A male student stands in front of biological lab equipment.

This curriculum provides a broad background in the basic biological sciences, and permits students to select courses in areas of particular interest. The major is especially useful in meeting the pre-professional requirements in the biosciences. Students desiring this preparation should also check the appropriate pre-professional requirements.

The curriculum includes a two-semester introductory biology sequence, cell biology, developmental biology, ecology, evolution, and genetics. Required courses in the physical sciences include a minimum of one year in introductory chemistry and in physics (with labs), and at least one course in organic chemistry (with lab), and one in biochemistry. A calculus course and a statistics course are also required. In addition, students must complete a minimum of 18 upper-division credits of which 9 credits must be from "BZ" courses.

Learning Objectives

Students completing the Major in Biological Science with a concentration in Biological Science will attain a well-rounded education grounded in the natural sciences, with emphasis on the current state of knowledge in biology. Upon successfully completing the degree, they will be able to:

  1. Attain a solid foundation in the natural sciences, with emphasis on biological processes and phenomena;
  2. Demonstrate a fundamental understanding of biological concepts, processes, and phenomena that are broadly applicable to organisms, and a detailed understanding of knowledge relevant to specific fields of biology of interest to the student;
  3. Demonstrate strong analytical, mathematical, and statistical skills, and the ability to apply these appropriately in biological contexts;
  4. Demonstrate the ability to analyze, synthesize, integrate, and evaluate material from biology and related fields, and effectively communicate such information.

Department of Biology Undergraduate Programs

Effective Fall 2024

To be qualified for graduation, students in the Biological Science major must have a minimum grade of C- in each of their biological, physical science, and mathematical courses used to meet requirements for the major. This applies to courses taken as substitutions for meeting these requirements. The minimum scholastic average acceptable for graduation is 2.000 computed only for courses attempted at CSU.

Freshman
AUCCCredits
CHEM 111General Chemistry I (GT-SC2)3A4
CHEM 112General Chemistry Lab I (GT-SC1)3A1
CO 150College Composition (GT-CO2)1A3
LIFE 102Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1)3A4
LIFE 103Biology of Organisms-Animals and Plants (GT-SC1)3A4
Select one from the following: 4
Calculus for Biological Scientists I (GT-MA1)1B 
Calculus for Physical Scientists I (GT-MA1)1B 
Arts and Humanities3B6
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion1C3
 Total Credits 29
Sophomore
 
BZ 220Introduction to Evolution 3
BZ 310Cell Biology 4
CHEM 113General Chemistry II 3
CHEM 114General Chemistry Lab II 1
CHEM 2452Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry 4
CHEM 246Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry Laboratory 1
Select one course from the following: 3
Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods  
Introduction to Biostatistics  
Social and Behavioral Sciences3C3
Historical Perspectives3D3
Electives 6
 Total Credits 31
Junior
 
Select one group from the following: 4-6
Group A:  
Principles of Biochemistry  
Group B:   
Comprehensive Biochemistry I  
Comprehensive Biochemistry II  
Select one group from the following: 10
Group A:
  
General Physics I (GT-SC1)3A 
General Physics II (GT-SC1)3A 
Group B:
  
Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (GT-SC1)3A 
Physics for Scientists and Engineers II (GT-SC1)3A 
Advanced Writing23
Electives 5-7
Upper Division Electives (see list below) 6
 Total Credits 30
Senior
 
BZ 311Developmental Biology 4
BZ 350Molecular and General Genetics4A,4B4
LIFE 320Ecology4C3
Electives1 7
Upper Division Electives (see list below) 12
 Total Credits 30
 Program Total Credits: 120
1

Select enough elective credits to bring the program total to a minimum of 120 credits, of which at least 42 must be upper-division (300- to 400-level).

2

CHEM 341, CHEM 343, and CHEM 344 may substitute for CHEM 245 and CHEM 246.

Upper-Division Electives (minimum of 9 credits from BZ courses)

ANEQ 310Animal Reproduction3
ANEQ 320Principles of Animal Nutrition3
ANEQ 322Pet Nutrition2
ANEQ 323Zoo Nutrition2
ANTH 370Primates3
ANTH 373Human Evolution3
ANTH 374Human Biological Variation3
ANTH 470Paleontology Field School4
BC 353Pre-Health Genetics4
BC 401Comprehensive Biochemistry I3
BC 403Comprehensive Biochemistry II3
BC 404Comprehensive Biochemistry Laboratory2
BC 463Molecular Genetics3
BMS 300Principles of Human Physiology4
BMS 301Human Gross Anatomy5
BMS 302Laboratory in Principles of Physiology2
BMS 305Domestic Animal Gross Anatomy4
BMS 310Anatomy for the Health Professions4
BMS 320Virtual Laboratory in Physiology2
BMS 325Cellular Neurobiology3
BMS 330Microscopic Anatomy4
BMS 345Functional Neuroanatomy4
BMS 400Neuroanatomy Through Clinical Case Studies1
BMS 405Nerve and Muscle-Toxins, Trauma and Disease3
BMS 409Human and Animal Reproductive Biology3
BMS 420Cardiopulmonary Physiology3
BMS 421Perspectives in Cardiopulmonary Diseases2
BMS 425Introduction to Systems Neurobiology3
BMS 430Endocrinology3
BMS 450Pharmacology3
BMS 460Essentials of Pathophysiology3
BMS 461Pathophysiology Perspectives2
BSPM 302Applied and General Entomology2
BSPM 303AEntomology Laboratory: General2
BZ 212Animal Biology-Invertebrates4
BZ 214Animal Biology-Vertebrates4
BZ 223Plant Identification3
BZ 300Animal Behavior3
BZ 325Plant Systematics4
BZ 329Herpetology4
BZ 330Mammalogy4
BZ 331Developmental Plant Anatomy4
BZ 333Introductory Mycology4
BZ 335Ornithology4
BZ 340Field Mammalogy4
BZ 342Exploring Range Shifts in a Changing World3
BZ 348/MATH 348Theory of Population and Evolutionary Ecology4
BZ 349Tropical Ecology and Evolution3
BZ 360Bioinformatics and Genomics4
BZ 401Comparative Animal Physiology3
BZ 415Marine Biology4
BZ 418Ecology of Infectious Diseases4
BZ 420Evolutionary Medicine3
BZ 424/BSPM 424Principles of Systematic Science3
BZ 425Conservation and Population Genomics3
BZ 430Animal Behavior and Conservation3
BZ 433Behavioral Genetics3
BZ 435AStudy Abroad--Honduras: Field Course--Dolphin Behavior and Physiology2
BZ 435BStudy Abroad--Mexico: Practices in Marine Biology and Ecology3
BZ 435CStudy Abroad--Kenya: Biology and Behavior of African Mammals3
BZ 440Plant Physiology3
BZ 441Plant Physiology Laboratory2
BZ 449AStudy Abroad: Ecology/Conservation–Ecuadorian Biodiversity4
BZ 450Plant Ecology4
BZ 460Genome Evolution4
BZ 462/BSPM 462/MIP 462Parasitology and Vector Biology5
BZ 471Stream Biology and Ecology3
BZ 472Stream Biology and Ecology Laboratory1
BZ 475Marine Mammalogy3
BZ 476/BZ 576Genetics of Model Organisms3
BZ 477Genome Editing Laboratory2
BZ 478/VS 478Biology and Behavior of Cats3
BZ 479/VS 479Biology and Behavior of Dogs3
BZ 492ASeminar: Behavior1-3
BZ 492BSeminar: Ecology1-3
BZ 492CSeminar: Genetics1-3
BZ 492DSeminar: Ornithology1-3
BZ 492ESeminar: Herpetology1-3
BZ 492FSeminar: Evolution1-3
BZ 492GSeminar: Departmental1-3
BZ 505Cognitive Ecology3
BZ 515Physiological Ecology of Marine Vertebrates3
BZ 525Advanced Conservation & Evolutionary Genomics4
BZ 560Teaching and Communicating Science3
BZ 562Computational Approaches in Molecular Ecology2
BZ 565/MIP 565Next Generation Sequencing Platform/Libraries1
BZ 568/FW 568Sustaining River Ecosystems in Changing World3
BZ 570Molecular Aspects of Plant Development3
BZ 572Phytoremediation3
ERHS 332Principles of Epidemiology3
ERHS 450Introduction to Radiation Biology3
F 311Forest Ecology3
FSHN 350Human Nutrition3
FW 300Biology and Diversity of Fishes2
FW 301Ichthyology Laboratory1
FW 400Conservation of Fish in Aquatic Ecosystems3
FW 405Fish Physiology3
HES 403Physiology of Exercise3
HORT 460/SOCR 460Plant Breeding and Biotechnology3
MIP 300General Microbiology3
MIP 302General Microbiology Laboratory2
MIP 315Pathology of Human and Animal Disease3
MIP 334Food Microbiology3
MIP 335Food Microbiology Laboratory2
MIP 342Immunology4
MIP 343Immunology Laboratory2
MIP 351Medical Bacteriology3
MIP 352Medical Bacteriology Laboratory3
MIP 420Medical and Molecular Virology4
MIP 425Virology and Cell Culture Laboratory2
MIP 432/ESS 432Microbial Ecology3
MIP 433/ESS 433Microbial Ecology Laboratory1
MIP 443Microbial Physiology4
MIP 450Microbial Genetics3
PHIL 325Philosophy of Natural Science3
PHIL 326Philosophy of Biology3
PSY 454Biological Psychology3
SOCR 455Microbiomes of Soil Systems3
SOCR 456Soil Microbiology Laboratory1
VS 331Histology4
VS 333Domestic Animal Anatomy4
A maximum of 3 credits may be selected from the following courses:
Supervised College Teaching
Internship
Independent Study
Laboratory or Field Research

Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program:
TO PREPARE FOR FIRST SEMESTER: The curriculum for the Biological Sciences major ‐Biological Sciences concentration assumes students enter college prepared to take calculus.  Entering students who are not prepared to take calculus will need to fulfill pre‐calculus requirements in the first semester.  LIFE 102 requires high school chemistry as a prerequisite; CHEM 111 requires Algebra II as a prerequisite (this prerequisite is met by having Algebra II by test credit, transfer credit, or placement out of MATH 117 and MATH 118 on Math Placement Exam). Earned grade of C or better is required in each of their biological, physical science, and mathematical courses used to meet requirements for the major. It is recommended that you do not take BZ 310 and BZ 350 together.

Freshman
Semester 1CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
CO 150College Composition (GT-CO2)X 1A3
LIFE 102Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1)X 3A4
Arts and Humanities X3B6
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion X1C3
MATH 117, MATH 118, MATH 124, MATH 125 may be necessary for some students to fulfill pre-calculus requirements.X   
 Total Credits   16
Semester 2CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
CHEM 111General Chemistry I (GT-SC2)X 3A4
CHEM 112General Chemistry Lab I (GT-SC1)X 3A1
LIFE 103Biology of Organisms-Animals and Plants (GT-SC1)X 3A4
Select one course from the following:X  4
Calculus for Biological Scientists I (GT-MA1)  1B 
Calculus for Physical Scientists I (GT-MA1)  1B 
CO 150 must be completed by the end of Semester 2.X   
 Total Credits   13
Sophomore
Semester 3CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
BZ 220Introduction to EvolutionX  3
CHEM 113General Chemistry IIX  3
CHEM 114General Chemistry Lab IIX  1
Historical Perspectives X3D3
Social and Behavioral Sciences X3C3
Elective X 3
MATH 155 or MATH 160 must be completed by the end of Semester 3.X   
 Total Credits   16
Semester 4CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
BZ 310Cell BiologyX  4
CHEM 245Fundamentals of Organic ChemistryX  4
CHEM 246Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry LaboratoryX  1
Select one course from the following:X  3
Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods    
Introduction to Biostatistics    
Elective X 3
 Total Credits   15
Junior
Semester 5CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
Select one group from the following:X  4-6
Group A:    
Principles of Biochemistry    
Group B:    
Comprehensive Biochemistry I    
Comprehensive Biochemistry II    
Select one course from the following:X  5
General Physics I (GT-SC1)  3A 
Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (GT-SC1)  3A 
Elective X 1-3
Upper Division Elective (see list on Concentration Requirements tab) X 3
STAT 301 or STAT 307 must be completed by the end of Semester 5.X   
 Total Credits   15
Semester 6CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
Select one course from the following:X  5
General Physics II (GT-SC1)  3A 
Physics for Scientists and Engineers II (GT-SC1)  3A 
Advanced Writing X23
Electives X 4
Upper Division Elective (see list on Concentration Requirements tab) X 3
 Total Credits   15
Senior
Semester 7CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
BZ 350Molecular and General GeneticsX 4A,4B4
Electives X 7
Upper Division Elective (see list on Concentration Requirements tab) X 3
PH 121 or PH 141 must be completed by the end of Semester 7.X   
 Total Credits   14
Semester 8CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
BZ 311Developmental BiologyX  4
LIFE 320EcologyX 4C3
Upper Division Electives (see list on Concentration Requirements tab) X 9
The benchmark courses for the 8th semester are the remaining courses in the entire program of study.X   
 Total Credits   16
 Program Total Credits:   120