Departmental Major B.S. in Biology

Core Requirements

• BIOL1105 Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology
• BIOL1106 Introduction to Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
• BIOL2123 Genetics
• BIOL2131 Biochemistry I
• BIOL4160 Seminar
• CHEM1101 Principles of Chemistry I
• CHEM1102 Principles of Chemistry II *
• CHEM2101 Organic Chemistry I
• CHEM2102 Organic Chemistry II

*In order for a Biology major to progress to CHEM2101, a grade of at least C- must be obtained in CHEM1102.

Electives

Five biology electives which include three with laboratory and two at the 3000 level, with or without a laboratory. Students must choose at least one from each of the two categories of biology electives. The remaining courses are chosen according to interest.

Category 1: Cellular/Molecular Electives

• BIOL2115 Determinants of Health and Disease
• BIOL2119 Current Topics in Biology Research
• BIOL3103 Cell Biology
• BIOL3119 Immunology
• BIOL3125 Molecular Biology
• BIOL3127 Microbiology
• BIOL3132 Advanced Topics in Biochemistry
• BIOL3135 Cancer Biology
• BIOL4194 Research Internships in the Natural Sciences I *

Category 2: Organismic/Systems Electives

• BIOL2105 Plant Biology
• BIOL2106 Economic Botany
• BIOL2107 Ecology
• BIOL2113 Human Nutrition
• BIOL2117 Histology
• BIOL2135 Anatomy and Physiology I
• BIOL2137 Anatomy and Physiology II
• BIOL2201 Neurobiology
• BIOL3101 Analysis of Development
• BIOL3105 Endocrinology
• BIOL3137 Medical Neuroscience
• BIOL3141 Systems Biochemistry
• BIOL4194 Research Internships in the Natural Sciences I *

* One semester of the internship counts as a 3000-level biology laboratory elective. The student's advisor determines the appropriate category for the internship. Students receive academic credit for the second internship course, but it would not be counted as one of the 10 biology courses.

Additional courses strongly recommended and/or required for certain programs after graduation:

• BIOL2133 Science Communication
• MATH1111 Calculus I and MATH1112 Calculus II OR
• MATH1117 Introduction to Statistics and MATH1121 Applied Mathematics for the Natural, Social, and Management Sciences
• PHYS1109 General Physics I (Calculus)
• PHYS1113 General Physics II (Calculus)

MATH2113 Applied Statistics may be substituted for MATH1117 Introduction to Statistics

Suggested Four-Year Program for Biology Majors

First Year

• BIOL1105 Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology
• BIOL1106 Introduction to Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
• CHEM1101 Principles of Chemistry I
• CHEM1102 Principles of Chemistry II

Second Year

• BIOL2123 Genetics
• CHEM2101 Organic Chemistry I
• CHEM2102 Organic Chemistry II
• MATH1111 Calculus I*
• MATH1112 Calculus II*
• Biology elective(s)

Third Year

• BIOL2131 Biochemistry I
• PHYS1109 General Physics (Calculus) I*
• PHYS1113 General Physics (Calculus) II*
• Biology elective(s)

Fourth Year

• BIOL3160 Seminar
• Biology elective(s)

* Strongly recommended

Distinction in the field of biology requires the completion of two semesters of Research Internships in the Natural Sciences, a public presentation of research results, and 3.5 cumulative GPA in biology courses.