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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

General Education Courses(See GNED Course Listings)

Variable
MATH 152, 174 or 175(choose one)

3-4
Total Credit Hours:33

Refer to the General Education section for a complete listing of general education requirements for the University. Program requirements that are also general education requirements will count in both places (as applicable).

Area Requirements

Biological Sciences Core Requirements:

BIOL 171Principles of Biology

4
BIOL 210General Zoology

4
BIOL 215General Botany

4
BIOL 301Fundamentals of Biochemistry

4
BIOL 304Genetics

4
BIOL 461Ecology

3
CHEM 111Principles of Chemistry I

4
CHEM 112Principles of Chemistry II

4
CHEM 326Organic Chemistry I

4
BIOL 499DPrinciples of Evolution

3
Total Credit Hours:38

Choose one of the following:

MATH 152 and MATH 141(take six hours)

6
MATH 174Pre-Calculus Mathematics

3
MATH 175Calculus I

4
Total Credit Hours:3-6

Choose one of the following:

BIOL 317Principles of Microbiology

4
BIOL 380Cell Biology

4
Total Credit Hours:4

Choose one of the following:

PHYS 201Elementary Physics I

4
PHYS 231Engineering Physics I

5
Total Credit Hours:4-5

Choose one of the following:

PHYS 202Elementary Physics II

4
PHYS 232Engineering Physics II

5
CHEM 327Organic Chemistry II

4
ESS 108Physical Geology

4
Total Credit Hours:4-5

Choose one of the following

MATH 353Statistics

3
MATH 365Introduction to Mathematical Statistics

3
Total Credit Hours:3

Biology Track Requirements

Choose five Advanced Biological Sciences Program Electives from the following:

BIOL 317Principles of Microbiology

4
BIOL 318Local Flora

3
BIOL 334Entomology

3
BIOL 337Comparative Anatomy

3
BIOL 338Developmental Biology

4
BIOL 356Conservation Biology

3
BIOL 357Environmental Testing Methods

3
BIOL 380Cell Biology

4
BIOL 384Pathologic Basis of Disease

3
BIOL 385Neurobiology

3
BIOL 404Advanced Genetics

3
BIOL 407Invertebrate Zoology

3
BIOL 409Limnology

3
BIOL 421Biology of Ferns

3
BIOL 422Forests and Tree Ring Science

3
BIOL 424Immunology

3
BIOL 425Animal Physiology

3
BIOL 426Plant Physiology

3
BIOL 427Pathogenic Microbiology

3
BIOL 428Virology

3
BIOL 429Histology

4
BIOL 431Herpetology

3
BIOL 433Ichthyology

4
BIOL 437Ornithology

3
BIOL 438Mammalogy

3
BIOL 443General Parasitology

3
BIOL 446Biotechnology

3
BIOL 447Organ Systems Physiology

3
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 490Advanced Biochemistry

3
Total Credit Hours:15-20

Note: BIOL 317 and BIOL 380 cannot count as both Biology track electives and other required program hours.

Free Electives

Free Electives (chosen by student)

variable

Total Credit Hours: 120