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Undergraduate

Dec.22,2015

Undergraduate Studies — An Overview

The undergraduate program in our school has a history of about 80 years. The students will spend four years to pursue for their Bachelor degree, studying a comprehensive set of theory and lab courses in the fields of mathematics, physics, chemistry and biological sciences.


Courses in biological sciences include the following: Plant Biology, Animal Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology Genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, Physiology, Development, Immunology, etc. Students are encouraged to enter a research laboratory usually during their second year, when they can apply for the undergraduate research fellowships funded by the University. All the students are required to conduct research and write a thesis in their fourth year of study. It is not unusual for undergraduate students to publish coauthored papers in professional journals. Some undergradute students publish coauthored papers in professional journals, which is unusual in undergraduate stage.


After finishing their undergraduate studies, many of the students may choose to continue their graduate studies home or aboard. They can also choose to find a job after this stage. The main specialized basic courses are: biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, physiology, etc.


Students can choose to concentrate on one of two majors, Biological Science or Biotechnology, as formulated by the Ministry of Education. Those two majors differ slightly in curriculum.


Our goal is to greatly promote the academic confidence of undergraduates to meet future challenges after four years’ education.

Requirements for studying towards a Bachelor degree

Requirements for studying towards a Bachelor degree in Biological Science:


Specialty codes Specialty Name Length of schooling Academic degree
070401 Biological Science Four years Bachelor of Science

General Introduction

The School of Life Sciences of Peking University is a national base for higher education in biological sciences. Students will be exposed to a variety of basic theories in life sciences, advanced research methods and experimental techniques of modern biology, as well as theoretical knowledge in physical sciences. The main science courses include Advanced Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry; major-related basic courses include Cell Biology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Modern Biotechnology, Plant Biology, Animal Biology, Microbiology, Physiology, etc. Students are required to finish 146 credits of courses before they can apply for the bachelor degree, but individualized curriculums are also possible.

Objectives and Requirements

Students are aimed to have a solid understanding of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, in addition to that of modern biology, after a systematic study of the theoretical and laboratory courses. It is emphasized that the students are also trained in research methods and experimental techniques of biology, being able to understand, at a preliminary professional level, on the new theories and technologies developed in the field of Life Sciences. The students should also develop a high standard of academic ethics and be capable to engage in basic and application research, as well as technology development. The students should be qualified in research, teaching, scientific management and other related positions in different sectors and fields, or to pursue an advanced degree in related fields.

Credit Requirements and Curriculum

Total credits:146, which will be divided as follows.

1. Required courses: 106 credits. Including the following courses:

Public compulsory courses: 32 credits


Course Number Course Names Credit Hours per week Credit Semesters
03835061 College English (1) 4 2 fall
03835062 College English (2) 2 2 The whole year
03835063 College English (3) 2 2 The whole year
03835064 College English (4) 2 2 The whole year
04030150 Ethics and Morality(elective for international students) 2 2
04030170 Introduction to Mao Zedong Thought(elective for international students) 2 2
04031490 Principles of Marxist Philosophy(elective for international students) 2 2
04031340 Principles of Marxist Political Economics(elective for international students) 2 2
04030140 Deng Xiao-ping Theory(elective for international students) 2 2
01130840 General Computation 3 2 fall
01130850 Data Structure 3 3 spring
60730020 Military Theories(elective for international students) 2 2
- Series of Physical Education courses - 4 The whole year

Foundamental science courses: 36, in addtion to the 36credits listed bellow, students are allowed to select public foundamental science courses at least 4 credits.

Course Number Course Names Credit Hours per week Credit Semesters
00131421 Advanced Mathematics(Ⅰ) 4 4 fall
00131422 Advanced Mathematics (Ⅱ) 4 4 spring
00430001 Physics (Ⅰ) 4 4 spring
00430002 Physics(Ⅱ) 4 4 fall
00431421 Physics Experiment 4 2 spring
01035050 General Chemistry(B) 4 4 spring
01035060 General Chemistry Experiment(B)(I) 4 2 fall
01035070 General Chemistry Experiment(B)(II) 4 2 spring
01030831 Physical Chemistry 3 3 fall
01032720 Physical Chemistry Experiment 4 2 fall
01035080 Organic Chemistry 3 3 fall
01032711 Organic Chemistry Experiment 4 2 spring

Major compulsory courses: 38 credits

Course Number Course Names Credit Hours per week Credit Semesters
01131040 Plant Biology 3 3 spring
01131060 Plant Biology Experiment 3 1.5 spring
01131080 Animal Biology 3 3 fall
01131050 Animal Biology Experiment 3 1.5 fall
01139600 Microbiology 3 3 fall
01130070 Microbiology Experiment 3 1.5 fall
01139630 Biochemistry(Ⅰ) 4 4 spring
01130050 Biochemistry Experiment 5 2.5 spring and fall
01139610 Basic Molecular Biology 3 3 fall
01139360 Basic Molecular Biology Experiment 2 1 spring and fall
01130150 Cell Biology 3 3 fall
01130160 Cell Biology Experiment 2 1 fall
01130370 Physiology 3 3 spring
01130380 Physiology Experiment 2 1 spring
01130200 Genetics 3 3 spring
01130210 Genetics Experiment 2 1 spring
01139540 Field Study of Biology 2 1 spring
01139580 Developmental Biology 3 3 spring
01131170 Developmental Biology experiment 2 1 spring


2. Selective courses:34 credits

Quality education courses for all undergraduates in Peking University: 12 credits (This group of students are not required to take the courses listed in Category A)

A • Mathematics and Natural sciences: at least 2 credits
B • Social Sciences: at least 2 credits
C • Philosophy and Psychology: at least 2 credits
D • History: at least 2 credits
E • Language, Literature and Art: at least 4 credits,(students are required to take at least one art course).

Major-related selective course (belonging to Category A): at least 15 credits

Course Number Course Names Credit Hours per week Credit Semesters
01139340 Comprehensive Biology Experiment(compulsory) 16 6 fall
011311601 Concepts and Ideas in Biology 2 2 fall
01139330 Modern Biotechnology 2 2 spring
01130780 Biological Evolution 2 2 spring
01130760 Biostatistics(compulsory) 3 3 fall
01130930 General Ecology (compulsory) 2 2 fall
01139550 Advanced Plant Biology (I) 2 2 fall
01139560 Advanced Plant Biology(II) 2 2 fall
01139570 Advanced Plant Biology Lab 2 1 fall
01130130 Immunology 2 2 fall
01139000 Neurobiology 2 2 fall
01139441 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy and Laboratory 2 2 fall
01130110 Protein Chemistry 2 2 spring
01130100 Genetic Engineering 2 2 spring
01139490 Intensive Reading and Seminar I 3 3 spring
01139491 Intensive Reading and Seminar II 3 3 fall
01139530 Gene and behaviors 3 2 spring
01139470 Methods in Bioinformatics 2 2 fall
01131110 Basics of Biochemical Pharmaceutics 2 2 fall
01139640 Biopharma-engineering and regulation 4 3 fall
01139590 Biology of Cancer 8 2 summer
01139650 Brain Development and behaviors 3 3 fall
01130500 An Introduction to Human Biology 2 2 spring
01130960 Conservation Biology 2 2 fall
01130871 Human Sex, Reproduction and Health 2 2 spring and fall
01139380 General Biology A 3 3 spring and fall
01139360 Laboratory Manual of General Biology 3 1.5 spring
01139350 General Biology B 2 2 spring and fall
01130320 Laboratory Manual of General Biology 2 1 fall

Requirements for studying towards a Bachelor degree in Biotechnology

Specialty codes Specialty Name Length of schooling Academic degree
070402 Biotechnology Four years Bachelor of Science

An overview

The School of Life Sciences of Peking University is the national base of higher education in biological sciences and biotechnology. Students will take mostly the identical courses as those taken by students majoring in Life Science . Students will have to finish at least 146 credits before they can apply for the bachelor degree.

Objectives and Requirements

Very similar to those for the students majoring in Biological science, except that,students are required to be exposed to more biotechnological courses, experiments and practices, as detailed below. The students should be qualified with the qualifications in research, teaching, scientific management, technology development in the field of biotechnology, or to pursue an advanced degree in related fields.

Credit Requirements and Curriculum

Total credits:146, which will be divided as follows.

1. Required courses: 106 credits. Including the following courses:

Public compulsory courses: 32 credits

Course Number Course Names Credit Hours per week Credit Semesters
03835061 College English (1) 4 2 fall
03835062 College English (2) 2 2 The whole year
03835063 College English (3) 2 2 The whole year
03835064 College English (4) 2 2 The whole year
04030150 Ethics and Morality(elective for international students) 2 2
04030170 Introduction to Mao Zedong Thought(elective for international students) 2 2
04031490 Principles of Marxist Philosophy(elective for international students) 2 2
04031340 Principles of Marxist Political Economics(elective for international students) 2 2
04030140 Deng Xiao-ping Theory(elective for international students) 2 2
01130840 General Computation 3 2
01130850 Data Structure 3 3
60730020 Military Theories(elective for international students) 2 2
- Series of Physical Education courses - 4

Foundamental science courses: 36, in addtion to the 36credits listed bellow, students are allowed to select public foundamental science courses at least 4 credits.

Course Number Course Names Credit Hours per week Credit Semesters
00131421 Advanced Mathematics(Ⅰ) 4 4 fall
00131422 Advanced Mathematics (Ⅱ) 4 4 spring
00430001 Physics (Ⅰ) 4 4 spring
00430002 Physics(Ⅱ) 4 4 fall
00431421 Physics Experiment 4 2 spring
01035050 General Chemistry(B) 4 4 spring
01035060 General Chemistry Experiment(B)(I) 4 2 fall
01035070 General Chemistry Experiment(B)(II) 4 2 spring
01030831 Physical Chemistry 3 3 fall
01032720 Physical Chemistry Experiment 4 2 fall
01035080 Organic Chemistry 3 3 fall
01032711 Organic Chemistry Experiment 4 2 spring

Major compulsory courses: 38 credits

Course Number Course Names Credit Hours per week Credit Semesters
01131040 Plant Biology 3 3 spring
01131060 Plant Biology Experiment 3 1.5 spring
01131080 Animal Biology 3 3 fall
01131050 Animal Biology Experiment 3 1.5 fall
01139600 Microbiology 3 3 fall
01130070 Microbiology Experiment 3 1.5 fall
01139630 Biochemistry(Ⅰ) 4 4 spring
01130050 Biochemistry Experiment 5 2.5 spring and fall
01139610 Basic Molecular Biology 3 3 fall
01139360 Basic Molecular Biology Experiment 2 1 spring and fall
01130150 Cell Biology 3 3 fall
01130160 Cell Biology Experiment 2 1 fall
01130370 Physiology 3 3 spring
01130380 Physiology Experiment 2 1 spring
01130200 Genetics 3 3 spring
01130210 Genetics Experiment 2 1 spring
01139540 Field Study of Biology 2 1 spring
01139580 Developmental Biology 3 3 spring
01131170 Developmental Biology experiment 2 1 spring

2. Selective courses:38 credits

Quality education courses for all undergraduates in Peking University: 14 credits (This group of students are not required to take the courses listed in Category A)

A •Mathematics and Natural sciences: at least 2 credits
B • Social Sciences: at least 2 credits
C • Philosophy and Psychology: at least 2 credits
D • History: at least 2 credits
E • Language, Literature and Art: at least 4 credits,(students are required to take at least one art course).

Major-related selective course (belonging to Category A): at least 15 credits


Course Number Course Names Credit Hours per week Credit Semesters
01139340 Comprehensive Biology Experiment(compulsory) 16 6 fall
011311601 Concepts and Ideas in Biology 2 2 fall
01139330 Modern Biotechnology(compulsory) 2 2 spring
01130780 Biological Evolution 2 2 spring
01130760 Biostatistics(compulsory) 3 3 fall
01130930 General Ecology (compulsory) 2 2 fall
01139550 Advanced Plant Biology (I) 2 2 fall
01139560 Advanced Plant Biology(II) 2 2 fall
01139570 Advanced Plant Biology Lab 2 1 fall
01130130 Immunology 2 2 fall
01139000 Neurobiology 2 2 fall
01139441 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy and Laboratory 2 2 fall
01130110 Protein Chemistry 2 2 spring
01130100 Genetic Engineering 2 2 spring
01139490 Intensive Reading and Seminar I 3 3 spring
01139491 Intensive Reading and Seminar II 3 3 fall
01139530 Gene and behaviors 3 2 spring
01139470 Methods in Bioinformatics 2 2 fall
01131110 Basics of Biochemical Pharmaceutics 2 2 fall
01139640 Biopharma-engineering and regulation 4 3 fall
01139590 Biology of Cancer 8 2 summer
01139650 Brain Development and behaviors 3 3 fall
01130500 An Introduction to Human Biology 2 2 spring
01130960 Conservation Biology 2 2 fall
01130871 Human Sex, Reproduction and Health 2 2 spring and fall
01139380 General Biology A 3 3 spring and fall
01139360 Laboratory Manual of General Biology 3 1.5 spring
01139350 General Biology B 2 2 spring and fall
01130320 Laboratory Manual of General Biology 2 1 fall