Biology, B.A.

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The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology provides flexibility in the study of biology and is recommended for students preparing for secondary certification, dual majors, physician assistant or nursing programs or those planning to pursue graduate work outside of life sciences (e.g., law, M.B.A., psychology, public policy, or some areas of environmental studies). The flexibility of this program is also suitable for students transferring from other colleges who wish to pursue a degree in Biology. Graduates from our Bachelor of Arts program also pursue professional degrees in medicine, dentistry or optometry.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Students will have the knowledge base and intellectual (conceptual) framework to use reasoning and problem-solving skills to; (1) read critically, (2) evaluate support for competing hypotheses, and (3) critique experimental design.
2. Students will have the laboratory and inquiry skills and technical ability to formulate hypotheses, design and run experiments using instruments to test their hypotheses, and analyze and interpret the results. They will be able to build on earlier work to design further experiments.
3. Students will be able to communicate biological ideas from literature or their own laboratory investigations to audiences of biologists and non-biologists in a variety of formats including written reports, poster and oral presentations.
4. Students will recognize the importance of scientific integrity and ethical research and applications of biology to science policy. They will be able to work independently and in teams for life-long learning.
5. Students will be able to demonstrate a broad and diverse background in biology and related sciences and a strong foundation for graduate and professional programs of study or employment.
6. Students will recognize evolution as the central tenet of biology, which explains the unity and diversity of life and interrelatedness of levels of biological organization.

General Education Requirements (30-46 Credits)

Prerequisite coursework may be required to satisfy certain General Education courses and will count as elective credit.

Total Credits Required to Complete Major: 59-61

A grade of C- or better is required for each of the courses in your major, excluding electives.

Basic Requirements: (33 Credits)

BIOL 118 - General Biology Laboratory I Credit(s): 1
BIOL 120 - General Biology Laboratory II Credit(s): 1
BIOL 117 - General Biology: Cells, Genetics, Evolution Credit(s): 3
BIOL 119 - General Biology: Diversity, Physiology, Ecology Credit(s): 3
BIOL 203 - Principles of Ecology Credit(s): 3
BIOL 222 - Genetics Credit(s): 3

One of the following:

BIOL 204 - Ecology Laboratory Credit(s): 1
BIOL 216 - Biology Second Year Laboratory Credit(s): 1
BIOL 223 - Genetics Laboratory Credit(s): 1

Electives in Biology including the following:

Two additional laboratory courses.
A minimum of 18 credits at the 300-level or above.
No more than 4 credits from the following may count for elective credit: BIOL 395 , BIOL 396 , BIOL 397 , BIOL 398 , BIOL 399 .

Related Requirements: (26-28 Credits)

CHEM 116 - Chemistry I Credit(s): 3
CHEM 118 - Chemistry II Credit(s): 3
CHEM 119 - Introductory Chemistry Lab Credit(s): 1
CHEM 129 - Introduction to Laboratory Research in Chemistry Credit(s): 1
or
CHEM 203 - Principles of Chemistry I Credit(s): 3
CHEM 204 - Principles of Chemistry II Credit(s): 3
CHEM 119 - Introductory Chemistry Lab
Credit(s): 2
CHEM 129 - Introduction to Laboratory Research in Chemistry Credit(s): 1
CHEM 211 - Organic Chemistry I Credit(s): 3
CHEM 216 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory Credit(s): 2
MATH 262 - Applied Statistics Credit(s): 3 or
BIOL 350 - Foundations of Biostatistics Credit(s): 3
One of the following:
MATH 112 - Precalculus Credit(s): 4
MATH 221 - Calculus I Credit(s): 4
Two of the following:
Pick one from: General Physics I or Analytical Physics I & lab
PHYS 113 - General Physics I Credit(s): 3 and
PHYS 114 - Physics I Lab Credit(s): 1
or
PHYS 123 - Analytical Physics I Credit(s): 3 and
PHYS 114 - Physics I Lab
Credit(s): 1

or
Pick one from: General Physics II or Analytical Physics II and Lab
PHYS 115 - General Physics II Credit(s): 3 and
PHYS 116 - Physics II Lab Credit(s): 1
or
PHYS 125 - Analytical Physics II Credit(s): 3 and
PHYS 116 - Physics II Lab
Credit(s): 1
or
GSCI 120 - Our Geological Environment Credit(s): 3 and
GSCI 121 - Our Geological Environment Laboratory Credit(s): 1
or
GSCI 130 - Geological History of Life Credit(s): 3 and
GSCI 131 - Geological History of Life Laboratory Credit(s): 1
or
GSCI 160 - Physical Geology Credit(s): 3 and
GSCI 161 - Physical Geology Laboratory Credit(s): 1
or
GSCI 170 - Historical Geology Credit(s): 4
or
CHEM 213 - Organic Chemistry II Credit(s): 3
or
GEOG 286 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems Credit(s): 4
or
DANL 201 - Introduction to Programming in R Credit(s): 3 or
INTD 121 - Programming: (subtitle) Credit(s): 3

Biology Other Requirements:

Minimum Competence Requirement

To graduate with a biology major, students must attain a grade of C- or better in all required biology courses, excluding electives. A grade of C- must be achieved in any course before it can be used as a prerequisite for another course. A student may only repeat a required biology course or related requirement once for major credit and the course must be taken at the next offering of the class. If a student does not earn at least a “C-” on the second taking of the class, she, he, or they will not be able to complete the major.

Department Writing Requirement

Students must demonstrate writing skills to the satisfaction of the Biology department. These skills will be evaluated in laboratory reports and in written assignments in 200- and 300-level biology courses.

Sample Course Map

For Students who Matriculated prior to Fall 2022: please select the bulletin year in which you entered the college (matriculated) at the top right of this page.

Curriculum Map

First Year
- Fall - 15 Credit Hours
  - BIOL 117 - General Biology: Cells, Genetics, Evolution Credit(s): 3
  - BIOL 118 - General Biology Laboratory I Credit(s): 1
  - CHEM 116 - Chemistry I Credit(s): 3
  - CHEM 119 - Introductory Chemistry Lab Credit(s): 1
  - INTD 105 - Writing Seminar: (subtitle) Credit(s): 3
  - MATH 112 - Precalculus Credit(s): 4 OR MATH 221 - Calculus I Credit(s): 4
- Spring - 15 Credit Hours
  - BIOL 119 - General Biology: Diversity, Physiology, Ecology Credit(s): 3
  - BIOL 120 - General Biology Laboratory II Credit(s): 1
  - CHEM 118 - Chemistry II Credit(s): 3
  - CHEM 129 - Introduction to Laboratory Research in Chemistry Credit(s): 1
  - Global Society: DPP - Credit(s): 3
  - World Language 101 - Credit(s): 4
Second Year
- Fall - 15 Credit Hours
  - CHEM 211 - Organic Chemistry I Credit(s): 3
  - BIOL 203 - Principles of Ecology Credit(s): 3
  - BIOL 204 - Ecology Laboratory Credit(s): 1 OR BIOL 216 - Biology Second Year Laboratory Credit(s): 1 OR BIOL 223 - Genetics Laboratory Credit(s): 1
  - Global Society: WCV - Credit(s): 4
  - World Language 102 - Credit(s): 4
- Spring - 14 Credit Hours
  - BIOL 222 - Genetics Credit(s): 3
  - CHEM 216 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory Credit(s): 2
  - MATH 262 - Applied Statistics Credit(s): 3 OR BIOL 350 - Foundations of Biostatistics Credit(s): 3
  - Global Society: CAI - Credit(s): 3
  - Global Society: CGC - Credit(s): 3
Third Year
- Fall - 16 Credit Hours
  - Science Elective Credit(s): 4
  - Global Society: SST - Credit(s): 3
  - Biology 3xx-4xx Elective - Credit(s): 3
  - Electives - Credit(s): 6
- Spring - 15 Credit Hours
  - Science Elective - Credit(s): 4
  - Biology 3xx-4xx Elective - Credit(s): 3
  - Electives - Credit(s): 8
Fourth Year
- Fall - 15 Credit Hours
  - Biology 3xx-4xx Electives - Credit(s): 6
  - Integrative & Applied Learning - Credit(s): 3
  - Electives - Credit(s): 6
- Spring - 15 Credit Hours
  - Biology 3xx-4xx Electives - Credit(s): 6
  - Electives - Credit(s): 8

Total Credit Hours: 120

Program notes: CHEM 119 and BIOL 116 are both 2-credit labs; generally students take one in the fall and one in the spring, in either order. Students typically take their mathematics courses in their first year, but this is not required. Several biology electives have BIOL 222 or BIOL 335 as a prerequisite. Consequently, putting off either of these courses beyond the above recommendations can limit the choice of electives later. Although not required in the sophomore year, we recommend taking the BIOL 204 , BIOL 216 , or BIOL 223 laboratory course in the second year to fulfill a requirement of graduation. An alternative chemistry lecture sequence for chemistry majors that might be appropriate for students with strong chemistry backgrounds can be substituted for the courses listed here.

Electives in Biology: Fifteen credits must include (1) two additional biology laboratory courses (of which only one can be at the 200-level) (2) a minimum of 15 credits at the 300-level or above.

Note: Variation in the order of courses is possible, depending upon prereqisties. Consult course information in the bulletin or your academic advisor to customize your eight semester plan.

KEY - Participation in a Global Society (PGS)

Attributes:

Sub Areas

Abbreviation	Definition
DPP	Diversity, Pluralism, Power
WCV	World Cultures & Values
CGC	Contemporary Global Challenges
CAI	Creativity & Innovation
SST	Sustainability

Learning Areas

Abbreviation	Definition
ARTS	Arts
HUMA	Humanities
SOSC	Social Science