Undergraduate programs

The biology program is designed to prepare students for careers in biological research, teaching, health sciences, biotechnology, conservation biology and wildlife management, forestry, and other applied fields. It also provides the necessary background for advanced study leading to graduate degrees in the more specialized fields of the biological sciences.

A student planning to enter medicine, dentistry, or other professional fields should consult the catalog of the professional school to which the student intends to apply following pre-professional work in biology and other sciences at Portland State. Biology is also a teaching endorsement area in the program of secondary education.

Degree Maps and Learning Outcomes

Admission requirements

Biology B.A./B.S.

Biology Minor

Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Minor

Secondary Education

Biology B.A./B.S.

Requirements

In addition to satisfying general University requirements, a student majoring in biology must meet general department requirements as well as fulfill the biology major requirements.

General requirements are completion of two terms of statistics or two terms of calculus; three terms of science majors’ introductory chemistry with laboratory; one term of organic chemistry; Ph 201 or Ph 231; Ph 214; and 12 elective credits from anthropology, chemistry, computer science, environmental science, geology, mathematics, physics, psychology, public health education, or statistics at the 200 level or higher. Courses used to meet any other general departmental requirement cannot also be used in the 12 elective credit area, and university studies courses are not accepted toward fulfillment of this requirement.

All biology majors must complete a minimum of 60 credits in biology including three terms of science majors’ introductory biology with laboratory. Of the 60 credits required for the major a minimum of 44 credits must be completed in upper-division biology specific coursework. 

Biology courses taken under the pass/no pass grading option are not accepted toward fulfillment of departmental major requirements, with the exception of courses numbered Bi 401, Bi 404, Bi 405, and Bi 406 which are offered with either the A-F or P/NP grading option, and Bi 407 Seminar which is only offered as P/NP. Of the 60 credits required in biology, a minimum of 46 credits must be in courses other than Bi 401, Bi 404, Bi 405, Bi 406, and Bi 407. Students may apply a maximum of 6 cumulative credits from the following research and experiential learning elective options Bi 401, Bi 404, Bi 405, Bi 406 toward fulfillment of the biology major credit requirements.

Biology majors interested in the Biology Honors Research Program may obtain information in the Biology Dept. Office.

General Departmental Requirements

All Biology majors must complete the General Departmental coursework listed below in addition to the Biology major requirements.
Ch 221General Chemistry I

4

Ch 222General Chemistry II

4

Ch 223General Chemistry III

4

Ch 227General Chemistry Laboratory

1

Ch 228General Chemistry Laboratory

1

Ch 229General Chemistry Laboratory

1

 

Ch 331Elements of Organic Chemistry I

4

or

Ch 334Organic Chemistry I

4

  

Ph 201General Physics

4

or

Ph 231General Physics I with Life Science and Medical Applications

4

 

Ph 214Lab for Ph 201 or Ph 211 or Ph 221 or Ph 231

1

 

Mth 251Calculus I

4

&

Mth 252Calculus II

4

or

Stat 243Introduction to Probability and Statistics I

4

&

Stat 244Introduction to Probability and Statistics II

4

 

Additional science/social science electives: Any combination of courses at the 200+ level that are not part of the University Studies Program from the following departments: ANTH, CH, CS, ESM, G, MTH, PHE, PSY, PH, or STAT. Courses utilized to fill any other general departmental or biology major requirement cannot also be counted in the elective sciences area. University Studies courses taken in any of the listed departments cannot be applied toward fulfillment of this area.

12

Biology Major Requirements

Lower Division Biology Core

Enrollment requires concurrent enrollment in Ch 221 & Ch 227 or prior completion of Ch 221 & Ch 227

Bi 211Principles of Biology: Biology of Cells

4

Bi 212Principles of Biology: The biology of organisms

4

Bi 213Principles of Biology: Evolution and ecology of living organisms

4

Bi 214Principles of Biology Lab I

1

Bi 215Principles of Biology Lab II

1

Bi 216Principles of Biology Lab III

1

Upper Division Biology Core

Complete a minimum of 44 upper division Biology credits and satisfy Requirements 1, 2, and 3 below

Requirement 1

Complete a minimum of one course in Area A and one course in Area B. Complete both courses in Area C.
Area A: Cellular/Molecular
Complete at least one course from the list below:
Bi 334Molecular Biology

4

Bi 336Cell Biology

5

Bi 341Introduction to Genetics

4

Area B: Systems/Organisms
Complete at least one course from the list below:
Bi 320Introduction to Organismal Physiology

4

Bi 330Introduction to Plant Biology

4

Bi 380Microbiology

4

Bi 386Invertebrate Zoology

6

Bi 387Vertebrate Zoology

6

Area C: Ecology/Evolution
Both courses must be completed:
Bi 357General Ecology

4

Bi 358Evolution

4

Requirement 2

Choose a minimum of two courses at the 300 or 400 level with a major laboratory or field component. Bi 386 or Bi 387 will satisfy Requirement 2 only if the course is not already being used to fulfill Area B.
Approved Lab--Field Courses. Choose at least two:
Bi 301Human Anatomy and Physiology

4

Bi 302Human Anatomy and Physiology

4

Bi 303Human Anatomy and Physiology

4

Bi 326Comparative Vertebrate Embryology

5

Bi 328Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy

5

Bi 337Cell Biology Laboratory

1

Bi 361Introduction to Marine Biology Laboratory

1

Bi 386Invertebrate Zoology

6

Bi 387Vertebrate Zoology

6

Bi 388Microbiology Techniques

2

BI 410Selected Topics (with laboratory)

1-6

Bi 413Herpetology

6

Bi 414Ornithology

6

Bi 415Mammalogy

6

Bi 416Marine Mammals

6

Bi 425Natural History of Antarctica

5

Bi 431Advanced Molecular and Cell Biology Research Laboratory

2

Bi 432Plant Diversity and Evolution

5

Bi 435Plant Systematics

4

Bi 441Plant Physiology

5

Bi 450Phylogenetic Biology

4

Bi 455Histology

6

Bi 471Plant Ecology

4

Bi 472Natural History

3

Bi 473Field Sampling

4

Bi 476Population Ecology

5

Requirement 3

Choose a minimum of 12 credits from courses with the Bi prefix numbered between 412-499 (can include courses listed in Requirement 2 that were not also used to fulfill Requirement 2 (Lab/Field Area)).
Additional upper division elective credit options to consider:
Experiential learning elective options in research, co-op education, internships, workshops, and projects are available and students are highly encouraged to pursue these opportunities. A maximum of 6 credits total from Bi 401 Research, Bi 404 Cooperative Education, Bi 405 Reading and Conference, Bi 406 Laboratory Project may be applied toward fulfillment of biology major credit requirements.

Total Credit Hours: 60