Biology, BS

General Education Requirements

Competencies

Competencies must be completed within the student’s first 30 credits.

♣ General Education Categories (34-35 credits total)

FYS, W-I, and OC courses must be completed within the student’s first 30 credits. Courses used to satisfy the general education requirements of the university must be taken from a minimum of six different academic disciplines. First Year Seminar and Level I Written Communications courses are exempt from this restriction.  Courses may not be used to fulfill both major discipline and general education requirements. 

 ‡ Written Communication (Level II & Level III) and Diversity, Power Dynamics & Social Justice

Courses taken for Written Communication Level II, Level III and Diversity, Power Dynamics and Social Justice may be used to satisfy requirements anywhere else in a student’s program of study where they may apply.  Credits will be counted in the area where they apply.

♥       Students may choose to use support courses to satisfy general education categories, but may not be required to do so.  Note:  If a course is used to satisfy two or more requirements (for example, a support course and Scientific Reasoning requirement), the credits are counted in only one place.  Using a course to satisfy more than one requirement does not reduce the credit total required for graduation.  

♣       Courses used to satisfy the general education requirements of the university must be taken from a minimum of six different academic disciplines.  First Year Seminar and Level I Written Communications courses are exempt from this restriction.  Courses may not be used to fulfill both major discipline and general education requirements.

#       These Scientific Reasoning General Education Category courses do not have to be a sequence or be from the same discipline.

‡        Level II and Level III Written Communications courses and Diversity, Power Dynamics & Social Justice may be used to satisfy requirements anywhere else in a student’s program of study where they may apply. The credits are counted only in one area.

♦        General Education categories to be completed with the first 30 credits. Exceptions in the timing of these courses will be made for transfer students.

Courses in Major (42-45 credits total)

♥Required Chemistry Support Courses (12 credits)

• CHE 130 General Chemistry I
• CHE 131 General Chemistry II
• CHE 212 Organic Chemistry I

• ∞ Recommended Additional Chemistry (4 credits)

• CHE 213 Organic Chemistry II

♥Required Support Courses (7 – 8 credits)

• MAT 150 Precalculus

• OR

• MAT 220 Calculus I
• ◊  PHS 211A College Physics I

• OR

• ◊  PHS 221 General Physics I with Calculus
•  *  PHS 212A College Physics II

•     OR

• *  PHS 222 General Physics II with Calculus

Free Electives (20-25 credits includes Minor option)

Additional free elective credits beyond the credits listed may be required based on the use of support courses to satisfy General Education Category requirements

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∞Minor (Optional):

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Additional Information and Notes

✝ One Biology elective must be chosen from each group (Population/Ecosystems, Organismal/Physiology, Cellilar/Molecular) and then any two more 300-400 level electives.  At least two of these must have a lab.

ϕ  The Capstone Elective can include certain 300-400 level courses, as well as independent studies, internships, study abroad, service learning and other college credit situations (Consult with your Advisor  for your options) – approval required by the chairperson of Biology for non-traditional course credit.

ω The Portfolio Seminar is a 1-credit hybrid class where students reflect on their capstone experience and that ensures all portfolio requirements are met.

∞  It is recommended that students complete CHE213 and earn a Chemisty minor.

◊ The sequence can be either PHS211A and 212A or PHS221 and 222.

*Note: All biology concentrations and options except the Environmental Biology option must take PHS212A or PHS222. In place of a second physics course, the Environmental Biology option must take a group A elective and a group B elective.

• Group A – GLS210, GLS212, GLS221, GLS330, GLS334, GLS342, GLS362, GPH222, GPH245, GPH264, GPH282P, GPH301, GPH314, GPH371, GPH376P, GPH383P.

• Group B – ECO319, IDS220, IDS325, PHL224, POL304, POL319.

Total credits for graduation: 120