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Biology Major: Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Concentration, B.A., B.S.

B.A. degree or B.S. degree 

The Biology Major will prepare students for graduate programs, pre-professional programs, certificate programs, and careers in diverse biological disciplines. Experiences in the program will strengthen skills in teamwork, inquiry and analysis, oral and written communication, problem solving, ethical reasoning, critical and creative thinking, and quantitative and information literacy. Biology students have the opportunity to perform one-on-one research with Biology faculty members and often present their work at local, regional, national, or international venues. To support student success, the Biology department offers numerous scholarship opportunities, granting greater than $60K in awards annually. Biology students are part of a learning community that includes local networking opportunities (registered student organizations and clubs), state and regional collaborations and partnerships (e.g., government agencies, tribal organizations), and global experiences (study abroad opportunities).

The Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology Concentration is designed to prepare students for a variety of careers in disciplines such as plant and animal biology, fisheries, wildlife biology, animal behavior, limnology, Great Lakes biology, systematics, and climate change biology. Coursework in this major allows students to learn practical skills in field sampling techniques, GIS analysis, wildlife management, advanced statistical analysis, specimen curation, and taxonomy. Students that complete this major receive excellent preparation to pursue advanced degrees (e.g., MS, PhD) and/or obtain employment in:

  • state and federal agencies (e.g., MDNR, USGS, USFWS)
  • tribal agencies
  • non-profit organizations (e.g., The Nature Conservancy)
  • private sector/consulting companies
  • academia
  • museums
  • zoological parks
  • natural history collections

Extensive hands-on learning opportunities, supported by state-of-the art teaching, field, and laboratory facilities, will empower students to apply their undergraduate education for employment or graduate/professional training.

 

Program Requirements

Core Courses I (20 hours)

BIO 111Foundations of Evolution and Diversity

4(3-3)
BIO 112Foundations of Cell Biology

4(3-3)
BIO 211Foundations of Genetics

4(3-3)
BIO 212Foundations of Form and Function

4(3-3)
BIO 213Foundations of Ecology

4(3-3)

Core Courses II (3 hours)

BIO 500Biological Statistics

3(2-2)

Required Courses I (3-4 hours)

Select one Ecology course from the following:

BIO 367Introduction to Marine Sciences

3(3-0)
BIO 440Wildlife Ecology

3(3-0)
BIO 518Animal Behavior

4(3-3)
BIO 519Invertebrate Diversity

4(2-4)
BIO 525Plant Ecology

3(2-3)
BIO 526Limnology

3(3-0)
BIO 527Limnological Methods

2(0-4)
BIO 555Great Lakes Wetland and Aquatic Plants

4(2-4)
BIO 560Avian Ecology

3(2-3)
BIO 561Wetland Ecology and Management

3(3-0)
BIO 567WIBiogeochemistry

3(3-0)

Required Courses II (3-4 hours)

Select one Evolution course from the following:

BIO 306Natural History of Vertebrates

3(2-3)
BIO 390Comparative Animal Physiology

4(3-3)
BIO 501Evolution

3(3-0)
BIO 509Ichthyology

4(3-3)
BIO 511Aquatic Insects

3(1-4)
BIO 515Ornithology

4(2-4)
BIO 519Invertebrate Diversity

4(2-4)
BIO 523Ecology and Systematics of Freshwater Algae

3(2-3)
BIO 540Mammalogy

4(3-3)
BIO 549Herpetology

3(2-3)
BIO 557Woody Plants of Michigan

4(2-4)
BIO 562Plant Systematics and Evolution

4(3-3)
BIO 565Microbial Diversity and Physiology

3(3-0)
BIO 566Microbial Diversity and Physiology Laboratory

1(0-3)
BIO 575Applied 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 321WIIntroduction to Conservation Biology

3(3-0)
BIO 365Environmental Contaminants

3(3-0)
BIO 366Freshwater Biology

3(2-3)
BIO 510Fisheries Biology and Management

4(3-3)
BIO 541Wildlife Biology and Management

4(2-4)
BIO 561Wetland Ecology and Management

3(3-0)
BIO 585Conservation Medicine

3(3-0)

Note: Courses may not double count toward Required Courses I, II, and III.

Other Requirements I (16 hours)

CHM 131General Chemistry I

4(3-3)
CHM 132General Chemistry II

4(3-3)
MTH 130Pre-Calculus Mathematics

4(4-0)
MTH 132Calculus I

4(4-0)
PHY 130QRCollege Physics I

4(4-0)

Note: You may only count one of MTH 130 or MTH 132, not both.

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; OR CHM 343, CHM 348, and CHM 349 for 8 hours:

CHM 342Survey of Organic Chemistry

4(3-3)
CHM 343Organic Chemistry I: Foundations

4(4-0)
CHM 345Organic Chemistry I

3(3-0)
CHM 346Organic Chemistry II

3(3-0)
CHM 348Organic Chemistry II: Bioorganic

2(2-0)
CHM 349Organic Chemistry Laboratory

2(0-6)

Option B (3 hours)

Select one of the following:

CHM 421Introductory Biochemistry for Health Sciences

3(3-0)
CHM 520Introductory Biochemistry

3(3-0)

Option C (6 hours)

GEO 203QRIntroduction to Geographic Information Science

3(2-2)
GEO 303Geographic Information Systems

3(2-2)

Option D (4 hours)

MTH 132Calculus I

4(4-0)

Option E (4 hours)

PHY 131College Physics II

4(4-0)

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 306Natural History of Vertebrates

3(2-3)
BIO 320Biology of Microorganisms

4(3-3)
BIO 321WIIntroduction to Conservation Biology

3(3-0)
BIO 334/GEO 334Soil Science

3(2-2)
BIO 337Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy

4(3-3)
BIO 365Environmental Contaminants

3(3-0)
BIO 366Freshwater Biology

3(2-3)
BIO 367Introduction to Marine Sciences

3(3-0)
BIO 390Comparative Animal Physiology

4(3-3)
BIO 391Plant Physiology

4(3-3)
BIO 397Special Topics in Biology

1-6(Spec)
BIO 403WIUndergraduate Research

3-4(Spec)
BIO 440Wildlife Ecology

3(3-0)
BIO 495Undergraduate Internship in Biology

1-4(Spec)
BIO 497Special Topics in Biology

1-9(Spec)
BIO 501Evolution

3(3-0)
BIO 509Ichthyology

4(3-3)
BIO 510Fisheries Biology and Management

4(3-3)
BIO 511Aquatic Insects

3(1-4)
BIO 515Ornithology

4(2-4)
BIO 518Animal Behavior

4(3-3)
BIO 519Invertebrate Diversity

4(2-4)
BIO 523Ecology and Systematics of Freshwater Algae

3(2-3)
BIO 525Plant Ecology

3(2-3)
BIO 526Limnology

3(3-0)
BIO 527Limnological Methods

2(0-4)
BIO 540Mammalogy

4(3-3)
BIO 541Wildlife Biology and Management

4(2-4)
BIO 549Herpetology

3(2-3)
BIO 555Great Lakes Wetland and Aquatic Plants

4(2-4)
BIO 557Woody Plants of Michigan

4(2-4)
BIO 560Avian Ecology

3(2-3)
BIO 561Wetland Ecology and Management

3(3-0)
BIO 562Plant Systematics and Evolution

4(3-3)
BIO 565Microbial Diversity and Physiology

3(3-0)
BIO 566Microbial Diversity and Physiology Laboratory

1(0-3)
BIO 567WIBiogeochemistry

3(3-0)
BIO 575Applied Bioinformatics

4(3-3)
BIO 585Conservation Medicine

3(3-0)
BIO 597Special Topics in Biology

1-9(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