For the first time Harvard students will specialize in a scientific field of concentration before reaching the graduate-school level.

The Biology Department has announced that Honors candidates, beginning with the Class of 1962, will be able to schedule their programs in one of four areas of specialization--chemical, functional, environmental, and evolutionary biology.

"The plan is the result of a completely new, basic philosophy adopted by the Department," Edward O. Wilson, associate professor of Zoology said yesterday.

"We believe that biology is the most diversified of the natural sciences, both in subject matter and in methodology," Wilson explained, "and therefore we should allow students to follow their special interests no matter where they fall in the over-all spectrum of biology."

Change Requirements

Honors candidates in Biology have always taken four varied half-courses in addition to the six courses required of all concentrators in the Department. Under the new plan, students will select all of these additional courses within their particular area of specialization.

Not all Biology concentrators will be required to specialize, Wilson emphasized. "Students can, if they wish, follow a general education program in Biology, but where special interests have developed, we shall encourage them," he said.

To Assign Honors Tutors

The Department hopes to "spot students with special talents and capabilities" by assigning each Honors candidate to an adviser with the same interests, Wilson said. The adviser will aid students in using "their increased freedom," and will provide a valuable, personal faculty contact, Wilson commented. Exam Schedule I  MWF  8  May 23 II  MWF  9  June 1 III  MWF  10  May 29 IV  MWF  11  May 20 V  MWF  12  May 28 VI  MWF  1  June 2 VII  MWF  2  May 26 VIII  MWF  3  May 23 IX  MWF  4  May 23 X  TTS  8  May 21 XI  TTS  9  May 27 XII  TTS  10  May 25 XIII  TTS  11  May 22 XIV  TTS  12  May 26 XV  TTS  1  May 21 XVI  TTS  2  May 21 XVII  TTS  3  June 2 XVIII  TTS  4  June 2