The curriculum has been crafted keeping in mind the need for an integrative approach to produce well-rounded graduates prepared for an ever-changing discipline. Through a higher number of required courses compared to curricula at leading international institutions, we ensure sufficient exposure to and appreciation of all areas of the discipline that are inherently interconnected. Importantly, our curriculum is singular in the manner in which it approaches concepts both within and across courses – not linearly or in silos, but from the point of view of framing questions to develop a holistic understanding of a biological process or event. This approach is different from traditional curricula in biology in the sequencing of how critical concepts are introduced to students. Students majoring in the Biological Sciences will work across levels of scale in the classroom and beyond, gaining experience in the laboratory and in the field. For genetic and cytological considerations, the laboratory will provide the site for exploration. For much of ecology, field studies will be critical.

Required classes will expose students to an entire landscape of possibilities both within the discipline and through cross-links with other disciplines ranging from history to computation. Elective courses will cater to specific interests, be they a desire to integrate concepts across scales of the organisation of life, or focus on targeted understanding at a chosen level. Finally, the capstone thesis will allow students to tackle their chosen domain rigorously within the biological sciences, and build skills required to explore questions pertaining to how life works.