NYU Tel Aviv students

Study Away Opportunities for Biology Majors

The Biology Department supports study away by its majors and aims to provide pathways for students to do so without sacrificing progress toward the degree or toward meeting pre-health requirements, if relevant.

NYU Abu Dhabi

Study away opportunities at NYU Abu Dhabi are geared towards students in their third and fourth years.Students may enroll in courses often needed as part of the pre-health curriculum such as Organic Chemistry 2, Introduction to Psychology, or Physics 2, and a variety of electives in other fields.

As part of a pre-health focused, spring semester abroad at NYU Abu Dhabi, students from NYU New York can apply to be part of a competitive pre-health cohort that receives professional MCAT preparation funded by NYUAD as well as an introduction to the healthcare system in Abu Dhabi, including visits to healthcare-related organizations.

Biology students from NYU in New York who wish to build their research experience during a semester abroad may apply for a competitive Undergraduate Research Assistantship Award. This assistantship provides up to $3,000 of support to visiting students. Students studying away with NYU Abu Dhabi in the spring semester are also eligible to apply for our summer research opportunities.

NYU Tel Aviv

Study away at NYU Tel Aviv is intended for the second semester of sophomore year. Students who are following the recommended four-year course plan for the standard track of the Biology major can take the following courses at NYU Tel Aviv in the spring semester of sophomore year:

  • Molecular and Cell Biology II (BIOL-UA 9022, 4 credits)
  • Organic Chemistry II (CHEM-UA 9226, 5 credits)
  • The Languages of Israel (HBRJD-UA 9072, 4 credits) or Arabic or Hebrew
  • Internship in Biology (BIOL-UA 9980, 4 credits)

The Biology Department works with NYU Tel Aviv and Tel Aviv University to offer research internships (BIOL-UA 9980) in the world-class laboratories of local Israeli scientists. For more information, please contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

NYU Shanghai

Biology majors who have completed the Molecular and Cell Biology sequence (BIOL-UA 21 and 22) may consider study away at NYU Shanghai in the junior year. Several upper-level Biology electives equivalent to New York courses are offered and the list is expected to grow. In addition General Physics 1 and 2, which are typically taken by Biology majors in the junior year, are offered at NYU Shanghai (PHYS-SHU 11 and 12). Please review the course equivalencies here.

Additional NYU Shanghai courses that might appeal to Biology majors are also offered. For example, MATH-SHU 160 (Dynamics and Networks) is a unique course that is highly recommended for Biology majors interested in systems biology, synthetic biology or computational biology. The course would be especially relevant for Biology/Math double majors or other Biology students with a strong mathematics background (Linear Algebra is a pre-requisite).

Any Biology major who is interested in studying at NYU Shanghai should consult with his or her Biology faculty adviser and the Director of Undergraduate Studies to plan a study-away experience that takes advantage of the curricular offerings at NYU Shanghai and that is compatible with timely completion of the degree. In particular, any student who is pursuing Honors or is otherwise engaged in a long-term research experience in a New York laboratory should seek advice on how studying away might enhance or hinder their research progress. Students are encouraged to explore collaborative research arrangements that would provide continuity of a research project between New York and Shanghai. Such arrangements could qualify for Independent Study or Internship credit.

Students who study at NYU Shanghai are part of a vibrant student community and take advantage of Chinese culture and art classes, join intramural sports teams and participate in many student clubs and organizations. Biology students in particular might be interested in the NYUSH iGEM team, which competes and collaborates with other universities internationally in designing biological “machines.” Students can also take advantage of internships and resources from Shanghai’s full service Career Development Center (CDC). Students travel all over China and Asia during the school holidays. During the summer and January terms, NYU Shanghai organizes trips to popular destinations like Bejing and Xi’an. For more information visit nyu.edu/shanghai.

Other Sites

Some Biology majors may also wish to consider NYU London or NYU Sydney for study away, as Organic Chemistry and General Physics are offered there (Fall and Spring in London, Spring only in Sydney). Note, however, that aside from Principles of Biology, no Biology courses are currently offered at NYU London or NYU Sydney. Any student considering this option should consult with their adviser and/or the Director of Undergraduate Studies to ensure that it does not interfere with progress toward the degree.

Global Public Health/Biology Majors

Students who are majoring in Global Public Health/Biology must study away as part of their major. They should consult with their adviser and/or the Director of Undergraduate Studies to choose the best location and semester. London, Sydney and Tel Aviv currently offer UGPH-GU courses, as do other sites.