Botany is the general study of plants and plant-like organisms from microscopic algae to giant redwoods, from mushrooming fungi to flowering angiosperms. Plant anatomy, how plants grow and develop, and how they survive and interrelate within their environments are topics of study. For students who like the outdoors, a career in plant ecology, taxonomy, or forestry might be appealing. Students attracted to the beauty and design of the microscopic world might enjoy a career in plant anatomy or plant developmental biology. Those interested in chemistry might enjoy plant biochemistry, molecular biology, or plant biotechnology. Those intrigued by plant diseases might become plant pathologists and the mathematically oriented might explore systems ecology, genetics, or plant biotechnology.
The botany curriculum begins with a solid foundation in mathematics, the biological sciences, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, evolution, and genetics. Botany emphasizing terrestrial plant studies including plant systematics, anatomy, and ecology, biochemistry, and earth sciences round out the core. Botany students also take liberal arts and communications courses to give breadth to their education.
Effective Fall 2015
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 | ||
| Select one group from the following: | 8 | ||
Group A: | |||
| Principles of Animal Biology (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||
| Animal Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 3A | ||
| Principles of Plant Biology (GT-SC1) | 3A | ||
Group B: | |||
| Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1) | 3A | ||
| Biology of Organisms-Animals and Plants (GT-SC1) | 3A | ||
| 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 |
| 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 | 3 | |
| Historical Perspectives | 3D | 3 | |
| Elective | 4 | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | 3 | |
| CHEM 114 | General Chemistry Lab II | 1 | |
| Select two courses from the following: | 5-7 | ||
| Introduction to Weather and Climate | |||
| Physical Geography | |||
| The Blue Planet - Geology of Our Environment (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||
| Global Environmental Systems (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||
| Introductory Soil Science | |||
| BZ 220 | Introduction to Evolution | 3 | |
| Select one group from the following: | 3-5 | ||
Group A: | |||
| Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry | |||
| Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry Laboratory | |||
Group B: | |||
| Modern Organic Chemistry I | |||
| STAT 301 or 307 | Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods Introduction to Biostatistics | 3 | |
| Arts and Humanities | 3B | 3 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3C | 3 | |
| Electives | 2-6 | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Select one group from the following: | 4-6 | ||
| Group A: | |||
| Principles of Biochemistry | |||
| Group B: | |||
| Comprehensive Biochemistry I | |||
| Comprehensive Biochemistry II | |||
| BZ 325 | Plant Systematics | 4 | |
| BZ 331 | Developmental Plant Anatomy | 4 | |
| BZ 440 | Plant Physiology | 3 | |
| BZ 441 | Plant Physiology Laboratory | 2 | |
| Students should take the following two courses only if CHEM 341 was selected in the sophomore year: | 0-5 | ||
| Modern Organic Chemistry II | |||
| Modern Organic Chemistry Laboratory | |||
| 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 | ||
| Total Credits | 27-32 | ||
| Senior | |||
| BZ 310 | Cell Biology | 4 | |
| Select at least two courses from the following: | 8 | ||
| Introductory Phycology | |||
| Introductory Mycology | |||
| Comparative Morphology of Vascular Plants | |||
| BZ 350 | Molecular and General Genetics | 4A,4B | 4 |
| BZ 450 | Plant Ecology | 4C | 4 |
| Advanced Writing | 2 | 3 | |
| Global and Cultural Awareness | 3E | 3 | |
| Electives1 | 2-7 | ||
| Total Credits | 28-33 | ||
| 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). |
Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program:
TO PREPARE FOR FIRST SEMESTER: The curriculum for the Biological Sciences major ‐ Botany 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. Talk to your advisor. 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). C or better in all biological, physical science, and mathematical courses used to meet requirements for the major. Term 4 may have to be adjusted if the student chooses 2 semesters of Organic Chemistry, do not attempt more than three science and math courses per term. Do not attempt BZ 310 and BZ 350 before Junior year. Do not take BZ 310 and BZ 350 together.
| Freshman | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| Select one group from the following: | 4 | ||||
Group A: | |||||
| Principles of Animal Biology (GT-SC2) | X | 3A | |||
| Animal Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | |||
Group B: | |||||
| Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | |||
| CO 150 | College Composition (GT-CO2) | 1A | 3 | ||
| Arts and Humanities | 3B | 3 | |||
| Electives | 4 | ||||
| MATH 117, MATH 118 may be necessary for some students to fulfill pre-calculus requirements. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 14 | ||||
| Semester 2 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| Select one course from the following: | 4 | ||||
| Principles of Plant Biology (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | |||
| Biology of Organisms-Animals and Plants (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | |||
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) | X | 3A | 4 | |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry Lab I (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | 1 | |
| Select one course from the following: | 4 | ||||
| Calculus for Biological Scientists I (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||||
| Calculus for Physical Scientists I (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||||
| Historical Perspectives | 3D | 3 | |||
| CO 150 must be completed by the end of Semester 2. | X | ||||
| MATH 124, MATH 125 may be necessary for some students to fulfill pre-calculus requirements. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 16 | ||||
| Sophomore | |||||
| Semester 3 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| Select one course from the following: | 2-4 | ||||
| Introduction to Weather and Climate | |||||
| Physical Geography | |||||
| The Blue Planet - Geology of Our Environment (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||||
| Global Environmental Systems (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||||
| Introductory Soil Science | |||||
| BZ 220 | Introduction to Evolution | X | 3 | ||
| CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | X | 3 | ||
| CHEM 114 | General Chemistry Lab II | X | 1 | ||
| Arts and Humanities | 3B | 3 | |||
| Elective | 1-3 | ||||
| MATH 155 or MATH 160 must be completed by the end of Semester 3. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 13-17 | ||||
| Semester 4 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| Select one course from the following: | 2-4 | ||||
| Introduction to Weather and Climate | |||||
| Physical Geography | |||||
| Exploring Earth - Physical Geology (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||||
| Global Environmental Systems (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||||
| Introductory Soil Science | |||||
| Select one group from the following: | 3-5 | ||||
Group A: | |||||
| Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry | X | ||||
| Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry Laboratory | X | ||||
| Group B: | |||||
| Modern Organic Chemistry I | X | ||||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | ||||
| Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods | X | ||||
| Introduction to Biostatistics | X | ||||
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3C | 3 | |||
| Elective | 1-3 | ||||
| Total Credits | 13-17 | ||||
| Junior | |||||
| Semester 5 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | ||||
| Principles of Biochemistry | |||||
| Comprehensive Biochemistry I | |||||
| BZ 331 | Developmental Plant Anatomy | 4 | |||
| To complete CHEM 341 series option: | 0-5 | ||||
| Modern Organic Chemistry II | |||||
| Modern Organic Chemistry Laboratory | |||||
| Select one course from the following: | 5 | ||||
| General Physics I (GT-SC1) | 3A | ||||
| Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (GT-SC1) | 3A | ||||
| STAT 301 or STAT 307 must be completed by the end of Semester 5. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 13-17 | ||||
| Semester 6 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| To complete BC 401 series option: | 0-3 | ||||
| Comprehensive Biochemistry II | |||||
| BZ 325 | Plant Systematics | 4 | |||
| BZ 440 | Plant Physiology | 3 | |||
| BZ 441 | Plant Physiology Laboratory | 2 | |||
| Select one course from the following: | 5 | ||||
| General Physics II (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | |||
| Physics for Scientists and Engineers II (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | |||
| Total Credits | 14-17 | ||||
| Senior | |||||
| Semester 7 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| BZ 310 | Cell Biology | X | 4 | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 4 | ||||
| Introductory Phycology | |||||
| Introductory Mycology | |||||
| Comparative Morphology of Vascular Plants | |||||
| Advanced Writing | 2 | 3 | |||
| Electives | 2-4 | ||||
| Total Credits | 13-15 | ||||
| Semester 8 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| Select one course from the following: | 4 | ||||
| Introductory Phycology | X | ||||
| Introductory Mycology | X | ||||
| Comparative Morphology of Vascular Plants | X | ||||
| BZ 350 | Molecular and General Genetics | X | 4A,4B | 4 | |
| BZ 450 | Plant Ecology | X | 4C | 4 | |
| Global and Cultural Awareness | X | 3E | 3 | ||
| Elective | X | 0-3 | |||
| The benchmark courses for the 8th semester are the remaining courses in the entire program of study. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 15-18 | ||||
| Program Total Credits: | 120 | ||||