Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB)(link is external) emphasizes research and teaching from an evolutionary perspective and combines theoretical and empirical approaches. Many of the research projects and courses are interdisciplinary, linking areas that are often treated as separate disciplines. A description of the core areas, faculty interests, and unique features of the program, including details about the department's field programs, can be found on the department's website. Students with an interest in whole-organism and large-scale biological processes–evolution, physiology, disease, behavior, neuroscience, ecology, ecosystem biology, conservation, and climate change–should consider enrolling in EEB.

Prerequisites

The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology requires the following prerequisites, which should normally be completed by the end of sophomore year. Prerequisite courses may not be taken using the Pass/D/Fail grading option.

• Two terms of introductory biology: EEB 211 and either EEB/MOL 214 or EEB/MOL 215)
• Mastery of calculus to the level of MAT 103 or above, or advanced placement (an AP score of 5 on the AB test or an AP score of 4 on the BC test)
• Two terms of introductory chemistry (or equivalent, or an AP score of 5)
• The first term of introductory physics (or the equivalent, or an AP score of 5)
• A statistics course. SML 201 is preferred, but the following courses will fulfill the requirement: ORF 245, POL 345, PSY 251, ECO 202, SPI 200, SPI 332. It is best to fulfill the statistics requirement before junior year, but it must be fulfilled by the end of the fall term senior year.

Advanced Placement

Advanced placement will be granted to students who received a 5 on the Biology AP exam. Nevertheless, all students planning to major in EEB must take EEB 211 during their first year or sophomore year.

Information and Departmental Plan of Study

Students must successfully complete a minimum of eight upper-level departmental courses, at least six of which must be EEB courses (up to two courses may be offered by other departments). See the department website for a full list of courses.

All EEB concentrators must take EEB 309 and EEB 321 (students are encouraged to take these courses in the fall of their junior year or earlier) as well as one course in two of the following areas:

Behavior and Organismal Biology:  EEB 313; EEB 314; EEB 329; EEB 403; *EEB 404; *EEB 406

Disease Ecology:  EEB 304; EEB 327; EEB 328; EEB 351

Conservation Biology:  EEB 308; *EEB 380; EEB 417

Mathematical and Computational Biology:  EEB 324; EEB 325

* offered as part of semester abroad program (described below)

For the remaining departmentals, students may select any EEB course or those offered by other departments as follows. The first semester of organic chemistry and biochemistry (MOL 345) can each be counted as a departmental course (the second semester of organic chemistry will not count). Other MOL courses might count with preapproval from the director of undergraduate studies (DUS) via the undergraduate program administrator (UPA).  With preapproval from the DUS via the UPA, students may take one science-relevant course on policy or society. 

Only Princeton courses can count as departmentals; the one exception is for preapproved courses taken during a study-abroad term, but the letter grades will not transfer. No course taken Pass/D/Fail can be counted as a departmental or to satisfy requirements of the major. The minimum grade for a course to count as a departmental is C-. 

Integrated Biology Sequence: Students who have completed the two-year sequence need to meet with the EEB director of undergraduate studies to discuss placement in upper-level EEB courses.

Pre-medical Students:

Students interested in medical school should consider taking EEB 314 Comparative Physiology, which will count toward one of the four required areas of study. In addition, medical schools require two terms of physics; physics can be delayed to senior year if necessary. The Health Profession advisers recommend that students who wish to study abroad, especially in EEB's field semesters, should do so. They recommend contacting them early to formulate a plan of study that allows students to fulfill the premedical prerequisites and allows them to study abroad during spring of their junior year.

Early Concentration

Students who are passionate about solving problems in the areas of ecology, evolution, behavior, conservation, and disease may apply for early concentration in ecology and evolutionary biology. Students who have advanced placement in biology and have taken at least one upper-level EEB course, in addition to having completed many of the department's required pre- and co-requisite courses with grades of at least B+, are eligible. Early concentrators will begin independent work during the spring of their sophomore year. Students interested in early concentration should contact a director of undergraduate studies at the end of the first year or at the start of sophomore year.

1. Transcript. An official transcript must be sent by a school counselor or school official.

2. School Report (SR). The SR form is available from the Common Application website. Please ask your school counselor or other school official to complete and submit the SR form. 
    
3. Counselor Recommendation. If you are using the Common Application online, please note that the SR and the Counselor Recommendation are separate items. Be sure to “invite” your school counselor or academic adviser to complete both items.
    
4. Two (2) Teacher Recommendations. Please ask two of your teachers who have taught you in higher level courses (e.g., AP, IB Higher/Standard Level, A-Levels, etc.) in different academic areas of study to complete and send the teacher recommendation forms, available on the Common Application website. The subjects should be in core academic areas, such as English, language, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences or math.
    
5. Midyear School Report. Please ask your school counselor or other school official to complete and submit this form when your midyear grades are available. 

1. A Completed Application. You must submit your application online through the Common Application. Princeton's CEEB Code: 2672

2. Princeton's Supplement. In addition to the application provided by the Common Application, all applicants must submit the Princeton Supplement. You should submit the Princeton Supplement online through the Common Application website. 

3. Application Fee or Fee Waiver. You may submit a fee waiver one of two ways: 1) Select the fee waiver option on the Common Application. Your school counselor must approve your fee waiver request online or submit your fee waiver form by mail or fax. 2) Select one of the following fee waiver options on the Princeton Supplement: Princeton-specific, ACT, College Board or NACAC. All low-income students are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. In addition, all applicants who are serving or have served in the U.S. military are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. If you use the Princeton-specific fee waiver, you do not need to get approval from your college counselor or academic adviser.

4. Graded Written Paper. A graded written paper is required, preferably in the subjects of English or history.