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Biology Major: Biomedical, Cellular, and Molecular Concentration, B.A., B.S.

B.A. degree or B.S. degree

Major Map

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 Biomedical, Cellular, and Molecular (BCM) Concentration will prepare students for graduate programs (MS or PhD), health professions programs, and careers in laboratory or research-based settings with universities, state or national science-based agencies, and pharmaceutical or industrial companies. The courses that comprise the BCM concentration prepare students to be competitive applicants for the following professional programs: 

  • medical school (MD and DO)
  • physician assistant (PA)
  • dental school (DDS)
  • veterinary medicine (DVM)
  • pharmacy (PharmD)
  • optometry (OD)
  • physical therapy (DPT)
  • occupational therapy (OTD)
  • podiatric school (DPM)
  • chiropractic school (DC)
  • other health care careers 

Students can explore areas in biomedicine, physiology, public health, microbiology, genetics, and cellular, molecular, and developmental biology. In addition to fundamental laboratory skills, students have the opportunity to learn advanced techniques including molecular cloning, protein and nucleic acid analysis, cell culture, and genomic analysis. Extensive hands-on learning opportunities, supported by state-of-the art teaching and research laboratories, 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 (3-4 hours)

Select one of the following options:

Option A (3-4 hours)

Select one of the following:
BIO 320Biology of Microorganisms

4(3-3)
BIO 325Biotechnology

3(1-5)
BIO 337Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy

4(3-3)
BIO 403WIUndergraduate Research

4(Spec)
BIO 544Developmental Biology

4(3-3)
BIO 550Transmission Electron Microscopy

4(1-6)
BIO 552Scanning Electron Microscopy

4(3-3)
BIO 553Confocal Microscopy

3(2-3)
BIO 570Medical Cell Biology

3-4(Spec)
BIO 576WIMammalian Cell Culture

3(1-5)
Note: BIO 570 must be taken when offered as a 4(3-3) credit course in order to satisfy this requirement.

Option B (4 hours)

BIO 545Molecular Genetics

3(3-0)
BIO 546Molecular Genetics Laboratory

1(0-3)

Option C (4 hours)

BIO 565Microbial Diversity and Physiology

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

1(0-3)

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 (4-8 hours)

Select one of the following options:

Notes:

  • Students selecting Option A in Other Requirements II must select Option A in Other Requirements III.
  • Students selecting Option B in Other Requirements II may select any option in Other Requirements III.

Option A (4 hours)

CHM 342Survey of Organic Chemistry

4(3-3)

Option B (8 hours)

CHM 345Organic Chemistry I

3(3-0)
CHM 346Organic Chemistry II: Synthesis and Bioorganic Chemistry

3(3-0)
CHM 349Organic Chemistry Laboratory

2(0-6)

 

Other Requirements III (3-6 hours)

Select one of the following options:

Option A (3 hours)

CHM 421Introductory Biochemistry for Health Sciences

3(3-0)

Option B (3 hours)

CHM 520Introductory Biochemistry

3(3-0)

Option C (6 hours)

CHM 521Biochemistry I

3(3-0)
CHM 522Biochemistry II

3(3-0)

Other Requirements IV (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 (14 hours)

Select advanced level elective courses from the list below.

Note: Courses selected in Required Courses may not also be used as electives. At least six credits must be at the 400-level or higher. At least one elective must be a BIO course with laboratory hours. (Laboratory courses include BIO 320, BIO 325, BIO 330, BIO 337, BIO 392, BIO 403WI, BIO 536, BIO 544 , BIO 546, BIO 550, BIO 552, BIO 553, BIO 566, BIO 576WI; BIO 570 only counts as a lab course when offered for 4 credits)

BIO 320Biology of Microorganisms

4(3-3)
BIO 324Eukaryotic Cell Biology

3(3-0)
BIO 325Biotechnology

3(1-5)
BIO 330Foundations in Microscopy

2(1-1)
BIO 337Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy

4(3-3)
BIO 365Environmental Contaminants

3(3-0)
BIO 392Mammalian Physiology

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

1-6(Spec)
BIO 403WIUndergraduate Research

4(Spec)
BIO 435Environmental Toxicology

3(3-0)
BIO 487/PSY 487Recent Advances in Neuroscience Seminar

2(2-0)
BIO 490Biomedical Sciences Seminar

1-3(Spec)
BIO 495Undergraduate Internship in Biology

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

1-9(Spec)
BIO 524Molecular Biology

3(3-0)
BIO 534Endocrinology

3(3-0)
BIO 536Histology

3(2-3)
BIO 537Immunology

3(3-0)
BIO 539Virology

3(3-0)
BIO 544Developmental Biology

4(3-3)
BIO 545Molecular Genetics

3(3-0)
BIO 546Molecular Genetics Laboratory

1(0-3)
BIO 550Transmission Electron Microscopy

4(1-6)
BIO 552Scanning Electron Microscopy

4(3-3)
BIO 553Confocal Microscopy

3(2-3)
BIO 565Microbial Diversity and Physiology

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

1(0-3)
BIO 570Medical Cell Biology

3-4(Spec)
BIO 572Epigenetics

3(3-0)
BIO 573Applied Genomics

3(3-0)
BIO 575Applied Bioinformatics

4(3-3)
BIO 576WIMammalian Cell Culture

3(1-5)
BIO 580Medical Microbiology

3(1-5)
BIO 585Conservation Medicine

3(3-0)
BIO 590Cardiovascular Physiology

3(3-0)
BIO 591Neurophysiology

3(3-0)
BIO 592Developmental Neurobiology

3-4(Spec)
BIO 595Cancer Biology

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

1-9(Spec)
PHY 131College Physics II

4(4-0)

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 546 or BIO 566 must also take the appropriate pre/co-requisite lecture course.
 

Total: 63-71 semester hours