B. A.: Biology
B. S.: Biology
Minor: Biology
A student planning to major in biology develops a plan of study based on the following guidelines. The biology major consists of forty to forty-three semester hours of biology plus eighteen semester hours in other science departments. In the plan of study, the student must select at least one course from each of the following: (Botanical) – Biology 230, 234, 235, 248, 249, 341, or 346; (Zoological) – Biology 214, 231, 232, 233, 238, 239, 324, 342, or 346. No single course can fulfill both Botanical and Zoological requirements for a student.
Forty to forty-three semester hours of biology plus thirty-three semester hours in other science departments. It requires careful and nearly complete use of a student’s electives and is intended for those students who need the specific and additional sciences required for entry into graduate programs leading to technical science careers or the Ph.D. in a biological field.
The course requirements are the same as listed for the B.A. degree except Area VI (Supporting Science) is replaced by: one semester of Organic Chemistry (Chemistry 201); a year each of Mathematics (Mathematics 201: Calculus I or Math 131: Essentials of Calculus; and one of Mathematics 202: Calculus II, Mathematics 127: Introductory Statistics, or Math 227: Data Analysis) and Physics (Physics 200: Mechanics and Waves and one of Physics 205: Classical and Modern Physics, Physics 218: Introductory Electromagnetism, or Physics 213, 214, and 215: Thermodynamics, Relativity, and Laboratory) are also required. An independent research project (Biology 492: Directed Research or other equivalent experience) is highly recommended.
Area I: Foundational Courses in Biology
Biology 170: Concepts in Biology: Biological Information, Reproduction, and Evolution is to be taken by all majors and minors as a prerequisite to all other Biology courses except those at the 100-level.
Biology 180: Concepts in Biology: Energy and Resources in Biology is to be taken by all majors or minors as a prerequisite to all other Biology courses, except those at the 100-level.
Note: Biology 170 and Biology 180 may be taken in either order. Students with an advanced placement score of 4 will receive credit for Biology 110N (4 semester hours). Students with an advanced placement score of 5 will receive credit for Biology 250B (5 semester hours).
Biology 255: Biological Literacy is to be taken by all Biology majors by the end of the fall of the junior year; prerequisites: Biology 170 & 180
Area II: Breadth of the Biological Experience69
A minimum of four semester hours from each of the following groups. Note that all courses at the 200-level and above have Biology 170 and 180 as prerequisites.
Group 1: Molecules, Organelles, Cells
• Biology 210: Molecular Neurobiology; 5 semester hours
• Biology 214: Developmental Biology; 5 semester hours
• Biology 215: Genetics; 5 semester hours
• Biology 219: Immunology; 5 semester hours
• Biology 310: Molecular Biology; 5 semester hours; prerequisite: Chemistry 162
• Biology 312: The Cell; 5 semester hours; prerequisite: Chemistry 162
• Biology 316: Molecular Genetics and Bioinformatics; prerequisite Chemistry 162
Group 2: Tissues, Organs, Systems
• Biology 220: Neurobiology; 5 semester hours; alternate prerequisite: Psychology 110
• Biology 221: Pharmacology; 4 semester hours
• Biology 223: Survey of Human Diseases; 4 semester hours
• Biology 324: Animal Physiology; 5 semester hours; prerequisite: Chemistry 162
• Biology 325: Human Anatomy and Physiology I; 5 semester hours; prerequisite: 1 upper level Biology course or permission of instructor
• Biology 326: Human Anatomy and Physiology II, 4 semester hours; prerequisite: 1 upper level Biology course or permission of instructor
• Biology 327: Human Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory; 1 semester hour, to be taken concurrently with Biology 326 if desired
• Biology 328: Electron Microscopy; 5 semester hours; Prerequisites: Biology 170 and 180 and Chemistry 121 and 162
Group 3: Organisms
• Biology 230: Woody Plants, 4 semester hours
• Biology 231: Vertebrate Zoology; 5 semester hours
• Biology 232: Herpetology; 5 semester hours
• Biology 233: Ornithology; 5 semester hours
• Biology 234: Morphology of Nonvascular Plants; 5 semester hours
• Biology 235: Morphology and Taxonomy of Vascular Plants; 5 semester hours
• Biology 237: Microbiology; 5 semester hours
• Biology 238: Entomology; 5 semester hours
• Biology 239: Marine Invertebrates; 5 semester hours
Group 4: Populations, Communities, Ecosystems
• Biology 243: Cave Ecology; 4 semester hours
• Biology 247: Marine Ecology; 5 semester hours; prerequisite Math Placement 22
• Biology 248: Comparative Communities-Bahamas; 5 semester hours
• Biology 249: Comparative Communities-Northern Forests; 5 semester hours
• Biology 341: Limnology; 5 semester hours; prerequisite: Chemistry 162
• Biology 342: Stream Ecology; 5 semester hours; prerequisite; Chemistry 162 and Biology 341
• Biology 346: Ecology; 5 semester hours; prerequisites: one group 2, 3, or 4 course, Math Placement 22
• Biology 347: Evolution; 4 semester hours; prerequisites: At least two other biology courses at the 200-level or higher and Math Placement 22
Area III: Biological Electives
A minimum of five semester hours of additional credits from any of the above or Biology 258: Extended Field Studies, up to 5 semester hours*: Biology 250: Topics (topic varies with offering), up to 5 semester hours; Biology 492: Directed Research, up to 5 semester hours*; Biology 493: Internship, up to 5 semester hours*; and Biology 494 Topic Seminar; 1-5 semester hours (topic varies with offering). Up to five credits of 100-level Biology may count here with Department approval.
*Up to five semester hours of each may count toward the major.
Area IV: Capstone Experience
Biology 406: Senior Capstone Seminar, 4 semester hours, taken during the senior year.
Area V: Chemical Foundations
Ten semester hours of chemistry: Chemistry 121 and Chemistry 162.
Area VI: Supporting Science
A minimum of eight semester hours from the Departments of Chemistry (beyond Chemistry 162), Computer Science, Environmental Studies, Geology (150 or higher), Marine Science, Mathematics (120 or higher), or Physics (107 or higher). It is not required that all the credits be taken from the same department.
The following courses also satisfy the requirements in the related sciences:
• Geography 222: Weather & Climate
• Geography 305: Air Photo and Map Interpretation
• Geography 390: Geographical Information Systems
• Health, Fitness and Sport 250: Nutrition
• Psychology 107: Statistics
• Psychology 207: Experimental Design
• Psychology 311: Behavioral Neuroscience
A minor in biology requires 24 semester hours, including Biology 170 and 180, plus 14 additional semester hours in majors-level biology courses. These may be selected by the student in consultation with the biology minor adviser so that diversification or specialization is possible. Advice and consent of the department chair are required for a biology minor.
