Requirements
In addition to satisfying general University requirements, a student majoring in biology must meet general department requirements as well as fulfill the biology major requirements.
General requirements are completion of two terms of statistics or two terms of calculus; three terms of science majors’ introductory chemistry with laboratory; one term of organic chemistry; Ph 201, Ph 214; and 12 elective credits from geology, physics, computer science, environmental science, or chemistry at the 200 level or higher. All biology majors must complete at least 60 credits in biology including three terms of science majors’ introductory biology with laboratory. Of the 60 credits in biology at least 44 credits must be upper-division coursework for the major.
Biology courses taken pass/no pass are not acceptable toward fulfilling departmental major requirements, with the exception of courses numbered Bi 401, Bi 404, Bi 405, Bi 406, and Bi 407 which are only offered pass/no pass. Of the 60 credits required in biology, at least 46 credits must be in courses other than Bi 401, Bi 404, Bi 405, Bi 406, and Bi 407. The remaining 14 credits may include no more than a total of 6 credits in Bi 401, Bi 404, Bi 405, and Bi 406.
Biology majors interested in the Biology Honors Research Program may obtain information in the Biology Dept. Office.
General Departmental Requirements
All Biology majors must complete the coursework listed below in addition to the Biology major requirements.
| Ch 221 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| Ch 222 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| Ch 223 | General Chemistry III | 4 |
| Ch 227 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| Ch 228 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| Ch 229 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| | | |
| Ch 331 | Elements of Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
| | or | |
| Ch 334 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
| | | |
| Ph 201 | General Physics | 4 |
| Ph 214 | Lab for Ph 201 or Ph 211 or Ph 221 or Ph 231 | 1 |
| | | |
| Mth 251 | Calculus I | 4 |
| | & | |
| Mth 252 | Calculus II | 4 |
| | or | |
| Stat 243 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics I | 4 |
| | & | |
| Stat 244 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics II | 4 |
| | | |
| | Science Electives: Any combination of courses at the 200+ level (not including requirements listed above) from the following departments: Ch, ESM, G, Ph, or CS | 12 |
Biology Major Requirements
Lower Division Biology Core
Enrollment requires concurrent enrollment in Ch 221 & Ch 227 or prior completion of Ch 221 & Ch 227
| Bi 211 | Principles of Biology: Molecular Cell Biology & Genetics | 4 |
| Bi 212 | Principles of Biology: Development, Evolution & Ecology | 4 |
| Bi 213 | Principles of Biology: Organisms, Biodiversity & Conservation | 4 |
| Bi 214 | Principles of Biology Lab I | 1 |
| Bi 215 | Principles of Biology Lab II | 1 |
| Bi 216 | Principles of Biology Lab III | 1 |
Upper Division Biology Core
Complete a minimum of 44 upper division Biology credits and satisfy Requirements 1, 2, and 3 below
Requirement 1
Complete at least one course from each of Areas A, B, and C
Area A: Cellular/Molecular
Area B: Systems/Organisms
| Bi 320 | Introduction to Organismal Physiology | 4 |
| Bi 330 | Introduction to Plant Biology | 4 |
| Bi 380 | Microbiology | 4 |
| Bi 386 | Invertebrate Zoology | 6 |
| Bi 387 | Vertebrate Zoology | 6 |
Area C: Ecology/Evolution
Requirement 2
Choose at least two courses at the 300 or 400 level with a major laboratory or field component. Bi 386 and Bi 387 will satisfy Requirement 2 only if the course is not used to satisfy Requirement 1
Approved Lab--Field Courses Choose at least two
| Bi 301 | Human Anatomy and Physiology | 4 |
| Bi 302 | Human Anatomy and Physiology | 4 |
| Bi 303 | Human Anatomy and Physiology | 4 |
| Bi 326 | Comparative Vertebrate Embryology | 5 |
| Bi 328 | Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | 5 |
| Bi 337 | Cell Biology Laboratory | 1 |
| Bi 361 | Introduction to Marine Biology Laboratory | 1 |
| Bi 386 | Invertebrate Zoology | 6 |
| Bi 387 | Vertebrate Zoology | 6 |
| Bi 388 | Microbiology Techniques | 2 |
| BI 410 | Selected Topics (with laboratory) | 1-6 |
| Bi 413 | Herpetology | 6 |
| Bi 414 | Ornithology | 6 |
| Bi 415 | Mammalogy | 6 |
| Bi 416 | Marine Mammals | 6 |
| Bi 425 | Natural History of Antarctica | 5 |
| Bi 431 | Advanced Molecular and Cell Biology Research Laboratory | 2 |
| Bi 432 | Plant Diversity and Evolution | 5 |
| Bi 435 | Plant Systematics | 4 |
| Bi 441 | Plant Physiology | 5 |
| Bi 450 | Phylogenetic Biology | 4 |
| Bi 455 | Histology | 6 |
| Bi 471 | Plant Ecology | 4 |
| Bi 472 | Natural History | 3 |
| Bi 473 | Field Sampling | 4 |
| Bi 476 | Population Ecology | 5 |
Requirement 3
Choose a minimum of 12 credits from courses with the Bi prefix numbered between 412-499 (can include courses listed in Requirement 2, but cannot be counted twice)
Additional Options to Consider for Meeting the 44 Upper Division Requirement for Biology Majors Requirements
1. Research Teaching and Workshops with credit limitations
A maximum of 6 credits total from
Bi 401 Research,
Bi 404 Cooperative Education,
Bi 405 Reading and Conference,
Bi 406 Laboratory Project may be applied to the 44 credit upper-division Biology credit requirement
2. Related Discipline Course Inclusions
A maximum of 8 credits taken at the 300-400 level and passed with a C- or better from the departments listed below may be applied toward major requirements. This option requires students to receive approval from a representative serving on the Biology Department Academic Affairs Committee prior to enrolling in any course to be considered toward Biology major credit requirement. These credits cannot be substituted for those in Areas A, B, and C, or for the Bi 412 - Bi 499 credit requirements.
| Anthropology (Anth) |
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Business (BA)
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Chemistry (Ch) |
| Computer Science (CS) |
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Economics (Ec) |
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Environmental Science and Management (ESM) |
| Geography (Geog) |
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Geology (G) |
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Philosophy (Phl) |
| Physics (Ph) |
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Psychology (Psy) |
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Public Health Education (PHE) |
| Statistics (Stat) |
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Total Credit Hours: 27-30