Major in Biology
Program Description
The Bachelors of Science (B.S.) degree in biology provides a strong foundation in life sciences emphasizing an interdisciplinary and liberal education approach. Biology majors study the diversity of life, and vital topics such as structure and function, evolution, genetics, and cellular and molecular biology. Students considering a degree in the Biological Sciences can opt for a general curriculum or could choose to focus in a particular area by selecting one of five areas of concentration listed below. All of these curricula lead to a variety of overlapping post-graduation school and career options. In addition to a major in Biology, the program also offers minors in Biology, Biotechnology, and Neuroscience for non-biology majors. We encourage students to examine the differences in course requirements and select a curriculum that best matches their academic interests.
Concentrations
- General
- Biotechnology
- Cellular and Molecular Biology
- Microbiology
- Neuroscience
- Pre-Health Professional
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the program, the student will:
- Demonstrate both in-depth and broad knowledge of the concepts comprising the biological sciences.
- Integrate knowledge across sub-disciplines of biology.
- Demonstrate basic laboratory skills, including quantitative (and qualitative) skills.
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills, including developing hypotheses and designing, conducting, analyzing, and interpreting experiments.
- Communicate biological knowledge effectively in written and oral form.
- Find, select, and evaluate various types of scientific information.
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General Major Requirements
Students majoring in biology must complete a minimum of 120 semester hours (SH) in order to graduate. This includes satisfying the General Education (GE) course requirements, completing outlined areas of foundation, breadth, and dept courses, and appropriate elective requirements. Several of these courses can also be taken as part of the general education (GE) requirements. Required major courses include 22 SH of Foundation courses, 21 SH of Breadth courses and 14 SH of Dept courses. A minimum grade of C- or better is required in each of the Foundation, Breadth and Dept courses. In addition, during the senior year, all students must complete and present a Senior Reflection Project. This project provides a “capstone” experience and will be in the form of an e-portfolio.
Students who plan to attend graduate, professional, or medical school may need additional courses that are not required for the biology major. Students are strongly advised to investigate the requirements early, consult with their advisors, and plan their schedules accordingly.
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Major Curriculum
Foundation Courses (22 Semester Hours)
The following foundation courses are required to prepare students for both breadth and depth studies.
BIO 1313/1113 Gen Biology I and Lab (GE)
BIO 1314/1114 Gen Biology II and Lab (GE)
BIO 1307 Scientific Writing (GE)
[Pre-requisite: Level I writing course] (GE)
CHE 1313/1113 Gen Chem I and Lab (GE)
[Pre-requisite: MAT 1311 or MAT 1312 or MAT 1313 or MAT 1323 or MAT 1401 or MAT 2303 or MAT 2304 or MAT 2316 or MAT 2317] (GE)
CHE 1314/1114 Gen Chem II and Lab (GE)
*MAT/PSY/SOC/GER 2326 or MAT 3310 or EXS 2310 Demystifying the Statistics of the Health Sciences, or MAT 2317 Calculus I (all are GE except MAT 3310)
*For most medical and graduate programs at least 2 semesters of math are required, at least one in calculus.
Breadth (21 Semester Hours minimum)
Students must complete CHE 2326 (Organic Chemistry I; lab is optional) and PHY 1321/1121 (College Physics I lecture/lab). Students must complete the remaining 14 hours by taking one course from Areas I, II, III, and IV and additional laboratory courses. Those additional laboratory courses can be an Area I course or any of the optional laboratory courses from Areas II, III, and IV. Courses used to fulfill the breadth areas may not be used to fulfill depth concentration requirements.
Area I (2–4 SH): Biotechniques and Lab Skills
BIO 1115/1315 Intro to Biotech with lab
BIO 3201 Tissue Culture
BIO 2277 Investigation & Research I
BIO 3277 Investigation & Research II
BIO 3333 Field Biology
Area II (3–4 SH): Cells & Molecules Optional laboratories may be taken with the lecture to fulfill the 14 breadth hours.
BIO 3337 Biomolecules (BIO 3137 lab optional)
BIO 3342 Introduction to Molecular Biology
BIO 3364 Cell Biology (BIO 3164 lab optional)
Area III (3–4 SH): Structure & Function Optional laboratories may be taken with the lecture to fulfill the 14 breadth hours.
BIO 3231/3232 Microbiology with lab
BIO 3311/3111 Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology with lab
BIO 3336 Developmental Bio (BIO 3136 lab optional)
BIO 3343 Histology (BIO 3143 lab optional)
BIO 2311/2111 Anatomy & Physiology I with lab
Area IV (3 SH): Heredity, Evolution, & Diversity Optional laboratories may be taken with the course to fulfill the 14 breadth hours.
BIO 2310 Zoology (BIO 2110 lab optional)
BIO 2316 Botany (BIO 2116 lab optional)
BIO 3366 Genetics (BIO 3166 lab optional)
BIO 3371 Ecology & Evolution (BIO 3171 lab optional)
Depth (14 Semester Hours)
The biological sciences program does offer a General Biology degree. However, students may alternatively elect to choose to focus in a specific area by selecting 1 of 5 areas of depth or concentration (minimum 14 SH). The optional concentration areas are Biotechnology, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Neuroscience, and Pre-Professional.
General Biology
The General Biology degree without a concentration allows students to explore several biological disciplines instead of concentrating on one specific area. Students will obtain a greater breadth of knowledge by completing additional coursework in the four breadth areas. This concentration is designed for students seeking a more general education in the biological sciences and for students who do not have immediate plans to enter graduate or professional schools. This depth concentration would be particularly suited for those students pursuing a career in education.
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General Biology (≥) 14 SH without Concentration
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Required Courses (4 SH)
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BIO 4276
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Seminar
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BIO 4277
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Investigation and Research III
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In addition to the required 14 SH in the breadth areas, students with a focus in General Biology must complete 11-15 SH consisting of one additional course from each of the Breadth Areas (II, III and IV) along with one Biology elective course ≥ 3000 level).
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Biotechnology
The Biology degree with a Biotechnology concentration is designed for scholars seeking work in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry and allows students to gain hands-on experience using several cutting-edge molecular techniques and research instrumentation. Additionally, this concentration focuses on developing more advanced technical skills that are essential for career success.
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Biotechnology Concentration (≥ 14 SH)
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Required Courses (4 SH)
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BIO 4276
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Seminar
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BIO 4277
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Investigation and Research III
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or
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BIO 4406
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Biotechnology Internship
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≥ 10 SH of any of the following depth courses
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BIO 3305
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Topics in Bioinformatics
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BIO 3334
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Molecular Biology and Biotech I
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BIO 3335
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Molecular Biology and Biotech II
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BIO 4374
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Proteomics
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BIO 4347
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Molecular Genetics
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BIO 3201
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Tissue Culture
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BIO 3347
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Industrial Microbiology
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BIO 3147
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Industrial Microbiology Lab
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BIO 3352
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Biotechnology Regulations, Laws & Ethics
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BUA 3302
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Business Ethics
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Cellular and Molecular Biology
The Biology degree with a Cellular and Molecular Biology concentration prepares students to be at the cutting edge in modern cell and molecular biology and to be fully prepared to be competitive in applications for entry into graduate degree programs; medical, veterinary, or dental programs; or technical industrial jobs.
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Cell & Molecular Biology Concentration
(≥ 14 SH)
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Required Courses (4 SH)
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BIO 4276
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Seminar
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BIO 4277
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Investigation and Research III
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≥ 10 SH of any of the following depth courses
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BIO 3336
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Developmental Biology
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BIO 3136
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Developmental Biology Lab
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BIO 3343
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Histology
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BIO 3143
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Histology Lab
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BIO 3201
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Tissue Culture
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BIO 3364
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Cell Biology
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BIO 3164
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Cell Biology Lab
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BIO 4305
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Integrative Metabolism
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BIO 4105
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Integrative Metabolism Lab
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BIO 4347
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Molecular Genetics
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BIO 4376
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Biochemistry
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BIO 4310
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Cancer Biology
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PHY 3325
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Intro to Biophysics
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BIO 4423
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Immunology
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BIO 4123
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Immunology Lab
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Microbiology
The Biology degree with a Microbiology concentration provides excellent preparation for graduate study in many areas of biological science, as well as for professional study in medical, veterinary, or dental school. Graduates with bachelor’s degrees can pursue careers in industrial, environmental, clinical, food, or pharmaceutical microbiology, and can also work as technicians in university, government, industrial, or hospital research laboratories.
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Microbiology Concentration (≥ 14 SH)
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Required Courses (4-8 SH)
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BIO 4276
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Seminar
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BIO 4277
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Investigation and Research III
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or
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BIO 3647
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Research in Microbiology
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≥ 10 SH of any of the following depth courses
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BIO 3236
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Parasitology
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BIO 3126
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Parasitology Lab
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BIO 3231
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Microbiology
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BIO 3232
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Microbiology Lab
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BIO 4376
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Biochemistry
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BIO 4176
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Biochemistry Lab
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BIO 4308
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Virology
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BIO 4323
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Immunology
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BIO 4123
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Immunology Lab
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Neurosciences
Students pursuing the Biology degree with a Neuroscience concentration will use methods and theories spanning disciplines from biochemistry to psychology to investigate the function of the nervous system. This concentration prepares students for advanced study in neuroscience or careers in biotechnology, governmental, pharmaceutical, health care, and social service organizations.
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Neuroscience Concentration (≥ 14 SH)
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Required Courses (10 SH)
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BIO 4276
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Seminar
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BIO 4277
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Investigation and Research III
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BIO 3315
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Fundamentals of Neuroscience
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(*pre-req – BIO 3311/3111 or BIO 2311/2111 & BIO 2312/2112)
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BIO 3115
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Fundamentals of Neuroscience Lab
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BIO 322
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Neuroscience Seminar
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≥ 4 SH of any of the following depth courses
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BIO 2312/
2112
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Anatomy & Physiology II with lab
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BIO 3336
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Developmental Biology
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PSY 3301
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Biological Psychology
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PSY 3307
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Social Psychology
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PSY 3308
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Cognitive Psychology
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PSY 3336
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Developmental Psychology
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PSY 3348
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Sensation and Perception
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Pre-Health Professional
The Biology degree with a Pre-Professional concentration is designed to assist a student in gaining admission to and succeeding in a professional health program, including, but not limited to allopathic medicine, chiropractic medicine, dentistry, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physician assistant, physical therapy, podiatric medicine, and veterinary medicine.
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Pre-Health Professional Concentration (≥ 14 SH)
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Required Courses (4 SH)
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BIO 4276
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Seminar
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BIO 4277
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Investigation and Research III
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≥ 10 SH of any of the following depth courses
(at least 6 SH must be Biology courses)
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BIO 2312/2112
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Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab
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BIO 3231
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Microbiology
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BIO 3232
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Microbiology
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BIO 3310
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Biology of Aging
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BIO 3361
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Human Physiology
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BIO 3343
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Histology
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BIO 3143
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Histology Lab
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BIO 4352
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Intro to Med Phys/Pharm
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BIO 4310
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Cancer Biology
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BIO 4305
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Integrative Metabolism
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BIO 4105
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Integrative Metabolism Lab
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BIO 3364
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Cell Biology
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BIO 3164
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Cell Biology Lab
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BIO 4376
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Biochemistry
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BIO 4176
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Biochemistry Lab
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BIO 4423
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Immunology
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BIO 4123
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Immunology Lab
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PHY 1322
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College Physics II
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PHY 1122
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College Physics II Lab
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CHE 2327
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Organic Chemistry II
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CHE 2127
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Organic Chemistry II Lab
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Recommendations
Admission requirements for graduate, professional, or medical programs may vary. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that students investigate the requirements early, consult with their advisors, and plan their schedules accordingly. In addition, many courses have prerequisites of which students need to be aware. For detailed course options for specific concentrations, please refer to the departmental program planning worksheets: https://www.wssu.edu/admissions/programs/biology.html
Minor Curriculum
Minor programs in the Department of Biological Sciences are designed for students pursuing major degrees outside of the Biological Sciences. These programs are offered to students who may have an interest in the biological sciences or more focused interest in the areas of biotechnology or neuroscience. Each minor program requires a minimum of 18 SH, with a required grade of “C−” or better in all required courses. Requirements for each specific program are below.
Biology Minor
Required General Education Courses
BIO 1313/1113 General Biology I/Lab
BIO 1314/1114 General Biology II/ Lab
In addition to the required general education courses, students must complete a minimum of 10 semester hours of biology courses (BIO) beyond the GE requirements.
Biotechnology Minor
Required General Education Courses
BIO 1315/1115 Introduction to Biotechnology/ Lab
BIO 1313/1113 General Biology I/ Lab
BUA 3302 Business Ethics
In addition to the required general education courses, students must complete ≥11 hours of courses from the biotechnology curriculum that is listed below.
BIO 4277 Investigation & Research or BIO 4406 Internship - Required
BIO 3305 Bioinformatics
BIO 3334 Molecular Biology and Biotechniques I
BIO 3347 Industrial Microbiology
BIO 3147 Industrial Microbiology Lab
BIO 4347 Molecular Genetics
BIO 4374 Proteomics
Neuroscience Minor
Required General Education Courses
BIO 1313/1113 General Biology I/Lab
PSY 1301 Introduction to Psychological Sciences
In addition to the general education courses, students must complete a minimum of 18-19 hours of courses related physiology, neuroscience, and psychology. This can be done by completing either the Neuroscience I or II pathway.
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Neuroscience Pathway I
BIO 2311 Anatomy & Physiology I
BIO 2111 Anatomy & Physiology I Lab
BIO 2312 Anatomy & Physiology II
BIO 2112 Anatomy & Physiology II Lab
BIO 3315 Fundamentals of Neuroscience
BIO 3115 Fundamentals of Neuroscience Lab
BIO 3225 Neuroscience Seminar
BIO 4277 Investigation and Research III
Select one Psychological Sciences course from the following:
PSY 3301 Biological Psychology
PSY 3307 Social Psychology
PSY 3308 Cognitive Psychology
PSY 3336 Developmental Psychology
PSY 3348 Sensation and Perception
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Neuroscience Pathway II
BIO 3311 Fundamentals of Anatomy &
Physiology
BIO 3111 Fundamentals of Anatomy &
Physiology Lab
BIO 3315 Fundamentals of Neuroscience
BIO 3115 Fundamentals of Neuroscience Lab
BIO 3225 Neuroscience Seminar
BIO 4277 Investigation and Research III
Select two Psychological Sciences course from the following:
PSY 3301 Biological Psychology
PSY 3307 Social Psychology
PSY 3308 Cognitive Psychology
PSY 3336 Developmental Psychology
PSY 3348 Sensation and Perception
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