Major

The Biology Department offers two 44-credit majors as well as a 22 credit minor for liberal arts and education majors. A degree with a Biology major also requires additional supporting courses in chemistry, mathematics, and physics. Three options are offered for the biology major:

  1. Biomedical and Health Science option-  appropriate for pre-professional majors and students planning to go into health, medicine, or laboratory research.
  2. General Biology option - for students who want to be broadly educated in biology or who are seeking education certification.
  3. Ecology and Organismal Biology option (formerly Field Biology Option)- for students interested in ecological research or careers in field biology; including Natural Resource Management.

General Education Requirements

Courses in the major or required supporting courses may be double counted to satisfy the General Education science requirements. Therefore, the total General Education credit hour requirement is reduced by the courses that can be double-counted.

General Biology Option

BIOL Core and Elective Courses = 44 cr.
Required core courses (26-27 cr.)

BIOL 110 Freshman Colloquium, 1 cr.
BIOL 103 Biological Evolution, 3 cr.
BIOL 160 Gen. Bio: Fr. Research, 4 cr. or BIOL 150, Gen. Biology, (3) cr.
BIOL 210 Botany, 3 cr.
BIOL 230 General Zoology, 3 cr.
BIOL 240 Cell & Molecular Biology, 3 cr.
BIOL 324 Microbiology, 4 cr.
BIOL 350 Genetics, 3 cr.
BIOL 360 Ecology, 3 cr.

Electives courses  (17-18 cr. from the following to reach a total of 44 cr.)
Recommended Electives: (not a complete list)

BIOL 195 Freshman Research Exper., 3 cr.
BIOL 243 Intro to Biol. Greek-Latin, 2 cr.
BIOL 295 Lab Research Experience, 2 cr.
BIOL 305 App. in Molecular Biology, 3 cr.
BIOL 307 Human Heredity, 2 cr.
BIOL 310  Identification of Plants, 3 cr.
BIOL 314  Plant Pathology, 3 cr.
BIOL 320  Plant Physiology, 3 cr.
BIOL 325 Medical Microbiology, 3 cr.
BIOL 341 Anatomy & Physiology I, 4 cr.
BIOL 342 Anatomy & Physiology II, 4 cr.
BIOL 345 Immunology, 3 cr.
BIOL 351 Epigenetics, 3 cr.
BIOL 353 Histology, 4 cr.
BIOL 356 Neurobiology, 3 cr.
BIOL 364 Developmental Biology, 3 cr.
BIOL 365 Cancer Biology, 3 cr.
BIOL 451 Molecular Biology, 4 cr.
BIOL 453 Virology, 3 cr.
BIOL 463 Animal Cell Culture, 3 cr.
BIOL 454 Mammology, 3 cr.
BIOL 464 Stem Cells &Reg. Med., 3 cr.
___________________________

BIOL 379 Internship, 3-6 cr.
BIOL 389 Special Topics in Biology, 3 cr.
BIOL 495 Undergraduate Research, 3 cr.
BIOL 499 Independent Study, 1-3 cr.
_________________________________

Note: Up to 6 elective credits may be taken from outside the Biology Department, by program exception.

B.S. in Biomedical and Health Science

BIOL Core and Elective Courses = 44 cr.
Required core courses (28-29 cr.)

BIOL 110 Freshman Colloquium, 1 cr
BIOL 103 Biological Evolution, 3 cr.
BIOL 160 Gen. Bio: Fr. Research, 4 cr. or BIOL 150 Gen. Biology, (3) cr.
BIOL 230 General Zoology, 3 cr.
BIOL 240 Cell & Molecular Biology, 3 cr.
BIOL 324 Microbiology, 4 cr.
BIOL 341 Anatomy & Physiology I, 4 cr.
BIOL 342 Anatomy & Physiology II, 4 cr.
BIOL 350 Genetics, 3 cr.

Electives courses  (15-16 cr. from the following to reach 44 total cr.)
Recommended Electives: (not a complete list)

BIOL 195  Freshman Research Experience, 3 cr.
BIOL 210 Botany, 3 cr.
BIOL 243 Intro to Biol. Greek-Latin, 2 cr.
BIOL 295 Lab Research Experience, 2 cr.
BIOL 305 App. in Molecular Biology, 3 cr.
BIOL 307 Human Heredity, 2 cr.
BIOL 325 Medical Microbiology, 3 cr.
BIOL 345 Immunology, 3 cr.
BIOL 351 Epigenetics, 3 cr.
BIOL 353 Histology, 4 cr.
BIOL 356 Neurobiology, 3 cr.
BIOL 364 Developmental Biology, 3 cr.
BIOL 365 Cancer Biology, 3 cr.
BIOL 451 Molecular Biology, 4 cr.
BIOL 453 Virology, 3 cr.
BIOL 463 Animal Cell Culture, 3 cr.
BIOL 464 Stem Cells &Reg. Med., 3 cr.
___________________________

BIOL 379 Internship, 3-6 cr.
BIOL 389 Special Topics in Biology, 3 cr.
BIOL 495 Undergraduate Research, 3 cr.
BIOL 499 Independent Study, 1-3 cr.

Chemistry supporting courses (10- cr.): 1 year of CHEM

CHEM 111 General Chemistry I, 4 cr.
        + CHEM 116 General Chemistry Lab I, 1 cr.
CHEM 112 General Chemistry II, 4 cr.
        + CHEM 117 General Chemistry Lab II, 1 cr. or CHEM 130 Intro. to Organic Chemistry, 5 cr.
CHEM 233 Foundations of Organic Chem., 5 cr.

Additional supporting courses (11-12 cr.):

PHYS 121 Algebra-based Physics, 5 cr. or 131 calculus-based Physics, 5 cr.
MATH 147 Algebra & Trigonometry, 3 cr. or 149 Precalculus, 4 cr.        
MATH 231 Biostatistics, 3 cr. or ANSC 341 Biometrics, 3 cr.
__________________________________

Note: Up to 6 elective credits may be taken from outside the Biology Department, by program exception.

B.S. In Biology - Ecology and Organismal Biology (EOB)

*Formerly Field Biology Option*

BIOL Core and Elective Courses = 27-28 cr.

BIOL 110 Freshman Colloquium, 1 cr.
BIOL 103 Biological Evolution, 3 cr.
BIOL 160 Gen. Bio: Fr. Research, 4 cr. or BIOL 150  Gen. Biology, (3) cr.
BIOL 210 Botany, 3 cr.
BIOL 230 General Zoology, 3 cr.
BIOL 240 Cellular and Molecular Biology, 3 cr.
BIOL 296 Field Research Experience, 2 cr.
BIOL 312 Microbial Ecology, 3 cr.
BIOL 360 Ecology, 3 cr.
BIOL 361 Ecological Methodology, 3 cr.

Directed Electives courses (Choose 18-19 credits of upper dvision biology courses below)
Recommended Electives: (not a complete list)

Technical EOB Courses (Min. 4 courses)
BIOL 310  Identification of Plants, 3 cr.
BIOL 314  Plant Pathology, 3 cr.
BIOL 333  Entomology, 3 cr.
BIOL 344  Wildlife Biology, 4 cr.
BIOL 354  Freshwater Biology, 3 cr.
BIOL 434  Ichthyology, 3 cr.
BIOL 444  Ornithology, 3 cr.
BIOL 454  Mammology, 3 cr.

Other Biology Electives
BIOL 195  Freshman Research Experience, 3 cr.
BIOL 243  Intro. to Biol. Greek-Latin, 2 cr.
BIOL 305  App. in Molecular Biology, 3 cr.
BIOL 324 Microbiology, 4 cr.
BIOL 350 Genetics, 3 cr.
BIOL 379  Internship, 3-6 cr.
BIOL 495  Undergraduate Research, 3 cr.
BIOL 499  Independent Study, 1-3 cr.
BIOL 277/278 Study Abroad, 3 cr.

Required Supporting Courses: 21 cr. hrs.
Required for all options in the biology major.
Some professional schools and graduate programs may require additional credits in Chemistry, Math and/or Physics; consult your adviser.

Chemistry supporting courses (10- cr.): 1 year of CHEM
CHEM 111 General Chemistry I, 4 cr.
        + CHEM 116 General Chemistry Lab I, 1 cr.
CHEM 112 General Chemistry II, 4 cr.
        + CHEM 117 General Chemistry Lab II, 1 cr. or CHEM 130 Intro. to Organic Chemistry, 5 cr.
CHEM 233 Foundations of Organic Chem., 5 cr.

Additional supporting courses (11-12 cr.):
PHYS 121 Algebra-based Physics, 5 cr. or 131 calculus-based Physics, 5 cr.
MATH 147 Algebra & Trigonometry, 3 cr. or 149 Precalculus, 4 cr. or 166 Calculus, 4 cr.
MATH 231 Biostatistics, 3 cr. or ANSC 341 Biometrics, 3 cr. or PSYC 201 Behavioral Statistics, 3 cr.

Minor

Minor Requirements 22 Total Credits

Required Courses:
BIOL 150 General Biology 3 cr.

Liberal Arts majors take:
BIOL 210 General Botany or BIOL 230 General Zoology 3 cr.

Directed Electives: 16 cr. hrs.
Choose from any Biology courses except BIOL 100, BIOL 253, BIOL 308.
At least one course must be at the 300 level or above.

Education majors take:
BIOL 210 General Botany 3 cr.
BIOL 230 General Zoology 3 cr.
BIOL 240 Cell and Molecular Biology 3 cr.
BIOL 350 Genetics and Evolution (writing intensive) 3 cr.
BIOL 360 Ecology (writing intensive) 3 cr.

Directed Electives: 4 cr. hrs.
Choose from any Biology courses except BIOL 100, BIOL 253, BIOL 308.

Why study biology?

Related: Biology Department