Minor in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology (E3B)

Starting in Fall 2024, E3B introduced a new minor in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology. This minor provides grounding in the intellectual pillars of the department while affording students the option to explore the broad scope of biodiversity, ecosystems, and environmental biology.  Students may also delve into specific subfields such as conservation biology, botany, behavioral biology and ecology, ecosystem ecology, primatology, or human evolution. 

No previous biology background is required. Ideally, students will take one course by the end of their second year to see if the program is of interest, but juniors and even seniors who develop a curiosity in the subject may complete the minor without difficulty. The two undergraduate advisors provide guidance as to offerings. 

The four introductory offerings are “gateway” classes. We recommend that students interested broadly in organismal biology/environmental biology take either Environmental Biology 1 or 2, or both. Those with a focus on human and non-human primate evolutionary biology and behavior should take either Human Origins and Evolution or Behavioral Biology of Living Primates. We make this recommendation as it maximizes the number of upper-level courses that would be open to them but there is still considerable flexibility. For example, there are a small number of classes without any prerequisites and students with foundational biology courses from either Columbia or Barnard Biology may fulfill some class prerequisites*. Advisors will provide guidance as to offerings and a complete list of courses including prerequisites is available on the E3B website. (You should always feel free to contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies, but you may find some answers to your questions through links to the Bulletin, FAQs, Research Opportunities, and Careers.)

*Students who take BIOL2005/2006 or Barnard BIO1501 do not have to take Environmental Biology 1 and may substitute this for courses requiring the latter as a prerequisite, but must take five other courses in E3B. Since the BIOL sequence does not include evolution (in contrast to EB1) we highly recommend that they take Environmental Biology 2 or one of the other foundation courses. Students who take Barnard BIO1500 do not have to take Environmental Biology 2 as it is a similar course, but must take five other courses in E3B. 

With advisor approval, students may take a maximum of two courses from a limited set taught by affiliates in other departments. For example: DEES GU4560 The Ecology of Tree line in a Changing Climate; BIOL-BC2240 Plant Evolution and Diversity; BIOL/ANAT BC2574-Laboratory in Human Anatomy; BIOL-BC2272 Ecology; and BIOL BC-3380-Applied Ecology and Evolution. 

Minors must take one of the following four introductory courses and any other four 3-4 points E3B courses (this includes the other introductory classes). 

• EEEB UN2001 Environmental Biology 1 (offered every fall) 
• EEEB UN2002 Environmental Biology 2 (offered every spring) 
• EEEB UN1010 Human Origins and Evolution (offered every fall) 
• EEEB UN1011 Behavioral Biology of Living Primates (offered every spring) 

Remaining courses may be selected from this list.

Students can explore their interests broadly or focus on specific topics listed below. To clarify, each set has a list of recommended options but the requirement is one introductory course and four additional classes.