Biology Major

Major Requirements

Biology majors must complete a set of core courses and may choose Forensic Science as an additional area of concentration. The Department also offers a multidisciplinary Environmental Science major with track options in Biology, Chemistry, Geology and Water Resources.
 

Biology Major

 
Major Academic Plan

Departmental Courses
 
Biology majors must take the following courses within the Biology Department:
 
BIO 099 – Biology Colloquium Series (must be taken for six semesters)
BIO 123 – Biology I
BIO 124 – Biology II
BIO 213 – Field Biology
BIO 222 – Cell and Molecular Biology
BIO 223 – Genetics
BIO 311 – Biology Seminar
BIO 312 – Evolution
BIO 363 – Human Anatomy and Physiology I

They also must select 1 capstone course from:

BIO 303 – Developmental Biology
BIO 318 – Human Medical Genetics
BIO 325 – Microbiology
BIO 334 – Ecology
BIO 415 – Animal Behavior

Plus, they must take BIO electives to bring their total to 40 semester hours. (BIO 235 – Human Physiology does not count toward the 40 hours).

Allied Courses
 
In addition to the departmental courses noted above, Biology majors must take the following courses from other departments:
 
PHY 101 – General Physics
PHY 102 – General Physics
CHM 111 – General Chemistry
CHM 112 – General Chemistry
2 Mathematics (MTH) courses

Biology Major – Forensic Science Track

Major Academic Plan

Required Courses
 
This track includes all of the Biology major requirements noted above* (both departmental and allied) plus these additional allied courses:
 
ANT 205 – Physical Anthropology
ANT 325 – Forensic Anthropology
ANT 425 – Forensic Materials Processing
POL 151 – Introduction to Criminal Justice
 
* One of the required MTH courses must be MTH 210 – Elementary Statistics

Recommended Courses
 
In addition, the Department strongly recommends that students interested in DNA processing or a graduate program in Forensic Science take:
 
CHM 201 – Organic Chemistry
CHM 404 – Instrumental Analysis
CHM 415 – General Biochemistry
FSC 101 and FSC 101L – Introduction to Forensic Science and Laboratory Studies in Forensic Science
 

Special Notes:

• All students must complete the General Education requirements for the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees that are described in the college catalog. Each degree requires students to take courses in the arts, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, cultures and mathematics. These courses are designed to provide a broad liberal arts background and skills specific to the particular degree program.
• The Biology minor is not an option for students who major in Biology or who pursue the Environmental Science major Biology track.
• No grade of “D” shall be waived in 200-, 300- or 400-level biology courses being applied toward either a Biology major or a minor.
• All Sophomore, Junior and Senior Biology and Environmental Biology majors are required to attend a minimum of four evening talks in our Biology Colloquium Series (BIO 099) each semester. These programs cover a wide range of topics of general biological interest; the talks may be valuable in helping determine career goals and placement in graduate programs. Transfer students, late majors or early graduates will attend a prorated number of colloquia.