<p>Hey, what schools would have good evolutionary bio / ecology programs? I'm looking for a BA with more emphasis on the major, less chemistry requirements. (Chem I + II fine, I'd rather not take the orgos)</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>It might be a bit difficult to get around the organic chem requirement that many of the best evolution programs (Chicago, Michigan, Yale, Harvard, Berkeley) have. You might consider Environmental Science or Geology (historical geology/paleontology) as a way of getting around this, possibly with a minor in biology. Most biology grad programs require at least one (often two) year of chemistry, however. </p>
<p>Duke has an excellent biology program with an AB track that might suit you. The department is stronger in ecology than evolutionary biology, but both are very good.
<a href="http://www.biology.duke.edu/undergrad/%5B/url%5D">http://www.biology.duke.edu/undergrad/</a></p>
<p>Organic chemistry is an essential knowledge base for much of molecular biology and genetics, two areas which are becoming more and more linked with the paleontology aspects of evolutionary biology. The organic may not end up playing a whole lot of importance in the end, but it makes it easier to understand a lot of more advanced biology.</p>
<p>As they say, all biology is chemistry, all chemistry is physics and all physics is math...in your case an emphasis on the biology is chemistry portion.</p>
<p>Environmental science (not studies) will likely also require organic.</p>
<p>Geology will not. However, a paleo concentration may require it and will definately be worthwhile for graduate work (which is a requirement if you seriously want paleo as a career).</p>
<p>What I want is to get into conservation, legal activism and other treehugging. So no, I don't intend to do graduate studies in biology, but to go to law school. Does this make sense? So I'm afraid taking heavy load of chemistry will affect my GPA negatively... :(</p>
<p>to the top!</p>
<p>environmental law?</p>
<p>anselmo,</p>
<p>Consider environmental science, perhaps?</p>
<p>As for top evolutionary biology programs, it's mostly the usual suspects... Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, etc. etc. Not many surprises on the list.</p>
<p>If you don't want to take o-chem, however, you're going to have a rough time. Maybe look into env. sci programs or something of that ilk.</p>
<p>Yeah the above post is right, organic chemistry is always going to be required, unless you want to go into computational biology (some universities over exceptions). </p>
<p>As for the best departments, I would say Princeton (where I'm at), Harvard, Yale, Cornell, UChicago, and Duke. Stanford technically doesn't have an independent evolutionary biology department, although its one of the tracks students can choose to get a degree (if that matters to you). </p>
<p>I would also recommend UC Santa Cruz and UC San Diego, very good schools that aren't super high in terms of admissions.</p>