Contents
Catalog Links
Share

Biological Sciences Area (Biology Track) – Bachelor of Science

The biological sciences area is deep and diverse, enabling students to pursue careers such as a professional biologist, teacher, health professional or environmental scientist. In addition to these career paths, students may find it advantageous to combine their biology study with other disciplines allowing them to pursue careers in law, public policy, and other areas that intersect with the field.

Program Competencies

Students graduating with the Bachelor of Science degree in Biology should possess the following:

  1. Written, oral and interpersonal communication skills in the sciences that will allow the graduate to collect, analyze, interpret, utilize and present information that is contemporary in the biological sciences.
  2. An awareness of the basic concepts of the physical and biological sciences and how these concepts are applicable in the profession.
  3. An awareness of the importance of the arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, health sciences as well as the biological and physical sciences to the human community.
  4. A basic understanding of literacy of all disciplines of biology, from molecular to cellular to organismal to population levels that unite organismal, continuity, diversity and unity of life.
  5. A general competency in basic inorganic and organic chemistry as well as in introductory physics, mathematics and statistics.

Assessment

  1. Departmental exit examination scores administered in the capstone course.
  2. Laboratory skills performance assessments administered in selected program core biology courses.
  3. Performance of graduates on entrance examinations to post-baccalaureate programs (GRE, MCAT, PCAT, DAT). 
  4. Employer feedback.
  5. Graduate feedback.


Program Requirements

General Education

MATH 152College Algebra

3
BIOL 171Principles of Biology (NSC1)

4
CHEM 111Principles of Chemistry I (NSC2)

4
BIOL 499DPrinciples of Evolution

3
Total Credit Hours:38

Refer to the General Education section for a complete listing of general education requirements for the University.

Note: Students taking MATH 152 as a general education core class must also complete MATH 141 as a program elective. Students having an ACT below 22 will take MATH 141 as a general elective.

Area Requirements

Biological Sciences Core Requirements:

BIOL 210General Zoology

4
BIOL 215General Botany

4
BIOL 301Fundamentals of Biochemistry

4
BIOL 304Genetics

3
BIOL 317Principles of Microbiology

4
BIOL 380Cell Biology

3
BIOL 461Ecology

3
CHEM 112Principles of Chemistry II

4
CHEM 326Organic Chemistry I

4
MATH 353Statistics

3
PHYS 201Elementary Physics I

3
PHYS 201AElementary Physics I Lab

1
PHYS 202Elementary Physics II

3
PHYS 202AElementary Physics II Lab

1
Total Credit Hours:44

Choose one of the following:

BIOL 425Animal Physiology

3
BIOL 426Plant Physiology

3
Total Credit Hours:3

Note: When either BIOL 425 or BIOL 426 is taken to fulfill this requirement, the other may be taken as a track elective. The course may not be counted in both categories.

Choose one of the following:

MATH 141(if taking MATH 152 as general education requirement)

3
MATH 174Pre-Calculus Mathematics

3
MATH 175Calculus I

4
Total Credit Hours:3-4

Note: Students taking MATH 152 as a general education core class must also complete MATH 141 as a program elective. Students having an ACT below 22 will take MATH 141 as a general elective.

Biology Track Requirements

Choose three Advanced Biological Sciences Program Electives from the following:

BIOL 318Local Flora

3
BIOL 334Entomology

3
BIOL 336Pathophysiology

4
BIOL 337Comparative Anatomy

3
BIOL 338Developmental Biology

4
BIOL 356Conservation Biology

3
BIOL 357Environmental Testing Methods

3
BIOL 385Neurobiology

3
BIOL 407Invertebrate Zoology

3
BIOL 409Limnology

3
BIOL 421Biology of Ferns

3
BIOL 424Immunology

3
BIOL 425Animal Physiology

3
BIOL 426Plant Physiology

3
BIOL 427Pathogenic Microbiology

3
BIOL 428Virology

3
BIOL 429Histology

3
BIOL 431Herpetology

3
BIOL 433Ichthyology

4
BIOL 437Ornithology

3
BIOL 438Mammalogy

3
BIOL 443General Parasitology

3
BIOL 446Biotechnology

3
BIOL 447Organ Systems Physiology

4
BIOL 449Plant Anatomy

3
BIOL 451Advanced Cell Biology

3
BIOL 452Aquatic Entomology

3
BIOL 456Plant Morphology

3
BIOL 473Medical-Veterinary Entomology

4
BIOL 478Animal Behavior

3
BIOL 480History of Science

3
BIOL 490Biochemistry

4
Total Credit Hours:9-12

Free Electives

Free Electives (chosen by student)

19-23
Total Credit Hours:19-23

Total Credit Hours: 120