2021-2022 Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog

Biology, B.S. (Certifiable for secondary teaching)

A minor is not required with this major.

Major Requirements (31-35 credits)

Biology Core (15 credits)

BIO 121General Biology I

4

BIO 122General Biology II

4

BIO 200Integrative Biology

4

BIO 290Biology Research Experience I

2

BIO 390Biology Research Experience II

1

Animal Diversity Elective (4 credits)

BIO 322Vertebrate Zoology

4

or

BIO 420Ornithology

4

or

BIO 421Marine Invertebrate Biology

4

or

BIO 469Entomology

4

Plant Diversity Elective (3-4 credits)

BIO 326Mushrooms, Mosses, & More

4

or

BIO 327Vascular Plants

4

or

BIO 425/BIO 516Biology of Marine and Freshwater Algae

4

or

BIO 444Plant Taxonomy

3

Genetics/Microbiology Elective (3-4 credits)

BIO 402Population Genetics

3

or

BIO 315Microbial Ecology

4

or

BMS 306Genetics

3

Physiology Elective (3-4 credits)

BIO 318/BMS 318Anatomy and Physiology I

4

or

BIO 319/BMS 319Anatomy and Physiology II

4

or

BIO 331Neurobiology

4

or

BIO 410Ecological Physiology

4

or

BIO 412/BMS 412Human Physiology

3

or

BIO 449Plant Physiology

3

Ecology/Evolution Elective (3-4 credits)

BIO 405Ecology

4

or

BIO 434Ecology of Inland Waters

4

or

BIO 440Evolution

3

or

BIO 470Field Studies in Biology

1 TO 4

or

BIO 471International Field Studies in Biology

1 TO 4

or

BIO 480Animal Behavior

4

At least one course in BIO or BMS must be at the 400-level. Please note that upper-level BMS courses require BMS 201, which can count as an elective in the biology major.

Science Related Requirements (21 credits)

CHEM 161General Chemistry

3

CHEM 162General Chemistry Laboratory

1

 

CHEM 200Foundations of Analytical Chemistry

3

or

CHEM 260Foundations of Inorganic Chemistry

3

 

CHEM 210Organic Chemistry I - Foundations

3

and

CHEM 211Organic Chemistry I Laboratory - Foundations

1

 

PHYS 121General Physics I

4

or

PHYS 125University Physics I

4

SCI 420History and Nature of Science

3

SCI 414Interdisciplinary Science, Practices, and Pedagogy

3

Math Requirement (4-6 credits)

MATH 115Trigonometry

3

and

MATH 125Applied Calculus

3

or

MATH 124Applied Calculus with Trigonometry

4

or

MATH 152Calculus I

4

Related Requirements (9 credits)

PSY 236Life-Span Development

3

HIST 161American History to 1877

3

or

HIST 162American History from 1877 to Present

3

EDF 215Education in a Multicultural Society

3

These courses may be used to fulfill general education requirements.

Professional Education (27 credits)

SPED 315Introduction to Educating Learners with Exceptionalities

3

EDTE 316Principles of Learning in Diverse Settings (Secondary)

4

LLA 440Literacy instruction in the Secondary School

3

EDSC 425Multicultural, Interdisciplinary Teaching at the Secondary Level

3

SCI 417Science Methods in Secondary School

3

SCI 418Fieldwork in Secondary Science Education

1

SCI 419Student Teaching Seminar

1

EDSC 435Secondary Education Student Teaching

9

Total Credit Hours: 120

This major is designed for students who wish to teach biology at the secondary level. The program includes consideration of all major concepts and areas of biology. Within some of the areas, students may select different courses to build on knowledge gained in their first and second years of study. Students are continuously encouraged to see connections in biological events from the standpoint of all sciences. The specialization also includes a professional education component. Because of the breadth of required courses, it is also possible for students in secondary education to enter a variety of other careers in research, health, and industry, as well as graduate study.

A student who majors in biology is not required to complete a minor but is urged to minor in one of the other laboratory sciences or general science.

Portfolio Requirement

All majors in the Department of Biology are required to complete a student portfolio. Minimally, the student portfolio must include a current resume, a current Student Graduation Evaluation (available from the Department of Biology) or transcript, a narrative describing the student's goals for undergraduate education and graduate educational or career plans, and writing samples from one or more upper-level courses in the major. To fulfill the portfolio requirement in biology, the student portfolio must be reviewed with one or more faculty members in biology as a course requirement in BIO 200, as a required component of BIO 390, 391, 491, and all independent studies and internships, and prior to application for graduation, as evidenced by submission of a Portfolio Requirement Completed form (available from the Department of Biology and signed by the major advisor) to the biology chair.