Fall 2026 Biology Registration Hub
Important BIO Updates for Summer and Fall 2026
Course Updates
- BIO 204 will be offered in Summer 2026 (Summer Session 1) and Fall 2026. BIO 207 will be offered in Summer 2026 (Summer Session 2) and Fall 2025 . Please note that BIO 204 and BIO 207 are being offered consecutively. Therefore, students will be able to complete the entire introductory biology lab sequence in Summer 2026.
- BIO 356 an Upper division BIO lab from Area 4 will be offered in summer 2026 ( Summer Session 1).
- BIO 312 an Upper division BIO lecture/ lab from Area 1 will be offered in summer 2026 ( Summer Session2). This is a great opportunity to complete one or both of your upper division BIO lab requirements for the BIO BS.
- BIO 299 will be offered in Summer 2026
- Prerequisite requirements have changed for the following courses: BIO 201, BIO 211, EBH 381, BIO 312, BIO 319, BIO 321, BIO 351, BIO 352 and BIO 356. As always, be sure to actively check the Stony Brook Undergraduate Catalog for the official information on all courses.
Registration Resources
Before your appointment begins on April 6, ensure your "path is clear" in SOLAR:
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Clear Holds: Check the "Holds" box on your SOLAR home page. Common holds include Acknowledge Financial Liability, Medical/Immunization, and Advising Holds.
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Placement Exams: If you are a new student or switching to Biology, ensure your OCPP (Chemistry) and Math Placement scores are finalized. You cannot enroll in BIO 202/203 without the proper Chemistry prerequisites/co-requisites.
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Degree Works: Run a fresh "What-If" report if you are planning to switch specializations (e.g., from Interdisciplinary to Neuroscience).
If SOLAR says a course is "Open" (Green Circle) but gives you an error when you try to add it, you are likely hitting a Reserve Capacity restriction.
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What it is: SBU Biology reserves seats for specific groups (e.g., Honors students, New Transfers, or specific majors) until a certain date.
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Strategy: If you don't meet the reserve, add yourself to the Waitlist immediately. On the Friday before classes begin, most reserves are lifted, and waitlisted students are moved in automatically based on waitlist position if seats become available
For Fall 2026, the credit limit follows a strict phased rollout:
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Initial Limit: 17 credits (standard for most students during advance registration).
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August 21, 2026 (12:00 PM): Limit increases to 19 or 23 credits based on the Course Load Policy.
Note for BS Students: You must officially declare a specialization to graduate. You can do this on SOLAR under Manage Classes > Undergraduate Major/Minor Form.
The major declaration form Opens on Monday, March 30, 2026 and
Closes on Friday, August 28, 2026 at 4PM
Fall 2026 Specializations include:
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Neuroscience
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Developmental Genetics
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Ecology & Evolution
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Quantitative Biology & Bioinformatics
- Environmental Biology
- Interdisciplinary Biology
- Bioengineering ( can not be declared without a Bioengineering Minor)
The Past Course Offerings document is a predictive "data map" that helps Stony Brook Biology majors build a realistic schedule by showing when specific courses have been offered, rather than a complete list of all course offerings.
Why It Matters:
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Identifies "Ghost" Courses: The Undergraduate Catalog lists every class ever created. Past Offerings show you which ones have actually been taught in the last five years, helping you avoid planning around a class that is effectively "retired."
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Predicts Seasonality: Many upper-division BIO electives are Fall-Only or Spring-Only. If a course hasn't appeared in a Spring slot for three years, it helps you prioritize it for the appropriate semester or risk waiting a full year to complete a course.
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SBC Tracking: It helps you verify which courses have historically satisfied SBC requirements like ESI, EXP+, or WRTD, ensuring your elective choices actually count toward your degree.
If the waitlist is full, continue to monitor enrollment to see if a seat on the waitlist opens up.