Biology, B.S. (Certifiable for secondary teaching)
Requirements
Required Courses
| BIO 121 | General Biology I | 4 |
| BIO 122 | General Biology II | 4 |
| BIO 200 | Integrative Biology | 4 |
| BIO 290 | Biology Research Experience I | 2 |
| BIO 390 | Biology Research Experience II | 1 |
| | Animal Diversity Elective | |
One of the following:
One of the following2:
| BIO 326 | Mushrooms, Mosses, & More | 4 |
| BIO 327 | Vascular Plants | 4 |
| BIO 425 | Biology of Marine and Freshwater Algae | 4 |
| BIO 444 | Plant Taxonomy | 3 |
| | Genetics/Microbiology Elective | |
One of the following3:
3-4 credits from the following:
3-4 credits from the following1:
At least one course in BIO or BMS must be at the 400-level. Please note that upper-level BMS courses require BMS 201, which can count as an elective in the biology major.
Required Courses1
| MATH 115 | Trigonometry | 3 |
| CHEM 161 | General Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 162 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| | | |
| CHEM 200 | Foundations of Analytical Chemistry | 3 |
| | or | |
| CHEM 260 | Foundations of Inorganic Chemistry | 3 |
| | | |
| CHEM 210 | Foundations of Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| | and | |
| CHEM 211 | Foundations of Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| | | |
| PHYS 121 | General Physics I | 4 |
| | and | |
| PHYS 122 | General Physics II | 4 |
| | or | |
| PHYS 125 | University Physics I | 4 |
| | and | |
| PHYS 126 | University Physics II | 4 |
| | | |
| EDTE 316 | Principles of Learning in Diverse Settings (Secondary) | 4 |
| EDF 415 | Educational Foundations | 3 |
| SPED 315 | Introduction to Educating Learners with Exceptionalities | 3 |
| EDSC 425 | Multicultural, Interdisciplinary Teaching at the Secondary Level | 3 |
| EDSC 435 | Secondary Education Student Teaching | 3 TO 9 |
| SCI 417 | Teaching of Science in the Secondary School | 4 |
| SCI 419 | Student Teaching Seminar | 1 |
| SCI 420 | History and Nature of Science | 3 |
| RDG 440 | Literacy in the Secondary School | 3 |
one of the following:
30 credits also must come from the following courses, which require prior acceptance into the Professional Program in the School of Education and Professional Studies:
| SPED 315 | Introduction to Educating Learners with Exceptionalities | 3 |
| EDTE 316 | Principles of Learning in Diverse Settings (Secondary) | 4 |
| EDF 415 | Educational Foundations | 3 |
| EDSC 425 | Multicultural, Interdisciplinary Teaching at the Secondary Level | 3 |
| EDSC 435 | Secondary Education Student Teaching | 3 TO 9 |
| RDG 440 | Literacy in the Secondary School | 3 |
| SCI 417 | Teaching of Science in the Secondary School | 4 |
| SCI 419 | Student Teaching Seminar | 1 |
This major is designed for students who wish to teach biology at the secondary level. The program includes consideration of all major concepts and areas of biology. Within some of the areas, students may select different courses to build on knowledge gained in their first and second years of study. Students are continuously encouraged to see connections in biological events from the standpoint of all sciences. The specialization also includes a professional education component. Because of the breadth of required courses, it is also possible for students in secondary education to enter a variety of other careers in research, health, and industry, as well as graduate study.
A student who majors in biology is not required to complete a minor but is urged to minor in one of the other laboratory sciences or general science.
Portfolio Requirement
All majors in the Department of Biology are required to complete a student portfolio. Minimally, the student portfolio must include a current resume, a current Student Graduation Evaluation (available from the Department of Biology) or transcript, a narrative describing the student's goals for undergraduate education and graduate educational or career plans, and writing samples from one or more upper-level courses in the major. To fulfill the portfolio requirement in biology, the student portfolio must be reviewed with one or more faculty members in biology as a course requirement in BIO 200, as a required component of BIO 390, 391, 491, and all independent studies and internships, and prior to application for graduation, as evidenced by submission of a Portfolio Requirement Completed form (available from the Department of Biology and signed by the major advisor) to the biology chair.