Biology with Ecology Emphasis (BS)
The growing significance of environmental issues to the overall health of our world in the new century requires more individuals who are scientifically trained to contribute to solving environmental problems.
The BS in Biology with Ecology emphasis is designed to provide in-depth training for students planning to do research in various areas of environmental sciences as either graduate students or employees of environmental agencies and companies. The curriculum includes the same foundational lecture and laboratory courses in the areas of cell biology, genetics, and ecology taken by general biology majors. Additional coursework focuses specifically on topics related to ecology.
Curriculum
This specialized biology major requires 37 credit hours including 9 required courses (21 credit hours) and elective courses (16 credit hours). This track allows students to acquire a strong background in fundamental biology with a specialization in the basic science of ecology and evolution. Students will follow the program outlined below
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Biology Courses: Required | ||
| 21 credit hours plus cognate requirements | ||
| BIOL 101 | General Biology I | 3 |
| BIOL 111 | General Biology I Lab | 1 |
| BIOL 102 | General Biology II | 3 |
| BIOL 112 | General Biology II Lab | 1 |
| BIOL 251 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 265 | Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 266 | Ecology Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOL 282 | Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL 319 | Evolution | 3 |
| Electives 1 | ||
| Select 16 credit hours from a combination of the following: | 16 | |
Select a minimum of two electives from the following: | ||
| Plant Biology Lec/Lab | ||
| Ornithology | ||
| Introduction to Research 2 | ||
| Limnology Lec/Lab | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Primatology-Behavior & Ecology | ||
| Wetland Ecology | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Global Change Biology | ||
| Intro to Biostatistics | ||
| Field Biology | ||
| Entomology Lec/Lab | ||
| Plant Ecology Lec/Lab | ||
| Invertebrate Biology | ||
| Ichthyology Lec/Lab | ||
| Aquatic Insects Lecture & Laboratory | ||
| Special Topics in Biology 2 | ||
| Special Topics Laboratory 2 | ||
Select one of the following: | ||
| Research 2 | ||
| Internship in Biology 2 | ||
| Chemistry | ||
| CHEM 160 | Chemical Structure and Properties | 3 |
| or CHEM 101 | General Chemistry A Lecture/Discussion | |
| or CHEM 105 | Chemical Principles | |
| CHEM 161 | Chemical Structure and Properties Laboratory | 1 |
| or CHEM 105 | Chemical Principles | |
| or CHEM 111 | General Chemistry Lab A | |
| CHEM 180 | Chemical Reactivity I | 3 |
| or CHEM 221 | Organic Chemistry I Lec/Disc | |
| or CHEM 223 | Organic Chemistry A Lec/Disc | |
| CHEM 181 | Chemical Reactivity I Lab | 3 |
| or CHEM 221 | Organic Chemistry I Lec/Disc | |
| or CHEM 225 | Organic Chemistry Lab A | |
| CHEM 240 | Chemical Reactivity II | 3 |
| or CHEM 222 | Organic Chemistry II Lec/Disc | |
| or CHEM 224 | Organic Chemistry B Lec/Disc | |
| CHEM 241 | Chemical Reactivity II Laboratory | 1 |
| or CHEM 222 | Organic Chemistry II Lec/Disc | |
| or CHEM 226 | Organic Chemistry Lab B | |
| CHEM 260 | Quantitative Methods in Chemistry | 3 |
| or CHEM 102 | General Chemistry B Lecture/Discussion | |
| or CHEM 106 | Basic Inorganic Chemistry | |
| CHEM 261 | Quantitative Methods in Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| or CHEM 106 | Basic Inorganic Chemistry | |
| or CHEM 112 | General Chemistry Lab B | |
| Mathematics | ||
| MATH 131 | Applied Calculus I | 3-4 |
| or MATH 161 | Calculus I | |
| MATH 132 | Applied Calculus II | 3-4 |
| or MATH 162 | Calculus II | |
| Physics | ||
| PHYS 111 | College Physics I Lec / Dis | 3 |
| or PHYS 121 | College Physics I Lec/Dis | |
| or PHYS 125 | General Physics I Lec/Dis | |
| PHYS 111L | College Physics Laboratory I | 1 |
| PHYS 112 | College Physics II Lec/Disc | 3 |
| or PHYS 122 | College Physics II Lec/Dis | |
| or PHYS 126 | General Physics II Lec/Dis | |
| PHYS 112L | College Physics Lab II | 1 |
| Total Hours | 69 | |
- 1
The remaining credits may come from this list or from other electives offered in Biology. A minimum of (any) two electives must have laboratory components.
- 2
Courses must be taken in an Ecology related topic.
Suggested Course Sequence
The below sequence of courses is meant to be used as a suggested path for completing coursework. An individual student’s completion of requirements depends on course offerings in a given term as well as the start term for a major or graduate study. Students should consult their advisor for assistance with course selection.
The biology department recommends that students pursuing the BS in Biology with Ecology Emphasis complete their required classes in the following sequence. Requirements include courses in Biology (BIOL), Chemistry (CHEM), Mathematics (MATH) and Physics (PHYS):
| First Semester | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 101 | General Biology I | 3 |
| BIOL 111 | General Biology I Lab | 1 |
| CHEM 160 | Chemical Structure and Properties | 3 |
| CHEM 161 | Chemical Structure and Properties Laboratory | 1 |
| MATH 131 | Applied Calculus I | 3 |
| Hours | 11 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| BIOL 102 | General Biology II | 3 |
| BIOL 112 | General Biology II Lab | 1 |
| CHEM 180 | Chemical Reactivity I | 3 |
| CHEM 181 | Chemical Reactivity I Lab | 1 |
| MATH 132 | Applied Calculus II | 3 |
| Hours | 11 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| BIOL 265 | Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 266 | Ecology Laboratory | 1 |
| CHEM 240 | Chemical Reactivity II | 3 |
| CHEM 241 | Chemical Reactivity II Laboratory | 1 |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| BIOL 282 | Genetics | 3 |
| CHEM 260 | Quantitative Methods in Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 261 | Quantitative Methods in Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Fifth Semester | ||
| BIOL 251 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| PHYS 111 | College Physics I Lec / Dis | 3 |
| PHYS 111L | College Physics Laboratory I | 1 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Sixth Semester | ||
| BIOL 319 | Evolution | 3 |
| PHYS 112 | College Physics II Lec/Disc | 3 |
| PHYS 112L | College Physics Lab II | 1 |
| BIOL Elective (Ecology) | 3 | |
| Hours | 10 | |
| Seventh Semester | ||
| BIOL Elective (Ecology) | 4 | |
| Hours | 4 | |
| Eighth Semester | ||
| BIOL Electives | 8 | |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Total Hours | 66 | |
College of Arts and Sciences Graduation Requirements
All Undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences are required to take two Writing Intensive courses (6 credit hours) as well as complete a foreign language requirement at 102-level or higher (3 credit hours) or a language competency test. More information can be found here.
Additional Undergraduate Graduation Requirements
All Undergraduate students are required to complete the University Core, at least one Engaged Learning course, and UNIV 101. SCPS students are not required to take UNIV 101. Nursing students in the Accelerated BSN program are not required to take core or UNIV 101. You can find more information in the University Requirements area.
At the completion of the Undergraduate Biology with Ecology Emphasis Major:
- Students will demonstrate developing mastery of the following Vision and Change core concepts and their related principals as they relate to population ecology, community ecology, and ecosystem-level concepts: evolution (the diversity of life-forms that have evolved over time through mutations, selection and genetic change; structure and function (the basic units of biological structures that define the functions of all living things); information flow, exchange and storage (the influence of genetics on the control of the growth and behavior of organisms); pathways and transformations of energy and matter (the ways in which chemical transformation pathways and the laws of thermodynamics govern the growth and change of biological systems); and systems (the ways in which living things are interconnected and interact with one another).
- Students will be able to retrieve, synthesize, and critically evaluate scientific literature.
- Students will be able to communicate (orally and in writing) results and interpretation of scientific research.
- Students will be able to design and implement experiments that test predictive hypotheses, analyze data, report results, and interpret the significance of these experiments to enhance their understanding of ecological systems.