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Weill Medical College of Cornell University · Courses

BIOG

43 courses with the subject BIOG, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.

BIOG 1009Prefreshman Summer Program Biology2
Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
2
Credits (max)
2
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1044Academic Support for BIOG 1440: Physiology1

This course reviews material presented in BIOG 1440 and provides problem-solving strategies and additional practice with material. BIOG 1044 support is recommended for students who want to maximize their understanding of Comparative Physiology and enhance their learning skills. BIOG 1044 is not a substitute for BIOG 1440.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
1
Credit unit
Credit
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1101Introductory Biology I4

Biology I and Biology II are a two-semester course sequence designed to consolidate major biological concepts and practices offered in a setting that includes both lecture and lab in each semester. Biology I, offered in fall semester, focuses on biochemistry and cell biology with topics on biologically important molecules, enzyme kinetics, cellular metabolism and regulation, cell theory, cell structure and function, cell signaling, and introduction to genetics. The laboratory component connects the concepts with hands-on experiments using modern wet-lab technology with additional emphasis on research competency that focuses on the scientific method, experimental design, statistical testing, scientific writing, and information literacy.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
4
Credits (max)
4
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1102Introductory Biology II4

Biology I and Biology II are a two-semester course sequence designed to consolidate major biological concepts and practices offered in a setting that includes both lecture and lab in each semester. Biology II, offered in the spring semester focuses on nucleic acid structure and function, gene expression and regulation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, biotechnology, population genetics, systematics and biodiversity, population biology and demography. The laboratory component connects the concepts with hands-on experiments using modern wet-lab technology and bioinformatics. The coverage of research competency continues from Biology I with the development of research poster and poster presentation and the emphasis of ethical behavior in research.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
4
Credits (max)
4
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1111Paths to Success in the Biological Sciences Major1

This course is for first-year students entering or intending to enter the Biological Sciences major in either the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) or College of Arts & Sciences. This course will empower you to find your purpose as part of a diverse and inclusive global community of learners and focuses on facilitating your transition to college life, developing your academic identity, and making your time at Cornell a meaningful experience. You will develop a learning community, identify your support network, and explore what Cornell offers to you as a first-year student. We will work with you to develop skills for balancing academic success with extracurricular and interpersonal activities during your time in the major.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
1
Credit unit
Credit
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1130Topics in Introductory Biology3-4

Topics in Introductory Biology is intended to encompass a range of non-majors level introductory biology courses offered through the Cornell Prison Education Program. The topics of individual offerings potentially cover the breadth of biology from cell and molecular biology to ecology, or genetics through evolution.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
4
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1140Foundations of Biology4

The course offers an introduction to biology at the cell and molecular levels, including cell function, energetics, Mendelian genetics, molecular genetics, DNA technology and evolution. The emphasis is on key concepts that underlie living systems, rather than a myriad of unrelated facts. This is a lecture course with an integrated discussion section in which active learning and student engagement activities further emphasize the key concepts with compelling examples from living systems. Designed to meet the biology requirements of science students who need to fulfill the distribution requirement in CALS and Human Ecology. It does not meet the requirement for the premedical or prevet program nor the major in biological science. It, along with courses in the core major program, may be used to fulfill the Arts and Sciences distribution requirement. There is no laboratory for this course. Students that require a biology laboratory experience as part of their requirements should enroll in BIOG 1500 .This course is suitable for life sciences majors.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
4
Credits (max)
4
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1180Ethics in Life Sciences3

Ethical issues invariably arise when conducting research in, and generally thinking about, the life sciences. How should human and animal cells be used and when? What harms, risks and benefits might be associated with advances being made in synthetic biology or in the genetic modification of organisms? How does our understanding of microbiome alter our notions of an individual or of a disease? Does the environment have value only insofar as it contributes to humans ends, or does it have value in itself? How much empirical evidence is sufficient before drawing a conclusion? Does what we learn in science change the nature of our ethical frameworks? This course considers these issues and others. In doing so, we'll examine some ethical theory and some recent scientific research in order to survey the scope of topics at the intersection of ethics and the life sciences.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1190Introduction to General Biology3

This course provides students with the necessary foundational knowledge and skills to continue studies in general biology in the pre-medical curriculum of the six-year medical program. Students will have the necessary biological language ability to enter the six-year medical program including reading and comprehending a college text, summarizing text material and identifying key concepts. Through the study of basic cellular level process, students can advance to organism and population level study. This course is suitable for life sciences majors.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1191Introduction to Human Biology3

This course enables students to apply fundamental knowledge of general biology for higher level learning and critical thinking relating to human biology. The course will provide a basic understanding of particular human organ systems, their structure and function. It will also foster an understanding of the interaction between organ system function, and the maintenance of health. Lab dissections will provide students with the opportunity to improve manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination. This course is suitable for life sciences majors.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1200Biology Scholars Program First-year Seminar1

This course is designed to help first-year biological sciences majors make the transition to Cornell's science courses, give exposure to career options in research and medicine, provide opportunities to meet and network with faculty, and to facilitate students' pursuit of research on campus.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
1
Credit unit
Credit
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1250Biology Seminar1-2

A first-year seminar that provides an opportunity for students to participate in a small group, interactive course with a biologist. Students will develop critical thinking skills by exploring topics in the biological sciences (review at least one scientific paper). Multiple topics and sections will be offered each semester.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
2
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1440Introductory Biology: Comparative Physiology3

An introductory physiology course intended for first-year and sophomore biological sciences majors and other students majoring in life sciences. The course integrates physiology from the cell to the organism with comparisons among animals, plants and microbes. Emphasis is on understanding of basic physiological concepts, stressing structure-function relationships and underlying physio-chemical mechanisms.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1445Introduction to Comparative Anatomy and Physiology, Individualized Instruction3

This course is an introductory comparative anatomy and physiology course designed primarily for first- and second-year life science students. The course focuses on the understanding of how different biological organisms (animals, plants, microbes, fungi) perform common physiological functions, focusing on relationship between structure and function and environmental adaptations. The course is based on individualized instruction and offers flexibility in scheduling. Completion of the course requires mastery of a set of core units. Four formal laboratory sessions are offered with additional laboratory work incorporated into the core units.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1470CURE: Research Experience in Animal Physiology2

This course introduces the process of biological research to biological sciences majors. Students will learn how to design, perform, and report original research with guidance along each step. The research will focus on cardiopulmonary function. Students will meet weekly and be presented with issues in research and apply that information in the lab executing experiments.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
2
Credits (max)
2
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1500Investigative Biology Laboratory2

This course is designed to provide lab experience with an emphasis on the processes of scientific investigation and to promote collaboration, communication, and literacy in science. This lab course aims to teach skills, especially critical thinking and problem solving, that students can apply in research laboratories at Cornell and after graduation. These skills go far beyond learning how to use laboratory equipment. The course introduces students to a laboratory research environment, teamwork, hypothesis formation, experimental design, statistics, and research ethics. Students gain information and science literacy skills and practice many forms of science communication, from presentations to proposal writing and scientific poster preparation. Students first fill their scientific toolbox and then develop the capacity to solve increasingly challenging problems more independently.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
2
Credits (max)
2
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 1990Exploring Research in Biological Sciences1

Students will learn about the research process, explore their research interests, discover how to find and apply for research positions, receive feedback on their application materials, and discuss how to continue developing as a researcher once they secure a position. This course is designed for students with no previous research experience or with limited experience and who would like to get involved in research during the summer or upcoming academic year.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
1
Credit unit
Credit
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 2000Special Studies in Biology1-6

Registration device for students who want to take only a portion of a regular biological sciences course-for example, only the lectures or only the laboratory in a course that includes both. Only students who have already had training equivalent to the portion of the regular course that is to be omitted may register in this manner. This course may not be used to fulfill college distribution requirements except by permission from the Office of Undergraduate Biology.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
6
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 2010Physiology and Underlying Physics Foundations4

This course is an integration of human physiology and the underlying physics concepts. Lectures will cover basic physics concepts associated with physiology or medical application as well as the physiology underlying the human nervous, skeletomuscular and cardiovascular systems. Recitation sessions will support the lecture material with application of the principles covered. Practical classes will cover both the physics and physiological principles as they relate to the systems studied with an emphasis on application to medical practice. By the end of this course students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between physics, anatomy and physiological functions.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
4
Credits (max)
4
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 2011Physiology and Immunology3

This course follows on from BIOG 2010 (Physiology and Physics) last semester in further developing the students understanding of organ system Physiology. The organ systems covered will be the pulmonary, gastro-intestinal, renal, endocrine and reproductive. Students will also be introduced to the human immune system. This includes an introduction to the cells, molecules and tissues that comprise the immune system and the ways these components participate in immune responses to infectious microorganisms in the human. Tutorials will emphasize the clinical aspect of the organ systems as well as their response to immunological disruption.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 2020Human Development and Structure3

This course will use a systems approach to study human structure, embedding medical terminology throughout. Each system will be examined in terms of early development, histology, functional anatomy, and evolutionary history. It will serve as a sister course to Physiology 1, and Physiology 2 so will be closely coordinated with them. Tutorials will be used to emphasize these connections and to introduce pathology. Systems covered will include: nervous system, endocrine system, integumentary system, skeletal system, muscular system, respiratory system, circulatory system, digestive system, reproductive system, and urinary system.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 2025Blood Biology and Pathophysiology3

This course is designed to explore human blood biology and pathophysiology at an introductory level. It's aimed for students who wish to pursue careers in biological or medical sciences as either researchers or clinical practitioners. The course is offered in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University - Qatar. Aims of the course: a) to explore the nature and function of blood and hematopoietic organs that participate in the generation, maturation and function of blood cells b) to develop a basic knowledge of the processes of hemostasis and transfusion medicine, its impact on different diseases and medical management, and the fundamentals of hematopoietic stem cell transplant. The course focusses on underlying biological mechanisms that sustain homeostasis, events that lead to different pathologic processes, and the rationale of current targeted therapies in precision medicine. It will provide a theoretical basis of knowledge supplemented by an introductory practice of commonly used laboratory tests to assess blood-related diseases.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 2045Introduction to Human Genetics2

This undergraduate course focuses on fundamental principles of Mendelian inheritance, applied to the genetic characterization of human diseases. The topics covered include patterns of inheritance for Mendelian human traits, mapping and identification of gene variants and mutations in humans. Elements of cancer genetics, as well as some general principles of genetic testing and counseling are discussed. Aims of the course a) to explore fundamental concepts of inheritance (i.e. structure and function of the genetic material, basic Mendelian genetics principles, mitotic and meiotic cell divisions, control of the cell cycle phases) b) to develop a basic knowledge of Mendelian modes of inheritance in humans, Mutation, Variation in humans and genetic testing, Chromosomal basis of human disease, and Cancer genetics.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
2
Credits (max)
2
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 2200Biology Scholars Program Sophomore Seminar1

The first half of the semester will focus on interpreting and evaluating scientific literature. Students will do group presentations on a primary research or review paper. The second half will cover careers in science, personal and professional development, on-campus research, and summer opportunities.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
1
Credit unit
Credit
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 2400Developing a Reflective Study Group Leader Practice2

Students will complete readings and view online media on teaching and learning, create and critique lesson plans, and participate in regular discussions with other SGLs. Each week SGLs will reflect on their group meetings through both writing and discussion, and review challenges and successes during trainings. The SGL position is a year-long commitment; members will enroll in BIOG 2401 in the spring. Topics covered in BIOG 2400 and 2401 include leading effective groups, cognitive taxonomy, motivation techniques, facilitating discussion, learning styles, growth mindset, metacognition, resilience, community building, and supporting students from diverse backgrounds.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
2
Credits (max)
2
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 2401Developing a Reflective Study Group Leader Practice II2-3

Students will complete readings and view online media on teaching and learning, create and critique lesson plans, and participate in regular discussions with other SGLs. Each week SGLs will reflect on their group meetings through both writing and discussion, and review challenges and successes during trainings. The SGL position is a year-long commitment; members will enroll in BIOG 2401 in the spring. Topics covered in BIOG 2400 and 2401 include leading effective groups, cognitive taxonomy, motivation techniques, facilitating discussion, learning styles, growth mindset, metacognition, resilience, community building, and supporting students from diverse backgrounds.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
2
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 2990Introduction to Research Methods in Biology1-3

Intended for students who are new to undergraduate research. Students enrolled in BIOG 2990 may be reading scientific literature, learning research techniques, or assisting with ongoing research. The faculty supervisor determines the work goals and the form of the final report. Any Cornell faculty member whose research field is biological in nature may serve as a supervisor for this course. Non-Cornell supervisors are not acceptable.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 3000Capstone Lab Experience2

This course is offered to students studying at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar. Advanced Lab provides an introduction to some key concepts integral to the study of medicine. The course affords students an opportunity to learn, apply, integrate, and demonstrate the knowledge and skills of biology, biochemistry, and chemistry. Students are required to complete one 3-week exercise in each of three course themes. These offered may vary due to availability of faculty.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
2
Credits (max)
2
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 3345Principles of Biochemistry: Structure and Function of Biomolecules3

This course provides an overview of the main aspects of biochemistry and relates molecular interactions to their effects on the organism as a whole, especially as related to human biology. The organization of macromolecules is addressed through a discussion of their hierarchical structure and a study of their assembly into complexes responsible for specific biological processes. The overall goal of this course is to impart basic knowledge of biomolecular structure and function and to familiarize students with fundamental biochemical concepts and techniques.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 3500Introduction to Applied Science Communication: Digital Platforms and Public Engagement3

Do you want to use digital platforms to reach your audience and communicate science beyond conference seminars, posters and journal articles? You need a science communication strategy! Sharing scientific discoveries is a skill that all scholars should have. In this course you will learn from librarians, local science cafe curators, podcast producers and from scientists and communication professionals how to build an audience using digital platforms. Fill your science communication tool box, learn how to engage a non-scientist audience through storytelling using videos, podcasts, Wikipedia editing, public science events, social media platforms, blogging and press release writing. Work in groups to apply your skills to a topic of your own research interest. An Engaged Cornell grant will support students' participation in a local science cafe.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 3995Course Based Undergraduate Research in Biology2-4

Students in this course will collaborate on current research projects in the laboratories of faculty in various areas of biological sciences. Students will be part of a faculty-led cohort who will pursue hypothesis driven science using laboratory techniques that depend on the faculty member’s area of expertise. This course is structured to provide students with lab safety training, background for the research project, the rationale for the hypothesis, instruction on instrumentation, techniques and experimental design, and hands-on application of a set of laboratory techniques and data analysis tools to test the hypothesis. Students will reflect on their research experience by keeping a detailed laboratory notebook and communicating their results in both oral and written form. This is a course-based faculty-led research experience, not an independent study.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
2
Credits (max)
4
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 4000Undergraduate Seminar in Biology2

Specialized seminars on topics of interest to undergraduates studying at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
2
Credits (max)
2
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 4001Undergraduate Seminar in Biology 21
Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
1
Credit unit
Credit
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 4002Neuroscience Seminar2

A lecture course introducing the fundamentals of neurophysiology, neurochemistry, cellular neurobiology, neuroanatomy, and sensory and motor systems.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
2
Credits (max)
2
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 4003Immunology Seminar2
Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
2
Credits (max)
2
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 4150Philosophy of Biology3

What is an organism, or a functional trait? Does biology have laws of nature like those we find in physics? Can biological phenomena be reduced to a lower-level of explanation? Are species natural kinds, or mere convention for biological practice? Does natural selection cause evolution, at what levels of biological organization does it occur, and how might it be defined? Is fitness an incoherent, tautological notion or a propensity? Is there such a thing as human nature? In this course, we’ll address questions like these and others as an introduction to the subfield known as “philosophy of biology”. In doing so we’ll examine some of biology’s philosophical underpinnings, while also exploring how philosophical questions can be informed both by theoretical and empirical biological research.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 4970Independent Study in Biology1-3

This course is designed for a student to study a problem or topic not covered in a regular course or undertake tutorial study of an independent nature in an area of interest in Biology, under the supervision of a faculty member in any biology department that does not have its own Independent Study course, i.e., Animal Physiology, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology & Genetics, Neurobiology & Behavior. The student's academic advisor must approve the course for it to be used to satisfy a Biological Sciences concentration requirement. Students must register using the CALS Special Studies form available online.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 4980Teaching Experience1-4

Designed to give qualified undergraduate students teaching experience through actual involvement in planning and assisting in biology courses. This experience may include supervised participation in a discussion group, assisting in a biology laboratory, assisting in field biology, or tutoring.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
4
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 4990Independent Undergraduate Research in Biology1-8

For students with previous undergraduate experience conducting biological research at Cornell. Students enrolled for this credit should be doing independent work on their own project. Any Cornell faculty member whose research field is biological in nature may serve as supervisor for this course. Non-Cornell supervisors are not acceptable.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
8
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 4997Biological Sciences Practical Training0.25

This independent study course offers students in the Biological Sciences major an opportunity to reflect on professional and personal growth, challenges, and opportunities resulting from a recent internship or training experience. International students should contact the Office of Global Learning to determine if they need work authorization. Typically, these internships/experiences take place in the summer and students, in the semester they return to campus, write a paper describing their work experience and how it connects to their personal educational and career goals as well as the learning objectives of the Biological Sciences major. The value of the course is in the deep reflection on expectations, successes, challenges and skills and knowledge gained during the internship.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
0.25
Credits (max)
0.25
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 4999Senior Honors Thesis1

This course supports students in designing, carrying out, and communicating an independent research project using appropriate scientific methods and professional communication practices. To enroll, students must have completed at least one semester of research in a faculty advisor’s laboratory and must have submitted a research proposal during the previous spring semester that outlines the project’s objectives, background and significance, proposed or current methods, and anticipated timeline. The course provides structured support for refining research proposals in collaboration with both the Honors instructor and the student’s research advisor. Students will develop competencies in organizing data, selecting and applying appropriate analytical tools, interpreting results, and using data visualization techniques to convey complex findings clearly and effectively.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
1
Credit unit
Credit
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 6150Philosophy of Biology3

What is an organism, or a functional trait? Does biology have laws of nature like those we find in physics? Can biological phenomena be reduced to a lower-level of explanation? Are species natural kinds, or mere convention for biological practice? Does natural selection cause evolution, at what levels of biological organization does it occur, and how might it be defined? Is fitness an incoherent, tautological notion or a propensity? Is there such a thing as human nature? In this course, we’ll address questions like these and others as an introduction to the subfield known as “philosophy of biology”. In doing so we’ll examine some of biology’s philosophical underpinnings, while also exploring how philosophical questions can be informed both by theoretical and empirical biological research.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu
BIOG 6500Pedagogy, Active Learning, and Education Research Training in the Biology1

This course is designed for the graduate student instructors who are interested in teaching in the biological sciences. This course provides transferable pedagogical skills, focusing on discipline-based education research, active learning, undergraduate TA mentoring, metacognition and best teaching practices in biology courses. The course is taught by the Investigative Biology Teaching Laboratories director and educational postdoctoral fellows. Graduate students receive the reading materials (books and journal articles) in advance, and are expected to lead discussions about their chosen topics. Each session will include guided reflections to help instructors connect their own teaching experiences to that week's topic in education research. By the end of the semester students will become familiar with education research, receive training in modern pedagogical methods and will be able to practice their newly gained skills in the courses they teach. They will walk away with a peer-reviewed statement of teaching philosophy that can be used in their teaching portfolios. This course is intended to provide formal training in pedagogy and education research to the graduate student instructors in biology courses, and help them develop a professional teaching portfolio in addition to their teaching experience.

Subject
BIOG
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
1
Credit unit
Credit
Type
course
Edition
2026-2027
Catalog
2026-2027 Catalog
Source
catalog.cornell.edu

Source: Weill Medical College of Cornell University's catalog, linked per course · table learning_unit · CourseShelf publish 61