Biology
Biology
Professors: Rhine Singleton, Jacques Veilleux
Associate Professor: Susan E. Arruda, Leila Jabbour
Assistant Professors: Thomas E. Bennett
A Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree are offered in Biology to traditional students.
A minor is offered in Biology.
The mission of the Biology Department is to develop students’ breadth and depth of knowledge in the life sciences. We emphasize skill acquisition, including critical thinking, data analysis and interpretation, use of the primary literature, planning and execution of biological experiments and basic field/laboratory techniques. Students graduating from the Biology program will be able to communicate with biologists and non-biologists alike regarding current societal issues in the life sciences. Successful completion of the degree provides a solid foundation for specialized studies at the graduate level or a broad base of educational experience in preparation for career employment.
The Department of Biology offers a program of study leading to a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. The basic philosophy of the Department is that a sound undergraduate program should provide either a solid foundation for specialized studies at the graduate level or a broad base of educational experience in preparation for career employment. In keeping with this philosophy, course selection within the major is accorded sufficient flexibility to accomplish the objectives of students desiring to meet entrance requirements of graduate and professional schools, as well as those of students planning to end their formal studies with the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Degree. The primary distinction between these two approaches is in the number and specificity of related courses in science and mathematics. In either case, the program provides students with the basic informational content of the life sciences and with the disciplined attitudes, methods, and experiences of biological investigation.
Students who intend to teach Biology in high school should refer to the School of Education for information on the Secondary Teacher Certification program.
Major Requirements
In addition to all graduation requirements, a minimum of 48 credits (Bachelor of Arts) or 56 credits (Bachelor of Science) in the major must be completed successfully.
All Biology majors take the following major requirements (29-30 credits):
BI101-102 Biology I and II (laboratory) (counts toward GLE core) 8 credits
BI211 Genetics (laboratory) 4 credits
BI319 Cellular Biology (laboratory) 4 credits or
BI325 Microbiology (laboratory) 4 credits
BI215 Biology and Health Sciences Seminar 3 credits
BI218 Ecology 4 credits or
BI241 Evolutionary Biology (laboratory) 4 credits
CH101 General Chemistry I (laboratory) 4 credits
CH102 General Chemistry II (laboratory) 4 credits
Two semesters of Math at the MT151 level or above 6-8 credits
(First semester counts as core requirement, second semester counts towards major)
BI460 Internship in Biology or
BI480 Senior Seminar in Biology/Health Sciences or
BI481 Invited Senior Research 3 credits
For the B.S. students must take the following additional 16 credits:
CH211-212 Organic Chemistry I and II (laboratory) 8 credits
PH101-102 General Physics I and II (laboratory) 8 credits
Note: Students wishing to complete the Secondary Teacher Certification should consult with a faculty advisor in the School of Education. These students may substitute ED487 Secondary Student Teaching Seminar (1 credit), and ED492 Secondary Student Teaching (14 credits), for Biology Seminar and Biology Thesis.
Program Courses
| BI101 | Biology I |
| BI102 | Biology II |
| BI211 | Genetics Lab |
| BI215 | Biology Hlth Sci Seminar |
| BI217 | Tropical Forest Ecology |
| BI218 | Ecology Laboratory |
| BI221 | Entomology Laboratory |
| BI229 | Special Topics in Biology |
| BI231 | Animal Behavior Lab |
| BI235 | Human Health & Nutrition |
| BI241 | Evolutionary Biology Lab |
| BI250 | Plant Biology Laboratory |
| BI260 | Human Ana & Phys I Lab |
| BI261 | Human Ana & Phys II Lab |
| BI299 | Independent Study |
| BI302 | Food Production |
| BI312 | Vertebrate Zoology Lab |
| BI319 | Cellular Biology |
| BI325 | Microbiology Laboratory |
| BI326 | Parasitology |
| BI327 | Principles of Immunology |
| BI329 | Special Topics in Biology |
| BI351 | Endocrinology |
| BI353 | Intro to Pharmacology |
| BI355 | Ecophysiology Laboratory |
| BI370 | Medical Terminology |
| BI375 | Mammalogy Laboratory |
| BI399 | Independent Study |
| BI400 | Kinesiology - lab |
| BI402 | Exercise Physiology lab |
| BI403 | Assess Presript Fitness |
| BI404 | Strength & Conditioning |
| BI429 | Special Topics in Biology |
| BI430 | Forest Ecology Laboratory |
| BI460 | Internship in BI/ HS |
| BI480 | Senior Seminar in Biology |
| BI481 | Senior Thesis |
| BI499 | Independent Study |
| CH101 | General Chemistry I Lab |
| CH102 | General Chemistry II Lab |
| ES320 | Wetland Ecology & Protect |
| ES342 | Wildlife Conserv & Mgmt |
| MT151 | College Algebra |
| MT211 | Discrete Mathematics |
| MT221 | Calculus I |
| MT222 | Calculus II |
| MT260 | Statistics I |
| MT311 | Linear Algebra |
| MT315 | College Geometry |
| MT321 | Calculus III |
| MT330 | Intro to Differ Equations |
| MT373 | Prob & Math Stats |
| MT375 | Intro Operations Research |
| PS304 | Intro to Neuroscience |
| PS430 | Intro Psychopharmacology |
Biology Electives
In addition to the major requirements, students must choose Biology Electives from the Advising Guide. For the B.A. students must choose a total of six courses for a minimum of 20 credits; for the B.S. students must choose four courses for a minimum of 12 credits. For students interested in the field of Biotechnology, we recommend a minor in Chemistry.
|
Biology Major Advising Guide Course |
General Electives B.A. or .B.S. |
Ecology & Evolution Track B.A. or .B.S. |
|
BI319 Cellular Biology |
x* |
x* |
|
BI217 Tropical Forest Ecology |
x |
x |
|
BI218 Ecology |
x |
x |
|
BI221 Entomology |
x |
x |
|
BI231 Animal Behavior |
x |
x |
|
BI235 Human Health and Nutrition |
x |
|
|
BI241 Evolutionary Biology |
x |
x |
|
BI250 Introduction to Plant Biology |
x |
x |
|
BI260 Human Anatomy & Physiology I |
x |
|
|
BI261 Human Anatomy & Physiology II |
x |
|
|
BI312 Vertebrate Zoology |
x |
x |
|
BI325 Microbiology |
x* |
x* |
|
BI326 Parasitology |
x |
x |
|
BI327 Principles of Immunology |
x |
|
|
BI351 Endocrinology |
x |
|
|
BI375 Mammalogy |
x |
x |
|
BI400 Kinesiology |
x |
|
|
BI402 Physiology of Exercise |
x |
|
|
BI403 Assessment and Prescription of Fitness |
x |
|
|
BI404 Strength and Conditioning |
x |
|
|
BI430 Forest Ecology |
x |
x |
|
ES320 Wetland Ecology and Protection |
x |
x |
|
ES342 Wildlife Conservation and Management |
x |
x |
|
PS304 Introduction to Neuroscience |
x |
|
|
PS430 Introduction to Psychopharmacology |
x |
|
Minor in Biology — Requirements
BI101-102 Biology I and II (laboratory) 8 credits
Two elective courses in Biology at the 200-level or above 6-8 credits
Two elective courses in Biology at the 300-level or above 6-8 credits
At least two of the four elective courses must be laboratory courses (4 credits or more).
Total 22-24 credits
Recommended Curriculum Guide – Bachelor of Arts - Biology
|
First Year |
|||||
|
Fall Semester |
Credits |
Spring Semester |
Credits |
||
|
BI101 |
Biology I (laboratory) |
4 |
BI102 |
Biology II (laboratory) |
4 |
|
CH101 |
General Chemistry I (laboratory) |
4 |
CH102 |
General Chemistry II (laboratory) |
4 |
|
GLE110 |
First-Year Composition |
3 |
______ |
GLE Elective |
3 |
|
MT151 or MT260 |
College Algebra or Statistics |
3 |
MT151 or MT260 or MT221 |
College Algebra or Statistics or Calculus I |
3-4 |
|
GLE101 |
First-Year Inquiry Seminar |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
17 |
|
Total |
14 |
|
Second Year |
|||||
|
Fall Semester |
Credits |
Spring Semester |
Credits |
||
|
BI218 or BI211 |
Ecology (laboratory) or Genetics (laboratory) |
4 |
BI211 or BI241 |
Genetics (laboratory) or Evolutionary Biology |
4 |
|
BI215 or BI ___ |
Biology and Health Sciences Seminar or Biology Elective |
3 or 4 |
BI215 or BI___ |
Biology and Health Sciences Seminar or Biology Elective |
3 or 4 |
|
______ |
GLE Elective |
3 |
GLE230 |
Second-Year Composition |
3 |
|
______ |
GLE Elective |
3 |
______ |
GLE Elective |
3 |
|
______ |
Elective |
3 |
______ |
Elective |
3 |
|
|
Total |
16 |
|
Total |
16 |
Third Year |
|||||
|
Fall Semester |
Credits |
Spring Semester |
Credits |
||
|
BI235 or BI319 |
Biology Elective or Cellular Biology (laboratory) |
4 |
BI235 or BI319 |
Microbiology (laboratory) or Cellular Biology (laboratory) |
4 |
|
______ |
Biology Elective |
4 |
______ |
Biology Elective |
4 |
|
______ |
GLE Elective |
3 |
______ |
GLE Elective |
3 |
|
______ |
GLE Elective |
3 |
______ |
Elective* |
3 |
|
______ |
Elective* |
3 |
______ |
Elective |
3 |
|
|
Total |
17 |
|
Total |
17 |
|
Fourth Year |
|||||
|
Fall Semester |
Credits |
Spring Semester |
Credits |
||
|
BI___ |
Internship in Biology/Health Sciences or Senior Seminar in Biology/Health Sciences or Invited Senior Research or Biology Elective |
3-4 |
BI460 or BI480 or BI___ |
Internship in Biology/Health Sciences or Senior Seminar in Biology/Health Sciences or Invited Senior Research or Biology Elective |
3-4 |
|
BI___ |
Biology Elective |
4 |
BI___ |
Biology Elective |
3 |
|
______ |
Elective* |
3 |
______ |
Elective |
3 |
|
______ |
Elective |
3 |
______ |
Elective |
3 |
|
|
Total |
13 |
|
Total |
12 |
|
Total Credits |
122 |
||||
Recommended Curriculum Guide – Bachelor of Science - Biology
|
First Year |
|||||||
|
Fall Semester |
Credits |
Spring Semester |
Credits |
||||
|
BI101 |
Biology I (laboratory) |
4 |
BI102 |
Biology II (laboratory) |
4 |
|
|
|
CH101 |
General Chemistry I (laboratory) |
4 |
CH102 |
General Chemistry II (laboratory) |
4 |
|
|
|
GLE110 |
First Year Composition |
3 |
______ |
GLE Elective |
3 |
|
|
|
MT151 or MT260 |
College Algebra or Statistics |
3 |
MT151 or MT260 or MT221 |
College Algebra or Statistics or Calculus I |
3 or 4 |
|
|
|
GLE101 |
First Year Inquiry |
3 |
______ |
GLE Elective |
3 |
|
|
|
|
Total |
17 |
|
Total |
17 |
|
|
Second Year |
|||||||
|
Fall Semester |
Credits |
Spring Semester |
Credits |
||||
|
BI218 or BI211 |
Ecology or Genetics (laboratory) |
3 or 4 |
BI215 or BI___ |
Genetics (laboratory) or Evolutionary Biology (laboratory) |
3 or 4 |
|
|
|
BI215 or BI___ |
Biology and Health Sciences Seminar or Biology Elective |
3 or 4 |
BI215 or BI___ |
Biology and Health Sciences Seminar or Biology Elective |
3 or 4 |
|
|
|
CH211 |
Organic Chemistry I (laboratory) |
4 |
BI___ |
Biology Elective |
3 |
|
|
|
______ |
Biology elective |
3 |
GLE230 |
Second-Year Composition |
3 |
|
|
|
|
Total |
13 |
|
Total |
12 |
|
|
Third Year |
|||||||
|
Fall Semester |
Credits |
Spring Semester |
Credits |
||||
|
BI319 or BI___ |
Cellular Biology or Biology Elective |
4 |
BI235 or BI319 |
Microbiology (laboratory) or Cellular Biology (laboratory) |
4 |
|
|
|
PH101 |
General Physics I (laboratory) |
4 |
PH102 |
General Physics II (laboratory) |
4 |
|
|
|
______ |
GLE Elective |
4 |
______ |
GLE Elective |
3 |
|
|
|
______ |
GLE Elective |
3 |
______ |
GLE Elective |
3 |
|
|
|
______ |
Elective |
3 |
______ |
Elective |
3 |
|
|
|
|
Total |
18 |
|
Total |
17 |
|
|
Fourth Year |
|||||||
|
Fall Semester |
Credits |
Spring Semester |
Credits |
||||
|
BI460 or BI480 or BI___ |
Internship in Biology/Health Sciences or Senior Seminar in Biology/Health Sciences or Invited Senior Research or Biology Elective |
3 or 4 |
BI460 or BI480 or BI___ |
Internship in Biology/Health Sciences or Senior Seminar in Biology/Health Sciences or Invited Senior Research or Biology Elective |
3 or 4 |
|
|
|
______ |
GLE Elective |
3 |
BI___ |
Biology Elective |
3 |
|
|
|
______ |
Elective |
3 |
______ |
Elective |
3 |
|
|
|
______ |
Elective |
3 |
______ |
Elective |
3 |
|
|
|
______ |
Elective |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
15 |
|
Total |
12 |
|
|
|
Total Credits |
121 |
|
|||||
*One or more additional electives may be needed to fulfill general education requirements. See General and Liberal Education (GLE).
