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:
- Attain a solid foundation in the natural sciences, with emphasis on biological processes and phenomena;
- 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;
- Demonstrate strong analytical, mathematical, and statistical skills, and the ability to apply these appropriately in biological contexts;
- Demonstrate the ability to analyze, synthesize, integrate, and evaluate material from biology and related fields, and effectively communicate such information.
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 | |||
---|---|---|---|
AUCC | Credits | ||
CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) | 3A | 4 |
CHEM 112 | General Chemistry Lab I (GT-SC1) | 3A | 1 |
CO 150 | College Composition (GT-CO2) | 1A | 3 |
LIFE 102 | Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1) | 3A | 4 |
LIFE 103 | Biology of Organisms-Animals and Plants (GT-SC1) | 3A | 4 |
Select one from the following: | 4 | ||
Calculus for Biological Scientists I (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||
Calculus for Physical Scientists I (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||
Arts and Humanities | 3B | 6 | |
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 1C | 3 | |
Total Credits | 29 | ||
Sophomore | |||
BZ 220 | Introduction to Evolution | 3 | |
BZ 310 | Cell Biology | 4 | |
CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | 3 | |
CHEM 114 | General Chemistry Lab II | 1 | |
CHEM 2452 | Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry | 4 | |
CHEM 246 | Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 1 | |
Select one course from the following: | 3 | ||
Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods | |||
Introduction to Biostatistics | |||
Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3C | 3 | |
Historical Perspectives | 3D | 3 | |
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 Writing | 2 | 3 | |
Electives | 5-7 | ||
Upper Division Electives (see list below) | 6 | ||
Total Credits | 30 | ||
Senior | |||
BZ 311 | Developmental Biology | 4 | |
BZ 350 | Molecular and General Genetics | 4A,4B | 4 |
LIFE 320 | Ecology | 4C | 3 |
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)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ANEQ 310 | Animal Reproduction | 3 |
ANEQ 320 | Principles of Animal Nutrition | 3 |
ANEQ 322 | Pet Nutrition | 2 |
ANEQ 323 | Zoo Nutrition | 2 |
ANTH 370 | Primates | 3 |
ANTH 373 | Human Evolution | 3 |
ANTH 374 | Human Biological Variation | 3 |
ANTH 470 | Paleontology Field School | 4 |
BC 353 | Pre-Health Genetics | 4 |
BC 401 | Comprehensive Biochemistry I | 3 |
BC 403 | Comprehensive Biochemistry II | 3 |
BC 404 | Comprehensive Biochemistry Laboratory | 2 |
BC 463 | Molecular Genetics | 3 |
BMS 300 | Principles of Human Physiology | 4 |
BMS 301 | Human Gross Anatomy | 5 |
BMS 302 | Laboratory in Principles of Physiology | 2 |
BMS 305 | Domestic Animal Gross Anatomy | 4 |
BMS 310 | Anatomy for the Health Professions | 4 |
BMS 320 | Virtual Laboratory in Physiology | 2 |
BMS 325 | Cellular Neurobiology | 3 |
BMS 330 | Microscopic Anatomy | 4 |
BMS 345 | Functional Neuroanatomy | 4 |
BMS 400 | Neuroanatomy Through Clinical Case Studies | 1 |
BMS 405 | Nerve and Muscle-Toxins, Trauma and Disease | 3 |
BMS 409 | Human and Animal Reproductive Biology | 3 |
BMS 420 | Cardiopulmonary Physiology | 3 |
BMS 421 | Perspectives in Cardiopulmonary Diseases | 2 |
BMS 425 | Introduction to Systems Neurobiology | 3 |
BMS 430 | Endocrinology | 3 |
BMS 450 | Pharmacology | 3 |
BMS 460 | Essentials of Pathophysiology | 3 |
BMS 461 | Pathophysiology Perspectives | 2 |
BSPM 302 | Applied and General Entomology | 2 |
BSPM 303A | Entomology Laboratory: General | 2 |
BZ 212 | Animal Biology-Invertebrates | 4 |
BZ 214 | Animal Biology-Vertebrates | 4 |
BZ 223 | Plant Identification | 3 |
BZ 300 | Animal Behavior | 3 |
BZ 325 | Plant Systematics | 4 |
BZ 329 | Herpetology | 4 |
BZ 330 | Mammalogy | 4 |
BZ 331 | Developmental Plant Anatomy | 4 |
BZ 333 | Introductory Mycology | 4 |
BZ 335 | Ornithology | 4 |
BZ 340 | Field Mammalogy | 4 |
BZ 342 | Exploring Range Shifts in a Changing World | 3 |
BZ 348/MATH 348 | Theory of Population and Evolutionary Ecology | 4 |
BZ 349 | Tropical Ecology and Evolution | 3 |
BZ 360 | Bioinformatics and Genomics | 4 |
BZ 401 | Comparative Animal Physiology | 3 |
BZ 415 | Marine Biology | 4 |
BZ 418 | Ecology of Infectious Diseases | 4 |
BZ 420 | Evolutionary Medicine | 3 |
BZ 424/BSPM 424 | Principles of Systematic Science | 3 |
BZ 425 | Conservation and Population Genomics | 3 |
BZ 430 | Animal Behavior and Conservation | 3 |
BZ 433 | Behavioral Genetics | 3 |
BZ 435A | Study Abroad--Honduras: Field Course--Dolphin Behavior and Physiology | 2 |
BZ 435B | Study Abroad--Mexico: Practices in Marine Biology and Ecology | 3 |
BZ 435C | Study Abroad--Kenya: Biology and Behavior of African Mammals | 3 |
BZ 440 | Plant Physiology | 3 |
BZ 441 | Plant Physiology Laboratory | 2 |
BZ 449A | Study Abroad: Ecology/Conservation–Ecuadorian Biodiversity | 4 |
BZ 450 | Plant Ecology | 4 |
BZ 460 | Genome Evolution | 4 |
BZ 462/BSPM 462/MIP 462 | Parasitology and Vector Biology | 5 |
BZ 471 | Stream Biology and Ecology | 3 |
BZ 472 | Stream Biology and Ecology Laboratory | 1 |
BZ 475 | Marine Mammalogy | 3 |
BZ 476/BZ 576 | Genetics of Model Organisms | 3 |
BZ 477 | Genome Editing Laboratory | 2 |
BZ 478/VS 478 | Biology and Behavior of Cats | 3 |
BZ 479/VS 479 | Biology and Behavior of Dogs | 3 |
BZ 492A | Seminar: Behavior | 1-3 |
BZ 492B | Seminar: Ecology | 1-3 |
BZ 492C | Seminar: Genetics | 1-3 |
BZ 492D | Seminar: Ornithology | 1-3 |
BZ 492E | Seminar: Herpetology | 1-3 |
BZ 492F | Seminar: Evolution | 1-3 |
BZ 492G | Seminar: Departmental | 1-3 |
BZ 505 | Cognitive Ecology | 3 |
BZ 515 | Physiological Ecology of Marine Vertebrates | 3 |
BZ 525 | Advanced Conservation & Evolutionary Genomics | 4 |
BZ 560 | Teaching and Communicating Science | 3 |
BZ 562 | Computational Approaches in Molecular Ecology | 2 |
BZ 565/MIP 565 | Next Generation Sequencing Platform/Libraries | 1 |
BZ 568/FW 568 | Sustaining River Ecosystems in Changing World | 3 |
BZ 570 | Molecular Aspects of Plant Development | 3 |
BZ 572 | Phytoremediation | 3 |
ERHS 332 | Principles of Epidemiology | 3 |
ERHS 450 | Introduction to Radiation Biology | 3 |
F 311 | Forest Ecology | 3 |
FSHN 350 | Human Nutrition | 3 |
FW 300 | Biology and Diversity of Fishes | 2 |
FW 301 | Ichthyology Laboratory | 1 |
FW 400 | Conservation of Fish in Aquatic Ecosystems | 3 |
FW 405 | Fish Physiology | 3 |
HES 403 | Physiology of Exercise | 3 |
HORT 460/SOCR 460 | Plant Breeding and Biotechnology | 3 |
MIP 300 | General Microbiology | 3 |
MIP 302 | General Microbiology Laboratory | 2 |
MIP 315 | Pathology of Human and Animal Disease | 3 |
MIP 334 | Food Microbiology | 3 |
MIP 335 | Food Microbiology Laboratory | 2 |
MIP 342 | Immunology | 4 |
MIP 343 | Immunology Laboratory | 2 |
MIP 351 | Medical Bacteriology | 3 |
MIP 352 | Medical Bacteriology Laboratory | 3 |
MIP 420 | Medical and Molecular Virology | 4 |
MIP 425 | Virology and Cell Culture Laboratory | 2 |
MIP 432/ESS 432 | Microbial Ecology | 3 |
MIP 433/ESS 433 | Microbial Ecology Laboratory | 1 |
MIP 443 | Microbial Physiology | 4 |
MIP 450 | Microbial Genetics | 3 |
PHIL 325 | Philosophy of Natural Science | 3 |
PHIL 326 | Philosophy of Biology | 3 |
PSY 454 | Biological Psychology | 3 |
SOCR 455 | Microbiomes of Soil Systems | 3 |
SOCR 456 | Soil Microbiology Laboratory | 1 |
VS 331 | Histology | 4 |
VS 333 | Domestic Animal Anatomy | 4 |
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 1 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
CO 150 | College Composition (GT-CO2) | X | 1A | 3 | |
LIFE 102 | Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | 4 | |
Arts and Humanities | X | 3B | 6 | ||
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | X | 1C | 3 | ||
MATH 117, MATH 118, MATH 124, MATH 125 may be necessary for some students to fulfill pre-calculus requirements. | X | ||||
Total Credits | 16 | ||||
Semester 2 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) | X | 3A | 4 | |
CHEM 112 | General Chemistry Lab I (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | 1 | |
LIFE 103 | Biology of Organisms-Animals and Plants (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | 4 | |
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 3 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
BZ 220 | Introduction to Evolution | X | 3 | ||
CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | X | 3 | ||
CHEM 114 | General Chemistry Lab II | X | 1 | ||
Historical Perspectives | X | 3D | 3 | ||
Social and Behavioral Sciences | X | 3C | 3 | ||
Elective | X | 3 | |||
MATH 155 or MATH 160 must be completed by the end of Semester 3. | X | ||||
Total Credits | 16 | ||||
Semester 4 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
BZ 310 | Cell Biology | X | 4 | ||
CHEM 245 | Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry | X | 4 | ||
CHEM 246 | Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry Laboratory | X | 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 5 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
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 6 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
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 | X | 2 | 3 | ||
Electives | X | 4 | |||
Upper Division Elective (see list on Concentration Requirements tab) | X | 3 | |||
Total Credits | 15 | ||||
Senior | |||||
Semester 7 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
BZ 350 | Molecular and General Genetics | X | 4A,4B | 4 | |
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 8 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
BZ 311 | Developmental Biology | X | 4 | ||
LIFE 320 | Ecology | X | 4C | 3 | |
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 |