The Paleontology Track
Paleontology is a track within the biology major that trains students in research, lab, and field skills. The goal is to prepare students for graduate school and further careers in paleontology. The paleontology track is an undergraduate program that offers such a wide range of experiences, which is uncommon for a small liberal arts college.
In addition to the requirements for the general education and biology curricula, paleontology students are required to take the following courses.
Lower-level course
- The J-Term field course in July/August. This course is open to all majors and will be offered next in 2024.
Upper-level courses
- Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates (Lab/sci)
- Dinosaur Evolution and Extinction (Lab/sci)
- Independent Study in Quantitative Vertebrate Ontogeny
- Senior Seminar
- Recommended upper-level electives in biology: Developmental Biology and Human Anatomy and Physiology
Learn more about these courses on our biology site.
Other opportunities
- Paleontology lab at the Dinosaur Discovery Museum (semester-long commitment; multiple semesters available)
- Field assistantship for exemplary students in the field course
- The student-run Paleontology Club
- Presentation of original research at the annual meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology