Majors, Minors & Requirements

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR IN BIOLOGY LEADING TO THE B.S. DEGREE

A total of fifty-three to fifty-seven (53-57) credits as follows:

  1. Biology 130-131, 140-141.
  2. At least six upper level courses; at least four of which must have an associated lab experience.  Four credits of research in Biology (451 or 452) will satisfy an upper level course with lab requirement. Chemistry 416 and/or Chemistry 414 (Chem 414 may include Chem/Bio 310 to satisfy a lab requirement) may also be counted as upper level courses for the Biology major.
  3. Biology 485 or 486.
  4. Chemistry 111-111L, 112-112L
  5. One course from Math 111, Econ 290, or Psych 211.
  6. One course from Math 115, Math 121, or Computer Science 141.

Students, in consultation with their advisors, should select a diversity of upper level courses, thereby gaining experience in different areas of biology.  Satisfying the prerequisites for courses is the student’s responsibility; however, in special circumstances, students with advance permission of the instructor may enroll in a course without meeting prerequisites.

Courses and accompanying laboratories of the same name are linked co-requisites and must be taken together.  Unless otherwise noted, courses meet under the standard class schedule and laboratories meet for a three hour period;  laboratories also often require further project work outside the scheduled lab time.