Frequently Asked Questions | Undergraduate Biology

How do I find my enrollment appointment date and time?

On SOLAR, go to “Student Records & Registration” > “Enrollment” > “Enrollment Dates." This will provide you with your Registrar-assigned date based on cumulative credits/academic standing.

Here is a Video Walkthrough for finding your enrollment time.

Do I have to take BIO 201, 202, and 203 in sequence?

The three introductory biology lecture courses (i.e., BIO 201, 202, and 203) are not a sequence. The courses can be taken in any order as long as the student meets the pre-/co-requisites for the given course.

Can I take BIO 205 or BIO 207 before BIO 204?

No, the introductory biology laboratory courses (i.e., BIO 204 and 205 or 207) make up a sequence. They must be taken in order.

How do I declare the Biology major/minor/specialization?

To declare a Biology major, minor, or specialization, fill out the Major/Minor Declaration Form on SOLAR. No appointment is necessary. Within 1 week, check your Degree Works Report and SOLAR Unofficial Transcript to ensure that your declared major, minor, and/or specialization has posted.

The Major/Minor Declaration Form is available starting from the date listed in the Academic Calendar.

BIO BS students MUST officially declare a specialization to graduate.

How do I get a Biology course evaluated from another school?

An appointment is not required to request a transfer course evaluation. Please complete the form here.

How do I find courses from other schools that are equivalent to SBU courses?

You can use our Course Equivalency Guide to find transferable courses at other schools that can be applicable to major and general degree requirements at Stony Brook. The direct Stony Brook equivalents will be posted on this page, if available. We encourage you to call Academic and Transfer Advising services at 631-632-7082 (Opt. 2) if you need assistance navigating this page. Always confirm with a Biology Advisor that the course you are taking will be accepted toward the major BEFORE enrolling in the class.

To then transfer your credits to Stony Brook, please send final official transcripts to :

Academic and Transfer Advising Services
Suite 105, Stony Brook Union
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-3217

I took AP Biology and scored a 4 (or 5) on the exam. Will that count towards my BIO Major/Minor?

The credits will count towards the General Education Requirements (i.e., the 120 total credits). We do not give waivers for any Biology Major courses to students who scored 4 or 5 on the AP Biology exam.

I can't register for the BIO course I want for next semester. The course is listed as open on SOLAR and I have all pre-/co-reqs. However, when I try to register, I get a message saying that I have not met the pre-requisites for the reserved seats. Why is that? What should I do?

We regularly reserve seats in our courses for (e.g., graduate students, new transfer students, etc.). If the course you want has a SOLAR waitlist, then please make sure to add yourself to that. For any registration questions, please contact BIO_Registration@stonybrook.edu.

I was not able to register for a BIO course that I need to take next semester. Departmental consent is required. How do I get that?

Please contact BIO_Registration@stonybrook.edu for registration questions.

I couldn't register for an Upper Division BIO Lab. The course is not open even though only a few students are registered for it? Why is that? What should I do?

Please contact BIO_Registration@stonybrook.edu for all such registration issues.

I need to retake a course. This is will be my second attempt. How do I go about retaking it?

Students that want to register for a course for the second time no longer need advisor retake permission. However, priority registration is given to first-time takers through August 15 for fall classes and January 15 for spring classes. If the course is high demand controlled access (HDCA), there is a likelihood that seats will not be available during the academic year for retakes. Please see the academic calendar for the specific semester you are looking to retake your BIO course.

I need to retake a Biology course. This will be my third or more attempt, what do I need to do?

If you are trying to retake a Biology course for a third or more time, please contact an Academic and Transfer Advisor.

I am a Transfer student that has not yet started at Stony Brook. What information do I need to know?

Most of your general admissions questions can be answered on Stony Brook's Undergraduate Admissions main page. Specific information on cost and aid can be found on the "Cost and Admissions" section of the Undergraduate Admissions page here. You can also call Undergraduate Admissions at 631-632-6868.

We do not have admissions requirements specific to the Biology Major that differ from the general transfer admissions requirements. You can use our Course Equivalency Guide to find transferable courses at your school that may be applicable to major and degree requirements. The direct Stony Brook equivalents will be posted on this page. You can use this tool to see what your credits will transfer to Stony Brook as. I would encourage you to call Academic and Transfer Advising services at 631-632-7082 (opt. 2) if you need assistance navigating this page.

What is BIO 459? How do I know if I should register for BIO 459?

BIO 459 is a zero credit course for students following the Stony Brook Curriculum (SBC). This course does not meet or have assignments; you register simply to indicate that you are intending to complete your Upper-Division Writing Requirement in an appropriate co-requisite upper-division Biology course.

If you are following the Stony Brook Curriculum (SBC) and want to satisify the general education requirement "Write Effectively Within One's Discipline" (WRTD), you should register for BIO 459. Students following DEC do not need to register for BIO 459, as this course does not satisfy a course in their general education requirements. All upper division BIO courses that typically can fullfill the upper division writing requirement are also noted on the second page of the BIO Graduation Checklists.

My Degree Progress Report does not look correct for the BIO major (not updated for the Upper Division Writing Requirement, not showing all my BIO elective courses, etc.) Do I need to contact someone?

The degree progress report does not always accurately reflect courses in your major or minor. Please go by what you have discussed with Biology advisors for your major and minor, rather than what you see on your major/minor portion of the degree progress report. This will not affect your graduation approval.

You can also see what classes that you need to graduate on the BIO Undergraduate Bulletin. There are also Major Checklists for the BIO major, minor, and specializations. You must get C or higher for a course to count towards the major.

My course history lists a course as 200EQXXX (ex. 200EQ315). Why is that?

This means that a course transferred from a community college has been evaluated as equivalent to an upper division BIO elective by Undergraduate Biology (ex. BIO 315). This course will be treated as equivalent to the upper division elective for the major, but the credits will not be included in the count for the 39 general upper division credits needed for your Stony Brook University degree.