UChicago's Biology & Psychology Programs

Overview of the University of Chicago

The University of Chicago is the best place on earth (in my opinion) and one of the most prestigious research institutions in the world (objectively). The University has paved the path for many subject areas, from the development of the molecular orbital theory, to the efficient market hypothesis, UChicago truly is the place to be for undergraduates interested in research. For the psychology and biology departments, this includes working directly in a professor’s lab, utilizing metcalf internships, and more. There are many tracks to choose from in the Biological Sciences, including cancer biology, cell and molecular biology, genetics, and more. The psychology department also has room for specialization. Both majors encourage (or even require) research to be done. For most majors at UChicago, students do not “apply in” to the major. Rather, students can declare majors on their student portal at any time until the end of their second year, which is the deadline to declare. Read on to learn more about these majors, as well as what undergraduate research looks like!

Biology and Psychology at UChicago

Most majors at UChicago do not require a formal application process, and UChicago doesn’t require students to declare majors until their 2nd year, or minors until their 3rd year. This gives students the opportunity to try out many majors before committing to one! 

The biology department has many prerequisites, which students like myself complete during their first two years. Some of these classes overlap with the core, and many of them are also applicable to other majors, like psychology. A classic first-year schedule for these majors could include chemistry, calculus, your core humanities class, and, if you choose to take 4 classes instead of 3, an introductory bio class or some other elective, such as the art core. 

The prerequisites for these majors include:

• Biology - 2 Biology general education courses, Calculus, General and Organic Chemistry, Physics, Statistics
• Psychology - Statistics, Psychological Research Methods, 4 Psychology Breadth courses, Calculus 

Once you make it past these prereqs, you’ll move into upper-level courses, which can also count towards your specialization, if you choose to have one. If you choose to get a B.S. in the Biological Sciences, you will complete an undergraduate thesis, but students pursuing a B.A will also have this option!

The biggest draw for me about UChicago’s biology program were the extensive opportunities for undergraduate research. The Phoenix Biology Club shares opportunities in their email newsletter, and I’ve found that there are many professors who are more than willing to give students lab experience. UChicago also has the Marine Biology Laboratory (MBL) in Massachusetts. Students can opt to spend a spring or summer quarter at MBL in small classes that are focused completely on research (I’ll be taking the Proteins in Action course, which is spent inside of the lab full-time). Argonne laboratory also works closely with UChicago, meaning there are even more research opportunities! The other great thing about UChicago’s biology program is the mentorship. Phoenix Biology has their own mentorship program, but I have been able to find my current lab mentor through a program specifically for First-Generation, Low-Income students. Many professors are passionate about helping students and making sure you succeed. All of my biology professors (and STEM professors in general) have been more than helpful when I’ve attended office hours, or have asked for more help with understanding concepts and completing assignments. The professors genuinely want you to not only succeed, but feel passionate about your studies.

The psychology major also does not have a formal application process, but it does require students to sign up for the major’s email list. This email list sends students regular webinars, events, and opportunities related to psychology, including internships! Psych also requires calculus to be taken, as well as a prereq of psychological research methods, and statistics (which is a prereq for bio as well). This means that more than half of these overlap with many other majors, especially STEM majors. 

There are also no formal specializations in the psych major, however, students can meet with staff to design their own specialization in areas such as cognitive neuroscience, cultural psychology, sensation and perception, and more. The Booth School of Business does a ton of psychology research, especially in areas such as decision-making. Both majors encourage undergrad research, as well as offering honors degrees. 

My Experiences in These Majors

So far, I have completed the chemistry and calculus requirements, as well as taken a few intro biology courses. This upcoming year, I’ll be completing organic chemistry, statistics, and some major-specific courses, such as biological psychology and introduction to genetics. One of the more interesting classes I’ve taken for biology thus far has been Quantitative Biology. In this course, I learned how to code in RStudio, and run functions that could help me create figures, simulate experiences, collect data, and even write websites for my research! I loved learning how to code, especially because this wasn’t something I initially associated with biology. It was also fun to work with my peers during labs as we customized our interfaces to have different colors and themes. I have yet to take a psychology-specific course yet, but imagine that I will enjoy Biological Psychology, as it intertwines both of my majors.

Outside of academics, I have been involved in research in both majors. The first lab I worked in was a Statistical Genetics lab as a student research assistant. Here, I learned about grant writing, developed my coding skills in RStudio, and even sat in on a few upper-level/graduate statistical genetics courses. On a typical day, I would attend a lab meeting with my lab mentor and other members of the lab, then I would work on coding in RStudio. After this, I would spend time editing grants and project proposals before I had to head off to class. I’m also currently involved in an addiction sciences lab as a psychology research assistant, where I have conducted surveys, participant visits, and learned about topics such as the MINI (Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview) and methods papers. I’m currently working on my own poster presentation to present at a Research Fair. I’ve been working in addiction sciences, and hope to come up with a research question in this field for my poster. In this role, I’ve worked on two studies- one of them being a survey on cancer patients’ perceptions on cannabis, and the other on cigarette cessation. I’ve also participated in research through numerous organizations, the most notable being UChicago Booth’s Center for Decision Research. This has given me a good idea of participant responsibilities and experiences in research, which I will utilize when designing my own studies to ensure that participants are able to comfortably and successfully participate. 

Written by Isabeau Burnett, PathIvy UChicago Ambassador