How to Declare the Biology Minor

1. You must be declared a major.
2. After your major is declared, contact your major advisor for an updated academic plan. Make sure the plan is completed with classes required for your major, signed by your major advisor and accessible to MCD advising (share with mcdadvising@ucsc.edu)
3. Review the Biology Minor Academic Planning Checklist: Click Here
4. Add the courses for the Biology Minor to your academic plan to demonstrate that you will have time to complete the minor requirements.
5. Pass at least BIOL 20A
6. Petition to declare the Biology Minor in your MyUCSC portal - See Instructions Below

Biology Minor Requirements:

• CHEM 3A: General Chemistry
• CHEM 3B & 3BL: General Chemistry with Lab
• CHEM 3C & 3CL: General Chemistry with Lab
• BIOL 20A: Cell and Molecular Biology
• BIOE 20B: Development and Physiology
• BIOL 20L: Experimental Biology Lab
• CHEM 8A: Organic Chemistry
• CHEM 8B: Organic Chemisry
• BIOL 100: Biochemistry
• BIOL 105: Genetics
• BIOE 107: Ecology
• BIOE 109: Evolution
• 1 Additional Upper Division Elective (Chosen from BIOL or BIOE Courses Numbered 100-181)

Instructions for Petitioning to Declare the Biology Minor

Beginning June 1st, 2022, students can log into MyUCSC and submit the Petition for Major/Minor via MyUCSC (be sure you are logged into your MyUCSC account before clicking the link). 

Another way to access the Petition for Major/Minor via MyUCSC is by logging into your MyUCSC, navigating to the Student Homepage and selecting the Undergraduate Student eForms tile, then Petition of Major/Minor (see screenshots below).

For assistance, please contact the MCD Biology advising team at mcdadvising@ucsc.edu .

Once submitted, petitions are generally reviewed within 10 business days (business days are considered regular working days Monday through Friday).  

Campus Minor Policy: 

• https://registrar.ucsc.edu/navigator/section3/index.html#declaring
• https://advising.ucsc.edu/planning/your-major/double-major.html 
• https://registrar.ucsc.edu/navigator/section3/index.html#doublemajors 

MCD BIO Department Minor Policy: 

• https://catalog.ucsc.edu/Current/General-Catalog/Academic-Units/Physical-and-Biological-Sciences-Division/Molecular-Cell-and-Developmental-Biology/Biology-Minor

NOTE: You must have 25 credits of unique Upper Division course work for the minor and 40 credits of unique Upper Division course work for the major.