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 or Ph 231; Ph 214; and 12 elective credits from anthropology, chemistry, computer science, environmental science, geology, mathematics, physics, psychology, public health education, or statistics at the 200 level or higher. Courses used to meet any other general departmental requirement cannot also be used in the 12 elective credit area, and university studies courses are not accepted toward fulfillment of this requirement.
All biology majors must complete a minimum of 60 credits in biology including three terms of science majors’ introductory biology with laboratory. Of the 60 credits required for the major a minimum of 44 credits must be completed in upper-division biology specific coursework.
Biology courses taken under the pass/no pass grading option are not accepted toward fulfillment of departmental major requirements, with the exception of courses numbered Bi 401, Bi 404, Bi 405, and Bi 406 which are offered with either the A-F or P/NP grading option, and Bi 407 Seminar which is only offered as P/NP. Of the 60 credits required in biology, a minimum of 46 credits must be in courses other than Bi 401, Bi 404, Bi 405, Bi 406, and Bi 407. Students may apply a maximum of 6 cumulative credits from the following research and experiential learning elective options Bi 401, Bi 404, Bi 405, Bi 406 toward fulfillment of the biology major credit requirements.
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 General Departmental 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 |
| | or | |
| Ph 231 | General Physics I with Life Science and Medical Applications | 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 |
| | | |
| | Additional science/social science electives: Any combination of courses at the 200+ level that are not part of the University Studies Program from the following departments: ANTH, CH, CS, ESM, G, MTH, PHE, PSY, PH, or STAT. Courses utilized to fill any other general departmental or biology major requirement cannot also be counted in the elective sciences area. University Studies courses taken in any of the listed departments cannot be applied toward fulfillment of this area. | 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: Biology of Cells | 4 |
| Bi 212 | Principles of Biology: The biology of organisms | 4 |
| Bi 213 | Principles of Biology: Evolution and ecology of living organisms | 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 a minimum of one course in Area A and one course in Area B. Complete both courses in Area C.
Area A: Cellular/Molecular
Complete at least one course from the list below:
Area B: Systems/Organisms
Complete at least one course from the list below:
| 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
Both courses must be completed:
Requirement 2
Choose a minimum of two courses at the 300 or 400 level with a major laboratory or field component. Bi 386 or Bi 387 will satisfy Requirement 2 only if the course is not already being used to fulfill Area B.
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 that were not also used to fulfill Requirement 2 (Lab/Field Area)).
Additional upper division elective credit options to consider:
Experiential learning elective options in research, co-op education, internships, workshops, and projects are available and students are highly encouraged to pursue these opportunities. 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 toward fulfillment of biology major credit requirements.
Total Credit Hours: 60