2011 - 2012 Biology Program (BIOL)

Faculty: Brian Avery, Bonnie Baxter, Christine Clay, Betsy Kleba, Judy Rogers, Christine Stracey

Program Goals

To develop an understanding of the scientific process and critical thinking and problem solving skills.
To enhance communication and information literacy skills.
To promote leadership, collaboration and teamwork.
To encourage reflective capacities.
To teach content knowledge of the various biology subdisciplines.

Objectives

The Biology program offers a Bachelor of Science degree with a breadth of coursework and a focus on laboratory learning ranging from molecular to organismal topics. Undergraduate research is prominent in our program and is offered to students to learn first-hand the process of science. Presentation of research results at national meetings is encouraged. Students receive degree credit for research and internships. Recent biology graduates have been accepted to professional and graduate schools (at a rate of 50-100% each year), worked as laboratory researchers, educators, and biotechnologists.

Program Requirements

The program is designed to allow lateral shifting to other science majors if the student so desires. Students must maintain a minimum 2.3 GPA in biology courses required for the biology major. No more than half of the biology courses required for a major or minor are accepted by transfer. Please note that 300- and 400-level courses are designed for juniors and seniors.

Students choosing a double major or minor within the science program may not apply electives to more than one major or minor. Only classes listed under "required" courses that coincide with both majors/minors may be applied to both.

For course prerequisites, please refer to the course description.

Academic Major

Students in the major must complete the four core courses in biology and the senior seminar. The biology major also requires that students complete an additional 20 hours of biology credits (at least 16 hours must be in the 300/400 level). The major includes one year of college physics, one year of general chemistry, one year of organic chemistry, at least one semester of calculus, and statistics for the sciences.

Liberal Education Courses	Credit Hours
The Life Sciences, the Physical Sciences, and the Mathematics LE requirements are fulfilled by meeting major requirements.

Requirement Description		Credit Hours
I.	Foreign Language Requirement	8
	Biology majors must complete eight credit hours in a single foreign language.	8
II.	Lower Division Core Biology Courses	16
	BIOL 202 Organisms and Evolution BIOL 203 Introduction to Ecology BIOL 204 Principles of Genetics BIOL 205 Introduction to Cell Biology	4 4 4 4
III.	Upper Division Biology Courses	18
	BIOL Upper division Biology electives BIOL 420 Senior Seminar	16 2
IV.	Electives	4
	BIOL Choose 4 hours of biology electives, numbered 200 or above	4
V.	Required Courses from Other Programs	32
	CHEM 111 Principles of Chemistry I and Lab CHEM 112 Principles of Chemistry II and Lab CHEM 303 Organic Chemistry I and Lab CHEM 304 Organic Chemistry II and Lab MATH 240 Statistics for the Sciences MATH 201B Calculus for Life Sciences (4) or MATH 202 Calculus II (4) Students must take one first-level (I) and one second-level (II) Physics course: PHYS 151 Principles of Physics I and Lab (4) or PHYS 211 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I and Lab (4) AND PHYS 152 Principles of Physics II and Lab (4) or PHYS 212 Physics for Scientists and Engineers II and Lab (4)	4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
TOTAL HOURS FOR THE ACADEMIC MAJOR		78

Recommended Plan of Study for Biology

	Fall and Spring Semesters
Freshman Year	BIOL 202 Organisms and Evolution (4) BIOL 203 Introduction to Ecology (4) CHEM 111/112 Principles of Chemistry I and II (8) MATH 240 Statistics for the Sciences (4) MATH 201B Calculus for Life Sciences (4) (and prerequisites if necessary) LE Courses
Sophomore Year	BIOL 204 Principles of Genetics (4) BIOL 205 Introduction to Cell Biology (4) MATH 201B Calculus for Life Sciences (4) (if not taken in the previous year) *CHEM 303/304 Organic Chemistry I and II (8) BIOL Biology electives (04) LE Courses
Junior Year	BIOL Biology Electives (812) *PHYS 151/152 Principles of Physics I and II (8) or PHYS 211/212 Physics of Scientists and Engineers I & II (8) LE Courses (if necessary)
Senior Year	BIOL 420 Senior Seminar (2) BIOL Biology Electives (8-12)

*Alternatively, a student could take the PHYS 151/152 (or 211/212) sequence his or her sophomore year and the CHEM 303/304 sequence his or her junior year.

Academic Minor

Requirement Description		Credit Hours
I.	Required Courses	16
	BIOL 202 Organisms and Evolution BIOL 203 Introduction to Ecology BIOL 204 Principles of Genetics BIOL 205 Introduction to Cell Biology	4 4 4 4
II.	Electives	8
	BIOL coursework numbered at the 200-, 300- or 400-level	8
TOTAL HOURS FOR THE ACADEMIC MINOR		24

Teaching Major

Liberal Education Courses	Credit Hours
The Life Sciences and the Physical Sciences LE requirements are fulfilled by meeting major requirements.

Requirement Description		Credit Hours
I.	Foreign Language Requirement	8
	Biology Teaching majors must complete eight credit hours in a single foreign language.	8
II.	Lower Division Biology Courses	24
	BIOL 103 Human Anatomy (4) or BIOL 301 Comparative Anatomy (4) BIOL 104 Human Physiology (4) or BIOL 307 Comparative Physiology (4) BIOL 202 Organisms and Evolution BIOL 203 Introduction to Ecology BIOL 204 Principles of Genetics BIOL 205 Introduction to Cell Biology	4 4 4 4 4 4
III.	Upper Division Biology Courses	16
	BIOL Additional biology coursework at the 200-, 300-, or 400-level	16
IV.	Required Courses from Other Programs	16
	CHEM 111 Principles of Chemistry I CHEM 112 Principles of Chemistry II PHYS 151 Principles of Physics I PHYS 152 Principles of Physics II	4 4 4 4
TOTAL HOURS FOR THE TEACHING MAJOR		64