A close-up of mushrooms growing in the wild.

The Minor in Botany allows students to develop expertise in the study of plants, their ecology, and applied sciences that use these skillsets, as a supplement to their major program.

Learning Objectives

Students in the Botany minor develop foundational knowledge in the anatomy, physiology, evolution, and management of plants and use that knowledge to develop expertise and scientific competencies that augment their major program of study.

Department of Biology Undergraduate Programs

Effective Fall 2024 

Students must satisfactorily complete the total credits required for the minor. Minors and interdisciplinary minors require 12 or more upper-division (300- to 400-level) credits.

Additional coursework may be required due to prerequisites.

Lower Division
Select one group from the following:4-8
Group A:
Principles of Plant Biology (GT-SC1)
Group B:
Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1)
Biology of Organisms-Animals and Plants (GT-SC1)
Upper Division
Minimum of 10 credits of Upper-Division BZ courses (see list below)10
Minimum of 7 additional credits from Upper-Division BZ courses or other courses approved by the department (see list below)7
Program Total Credits:21-25

BZ Upper Division Courses 

BZ 223Plant Identification3
BZ 325Plant Systematics4
BZ 331Developmental Plant Anatomy4
BZ 333Introductory Mycology4
BZ 342Exploring Range Shifts in a Changing World3
BZ 384Supervised College Teaching1-5
BZ 424/BSPM 424Principles of Systematic Science3
BZ 440Plant Physiology3
BZ 441Plant Physiology Laboratory2
BZ 450Plant Ecology4
BZ 460Genome Evolution4
BZ 471Stream Biology and Ecology3
BZ 472Stream Biology and Ecology Laboratory1
BZ 476/BZ 576Genetics of Model Organisms3
BZ 477Genome Editing Laboratory2
BZ 487Internship1-12
BZ 495Independent Study1-3
BZ 498Laboratory or Field Research1-6
BZ 530Ecological Plant Morphology2
BZ 540Translocation in Plants2
BZ 570Molecular Aspects of Plant Development3
BZ 572Phytoremediation3

Other Upper Division Courses 

ATS 350Introduction to Weather and Climate2
BSPM 308Ecology and Management of Weeds3
BSPM 361Elements of Plant Pathology3
BSPM 365Integrated Tree Health Management4
BSPM 450Molecular Plant-Microbe Interaction3
F 311Forest Ecology3
F 324Fire Effects and Adaptations3
F 325Silviculture3
F 421Ecological Forest Management3
F 466/HORT 466Urban and Community Forestry3
F 510Ecophysiology of Trees3
GR 348Biogeography3
HORT 401Medicinal and Value-Added Uses of Plants3
HORT 476Environmental Plant Stress Physiology3
RS 313/F 313Dendrology and Herbaceous Plant ID3
RS 331Wildland Plants and Plant Communities3
RS 351Wildland Ecosystems in a Changing World3
RS 378Disturbance Ecology2
RS 420Grass Taxonomy3
SOCR 210Microbiome Roles in a Sustainable Earth (GT-SC2)3
SOCR 335Applied Plant Genetics3
SOCR 375Soil Biogeochemistry3
SOCR 440Pedology4
SOCR 441Soil Ecology3
SOCR 442Forest and Range Soils3