This Biology Major will prepare students for graduate programs or careers in the fields of Ecology, Evolution, Natural Resource Management, or Conservation Biology.
Program Requirements
Core Courses I (20 hours)
| BIO 111 | Foundations of Evolution and Diversity | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 112 | Foundations of Cell Biology | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 211 | Foundations of Genetics | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 212 | Foundations of Form and Function | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 213 | Foundations of Ecology | 4(3-3) |
Core Courses II (3 hours)
Required Courses I (3-4 hours)
Select one Ecology course from the following:
Required Courses II (3-4 hours)
Select one Evolution course from the following:
| BIO 305 | Entomology | 3(2-3) |
| BIO 306 | Natural History of Vertebrates | 3(2-3) |
| BIO 390 | Comparative Animal Physiology | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 501 | Evolution | 3(3-0) |
| BIO 509 | Ichthyology | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 511 | Aquatic Insects | 3(1-4) |
| BIO 515 | Ornithology | 4(2-4) |
| BIO 519 | Invertebrate Diversity | 4(2-4) |
| BIO 523 | Ecology and Systematics of Freshwater Algae | 3(2-3) |
| BIO 540 | Mammalogy | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 549 | Herpetology | 3(2-3) |
| BIO 557 | Woody Plants of Michigan | 4(2-4) |
| BIO 562 | Plant Systematics and Evolution | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 565 | Microbial Diversity and Physiology | 3(3-0) |
| BIO 566 | Microbial Diversity and Physiology Laboratory | 1(0-3) |
| BIO 575 | Applied Bioinformatics | 4(3-3) |
Note: Students who choose BIO 566 will also have to take the pre/co-requisite course BIO 565.
Required Courses III (3-4 hours)
Select one Conservation course from the following:
| BIO 365 | Environmental Contaminants | 3(3-0) |
| BIO 366 | Freshwater Biology | 3(2-3) |
| BIO 510 | Fisheries Biology and Management | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 541 | Wildlife Biology and Management | 4(2-4) |
| BIO 561 | Wetland Ecology and Management | 3(3-0) |
| BIO 585 | Conservation Medicine | 3(3-0) |
Note: Courses may not double count toward Required Courses I, II, and III.
Other Requirements I (16 hours)
Other Requirements II (7-14 hours)
Select two of the following options:
Option A (4-8 hours)
Select CHM 342 for 4 hours OR CHM 345, CHM 346, and CHM 349 for 8 hours:
| CHM 342 | Survey of Organic Chemistry | 4(3-3) |
| CHM 345 | Organic Chemistry I | 3(3-0) |
| CHM 346 | Organic Chemistry II | 3(3-0) |
| CHM 349 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 2(0-6) |
Option B (3 hours)
Select one of the following:
| CHM 421 | Survey of Biochemistry | 3(3-0) |
| CHM 425 | Introductory Biochemistry | 3(3-0) |
Option C (6 hours)
| GEO 203QR | Introduction to Geographic Information Science | 3(2-2) |
| GEO 303 | Geographic Information Systems | 3(2-2) |
Option D (4 hours)
Option E (4 hours)
Notes: Students selecting Option B must also select Option A. Students who have taken MTH 132 to fulfill Other Requirements I may not select Option D.
Other Requirements III (0 hours)
Capstone Exit Exam and Survey.
This capstone experience may include taking the Biology Major Field Test, analyzing and interpreting data, and/or completing an exit survey.
Electives (9 hours)
Select advanced level elective courses from the following in consultation with a Biology advisor. Courses selected in Required Courses I, II, or III may not count toward elective credit. At least 2 courses must be at the 400-level or higher.
| BIO 305 | Entomology | 3(2-3) |
| BIO 306 | Natural History of Vertebrates | 3(2-3) |
| BIO 320 | Biology of Microorganisms | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 334/GEO 334 | Soil Science | 3(2-2) |
| BIO 337 | Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 365 | Environmental Contaminants | 3(3-0) |
| BIO 366 | Freshwater Biology | 3(2-3) |
| BIO 367 | Introduction to Marine Sciences | 3(3-0) |
| BIO 390 | Comparative Animal Physiology | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 391 | Plant Physiology | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 397 | Special Topics in Biology | 1-6(Spec) |
| BIO 403WI | Undergraduate Research | 3-4(Spec) |
| BIO 440 | Wildlife Ecology | 3(3-0) |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Internship in Biology | 1-4(Spec) |
| BIO 497 | Special Topics in Biology | 1-9(Spec) |
| BIO 501 | Evolution | 3(3-0) |
| BIO 509 | Ichthyology | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 510 | Fisheries Biology and Management | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 511 | Aquatic Insects | 3(1-4) |
| BIO 515 | Ornithology | 4(2-4) |
| BIO 518 | Animal Behavior | 3(2-3) |
| BIO 519 | Invertebrate Diversity | 4(2-4) |
| BIO 523 | Ecology and Systematics of Freshwater Algae | 3(2-3) |
| BIO 525 | Plant Ecology | 4(2-4) |
| BIO 526 | Limnology | 3(3-0) |
| BIO 527 | Limnological Methods | 2(0-4) |
| BIO 540 | Mammalogy | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 541 | Wildlife Biology and Management | 4(2-4) |
| BIO 549 | Herpetology | 3(2-3) |
| BIO 555 | Great Lakes Wetland and Aquatic Plants | 4(2-4) |
| BIO 557 | Woody Plants of Michigan | 4(2-4) |
| BIO 560 | Avian Ecology | 3(2-3) |
| BIO 561 | Wetland Ecology and Management | 3(3-0) |
| BIO 562 | Plant Systematics and Evolution | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 565 | Microbial Diversity and Physiology | 3(3-0) |
| BIO 566 | Microbial Diversity and Physiology Laboratory | 1(0-3) |
| BIO 575 | Applied Bioinformatics | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 585 | Conservation Medicine | 3(3-0) |
| BIO 597 | Special Topics in Biology | 1-9(Spec) |
| MAR 301 | Marine Science II: Marine Biology | 5(Spec) |
Notes: Credit toward the Biology Major may only be earned in BIO 397, BIO 497, and BIO 597 with permission of advisor. Students who choose BIO 566 will also have to take the pre/co-requisite course BIO 565. Students who choose BIO 527 will also have to take the pre/co-requisite course BIO 526.
Total: 64-74 semester hours