The B.S. in Biology degree prepares students for a variety of careers following graduation. Substantial numbers of students go on to health professional schools to study medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, podiatric medicine, and veterinary medicine. Other students go on to various graduate programs in the basic biological sciences (e.g., physiology, genetics, molecular biology, immunology, microbiology, marine biology, ecology, etc.), college teaching, and positions in industry and in research and development.
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Division Requirements | ||
| BIOL 101 | General Biology I 1 | 3 |
| BIOL 102 | General Biology II 1 | 3 |
| BIOL 111 | General Biology I Lab 1 | 2 |
| BIOL 112 | General Biology II Lab 1 | 2 |
| BIOL 190 | First Year Biology Seminar | 0 |
| BIOL 201 | Cell Function 1 | 3 |
| BIOL 202 | Genetics 1 | 3 |
| CHEM 110 | General Chemistry I 1 | 3 |
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I Lab 1 | 1 |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry II 1 | 3 |
| CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II Lab 1 | 1 |
| CHEM 220 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 221 | Organic Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
| CHEM 222 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 223 | Organic Chemistry II Lab | 1 |
| MATH 122 | Calculus for the Life Sciences I 1,2 | 3 |
| MATH 123 | Calculus for the Life Sciences II 2 | 3-4 |
| or MATH 205 | Applied Statistics | |
| PHYS 2500 | General Physics I | 4 |
| PHYS 2550 | General Physics II | 4 |
| Subtotal | 46-47 | |
| Upper Division Requirements | ||
| 27 (B.S.) upper division semester hours in Biology, to be selected from the groups listed below, and include at least 7 lecture and 4 laboratory courses (these may include lecture/lab combinations, which are 4 semester hours, and) a 2-semester-hour seminar or research course. | ||
| Select one of the following Cell/Organism Function courses: 3 | 3-4 | |
| Comparative Anatomy | ||
| Embryology | ||
| Developmental Biology | ||
| General Physiology | ||
| Plant Physiology | ||
| Plants, Pharmacy, and Medicine | ||
| Cell Biology | ||
| Comparative Animal Physiology | ||
| Hormones and Behavior | ||
| Molecular Neurobiology | ||
| Endocrinology | ||
| Behavioral Endocrinology | ||
| Immunology | ||
| Physiology of Disease | ||
| Molecular Cell Biology and Lab | ||
| Stem Cell Biology | ||
| Select one of the following Molecular Biology courses: 3 | 3-4 | |
| Embryology and Development | ||
| Developmental Biology | ||
| Cell Biology | ||
| Biological Databases | ||
| Plant Biotechnology | ||
| Advanced Genetics | ||
| Biomathematical Modeling | ||
| Plant Development | ||
| Molecular Biology Applications | ||
| Molecular Neurobiology | ||
| Molecular Biology | ||
| Molecular Cell Biology and Lab | ||
| Stem Cell Biology | ||
| Molecular Biology of the Genome | ||
| Molecular Mechanisms of Disease | ||
| Select one of the following Organismal Diversity courses: 3 | 3-4 | |
| Plant Interactions | ||
| Field Botany | ||
| Tropical Ecology | ||
| Coastal Ecology | ||
| Tropical Marine Ecology | ||
| Biology of Mammals | ||
| Invertebrate Zoology | ||
| Comparative Anatomy | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Plants, Pharmacy, and Medicine | ||
| General Microbiology | ||
| Marine Biology | ||
| Environmental Microbiology | ||
| Select one of the following Populations courses: 3 | 3-4 | |
| Biostatistical Analysis | ||
| Applied Plant Ecology | ||
| Tropical Ecology | ||
| World Vegetation Ecology | ||
| Island Biology | ||
| Principles of Ecology | ||
| Coastal Ecology | ||
| Urban Ecology | ||
| Tropical Marine Ecology | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Marine Biology | ||
| Marine Conservation Biology | ||
| Epidemiology | ||
| Principles of Evolution | ||
| Evolution | ||
| Conservation Genetics | ||
| Select four of the following laboratory courses: 3, 4 | 4-16 | |
| Field Botany | ||
| Tropical Ecology | ||
| Principles of Ecology | ||
| Urban Ecology Lab | ||
| Avian Biology Lab | ||
| Quantifying Biodiversity Field Laboratory | ||
| Embryology and Development | ||
| Biology of Mammals | ||
| Invertebrate Zoology | ||
| Comparative Anatomy | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Embryology Lab | ||
| Developmental Biology Lab | ||
| General Physiology Lab | ||
| Plant Physiology Laboratory | ||
| Hormones and Behavior | ||
| Cell Biology Laboratory | ||
| Comparative Animal Physiology Laboratory | ||
| General Microbiology Laboratory | ||
| Microbial Genomics Laboratory | ||
| Cell Culture Laboratory | ||
| Bioinformatics Laboratory | ||
| Protein Biotechnology Lab | ||
| Genetics Laboratory | ||
| Tropical Marine Ecology Laboratory | ||
| Baja Marine Ecology Laboratory | ||
| Marine Biology | ||
| Marine Physiology Laboratory | ||
| Plant Development Laboratory | ||
| Molecular Biology Applications | ||
| Molecular Cell Biology and Lab | ||
| Evolution | ||
| Conservation Genetics | ||
| Molecular Biology of the Genome | ||
| Select one two-semester-hour 500-level seminar or research course | 2 | |
| Select three additional upper division biology courses 5 | 12 | |
| Select one of the following plant biology courses: | 3-4 | |
| Applied Plant Ecology | ||
| Plant Interactions | ||
| Field Botany 6 | ||
| World Vegetation Ecology | ||
| Plant Physiology | ||
| Plants, Pharmacy, and Medicine | ||
| Plant Biotechnology | ||
| Plant Development | ||
| Select one of the following field biology courses: | 1-4 | |
| Field Botany 6 | ||
| Tropical Ecology | ||
| Principles of Ecology | ||
| Urban Ecology Lab | ||
| Avian Biology Lab | ||
| Quantifying Biodiversity Field Laboratory | ||
| Tropical Marine Ecology | ||
| Biology of Mammals | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Tropical Marine Ecology Laboratory | ||
| Marine Biology | ||
| Marine Physiology Laboratory | ||
| Evolution | ||
| Subtotal | 34-54 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 80-101 | |
A student must complete with a C (2.0) average the lower division requirements indicated by asterisks, including a C (2.0) average in BIOL 101 General Biology I, BIOL 102 General Biology II, BIOL 111 General Biology I Lab, BIOL 112 General Biology II Lab, BIOL 201 Cell Function, and BIOL 202 Genetics, prior to becoming eligible to take any upper division biology course.
MATH 131 Calculus I, MATH 132 Calculus II may be substituted for MATH 122 Calculus for the Life Sciences I, MATH 123 Calculus for the Life Sciences II
Classes above can only satisfy ONE area, even if listed in more than one.
CHEM 371 Biochemistry Lab can be used to count as an upper division biology lab in the major. Students who are minoring or majoring in biochemistry cannot use CHEM 371 Biochemistry Lab to count as credit in both the biochemistry major/minor and biology major.
CHEM 370 Biochemistry and/or HSEG 515 Healthcare Delivery Systems can be used to count as an upper division biology elective in the major. If neither or only one of those is taken, one other upper division non-biology course can be used to count as an upper division biology elective in the major.
Students who wish to take a non-biology course (besides CHEM 370 Biochemistry or HSEG 515 Healthcare Delivery Systems) for upper division biology elective credit must receive approval from the chairperson of the biology department prior to taking the course.
Students who are minoring or majoring in biochemistry cannot use CHEM 370 Biochemistry to count as credit in both the biochemistry major/minor and biology major.
BIOL 312 Field Botany can satisfy only one of these two categories (either plant or field, not both).
Note:
Upper division biology courses that are taken to fulfill requirements for a different major or minor may not be used to fulfill biology major course requirements.
Upper division biology courses may be taken as electives. Students preparing for specific graduate careers should discuss appropriate courses with their advisors.
To graduate as a biology major, a student must accumulate a C (2.0) average in all major requirements.
(124 S.H.)1
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Semester Hours | |
| BIOL 101 | General Biology I | 3 |
| BIOL 111 | General Biology I Lab | 2 |
| BIOL 190 | First Year Biology Seminar | 0 |
| CHEM 110 | General Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
| MATH 122 | Calculus for the Life Sciences I 2 | 3 |
| FFYS 1000 or RHET 1000 |
First Year Seminar or Rhetorical Arts |
4 |
| ORNT 1000 | First Year Forum | 0 |
| Semester Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 102 | General Biology II | 3 |
| BIOL 112 | General Biology II Lab | 2 |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II Lab | 1 |
| MATH 123 or MATH 205 |
Calculus for the Life Sciences II or Applied Statistics |
3-4 |
| RHET 1000 or FFYS 1000 |
Rhetorical Arts or First Year Seminar |
3-4 |
| Semester Hours | 15-17 | |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 201 | Cell Function | 3 |
| CHEM 220 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 221 | Organic Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
| University Core | 4 | |
| University Core | 4 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 202 | Genetics | 3 |
| CHEM 222 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 223 | Organic Chemistry II Lab | 1 |
| University Core | 4 | |
| University Core | 4 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Junior Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL Upper Division | 4 | |
| PHYS 2500 | General Physics I 3 | 4 |
| University Core | 4 | |
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
University Core |
||
Elective 4 |
||
| Semester Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL Upper Division | 4 | |
| BIOL Upper Division | 3 | |
| PHYS 2550 | General Physics II | 4 |
| University Core | 4 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL Upper Division | 4 | |
| BIOL Upper Division | 3 | |
| BIOL Seminar or Research | 2 | |
| Upper Division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper Division Elective | 4 | |
| Semester Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL Upper Division | 4 | |
| BIOL Upper Division | 3 | |
| Upper Division Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 16 | |
| Minimum Semester Hours | 124-126 | |
A minimum of 124 semester hours including 45 upper division hours are required to complete the degree.
The course sequence in Mathematics depends on the results of the Mathematics Placement Exam.
Students who have completed MATH 122 Calculus for the Life Sciences I or MATH 131 Calculus I may begin the physics sequence in the Fall semester of either the sophomore or junior year.
A minimum of 32 core semester hours are required. The sequence of the University Core courses should be discussed with the student’s advisor.
Print this page.
The PDF will include all information unique to this page.
