Biology, BA

The Biology major is designed for students wishing to explore life science at multiple levels ranging from the molecular to the organismal to the ecosystem level. The curriculum seeks to develop organizational and communication skills, critical thinking, and the ability to synthesize information. Graduates of the program are well prepared to undertake advanced study in graduate, medical or dental school, or for a career in business or education. To assist students in selecting a balance of courses from several academic areas, each Biology major is assigned a faculty advisor with whom a close advisee-advisor relationship must be developed. Majors can choose between two degree options, the BA in Biology and the BSc in Biology.

Degree requirements for the BA in Biology:

Total 12 courses

Biology core courses (4 required)

Chemistry and Physics core courses (2 required):

Major elective courses (6 total required, with a minimum of 1 BI 2XX or BI 3XX elective with a lab ):

BI 201 - Exercise Physiology (nonlab)
BI 205 - Biosphere at Risk: Climate Change (nonlab)
BI 209 - Nutrition (nonlab)
BI 211 - Genetics for Healthcare (nonlab)
BI 221 - Tropical Biology AND
BI 222 - Field Studies in Tropical Biology
BI 240 - Plant Biology (only counts if BI 250 was taken as a Biology core course)
BI 250 - General Zoology (only counts if BI 240 was taken as a Biology core course)
BI 290 - Neurobiology
BI 313 - Conservation, Management, and Policy (nonlab)
BI 315 - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
BI 318 - Microbiology for Majors
BI 320 - Ecology
BI 321 - Marine Biology
BI 323 - Cell and Tissue Culture
BI 325 - Evolutionary Biology
BI 327 - Genetics
BI 328 - Conservation Biology
BI 331 - Human Anatomy & Physiology I
BI 332 - Human Anatomy & Physiology II
BI 333 - Cell Biology
BI 334 - Animal Physiology
BI 335 - Animal Behavior
BI 336 - Biochemistry (nonlab)
BI 341 - Techniques in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Directed Research or Professional Internship in a related field (typically BI 421/BI 422, BI 423, BI 451)

Additional Optional Major Electives that don’t fulfill the either category 1 or 2 (only 1 may count as a major elective)

Senior Capstone (required):

In addition to major course requirements, all students are required to fulfill a senior capstone experience as assigned by their major. Options are:

Capstone experience: BI 422, BI 423, BI 451, CH 420, or other research experience
Major Fields Test (MFT) in Biology OR PRAXIS OR MCAT OR DAT
Honors Thesis on a Biology related topic

Biology Course Sequence Outline:

* indicates course required forby BS majors.degree, but not the BA degree

	Fall	Spring
Freshman Year	BI 103 - General Biology I CH 130 - General Chemistry EN 105 - First Year Writing / Core HU 103 - Conversatio I	BI 104 - General Biology II CH 150 - Structure and Reactivity HU 104 - Conversatio II Core
Sophomore Year	BI 240 - Plant Biology / BI 345 - Biostats BI 345 - Biostats / Core CH 251 - Reaction and Mechanism *BS only Core	BI 250 - Zoology/ BI 345 - Biostats BI 345 - Biostats / Core CH 230 - Structure and Function Core
Junior Year	Biology Elective PS 121 - General Physics I Core Core / Elective	Biology Elective Biology Elective PS 122 - General Physics II BS only /* Core Core / Elective
Senior Year	Biology Elective Biology Elective / BI 421 - Directed Researsh / BI 451 - Internship Capstone Core Elective	Biology Elective BI 422 - Research Capstone/ BI 451 - Internship Capstone BS only* / Elective Core Elective