Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Program Name: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Description: The Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program at Princeton University offers undergraduate students a comprehensive and rigorous education in the fundamental principles governing the diversity of life on Earth, as well as the ecological processes that shape biological communities and the evolutionary mechanisms driving species adaptation and change. This interdisciplinary program integrates concepts from ecology, genetics, molecular biology, behavior, physiology, and evolutionary theory, providing students with a broad understanding of biological systems across multiple scales. Through a combination of coursework, research opportunities, and fieldwork, students develop critical analytical skills and practical expertise necessary for understanding complex biological questions and addressing environmental challenges. The curriculum emphasizes both theoretical foundations and empirical investigation, encouraging students to engage in independent research projects, laboratory experiments, and ecological field studies that deepen their comprehension of natural systems. The program also prepares students for advanced study or careers in conservation, environmental management, biological research, and related fields. Undergraduate students benefit from the department's close mentorship, collaborative research environment, and access to Princeton’s extensive resources, including state-of-the-art laboratories and a variety of ecological and evolutionary research infrastructure. Graduates of the program are well-equipped to contribute to scientific knowledge, inform policy decisions, and foster sustainable practices to preserve biodiversity and ecological health for future generations. Whether students aspire to pursue graduate studies or enter diverse careers in science and environmental sectors, the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program provides a solid foundation and the intellectual tools necessary to excel in understanding the living world.

The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology requires the following prerequisites, which should normally be completed by the end of sophomore year.

• 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). [Note that medical schools require two terms of physics. Physics can be delayed to senior year if necessary.]. The Health Profession advisers recommend that students wanting 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 pre-medical prerequisites and allows them to study abroad during spring of the junior year.
• A statistics course: ECO 202, ORF 245, POL 345, PSY 251, SML 201, or WWS 332. It is best to fulfill the statistics requirement before junior year, but it must be fulfilled by the end of fall term senior year.

Prerequisite courses may not be taken using the P/D/F grading option.

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 having advanced placement in biology and having 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 departmental representative at the end of the freshman year or at the start of the sophomore year.

Program of Study

Requirements. Students in ecology and evolutionary biology must successfully complete at least eight upper-level departmental courses, at least six of which must be EEB or MOL courses. One of the eight must be an EEB lab course; 314, 324, 417B, or MOL 350 and all field courses count as lab courses. Students should consult the department for a list of courses in other departments that may count as departmentals for students interested in mathematical biology.

Choice of Courses. Students must take at least one course from each of the following three general areas:

• Behavior and Physiology: 311, 313, 314, 329, 403, 404;
• Evolution and Genetics: 309, ISC 326;
• Ecology and Conservation: 308, 321 324, 328, 338, 346, 380, 417.
• Students may take 309, 313, and 321 in the fall term of junior year to sample all three areas. Pay particular attention to the timing of the courses that are taught in alternate years.

Organic Chemistry: EEB no longer requires majors to take organic chemistry. Those planning on attending medical school should take the year-long sequence. Please note that both semesters of organic chemistry can count as departmentals.  

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

No course taken P/D/F 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-. Only one course with a policy perspective can be counted as a departmental. Only Princeton courses can count as departmentals; the one exception is for pre-approved courses taken during a study-abroad term – these can be counted as departmentals, but the grades do not transfer.

Special Features of the Plan of Study. EEB offers two tropical field study programs: a semester in Panama, and a semester in Kenya. Four courses, built around experiential learning, are taken in sequence at each location typically during the spring of junior year. Please note that seniors, who are well along with the thesis are encouraged to consider fulfilling their last two courses spring of senior year by attending the first half of the semester in Kenya or Panama. Seniors who choose to do this would return to campus at spring break to complete the senior thesis. Details of these programs can be found on the department's website.

Independent Work

Junior Independent Work. During the fall semester, students will attend periodic meetings on Tuesday evenings that will include presentations by the faculty on their work and the research opportunities open for senior independent work. After the faculty presentations, which will take place early in the semester, students will identify those faculty with whom they are interested in working. If the faculty member agrees to take on a particular student, together they will develop a plan of study. During the second half of the fall term, students participate in a tutorial working closely with one faculty member to investigate a problem using the current literature, and then writing a paper. In the spring semester, students carry out a program of independent work with a faculty adviser. In some instances this may include empirical or theoretical work. Either a paper summarizing this project or a research proposal for the senior thesis is due in early May.

Senior Independent Work. During the fall of the junior year each student selects a senior thesis adviser (see above). The adviser and the student choose a research project that the student generally pursues during the summer preceding the senior year and both terms of the senior year. The research project can involve primarily laboratory, field, data mining, theoretical, or library study that will be written and presented as a senior thesis.

Senior Departmental Examination. A one-hour oral examination, consisting of a defense of the thesis research and general questions in the biological sciences will be held in May.

Tropical Field Programs. Students interested in learning about or undertaking research in the tropics have a number of options.

1. Panama. The department offers a spring term in Panama in conjunction with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Students take four intensive three-week courses in sequence, beginning with an introduction of key concepts in tropical ecology and conservation. The program also includes courses on coral reefs, parasitology, and anthropology (focusing on Pre-Columbian peoples and their land-use practices). Prerequisite: EEB 321, an equivalent introductory ecology course, or a collection of foundational readings.

2. Kenya. This four-course program on Tropical Biology and Sustainability, also taught in three-week segments, takes place at Princeton University's Mpala Research Centre in central Kenya and other sites in Kenya, in collaboration with scientists there, EEB faculty, other appropriate faculty from Princeton University, and faculty from Columbia University; Columbia students participate in the program. The courses delve into the ecology of savannas, conservation in Africa, the natural history of mammals, tropical agriculture and engineering and field hydrology. Prerequisite: EEB 321, an equivalent introductory ecology course, or a collection of foundational readings.

3. Other. Individual students are welcome to pursue other independent field opportunities, with scientists from the Smithsonian Institution and the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, or other research institutions, such as the School for Field Studies at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, or James Cook University in Australia.

Program in Teacher Preparation. As the need for qualified science teachers increases, some students may wish to earn a teaching certificate. Working with the departmental representative and the teacher preparation program, an appropriate course of study can be arranged.

1. Submit
   • A Completed Application. You must submit your application online through either the Common Application, Coalition Application or the Universal College Application. 
   • Princeton's Supplement. In addition to the application provided by the Common Application, Coalition Application or Universal College Application, all applicants must submit the Princeton Supplement. You should submit the Princeton Supplement online through the Common Application, Coalition Application or Universal College Application website. 
   • 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, Coalition Application or Universal College Application. Your college or guidance 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, NACAC or Realize Your College Potential. All low-income students are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. Students named QuestBridge Finalists should select the QuestBridge fee waiver. If you use the Princeton-specific fee waiver, you do not need to get approval from your college counselor. Learn more about fee waivers on the How to Apply page.
2. Request
   • Transcript. An official transcript must be sent by a guidance counselor or school official.
   • School Report (SR). The SR form is available from the Common Application and Universal College Application websites. Please ask your guidance counselor or other school official to complete and submit the SR form. If you are using the Coalition Application, the SR and counselor recommendation are uploaded as one item.
   • 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 guidance counselor or academic adviser to complete both items. If you are using the Coalition Application, please invite your counselor to upload the counselor recommendation and school report.
   • Two (2) Teacher Recommendations. Please ask two of your teachers from different academic areas of study to complete and send the teacher recommendation forms, available on the Common Application, Coalition Application and Universal College Application websites. Choose teachers who have taught you in higher-level courses.
   • Mid-year School Report. Please ask your guidance counselor or other school official to complete and submit this form when your mid-year grades are available. The form may be found on the Common Application, Coalition Application and Universal Application websites.
3. Report
   • SAT with Essay or ACT with Writing. Early action applicants are strongly encouraged to complete their SAT with Essay or ACT with Writing test before the Nov. 1 deadline. Regular decision applicants should take the SAT with Essay test by the January test date or take the ACT with Writing by the December date. When registering for the SAT or ACT, use the following codes to ensure your scores are sent to Princeton: SAT: 2672 and ACT: 2588. Learn more about standardized testing for admission.
   • SAT Subject Tests. We recommend, but do not require, the submission of two SAT Subject Tests, which often assist us in the evaluation process. We have no preference for the specific SAT Subject Tests applicants might choose to take. However, if you apply for the Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree, we recommend that you take mathematics Level I or II, and either physics or chemistry. If you decide to submit Subject Tests, early action applicants should take them by the November test date, and regular decision applicants should take them by the January test date. Learn more about standardized testing for admission.
   • TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic scores. If English is not your native language and you are attending a school where English is not the language of instruction, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System Academic (IELTS Academic) or the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), in addition to the SAT with Essay or ACT with Writing. You are not required to take the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic if English is your native language or if you have spent at least three years at a secondary school where English is the primary language of instruction. Please have your scores sent directly to Princeton: TOEFL: 2672

Optional Application Components

• Arts Form, if applicable. If you've excelled in architecture, creative writing, dance, music, theater or visual arts, and would like us to consider your talent, consult Princeton's online Optional Arts Form. Early action applicants must submit digital arts materials by Nov. 7; regular decision applicants must submit digital arts materials by Jan. 6. You can only submit your online Optional Arts Form after we have received the Common Application, Coalition Application or Universal College Application. If you are unable to submit online, please use the paper Optional Arts Form. For a list of acceptable file formats and submission types, review our Optional Arts Form page. For more information on the optional arts supplement, please visit our FAQs page.
• Interview. Depending on availability, once you have applied, you may be invited to interview with a member of one of our Princeton Alumni Schools Committees. If so, we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. Interviews take place after the Admission Office has received your application. Many Princeton Alumni Schools Committees have enough volunteers to offer every applicant an interview. As the interview is not a required element of the application, you will not be at a disadvantage if an interview is not available in your area. We do not offer on-campus interviews. Please visit our FAQs page for more information.

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

The full need of all admitted international students is met the same as it is for students from the United States. Your family’s ability to pay for your university education is not a factor in our admission decision. Students who qualify for financial aid will receive a grant, rather than a loan that has to be repaid, and a term-time job (8-9 hours per week) to meet their need as determined by the Financial Aid Office.

Our financial aid program is entirely based on need. Princeton does not offer academic or athletic merit scholarships. Financial aid awards cover the difference between Princeton’s costs and the amount your parents are expected to contribute to your education. The parental contribution is based on our evaluation of your financial aid application.

The Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program at Princeton University offers a comprehensive education in understanding the fundamental processes that shape biological diversity and the interactions of organisms with their environments. The program emphasizes both theoretical and experimental approaches to studying ecological systems, evolutionary mechanisms, and the genetic basis of adaptation and speciation. Students integrating this program gain knowledge in various subfields, including population biology, behavioral ecology, conservation biology, systematics, and evolutionary genetics. The curriculum is designed to cultivate critical thinking, laboratory skills, and field research experience, enabling graduates to pursue careers in academia, research institutions, environmental consulting, and science policy.

Princeton's faculty comprises leading experts in ecology and evolution who mentor students through coursework, research projects, and seminars. The program encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, integrating insights from biology, geology, computer science, and mathematics to solve complex biological problems. Facilities include advanced laboratories, computer modeling resources, and access to unique field sites for ecological research. Undergraduate students typically engage in independent research projects, often resulting in publications or conference presentations, which prepare them for graduate studies or professional careers.

The program also benefits from Princeton's commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion within the sciences, providing various support mechanisms and community engagement opportunities. Graduates of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program at Princeton are well-equipped to contribute to scientific advancements and environmental conservation efforts worldwide, addressing pressing ecological challenges such as climate change, habitat loss, and species extinction. The program's rigorous academic standards and focus on research excellence make it one of the top choices for students passionate about understanding the natural world and contributing to its preservation.