meet this criteria, but students are encouraged to connect with their academic advisor whenever they cannot find answers to specific questions on BSCIweb. Students must refer to notes sent by their academic advisor in either TerpMail or TerpEngage to confirm whether advising for the semester is mandatory.

After mandatory advising for Biological Sciences has been satisfied, a registration block is removed from the student’s account on Testudo, allowing them to register for courses during their University-assigned registration appointment.

The methods that academic advisors use to schedule appointments vary. If TerpEngage shows your academic advisor as Not Available, this means that either:

Your academic advisor has yet to set up appointment scheduling on TerpEngage.

OR

Your academic advisor schedules appointments using a platform that is not TerpEngage.

Refer to any messages delivered by your academic advisor via TerpEngage Advising Note or TerpMail to learn what to expect for Biological Sciences advising.

If you have yet to be contacted by your academic advisor for the current semester and your registration appointment is incoming, then you may email them directly for next steps to satisfy mandatory advising.

Go to Biological Sciences Directory for contact information.

On select dates, students enrolled in Biological Sciences can meet with an academic advisor for 15-minute drop-in advising during the Fall and Springschedule adjustment period at

1210 BIOLOGY LOUNGE in the BIOLOGY-PSYCHOLOGY BUILDING (BPS)

After the schedule adjustment period has ended, students must email their matched academic advisor for assistance.

If you are a current student who has yet to be matched with an academic advisor and cannot attend a drop-in session, please email your question to bscique@umd.edu.

For more information about 15-minute drop-in advising, go to bsci.umd.edu/advising

Students are first matched with a professional staff advisor while working on the major’s basic program (typically first-years and sophomores), and are later rematched to a faculty advisor based on their declared major specialization and as they begin to register for upper-level courses in the advanced program.

Current and future students can get started on bsci.umd.edu/gradplan

When students’ registration generally follows the Model Grad Plan (MGP) for their specialization, then yes—the course loads in their grad plan are balanced and responsible. Students are best prepared to pass their courses the first time by using the pathways illustrated in the MGPs.

Biological Sciences is a 4-year program for almost all direct-admit freshmen.

Students who have several instances of STEM prior learning credit (BSCI, CHEM, MATH and/or PHYS) may submit a 3.5 year plan to their academic advisor for review.

Other accelerated grad plans must include STEM courses during the Summer or Winter sessions to maintain a balanced course load in the Fall and Spring. Go to bsci.umd.edu/exst for more information.

Grad plans are not responsible when:

• there is registration more than two labs a semester

• (or) the number of STEM credits per semester exceeds what is outlined in the Model Grad Plan (MGP)

This kind of registration is called a STEM overload, and the potential consequences can be serious.

STEM overloads can cause students to:

• Fail and repeat courses

• Earn lower final grades

• Lower their in-Major and Cumulative GPA

• (or) Fail to meet the major’s LEP-Benchmark Requirements on time

• Students who do not meet LEP-Benchmark Requirements on time become eligible for dismissal from the Biological Sciences Program

The Biological Sciences Program does not approve STEM overloads for students.

Some academic requirements such as course pre-requisites, the University’s repeat policy, and the College’s maximum credit limit will block students from executing a grad plan that is not responsible in Testudo.

Students are ultimately responsible for their course selections, academic workload, and degree progress.

Students bear the risk and responsibility of their decisions. Any registration or grad plan that is not balanced or responsible will be documented during academic advising. A student’s confidence with academic risk does not change the revisions or warnings documented.

Peer mentors are fellow students. They are not academic advisors for Biological Sciences Program.

Academic advisors document whether students’ rough grad plans are responsible or must be revised during advising. If revisions were instructed by the program for a student’s grad plan, then peer mentors shall revise the grad plan to match the revisions shared.

Biological Sciences students who are interested in the health professions are prepared to attempt the MCAT or DAT exam when it is typically taken–during the late Spring or early Summer of their junior year—by following the Model Grad Plan (MGP) for their specialization.

Students must refer to the Health Profession’s Advising Office (H‍PAO) and their website for a list of required courses based on pre-health track. Students will continue to work with HPAO to assess the outstanding requirements and admissions metrics for different professional schools in the health professions.

Biological Sciences Program will ensure that all students are prepared to maintain a balanced course load, to meet the major’s LEP-Benchmark Requirements on time, and to earn their degree. The program’s Expectations for responsible grad planning are the same for all students, including those who are pre-health.

Some students on specific pre-health tracks (such as pre-pa or dentistry) can expect to register for select courses during the Summer or Winter sessions so as to incorporate additional non-major labs with the standard degree requirements for Biological Sciences—all while maintaining a balanced course load in every semester.

Students may take a Summer or Winter course for any number of reasons, including the following:

• to repeat a course that was not passed the first time

• to complete LEP-Benchmark Requirements on time

• to accelerate to an earlier graduation (when attempting select STEM requirements)

• to remain on track for graduation whenever behind in the program

• to make progress while at part-time status, enrolled in less than 12 credits during the Fall or Spring

• to incorporate non-major labs required for some health professions such as BSCI201, 202, or 223

• to maintain a balanced course load in the Fall and Spring semesters (prevent a STEM overload)

• to complete a study abroad experience

For more information, students may discuss Summer or Winter coursework and eligible graduation date with their academic advisor for Biological Sciences. Instructions for how to register during Summer or Winter are on bsci.umd.edu/exst

Before a study abroad experience can be thoughtfully incorporated into a grad plan, students must meet with a study abroad advisor to assess which programs they are eligible for based on:

• what the student would like to gain from a study abroad experience

• (and) the specific degree requirements the student can prioritize while studying abroad

In any event, interrupting the completion of LEP-Benchmark Requirements is strongly discouraged.

Biological Sciences students are encouraged to explore study aboard experiences that are offered during the summer and winter sessions, so that consistent progress can be made across all degree requirements without interruption.

After a student has identified the specific study abroad program that they plan to enroll in, they are then prepared to incorporate the experience into their grad plan thoughtfully.

MATH120, MATH121, MATH220, or MATH221 do not count towards the Biological Sciences degree. The following course combinations can satisfy the lower-level math requirement:

• MATH135 [Discrete Math] and MATH136 [Calculus for Life Sciences]. This is the preferred sequence for students who do not have MATH140 and MATH141

• MATH140 [Calculus I] and MATH141 [Calculus II]

• MATH140 and MATH135

• MATH130 [Calculus I for Life Sciences] and MATH131 [Calculus II for Life Sciences] (both courses are discontinued)

• MATH130 and MATH135, for students who took MATH130 before it was discontinued, but have not completed MATH131

The PHYS131/132 requirement is effective Fall 2013. PHYS121/122 are not accepted for the Biological Sciences Program.

Students who:

• study abroad for a Fall or Spring semester

• were away from the University (complete withdrawal / leave of absence)

• (or) were direct-admit freshman who placed into developmental math (MATH003, MATH013, MATH115) before their first semester

—may be eligible for an extension to their benchmark reviews. The final decision is subject to the College’s review. Contact the Office of Student Services for more information at cmnsque@umd.edu.

Degree requirements that were attempted at UMD must be completed at UMD.*

APPLICABLE TO MAJOR BSCI, CHEM, MATH, PHYS, and BCHM COURSES:

* Requests for Permission to Enroll (PTE) at another institution are processed and ultimately decided by the College of CMNS, not the Biological Sciences Program.

CMNS PTE POLICY #4 - Requests to repeat a course at another institution once it has been attempted at UMD will be automatically denied. If a student wishes to do this, then they may email the Office of Student Services at cmnsque@umd.edu to request an appeal form.

The appeal form does not guarantee permission to enroll.

To help freshmen and transfer students adjust to the University of Maryland, College Park, the following two exceptions allow for the cumulative GPA to be calculated so that only the higher grade is included:

When the repeated course was taken within the student's first semester at the University of Maryland, College Park

OR

When the repeated course was taken within the student's first 24 credit hours attempted (including transfer credits earned after high school) or within the semester during which the student reached the 24th credit hour attempted. Advanced Placement (AP) Exam credits do not count toward the 24-credit count. Read more under the section titled New Student Provision on this University Policies webpage.

All attempts of a course that was repeated [and the letter grade(s) earned] would remain on the student’s transcript.

If a benchmark course has not been completed with at least a C-, and the academic requirements cannot be met by the deadlines posted through Fall or Spring registration, then the student may need to register for a repeat during the Winter or Summer Session to meet the benchmark requirements on time.

Course offerings, times, and modality vary by term and year. Students are encouraged to discuss possible registration during the Summer or Winter sessions with their academic advisor.