Biology Concentration in General Biology B.A.
Degree Requirements
A major in Biology with an Area of Concentration in General Biology is achieved by completion of the following requirements, in addition to the General Education and electives required for a degree:
Required Core Courses
| BIO 110 | Modern Biology | 1 Course Credit |
| BIO 113 | Experimental Zoology | 1 Course Credit |
| BIO 114 | Botany | 1 Course Credit |
| BIO 330 | Genetics | 1 Course Credit |
| One (1) approved 300- or 400-level field course | |
Approved 300- or 400-level field course (i.e. Field Botany, Dendrology and Forest Ecology, Parasitology, Invertebrate Zoology, Herpetology, or an approved field or field-station course)
Required Capstone Course
Required Concentration Courses
A minimum of four (4) course credits, including one course from each of the following three groups:
Group 1 courses include:
| BIO 222 | Microbiology | 1 Course Credit |
| BIO 441 | Cell and Molecular Biology | 1 Course Credit |
| Approved BIO 386/486 courses | |
Group 2 courses include:
| BIO 323 | Human Physiology | 1 Course Credit |
| BIO 325 | Neurobiology | 1 Course Credit |
| BIO 331 | Developmental Biology | 1 Course Credit |
| Approved BIO 386/486 courses | |
Group 3 courses include:
| BIO 220 | Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | 1 Course Credit |
| BIO 324 | Parasitology | 1 Course Credit |
| BIO 326 | Invertebrate Zoology | 1 Course Credit |
| BIO 327 | Herpetology | 1 Course Credit |
| BIO 332 | Mammalogy | 1 Course Credit |
| BIO 342 | Field Botany | 1 Course Credit |
| BIO 344 | Dendrology & Forest Ecology | 1 Course Credit |
| Approved field-station courses | |
| Approved BIO 386/486 courses | |
Plus one additional Fall or Spring term course, approved Summer One or Summer Two course, one of the courses listed previously in Groups 1-3, or another course, as approved. Courses within the concentration may include approved courses from any term, but at least three of the four selected concentration courses must be full Fall, Spring, or Summer term courses.
Required Collateral courses
| MAT 115 | College Algebra with Modeling | 1 Course Credit |
| CHM 131 | Accelerated General Chemistry | 1 Course Credit |
| or | |
| CHM 134 | Accelerated Environmental Chem | 1 Course Credit |
| CHM 221 | Organic Chemistry I | 1 Course Credit |
| CHM 222 | Organic Chemistry II | 1 Course Credit |
In addition, two terms of the same modern foreign language are required.
MAT 115: or waiver
Exploring the Major— Students considering a major in Biology should waive or completed MAT 012 and enroll in BIO 110 and CHM 131 or CHM 134. (Students should complete CHM 101 prior to enrolling in CHM 131/CHM 134 if they have a limited high-school chemistry background.) BIO 100, BIO 101, BIO 102, and BIO 207 cannot be used toward the Biology major. These courses are general access courses or are service courses for other programs. Students interested in pursuing a pre-medical/dental/veterinary curriculum are encouraged strongly to pursue the General Biology Concentration option.
Admission to the Major— Completion or waiver of MAT 012 is a prerequisite for all major Biology courses. To be admitted to the Biology major, students must complete BIO 110, BIO 113, and BIO 114 with a combined GPA of 2.37 (two B- grades and one C- grade are the minimum requirement; grades below a C- are not acceptable). NOTE: This GPA requirement applies to entrance into the Biology major; it is not a graduation requirement.
Course Sequencing Considerations (in order to complete degree requirements within eight terms)— Students considering a major in Biology should waive or complete MAT 115 during their first year. If possible, students should complete BIO 110, BIO 113, and BIO 114 by the second term of their sophomore year. Students also are advised to complete their collateral Chemistry courses by their sophomore year whenever possible. BIO 494 (capstone) should be taken in Spring Term of the senior year.
Other Considerations and Recommendations— Pre-medical/dental/veterinary students should enroll in CHM 131 rather than CHM 134. Students preparing for graduate or professional school are strongly encouraged to complete CHM 311, BIO 441 &/or CHM 345 (both if pre-med), MAT 135 (or waiver), and PHY 217 and PHY 218.
Students interested in gaining certification to teach in the area of biology (grades 8-12) must double major in Education Studies: Teaching and Curriculum with Certification and in Biology with an Area of Concentration in General Biology. For more information, see the requirements for majoring in Teaching and Curriculum with Certification under the Education Studies section of this publication.