Bachelor of Arts in Biology
About This Program
The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology is suitable for career preparation in a number of biological career fields and for students who desire teaching certification with a teaching field in biology or composite science. Students choosing this program are required to consult with the Department of Biology's undergraduate advisor to develop an acceptable degree plan. Students seeking teaching certification with a teaching field in biology or composite science are required to consult with the Department of Biology certification advisor in order to develop an acceptable teaching certification degree program
Competencies
- Upon completion, students will be able to describe the types of evidence that support the conclusion that evolution explains the diversity of life on Earth and reveal evolutionary relationships amongst groups of organisms.
- Upon completion, students will be able to explain how the structure and function of cells affects their ability to survive, reproduce, and carry out specific functions in multicellular organisms including how genetic information is stored and passed from one generation to the next.
- Upon completion, students will be able to describe and demonstrate the scientific methods of observation, experimentation, hypothesis formulation, and hypothesis testing.
- Upon completion, students will be able to apply quantitative skills such as estimation, graphing data, statistical analyses, and analysis of large datasets.
Curriculum
| Foundations | ||
| General Core Requirements | 42 | |
| Students are required to complete specific courses in certain core areas. | ||
| For Communication select: | ||
| RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION I | ||
| RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION II | ||
| For Life & Physical Science select: | ||
| GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS I | ||
| GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS II | ||
| For Mathematics select: 1 | ||
| COLLEGE ALGEBRA | ||
| TRIGONOMETRY | ||
| For US History select: | ||
| HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TO 1865 | ||
| HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, 1865 TO PRESENT | ||
| Biology Foundations | ||
| Additonal hours required core. | 2 | |
| UNIV 1131 | STUDENT SUCCESS | 1 |
| or UNIV 1101 | CAREER PREPARATION AND STUDENT SUCCESS | |
| CHEM 1441 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I | 4 |
| CHEM 1442 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II | 4 |
| CHEM 2321 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| Select one of the following for oral communication competency: | 3 | |
| PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING | ||
| FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING | ||
Or other communication course approved by advisor. | ||
| Select 12 hours of advanced electives (3000/4000 level courses) | 12 | |
| Select 13 hours in any level electives | 13 | |
| Biology Specialization | ||
| BIOL 1441 | BIOLOGY I FOR SCIENCE MAJORS: CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | 4 |
| BIOL 1442 | BIOLOGY II FOR SCIENCE MAJORS: ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION | 4 |
| BIOL 3315 | GENETICS | 3 |
| Diversity Courses | ||
| BIOL 3427 | PLANT SCIENCE | 4 |
| BIOL 3454 | GENERAL ZOOLOGY | 4 |
| BIOL 2444 | GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY | 4 |
| Select 7 hours of advanced core courses from the following: | 7 | |
| CELL PHYSIOLOGY | ||
| SELECTED TOPICS IN BIOLOGY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO EVOLUTION | ||
| HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY | ||
| HUMAN ANATOMY | ||
| GENERAL ECOLOGY | ||
| Advanced BIOL elective course - approved by advisor | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
- 1
Transfer students must present a minimum of six semester credit hours of equivalent or higher level mathematics courses.
Suggested Course Sequence
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| ENGL 1301 | 3 | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| MATH 1302 | 3 | MATH 1303 | 3 |
| BIOL 1441 | 4 | BIOL 1442 | 4 |
| Social/Behavioral Science | 3 | CHEM 1441 | 4 |
| UNIV 1131 or 1101 | 1 | ||
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| POLS 2311 | 3 | POLS 2312 | 3 |
| BIOL 3315 | 3 | BIOL 2444 | 4 |
| CHEM 1442 | 4 | CHEM 2321 | 3 |
| Language, Philosophy and Culture | 3 | Advanced Biology Elective | 3 |
| Any Level Elective | 3 | ||
| 13 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| PHYS 1441 | 4 | PHYS 1442 | 4 |
| BIOL 3427 | 4 | BIOL 3454 | 4 |
| Foundational Component Area Elective | 3 | BIOL 3301 or 3339 | 3 |
| HIST 1301 | 3 | COMS 2302 | 3 |
| Creative Arts | 3 | ||
| 14 | 17 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| Advanced Elective | 6 | Advanced Biology Elective | 3 |
| BIOL 3442 or 3446 | 4 | Advanced General Elective | 6 |
| Any Level Elective | 7 | HIST 1302 | 3 |
| Any level elective | 3 | ||
| 17 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours: 120 | |||
Advising Resources
Biology department advising is available for transfer students, prospective students, and first time in college students after meeting transition criteria.
Location:
Life Science Building 3rd floor - 345, 347, 349, 351
Email:
Find advisor emails at link below.
Phone:
817-272-2408