Spring 2026 Advising Update

• Holds Preventing Enrollment
• Check if you have holds preventing you from enrolling in Enroll & Pay.  
• Visit the Jayhawk Academic Advising website to view the most common holds and the steps to remove them to enroll for the Spring semester.  

Fall 2025:  

• Apply for Fall 2025 graduation now by going to Enroll & Pay>Degree Progress and Graduation. 
• Every student must apply through Enroll & Pay to graduate. The final deadline to apply is November 3, 2025.  
• Fall 2025 graduates have the option to attend the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) Fall 2025 graduation ceremony and/or the Biology Recognition Ceremony in Spring 2026. The Fall 2025 CLAS graduation ceremony is tentatively planned for December 7, 2025 at the Lied Center. Students can also attend the Spring 2026 biology graduation ceremony in May 2026. Check back at this link in the coming months for updates about the Undergraduate Biology recognition ceremony. 

Spring 2026:  

• Apply for Spring 2026 graduation now by going to Enroll & Pay>Degree Progress and Graduation. 
• Apply by November 14, 2025 for an early graduation check. 
• Every student must apply through Enroll & Pay to graduate. The final deadline to apply is March 2, 2026. 

Summer 2026:  

• Apply for Summer 2026 graduation now by going to Enroll & Pay>Degree Progress and Graduation. 
• We strongly encourage you to apply by April 17, 2026, to have your Spring and Summer enrollment and graduation requirements reviewed before the summer semester begins in case any changes need to be made.  
• Every student must apply through Enroll & Pay to graduate. The final deadline to apply is July 15, 2026. 

• Infrequently Taught Courses Offered in Spring 2026:
  • BIOL 418 Kansas Plants and Landscapes Lab (2 credit hours, March-May, counts towards BIOL 400+ Lab electives)
  • BIOL 418: Primate Evolution Lab (1 credit hour)
    • This may be changed to BIOL 529 in mid-October if approved. Check classes.ku.edu when enrolling.
    • Students would be co-enrolled in BIOL 527, Primate Evolution and Fossil Record lecture, to enroll in BIOL 418.
  • BIOL 420 Intro to Biotech Careers (1 credit hour)
  • BIOL 420 Careers in Bioscience (1 credit hour)
  • BIOL 420 Chemical Cues: Sex, Food, and Fight (2 credit hours)
  • BIOL 420 Native and Western Views of Nature (3 credit hours)
  • BIOL 420 Simulation Modeling Using Python (3 credit hours)
  • BIOL 420 Genome Biology (3 credits)
    • Email instructor for permission
  • BIOL 446 Biology of Sleep (3 credit hours; counts towards KU Core Goal 6/Capstone requirement)
  • BIOL 527 Primate Evolution and the Fossil Record (3 credit hours)
    • Prerequisite of BIOL 412 or 413 is being removed; the new prerequisite is BIOL 152 or 153. Enroll & Pay will allow you to enroll if you have BIOL 152 or 153, no permission will be needed.
  • BIOL 418 Primate Evolution Lab (1 credit hour) is strongly recommended along with BIOL 527, but not required.
  • BIOL 534 Biology of Plants (3 credit hours; counts towards 1 credit of BIOL 400+ Lab)
  • BIOL 592 Ichthyology (4 credit hours; counts towards 1 credit of BIOL 400+ Lab Electives)
  • BIOL 606 Ecological Plant Physiology (3 credit hours; counts towards 2 credits of BIOL 400+ Lab)
  • BIOL 622 Paleontology (3 credit hours)
  • BIOL 623 Paleontology Laboratory (1 credit hour; counts towards BIOL 400+ Lab Electives)
  • BIOL 630 Conservation and Wildlife Biology (3 credit hours)
  • BIOL 652 Comparative Animal Behavior (3 credit hours; counts towards KU Core Goal 6/Capstone requirement)
  • BIOL 680 Genomics (3 credit hours) 
• BIOL 151, Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Honors. BIOL 151 is normally only offered in the fall but will now be offered this spring.
• BIOL 370 Biostatistics. We encourage students to take this course early in their college career, preferably by sophomore year when possible.
• BIOL 412 and BIOL 428 Spring only. BIOL 412 and BIOL 428 are only offered in the spring semester. If you are graduating in Summer 2026 or Fall 2026, enroll in BIOL 412 and/or BIOL 428 this spring if you haven’t already completed these courses.
• BIOL 418/420 Courses. Click on the Notes link at classes.ku.edu to the left of each course to view a full course description and prerequisites.
• BIOL 420 Careers in Bioscience. This course will help you take steps to identify bioscience career options, start preparing yourself to enter the job market, and gain a better understanding of research as an integral part of bioscience. The course will help you:
  • Get advice from upper-level bioscience undergraduates on how to get the most from your bioscience degree
  • Explore bioscience career options (e.g. health-related, research, biotech)
  • Identify your career interests and begin thinking about preparing for applications for jobs, graduate school or professional school
  • Learn about different areas of bioscience research
  • Explore opportunities that can enhance your bioscience degree and identify steps to take that will help you ultimately be successful.
• BIOL 599 senior seminar. We’re still finalizing days and times for these sections, and additional sections will be added before enrollment begins in October. If you are taking BIOL 599 for your Goal 6/Capstone requirement, please note that if all sections or the section you need fills up, please fill out this permission form with your preferred section. Preference will first be given to seniors graduating in Spring 2026, Summer 2026, or Fall 2026. For students graduating in Spring 2027 or later, fill out the permission form and we’ll add you to a waiting list until we know if we have additional seats. Graduating seniors will be prioritized first. 

• Human Biology Major Course Offerings. 
  • Some course options under certain categories are no longer being offered in other departments, such as Applied Behavioral Science, Psychology, and Anthropology.   
  • If you have any difficulty finding courses to satisfy a certain category, please schedule an appointment with your biology advisor to discuss possible substitutions.
• BIOL 151 Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Honors. BIOL 151 is normally only offered in the fall but will now be offered this spring.
• BIOL 350 and 400 conflict. BIOL 350, Principles of Genetics, and BIOL 400, Fundamentals of Microbiology, are both offered at the same time, 11-12:15 TuTh. It is not recommended to take these courses together, but please let your advisor know if you need both of these courses to graduate in Spring 2026. We usually offer both courses in the summer semesters, you can check the summer schedule when it is released in March 2026 to see if it will be offered again.
• BIOL 446 Biology of Sleep and BIOL 652 Animal Behavior, Goal 6/Capstone courses. BIOL 446 (Biology of Sleep) and BIOL 652 (Animal Behavior) can double-count towards the Goal 6/Capstone requirement and substitute into any of the Human Biology categories. Please talk with your advisor to have the substitution entered on your degree requirements.
• BIOL 680 Genomics. BIOL 680 may substitute into the Human Disease category.
• BIOL 370 Biostatistics. We encourage students to take this course early in their college career, preferably by sophomore year when possible.
• BIOL 420 Careers in Bioscience. This course will help you take steps to identify bioscience career options, start preparing yourself to enter the job market, and gain a better understanding of research as an integral part of bioscience. The course will help you:
  • Get advice from upper-level bioscience undergraduates on how to get the most from your bioscience degree
  • Explore bioscience career options (e.g. health-related, research, biotech)
  • Identify your career interests and begin thinking about preparing for applications for jobs, graduate school or professional school
  • Learn about different areas of bioscience research
  • Explore opportunities that can enhance your bioscience degree and identify steps to take that will help you ultimately be successful.
• BIOL 599 permission. We’re still finalizing days and times for these sections, and additional sections will be added before enrollment begins in October. If all sections or the section you need fills up, please fill out this permission form with your preferred section. Preference will first be given to seniors graduating in Spring 2026, Summer 2026, or Fall 2026. For students graduating in Spring 2027 or later, fill out the permission form and we’ll add you to a waiting list until we know if we have additional seats. Graduating seniors will be prioritized first. 

• BIOL 151, Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Honors. BIOL 151 is normally only offered in the fall but will now be offered this spring.
• BIOL 370 Biostatistics. We encourage students to take this course early in their college career, preferably by sophomore year when possible.
• BIOL 426 permission. Please fill out this permission form with your preferred section. Preference will first be given to seniors graduating in Spring 2026, Summer 2026, or Fall 2026. For students graduating in Spring 2027 or later, fill out the permission form and we’ll add you to a waiting list until we know if we have additional seats. Graduating seniors will be prioritized first.
• BIOL 412 and 417, Spring only. BIOL 412 & 417 are only offered in the spring semester. If you are graduating in Summer 2026 or Fall 2026, enroll in these courses this spring if you haven’t already completed them.
• BIOL 420 Careers in Bioscience. This course will help you take steps to identify bioscience career options, start preparing yourself to enter the job market, and gain a better understanding of research as an integral part of bioscience. The course will help you: 
  • Get advice from upper-level bioscience undergraduates on how to get the most from your bioscience degree
  • Explore bioscience career options (e.g. health-related, research, biotech)
  • Identify your career interests and begin thinking about preparing for applications for jobs, graduate school or professional school
  • Learn about different areas of bioscience research
  • Explore opportunities that can enhance your bioscience degree and identify steps to take that will help you ultimately be successful.
• BIOL 676 Biochemistry Nobel Prizes of the 21st Century, Honors. BIOL 676 should be added to the schedule of classes by early October. Below are the course details:
  • 1 credit hour
  • 2-2:50 Monday, HAW 3012
  • Honors course
  • Instructor: Dr. Joanna Slusky
  • Prerequisite: BIOL 600 or 636, and membership in Honors program.
• BIOL 680 Genomics. BIOL 680 may substitute into the BIOL 650/672/688 category for BS MCDB majors, and the BIOL 435/672/688 category for BA MCDB majors. 

• BIOL 151, Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Honors. BIOL 151 is normally only offered in the fall but will now be offered this spring.
• BIOL 370 Biostatistics. We encourage students to take this course early in their college career, preferably by sophomore year when possible.
• BIOL 507 & 513 permission. Permission has been preset for most Microbiology students graduating in Spring 2026, Summer 2026, and Fall 2026. Try to enroll first, and if you receive a permission error, fill out this permission request form. For students graduating in Spring 2027 or later, fill out the permission form and we’ll add you to a waiting list until we know if we have additional seats. Graduating seniors will be prioritized first.
• BIOL 512, 513, CHEM 335 conflict. Students needing all three of these courses to graduate in the spring should check in with their biology advisor for options. CHEM 335 is offered in the summer semester.
• BIOL 350 and 400 conflict. BIOL 350, Principles of Genetics, and BIOL 400, Fundamentals of Microbiology, are both offered at the same time, 11-12:15 TuTh. It is not recommended to take these courses together, but please let your advisor know if you need both of these courses to graduate in Spring 2026. We plan to offer both courses in Summer 2026.
• BIOL 420 Careers in Bioscience. This course will help you take steps to identify bioscience career options, start preparing yourself to enter the job market, and gain a better understanding of research as an integral part of bioscience. The course will help you: 
  • Get advice from upper-level bioscience undergraduates on how to get the most from your bioscience degree
  • Explore bioscience career options (e.g. health-related, research, biotech)
  • Identify your career interests and begin thinking about preparing for applications for jobs, graduate school or professional school
  • Learn about different areas of bioscience research
  • Explore opportunities that can enhance your bioscience degree and identify steps to take that will help you ultimately be successful.
• BIOL 676 Biochemistry Nobel Prizes of the 21st Century, Honors. BIOL 676 should be added to the schedule of classes by early October. Below are the course details:
  • 1 credit hour
  • 2-2:50 Monday, HAW 3012
  • Honors course
  • Instructor: Dr. Joanna Slusky
  • Prerequisite: BIOL 600 or 636, and membership in Honors program. 

• BIOL 151 Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Honors. BIOL 151 is normally only offered in the fall but will now be offered this spring.
• BIOL 638 Biochemistry II Pre-Reqs. BIOL 638 Biochemistry II (offered Spring only) requires a grade of C or higher in both BIOL 636 and CHEM 335. 
• The chemistry department also uses grade-based prerequisites for some of their courses.
• BIOL 639 Biochemistry Lab. If all sections or the section you need fills up, please fill out this permission form with your preferred section. Preference will first be given to seniors graduating in Spring 2026, Summer 2026, or Fall 2026. For students graduating in Spring 2027 or later, fill out the permission form and we’ll add you to a waiting list until we know if we have additional seats. Graduating seniors will be prioritized first.
• BIOL 420 Careers in Bioscience. This course will help you take steps to identify bioscience career options, start preparing yourself to enter the job market, and gain a better understanding of research as an integral part of bioscience. The course will help you: 
  • Get advice from upper-level bioscience undergraduates on how to get the most from your bioscience degree
  • Explore bioscience career options (e.g. health-related, research, biotech)
  • Identify your career interests and begin thinking about preparing for applications for jobs, graduate school or professional school
  • Learn about different areas of bioscience research
  • Explore opportunities that can enhance your bioscience degree and identify steps to take that will help you ultimately be successful.
• BIOL 676 Biochemistry Nobel Prizes of the 21st Century, Honors. BIOL 676 should be added to the schedule of classes by early October. Below are the course details:
  • 1 credit hour
  • 2-2:50 Monday, HAW 3012
  • Honors course
  • Instructor: Dr. Joanna Slusky
  • Prerequisite: BIOL 600 or 636, and membership in Honors program.
• MATH 125+MATH 116. Students that have completed MATH 125 can either complete MATH 126 and 127 or MATH 116 to satisfy their calculus requirement. If you choose to complete MATH 116, it may appear you do not receive 4 credit hours for MATH 125, but these credit hours will be retroactively applied at the end of the semester. The DPR will also be updated at this time to show that you have satisfied your calculus requirement. Check with your advisor if you have any questions. 

• Lab options. The below courses include lab hours that would count towards the BIOL 400+ Lab Electives for the BA Biology major. The lab hours for each course are in parentheses.
  • BIOL 418 Kansas Plants and Landscapes (2 credit hours)
  • BIOL 527 Primate Evolution and the Fossil Record (3 credit hours) + BIOL 418 Primate Evolution Laboratory (1 credit hour; counts towards BIOL 400+ Lab Electives) 
  • BIOL 534 Biology of Plants (3 credit hours; counts towards 1 credit of BIOL 400+ Lab)
  • BIOL 592 Ichthyology (4 credit hours; counts towards 1 credit of BIOL 400+ Lab Electives)
  • BIOL 606 Ecological Plant Physiology (3 credit hours; counts towards 2 credits of BIOL 400+ Lab)
  • BIOL 622 Paleontology (3 credit hours) + BIOL 623 Paleontology Laboratory (1 credit hour; counts towards BIOL 400+ Lab Electives)
• BIOL 151, Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Honors. BIOL 151 is normally only offered in the fall but will now be offered this spring.
• BIOL 412 Spring only. BIOL 412 is only offered in the spring semester. If you are graduating in Summer 2026 or Fall 2026, enroll in BIOL 412 this spring if you haven’t already completed this course.
• BIOL 420 Careers in Bioscience. This course will help you take steps to identify bioscience career options, start preparing yourself to enter the job market, and gain a better understanding of research as an integral part of bioscience. The course will help you: 
  • Get advice from upper-level bioscience undergraduates on how to get the most from your bioscience degree
  • Explore bioscience career options (e.g. health-related, research, biotech)
  • Identify your career interests and begin thinking about preparing for applications for jobs, graduate school or professional school
  • Learn about different areas of bioscience research
  • Explore opportunities that can enhance your bioscience degree and identify steps to take that will help you ultimately be successful.
• BIOL 446 Biology of Sleep and BIOL 652 Animal Behavior, Goal 6/Capstone courses. BIOL 446 (Biology of Sleep) and BIOL 652 (Animal Behavior) can count towards the Goal 6/Capstone requirement.
• BIOL 599 permission. We’re still finalizing days and times for these sections, and additional sections will be added before enrollment begins in October. If all sections or the section you need fills up, please fill out this permission form with your preferred section. Preference will first be given to seniors graduating in Spring 2026, Summer 2026, or Fall 2026. For students graduating in Spring 2027 or later, fill out the permission form and we’ll add you to a waiting list until we know if we have additional seats. Graduating seniors will be prioritized first.
• BIOL 676 Biochemistry Nobel Prizes of the 21st Century, Honors. BIOL 676 should be added to the schedule of classes by early October. Below are the course details:
  • 1 credit hour
  • 2-2:50 Monday, HAW 3012
  • Honors course
  • Instructor: Dr. Joanna Slusky
  • Prerequisite: BIOL 600 or 636, and membership in Honors program. 

Seniors intending to graduate Spring or Summer 2026 with departmental honors should enroll in BIOL 699. 

Sophomores and juniors who are interested in research and intend to complete the departmental honors requirements should enroll in BIOL 499 in the Fall 2026 semester. Honors requirements include an independent research project, an honors thesis, an oral presentation, and a 3.5 major GPA. 

Benefits of Pursuing Departmental Honors:   

• Build a relationship with a faculty member in Biology—great for asking for letters of recommendation when applying to graduate programs 
• Use your departmental honors thesis when applying to graduate schools (master’s programs or PhD programs)  
• Add departmental honors on your resume when applying for full-time positions after graduation or when applying to graduate school! 
• Gain valuable lab experience which is applicable to applying for employment! 
• Students do not have to be part of the University Honors Program to pursue Departmental Honors in Biology  

The Biology Majors Advisory Committee (BMAC) is a group of undergraduate biology students that represent and provide feedback about their academic experience and environment to the Undergraduate Biology Program and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Molecular Biosciences departments.  

If you have feedback you would like to share about the KU biology program, you can email the BMAC at biomac@ku.edu. Check @kansasbmac on Instagram for announcements.