Biological Sciences Area (4+1 Track) – Bachelor of Science

A Morehead State University undergraduate student who has completed 80 or more credit hours toward the completion of the baccalaureate degree in Biological Sciences may be considered for admission into the Biology 4+1 Program. To be eligible for admission, the student must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.25 and a minimum earned grade of "B" in all 300- and 400-level biology (BIOL) courses completed at the time of admission. Students may earn a maximum of 12 graduate credit hours while holding undergraduate concurrent admission status.

The student must maintain a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.25 and a graduate GPA of at least 3.0 to continue in the Biology 4+1 Program. If the student drops below the minimum GPA, he or she will not be allowed to continue in the graduate component of the program; however, courses taken for graduate credit and completed with a passing grade will still count towards meeting the student's B.S. in Biological Sciences degree requirements.

For additional information, contact the Graduate School.

Program Competencies

Students graduating with the Bachelor of Science degree in Biology should possess the following:

  1. Written, oral and interpersonal communication skills in the sciences that will allow the graduate to collect, analyze, interpret, utilize and present information that is contemporary in the biological sciences.
  2. An awareness of the basic concepts of the physical and biological sciences and how these concepts are applicable in the profession.
  3. An awareness of the importance of the arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, health sciences as well as the biological and physical sciences to the human community.
  4. A basic understanding of literacy of all disciplines of biology, from molecular to cellular to organismal to population levels that unite organismal, continuity, diversity and unity of life.
  5. A general competency in basic inorganic and organic chemistry as well as in introductory physics, mathematics and statistics.

Assessment

  1. Departmental exit examination scores administered in the capstone course.
  2. Laboratory skills performance assessments administered in selected program core biology courses.
  3. Performance of graduates on entrance examinations to post-baccalaureate programs (GRE, MCAT, PCAT, DAT). 
  4. Employer feedback.
  5. Graduate feedback.

Program Requirements

General Education

MATH 152College Algebra

3

BIOL 171Principles of Biology (NSC1)

4

CHEM 111Principles of Chemistry I (NSC2)

4

BIOL 499DPrinciples of Evolution

3

Total Credit Hours:38

Refer to the General Education section for a complete listing of general education requirements for the University.

Note: Students taking MATH 152 as a general education core class must also complete MATH 141 as a program elective. Students having an ACT below 22 will take MATH 141 as a free elective.

Biological Sciences Core Requirements:

BIOL 210General Zoology

4

BIOL 215General Botany

4

BIOL 301Fundamentals of Biochemistry

4

BIOL 304Genetics

3

BIOL 317Principles of Microbiology

4

BIOL 380Cell Biology

3

BIOL 461Ecology

3

CHEM 112Principles of Chemistry II

4

CHEM 326Organic Chemistry I

4

MATH 353Statistics

3

PHYS 201Elementary Physics I

3

PHYS 201AElementary Physics I Lab

1

PHYS 202Elementary Physics II

3

PHYS 202AElementary Physics II Lab

1

Total Credit Hours:44

Choose one of the following:

BIOL 425Animal Physiology

3

BIOL 426Plant Physiology

3

Total Credit Hours:3

Choose one of the following:

MATH 141(if taking MATH 152 as general education requirement)

3

MATH 174Pre-Calculus Mathematics

3

MATH 175Calculus I

4

Total Credit Hours:3-4

Note: Students taking MATH 152 as a general education core class must also complete MATH 141 as a program elective. Students having an ACT below 22 will take MATH 141 as a free elective.

Biology 4+1 Track Requirements

Choose three graduate biology electives from the following:

BIOL 607Invertebrate Zoology

3

BIOL 609Limnology

3

BIOL 621Biology of Ferns

3

BIOL 624Immunology

3

BIOL 627Pathogenic Microbiology

3

BIOL 628Virology

3

BIOL 629Histology

3

BIOL 631Herpetology

3

BIOL 633Ichthyology

4

BIOL 637Ornithology

3

BIOL 638Mammalogy

3

BIOL 643General Parasitology

3

BIOL 646Biotechnology

3

BIOL 647Organ Systems Physiology

4

BIOL 649Plant Anatomy

3

BIOL 651Advanced Cell Biology

3

BIOL 652Aquatic Entomology

3

BIOL 656Plant Morphology

3

BIOL 673Medical-Veterinary Entomology

4

BIOL 678Animal Behavior

3

BIOL 680History of Science

3

BIOL 690Biochemistry

4

Total Credit Hours:9-12

Free Electives

Free Electives (chosen by student)

19-23

Total Credit Hours:19-23

Total Credit Hours: 120