Senior Research Lab Prerequisites

Prereqs for the Class of 2026 

Note - Any exception to a prerequisite should be directed to the Science and Technology Division Manager who (if supportive of) will request the final approval of the TJ administration.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 0 semesters

No prerequisites for Class of 2026

 

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • College and Career cluster
    • Advanced Astronomy: Solar System
    • Advanced Astronomy: Universe
    • AP Physics
    • Engineering
    • Geospatial Analysis

Biotechnology and Life Sciences

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 1 semester

Can be completed in 10th or 11th grade

  • DNA Science 1 (1 semester)

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • College and Career cluster
    • DNA Science 2
    • AP Biology
    • AP Chemistry
    • Bioinformatics
    • Environmental Science

Chemical Analysis and Nanochemistry

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 0 semesters

No prerequisites for Class of 2026

 

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • College and Career cluster
    • AP Chemistry
    • Organic Chemistry
    • AP Biology
    • AP Physics

Computer Systems

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 3-4 semesters

Can be completed in 10th or 11th grade

  • TJ Math 4 and 5 (semester + semester) AND Artificial Intelligence 1 and 2 (semester + semester)

  • OR AP Calculus BC (year) AND Foundations in Computer Science (year) 

  • OR Data Structures (year) AND Research Statistics 2 (semester)

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • AP CS is a prerequisite for Artificial Intelligence 1 and 2
  • College and Career cluster
    • Artificial Intelligence 1 and 2
    • AP Computer Science
    • Computer Vision 1 and 2
    • Machine Learning 1 and 2
    • Mobile and/or Web App Dev

Combined Engineering Research

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 2 semester

Can be completed in 10th or 11th grade

  • Two Engineering electives (2 semesters)

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • College and Career cluster
    • Energy Systems 1 and 2
    • Prototyping 1 and 2
    • Robotics 1 and 2
    • CAD
    • Engineering Design

Mobile Web

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: AP Computer Science AND 1-2 semesters

Can be completed in 10th or 11th grade

  • Mobile App Development (semester) OR Web App Development (semester)
  • OR Artificial Intelligence 1 AND Artificial Intelligence 2 (semester + semester)
  • OR Computer Vision 1 AND Computer Vision 2 (semester + semester)
  • OR Artificial Intelligence 1 AND Computer Vision 1 (semester + semester)

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • AP CS is a prerequisite to all pathways
  • College and Career cluster
    • Artificial Intelligence 1 and 2
    • Mobile and Web App Dev
    • Computer Vision 1 and 2

Neuroscience

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 2-4 semesters

  • AP Biology (year) AND Neurobiology (semester) - AP Bio in 10th Grade is prereq for Neurobio in 11th Grade
  • OR AP Calculus BC (year) AND Artificial Intelligence 1 and 2 (semester + semester) - AP Computer Science is prereq for AI 1 and 2
  • OR Psychology: Brain and Behavior (semester) AND Neurobiology (semester) - Psychology is prereq for Neurobio

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • College and Career cluster
    • Neurobiology
    • AP Biology
    • Honors or AP Psychology
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Robotics

Oceanography and Geophysical Systems

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 1 semester

Can be completed in 10th or 11th grade

  • Advanced Marine Biology (semester)

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • College and Career cluster
    • Marine Science Techniques
    • AP Biology
    • Robotics 1 and 2
    • Geospatial Analysis
    • Environmental Science

Quantum Physics and Optics

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 1 semester

Can be completed in 11th grade concurrently with AP Calculus BC

  • AP Physics C (year)

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • College and Career cluster
    • Electrodynamics 
    • Optics
    • Computational Physics
    • AP CS
    • post-AP Math

Prereqs for the Class of 2027 and Beyond

Note - Any exception to a prerequisite should be directed to the Science and Technology Division Manager who (if supportive of) will request the final approval of the TJ administration.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 1 semester

  • Advanced Astronomy: The Solar System (semester) 

  • OR Advanced Astronomy: The Universe (semester) 

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • College and Career cluster
    • Both Solar System and Universe
    • AP Physics
    • Engineering
    • Geospatial Analysis

Biotechnology and Life Sciences

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 1 semester

Can be completed in 10th or 11th grade

  • DNA Science 1 (semester) 

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • College and Career cluster
    • DNA Science 2
    • AP Biology
    • AP Chemistry
    • Environmental Science
    • Bioinformatics

Chemical Analysis and Nanochemistry

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 1 semester

Can be completed in 10th or 11th grade

  • AP Chemistry (year)

  • OR AP Biology (year)

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • College and Career cluster
    • Both AP Chemistry and AP Biology
    • Organic Chemistry
    • AP Physics

Computer Systems

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 3-4 semesters

Can be completed in 10th or 11th grade

  • TJ Math 4 and 5 (semester + semester) AND Artificial Intelligence 1 and 2 (semester + semester) 

  • OR AP Calculus BC (year) AND Foundations in Computer Science (year)

  • OR Data Structures (year) AND Research Statistics 2 (semester)

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • AP CS is a prerequisite for Artificial Intelligence 1 and 2
  • College and Career cluster
    • Artificial Intelligence 1 and 2
    • AP Computer Science
    • Computer Vision 1 and 2
    • Machine Learning 1 and 2
    • Mobile and/or Web App Dev

Combined Engineering Research

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 2 semesters

Can be completed in 10th or 11th grade

  • Two Engineering electives (2 semesters)

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • Engineering Fundamentals is a prerequisite for most Engineering electives
  • College and Career cluster
    • Prototyping 1 and 2
    • Energy Systems 1 and 2
    • Robotics 1 and 2
    • CAD and Engineering Design

Mobile Web

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: AP CS AND 1-2 semesters

Can be completed in 10th or 11th grade

  • Mobile App Development (semester) OR Web App Development (semester)

  • OR Artificial Intelligence 1 AND Artificial Intelligence 2 (semester + semester)

  • OR Computer Vision 1 AND Computer Vision 2 (semester + semester)

  • OR Artificial Intelligence 1 AND Computer Vision 1 (semester + semester)

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • AP CS is a prerequisite to all pathways
  • College and Career cluster
    • Artificial Intelligence 1 and 2
    • Mobile and Web App Dev
    • Computer Vision 1 and 2

Neuroscience

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 2-4 semesters

  • AP Biology (year) AND Neurobiology (semester) - AP Bio is 10th grade prereq for Neurobio in 11th grade

  • OR AP Calculus BC (year) AND Artificial Intelligence 1 and 2 (semester + semester) - AP CS is prereq for AI 1 and 2

  • OR Psychology: Brain and Behavior (semester) AND Neurobiology (semester) - Pyschology is prereq for Neurobio

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • College and Career cluster
    • Neurobiology
    • AP Biology
    • Honors or AP Psychology
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Robotics

Oceanography and Geophysical Systems

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 1 semester

Can be completed in 10th or 11th grade

  • Advanced Marine Biology (semester)

  • OR Marine Science Techniques (semester)

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • College and Career cluster
    • Marine Science Techniques
    • AP Biology
    • Robotics 1 and 2
    • Geospatial Analysis
    • Environmental Science

Quantum Physics and Optics

Research Lab Prerequisites:

Total Required Coursework: 1 semester

Can be completed in 11th grade concurrently with AP Calculus BC

  • AP Physics C (year)

4-Year Planning Considerations

  • College and Career cluster
    • Electrodynamics 
    • Optics
    • Computational Physics
    • AP CS
    • post-AP Math