Biology Major Requirements
Entry-level requirements and co-requisites:
| BIO 1001 | Principles of Biology I | 4 |
| BIO 1002 | Principles of Biology II | 4 |
| CHM 1001 | Principles of Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHM 1003 | Principles of Chemistry Lab I | 1 |
| CHM 1002 | Principles of Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHM 1004 | Princ of Chemistry Lab II | 1 |
| Calculus I completed with a minimum grade of C- | |
BIO 1001, BIO 1002: are prerequisites for all biology courses above the 2000 level. NOTE: If a C - or below is received in either of these foundational classes, it must be retaken and passed with a minimum grade of C before students can progress to 3000-level electives.
CHM 1001, CHM 1003, CHM 1002, CHM 1004: completed with a minimum grade of C-. Note: these classes are prerequisites for some biology courses above the 2000 level.
Prospective majors and students interested in enrolling in Principles of Biology I or II need to complete the Biology Placement Exam, which is an online exam located on Blackboard.
Students registering for BIO 1001 must take the Biology Placement test to determine placement in BIO 1001 or BIO 1000. Students registering for BIO 1002 who have not taken BIO 1001 or BIO 1000 must also take a placement test before they are allowed to register.
It is strongly recommended that students take Principles of Biology and Principles of Chemistry in the freshman year. Students who begin the program as General Biology majors and plan to pursue graduate study or a career in the health professions must complete the appropriate co-requisites before applying (see pre-health and graduate school preparation). Sample schedules for advising are available in the biology department.
Upper Level Biology Requirements:
Seven elective courses above the 1000 level. Four of these must be laboratory courses (4 credits), and one 3 credit elective may be an independent study or internship.
For the General Biology Program, no more than two of the major courses may be at the 2000 level. Students preparing for the health professions or graduate school (see below) should not take more than one 2000 course as part of their seven course electives. Biology majors should seek an advisor from the Biology department in the beginning of their sophomore year to guide their choice of program and electives.
Senior Research sequence:
Note: All upper level major courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C-.
Biology Senior Research Program
Every undergraduate major must complete a research project that begins in the fall semester of their 3rd year. Each senior works closely with a mentor in the biology department to develop an independent and original research topic that culminates in a senior paper and presentation at the end of the senior year.
In addition to the entry-level requirements and co-requisites, and the seven electives, as outlined above, biology majors must complete the following three-course research sequence (see course descriptions below for further details):
All of the biology faculty members have on-going and short-term research projects, and this required research sequence allows for scholarship development for both faculty and students. Students often have the opportunity to present their undergraduate research project at local, regional and national conferences, and some projects are ultimately published in peer-reviewed journals.
All students in research seminar and senior research are required to attend the senior presentations, and all majors are encouraged to attend.