普通生物学专业是为想要基础广泛的生物学课程的学生设计的。专业开始于新生一年的生物学入门课程（60级BIO课程）。作为大二和大三的学生，学生将学习6种生物基础课程中的5种（80级BIO课程）。其他基础课程包括两个实验课程（BIO 45和BIO 46或47），化学，物理，数学和统计学。作为大三和大四，学生将从生物学（BIO），霍普金斯海洋站（BIOHOPK）以及经批准的专业跨部门选修课程中选修23个单元的高级选修课。学生可以选择添加荣誉。为了在生物学领域获得荣誉，学生必须申请并完成部门荣誉计划的要求，其中包括
Biology will provide you with a broad-based biology curriculum. The general biology major is designed for students who would like a broad-based biology curriculum. Biology is a diverse and exciting field. Both as preparation for specific professional careers and as the focus of a general liberal arts curriculum, a major in Biology is an excellent choice for many Stanford students. The Biology major can serve as a stepping-stone for a wide variety of career opportunities, such as medical, dental, or veterinary school, or for a graduate program in the biological and applied sciences. It can also serve as a valuable and satisfying focus of a liberal arts education for those not planning careers in science-related fields.