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Academic Catalog 2023-2024

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Biology and Political Science, BS

2023-2024 Edition

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In the BS biology and political science program, science courses lay the groundwork for strong basic training in mathematics, chemistry, and physics that are relevant to biology. In biology courses, students broadly explore the organization and processes of life—from molecules and cells through organs and organ systems to populations, ecosystems, and evolution. In political science courses, students pursue core concepts of American government, comparative politics, international relations and political thought. Coursework in quantitative techniques is also required. Students choose from a range of advanced subject electives. An appreciation of the intersection of biology and political science is provided through advanced courses in science, technology and public policy, and in environmental politics and policy.

Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.

Universitywide Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.

NUpath Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.

Biology Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Introduction to College
BIOL 1000Biology at Northeastern1
or POLS 1000 Political Science at Northeastern
Biology
Foundations
BIOL 1107
and BIOL 1108
Foundations of Biology
and Lab for BIOL 1107
5
Inquiries
BIOL 2299Inquiries in Biological Sciences4
Genetics
BIOL 2301
and BIOL 2302
Genetics and Molecular Biology
and Lab for BIOL 2301
5
Project Lab
BIOL 2309Biology Project Lab4
Biochemistry
BIOL 3611
and BIOL 3612
Biochemistry
and Lab for BIOL 3611
5
Intermediate/Advanced Biology
Complete one of the following:4-5
BIOL 2327 to BIOL 3999
BIOL 4705 to BIOL 5999
Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Elective
Complete one of the following:4-5
BIOL 2327
Human Parasitology
BIOL 3401
Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
BIOL 3413
Current Topics in Organismal and Population Biology
EEMB 2302
and EEMB 2303
Ecology
and Lab for EEMB 2302
EEMB 2400
Introduction to Evolution
EEMB 2700
and EEMB 2701
Marine Biology
and Lab for EEMB 2700
EEMB 3460
Conservation Biology
EEMB 3466
Disease Ecology
EEMB 3600
Animal Behavior
Mathematics
MATH 1341Calculus 1 for Science and Engineering4
Chemistry
General Chemistry
CHEM 1161
and CHEM 1162
and CHEM 1163
General Chemistry for Science Majors
and Lab for CHEM 1161
and Recitation for CHEM 1161
5
Organic Chemistry
CHEM 2311
and CHEM 2312
Organic Chemistry 1
and Lab for CHEM 2311
5
CHEM 2313
and CHEM 2314
Organic Chemistry 2
and Lab for CHEM 2313
5
Physics
PHYS 1145
and PHYS 1146
Physics for Life Sciences 1
and Lab for PHYS 1145
5
PHYS 1147
and PHYS 1148
Physics for Life Sciences 2
and Lab for PHYS 1147
5

Political Science Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Core Courses in Political Science
POLS 1150American Government4
POLS 1155Comparative Politics4
POLS 1160International Relations4
Statistics
Complete one of the following:4-5
POLS 2400
Quantitative Techniques
ENVR 2500
and ENVR 2501
Biostatistics
and Lab for ENVR 2500
Political Thought
Complete one of the following:4
POLS 2325
Ancient Philosophy and Political Thought
POLS 2328
Modern Political Thought
POLS 2330
American Political Thought
POLS 2332
Contemporary Political Thought
Political Science Electives
Complete five POLS courses 2000 and above.20

Political Science Concentration (Optional)

If you are working toward one of the following concentrations, declare it with your advisor so that it may be added to your record. 

  • American Political Institutions
  • Campaigns and Elections
  • Comparative Politics
  • Identity, Culture, and Politics
  • International Relations and Diplomacy
  • Law and Legal Studies
  • Public Policy
  • Security Studies

Integrative Requirement and Capstone

Note: Science, Technology, and Public Policy (POLS 2390) and Environmental Politics and Policy (POLS 2395) cannot be used both as an integrative course and as an elective above.

Course List
Code Title Hours
Integrative Requirement
POLS 2390Science, Technology, and Public Policy4
or POLS 2395 Environmental Politics and Policy
Capstone
Complete one of the following to fulfill capstone requirement:1-4
BIOL 4701
Biology Capstone
BIOL 4900
Biology Research Capstone (concurrent with BIOL 4991 or 4994, which may be used toward Intermediate/Advanced Biology)
BIOL 4971
Junior/Senior Honors Project 2
POLS 4701
Political Science Senior Capstone

Program Requirement

136 total semester hours required

 

Concentration in American Political Institutions

Course List
Code Title Hours
Complete four of the following:16
POLS 2350
State and Local Politics
POLS 3300
The U.S. Congress
POLS 3302
Judicial Process and Behavior
POLS 3307
Public Policy and Administration
POLS 3310
Public Opinion, Voting, and Elections
POLS 3160
Campaign Strategy

 

Concentration in Campaigns and Elections

Course List
Code Title Hours
Required Courses
POLS 3160Campaign Strategy4
POLS 3302Judicial Process and Behavior4
Campaigns and Elections Electives
Complete two of the following:8
POLS 2345
Urban Policies and Politics
POLS 2350
State and Local Politics
POLS 3162
Local Campaigns and Elections
POLS 3310
Public Opinion, Voting, and Elections
POLS 3320
Politics and Mass Media

 

Concentration in Comparative Politics

Course List
Code Title Hours
Theoretical Requirement
Complete two of the following:8
POLS 2282
The Holocaust and Comparative Genocide
POLS 2356
Democratic Erosion
POLS 2359
Immigration Politics
POLS 2370
Religion and Politics
POLS 3418
Nationalism
POLS 3430
Revolution, Civil War, and Insurrection
POLS 3487
Politics of Developing Nations
Regional Requirements
Complete one of the following:4
POLS 3435
Politics and Governance of Europe and the European Union
POLS 3465
Government and Politics in the Middle East
Experiential/Practicum Requirement
Complete one of the following:4
POLS 4915
Model Arab League
POLS 4918
Model NATO
POLS 4937
Dialogue of Civilizations: Government and Politics Abroad

 

Concentration in Identity, Culture, and Politics 

Course List
Code Title Hours
Core Course
POLS 3418Nationalism4
Electives
Complete three of the following:12
POLS 2359
Immigration Politics
POLS 2368
Music and Politics in America and Abroad
POLS 2370
Religion and Politics
POLS 3309
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Public Policy
POLS 3324
Law and Society

Concentration in International Relations and Diplomacy

Course List
Code Title Hours
Experiential/Practicum Requirement
Complete one of the following:4
POLS 4910
Model United Nations
POLS 4915
Model Arab League
POLS 4938
Dialogue of Civilizations: International Politics Abroad
Core Courses
Complete three of the following:12
POLS 3405
International Political Economy
POLS 3406
International Law
POLS 3435
Politics and Governance of Europe and the European Union
POLS 5408
International Security

Concentration in Law and Legal Studies

Course List
Code Title Hours
Complete four of the following:16
POLS 2330
American Political Thought
POLS 3300
The U.S. Congress
POLS 3302
Judicial Process and Behavior
POLS 3323
Race, Inequality, and the Law
or AFAM 3323
Race, Inequality, and the Law
POLS 3324
Law and Society
POLS 3406
International Law
POLS 3409
Global Governance
POLS 4500
U.S. Constitutional Law
POLS 4505
U.S. Civil Liberties

 

Concentration in Public Policy

Course List
Code Title Hours
Core Requirement
POLS 3307Public Policy and Administration4
Electives
Complete three of the following:12
POLS 2340
Business and Government
POLS 2345
Urban Policies and Politics
POLS 2350
State and Local Politics
POLS 2357
Growth and Decline of Cities and Suburbs
POLS 2390
Science, Technology, and Public Policy
POLS 2395
Environmental Politics and Policy
POLS 3425
U.S. Foreign Policy

 

Concentration in Security Studies

Course List
Code Title Hours
Complete four of the following:16
POLS 3420
U.S. National Security Policy
POLS 3423
Terrorism and Counterterrorism
POLS 3425
U.S. Foreign Policy
POLS 3430
Revolution, Civil War, and Insurrection
POLS 3487
Politics of Developing Nations
POLS 5408
International Security

Please note that these are sample plans of study. While the requirements are the same for all students, individual schedules may vary.

Four Years, Two Co-ops in Spring/Summer 1 

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
BIOL 1000 or POLS 10001BIOL 22994BIOL 23014Vacation
BIOL 11074CHEM 23114BIOL 23021 
BIOL 11081CHEM 23121POLS upper-division elective4 
CHEM 11614ENGW 11114  
CHEM 11621POLS 11554  
MATH 13414POLS 11560  
POLS 11504   
 19 17 9 0
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
BIOL 23094Co-op0Co-op0Intermediate/advanced BIOL elective with lab5
CHEM 23134Elective (can be taken online)4 POLS elective4
CHEM 23141   
EESC 20001   
POLS 11604   
IC NUpath elective4   
 18 4 0 9
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
BIOL 36114Co-op0Co-op0Advanced writing4
BIOL 36121  ER NUpath elective4
PHYS 11454   
PHYS 11461   
Organismal and evolutionary biology elective4   
Political thought elective4   
 18 0 0 8
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHours  
PHYS 11474ENVR 25004  
PHYS 11481ENVR 25011  
BIOL/POLS integrative course4Capstone4  
DD NUpath elective4POLS elective4  
POLS elective4POLS elective4  
 17 17  
Total Hours: 136

Four Years, Two Co-ops in Summer 2/Fall

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
BIOL 1000 or POLS 10001BIOL 22994BIOL 23014Vacation
BIOL 11074CHEM 23114BIOL 23021 
BIOL 11081CHEM 23121POLS elective4 
CHEM 11614ENGW 11114  
CHEM 11621POLS 11554  
CHEM 11630   
MATH 13414   
POLS 11504   
 19 17 9 0
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
BIOL 23094BIOL 36114Intermediate/advanced BIOL with lab5Co-op0
CHEM 23134BIOL 36121POLS elective4 
CHEM 23141PHYS 11454  
EESC 20001PHYS 11461  
POLS 11604Organismal and evolutionary biology elective4  
IC NUpath elective4Political thought elective4  
 18 18 9 0
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
Co-op0PHYS 11474Advanced writing4Co-op0
General elective (can be taken online)4PHYS 11481ER NUpath elective4 
 BIOL/POLS integrative course4  
 DD NUpath elective4  
 POLS elective4  
 4 17 8 0
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHours  
Co-op0ENVR 25004  
 ENVR 25011  
 Capstone4  
 POLS elective4  
 POLS elective4  
 0 17  
Total Hours: 136
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