The Department offers coursework leading to the B.S. degree in biology. This degree program allows considerable flexibility and can be customized to meet the interests of individual students.

Students majoring in biology complete the biology core and biology electives, to a total of at least 36 credit hours. The biology core includes Principles of Biology I and II, Cell Biology, Genetics, Ecology, Biochemistry/Molecular Biology I, and Undergraduate Colloquium. Biology electives may be chosen for a general education in biology, or specialization in either molecular and cellular biology, or ecology and systematics. Students may take any of the remaining hours beyond the biology core in marine sciences courses.

The degree in Biology also requires the following allied science courses: 8 hours of general physics, mathematics through one semester of analytical geometry and calculus, and chemistry through 8 hours of organic chemistry. Both of the specialized tracks described above, especially the Molecular and Cellular Biology Track, are suitable for preprofessional students. However, the department also offers a Premedical, Predental, Preoptometry Track, which requires students to complete the biology major with work chosen from a list of courses recommended for preprofessional students.

Specific course requirements are available at the undergraduate catalog listing.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Sciences in Biology (.docx)

Suggested course sequences for the B.S. in Biology:

• Freshman placement in Math 005
• Freshman placement in Math 100
• Freshman placement in Math 112 or above

Other useful information:
Approval for prerequisites to be taken at other institutions