Biology B.S.
Mission Statement
The Biology program identifies as its central role to create scientific literacy in addressing biological issues, enhancing opportunities for a diverse student population to enter graduate, professional and entry-level career positions in biology. The Biology program infrastructure provides ongoing support, guidance and encouragement to our students as they strive to meet personal and professional goals.
Learning Outcomes
Biology students will be supported in mastering the outcomes below:
1. Students will develop scientific literacy.
- Students will understand the definition and importance of scientific terms relevant to discussions of modern scientific issues.
- Students will be able to discern opinion form evidence-supported facts and theories.
- Students will be able to understand graphical representations, in addition to written descriptions, of data and the scientific process from primary literature.
- Students will be able to generate data and communicate the data (and the process used to obtain it) in graphical and written form.
2. Students will develop proficiency with important tools of modern science
- Students will be able to effectively use equipment required for scientific discovery in the laboratory and in the field.
- Students will be able to effectively use relevant computational tools required for scientific discovery and analysis.
- Students will be able to design and execute experiments that would effectively address scientific questions.
3. Students will appreciate the vast, interconnected biodiversity of life on earth
- Students will understand how mutation contributes to evolution and the generation of new species.
- Students will be able to identify various biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem.
- Students will be able to predict impacts of disturbances on the biodiversity of an ecosystem.
4. Students will understand the cell as a fundamental unit of life
- Students will be able to identify and describe the function of subcellular structures.
- Students will be able to predict physiological dysfunction in cells and organism with impaired cellular or genetic components.
Curriculum
College Core Curriculum (33-44)
English (3-8 credits)
Refer to the English section of the Core Curriculum
Study and Technology Skills (0-2 credits)
Refer to the Study and Technology Skills section of the Core Curriculum
Mathematics (4 credits)
Natural Sciences (8 credits)
Social Sciences (3 credits)
Refer to the Social Science of the Core Curriculum
Fine Arts (3 credits)
Refer the Fine Arts section of the Core Curriculum
Humanities (6 credits)
Refer to the Humanities section of the Core Curriculum
Constitution (3-6 credits)
Refer to the Constitution section of the Core Curriculum
Cultural Diversity (3 credits)
Refer to the Cultural Diversity section of the Core Curriculum
Major Requirements (59)
Biology Courses (21 credits)
Select one course from the following:
Related Math/Science Requirements (25 credits)
13 credits of upper division biology electives
With at least one course being a 4-credit course that has a lab/field experience component.
OPTIONAL Pre-Medicine Preparation – Recommended General Elective Track
Students who wish to enter medical school should incorporate the following courses into their academic plan for the BS-BIOL Degree. These courses would become part of the 120 degree requirements:
Taken as General Elective (8 credits):
| BIOL 223 | Human Anatomy & Physiology I | 4.00 |
| BIOL 224 | Human Anatomy & Physiology II | 4.00 |
Taken as Upper Division Biology Electives (6 credits):
Choose one of the following (for 3 credits):
Summary of credit requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Biology
|
College Core Curriculum
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33-44
|
|
Major Core Requirements
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59
|
|
Electives (at least 9 credits must be upper division)
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17-28
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Total Credits
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120
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