Biology (BS)
Hours - 56 Credit Hours
Effective Sep. 2021
Last Revised 11/05/2021
Holokai Category: Math & Sciences
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Program Requirements
General Science Core — 19 Credits
| Course Number | Title | Semesters Offered | Credit Hours | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 112/L | Biology I - Cell and Molecular Biology/Lab | F, W, S | 4.0 | |
| BIOL 113 | Biology II - Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology/Lab | F, W, S | 3.0 | |
| CHEM 105/L | General Chemistry I/Lab | F, W | 4.0 | MATH 110 with a C- or better (MATH 110 can be a corequisite if MATH 101 was completed-see advisor), or ACT math score 24+, or SAT math score 590+. High school chemistry or CHEM 101 highly recommended. |
| CHEM 106/L | General Chemistry II/Lab | W, S | 4.0 | CHEM 105/L w/C- or better |
| BIOL 490R | Current Topics in Biology | F, W, S | 1.0 | Senior status with 90+ credits |
| BIOL 340 or | Biostatistics or | S | 3.0 | BIOL 113, CHEM 105/L |
| MATH 121 | Principles of Statistics | F, W, S | 3.0 | MATH 107 or MATH 110 or ACCT 186 (for ACCT majors only) or Score 24 on math section of the ACT or 590 on math section of the SAT. |
Biology Core — 22 Credits
Cell and Molecular Biology — Take 2 lecture and 2 lab courses
| Course Number | Title | Semesters Offered | Credit Hours | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 320 | Microbiology | W, S | 3.0 | BIOL 112/L, CHEM 105/L |
| BIOL 320L | Microbiology Lab | W, S | 1.0 | Co- or prerequisite: BIOL 320 |
| BIOL 376 | Genetics | F, S | 3.0 | BIOL 112/L, CHEM 105/L |
| BIOL 441 | Molecular Biology | F | 3.0 | CHEM 106/L, BIOL 320 or BIOL 376 |
| BIOL 442 | Cellular Biology | W | 3.0 | CHEM 106/L, BIOL 320 or BIOL 376 |
| BIOL 484L or | Biomolecular Methods Lab – Nucleic Acids or | F, W, S | 1.0 | Co- or prerequisite: BIOL 376 or BIOL 441 |
| CHEM 484L | Biochemistry Methods Lab – Nucleic Acids | F, W, S | 1.0 | Co- or prerequisite: CHEM 481 |
| BIOL 485L or CHEM 485L |
Biomolecular or Biochemistry Methods Lab – Mammalian Cells | W | 1.0 | Co- or prerequisite: Any of the following: CHEM 481, CHEM 482, BIOL 441 or BIOL 442 |
Organismal Biology — Take 2 courses
| Course Number | Title | Semesters Offered | Credit Hours | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 301 | Botany | S | 3.0 | BIOL 113 |
| BIOL 312/L | Marine Biology/Lab | F, S | 4.0 | BIOL 113 |
| BIOL 260/L or | Human Anatomy/Lab or | F, W | 4.0 | |
| BIOL 260C/LC | Human Anatomy/Lab-Cadaver Based | W | 4.0 | |
| BIOL 261/L | Human Physiology/Lab | F, W | 4.0 | BIOL 112 strongly recommended |
| BIOL 302/L | Invertebrate Zoology/Lab | W | 4.0 | BIOL 113 |
| BIOL 303/L | Vertebrate Zoology/Lab | F | 4.0 | BIOL 113 |
Ecology, Evolution, and Population Biology — Take 2 Lectures
| Course Number | Title | Semesters Offered | Credit Hours | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 204 | Pacific Natural History | S | 2.0 | BIOL 113 |
| BIOL 204L | Pacific Natural History Lab | S | 2.0 | BIOL 113. Corequisite: BIOL 204 |
| BIOL 248 | Conservation Biology | W | 3.0 | BIOL 100 or BIOL 113 |
| BIOL 300/L | Animal Behavior/Lab | F | 4.0 | BIOL 113, CHEM 105/L |
| BIOL 348/L | Natural Resource Management/Lab | W | 4.0 | BIOL 113 |
| BIOL 350 | Ecology | F | 3.0 | BIOL 113, CHEM 105/L. Corequisite: BIOL 350L |
| BIOL 350L | Ecology Lab | F | 1.0 | BIOL 113, CHEM 105/L. Corequisite: BIOL 350 |
| BIOL 374 | Evolution and Human Prehistory | W | 3.0 | BIOL 113 |
| BIOL 412/L | Coral Reef Ecology/Lab | S | 4.0 | BIOL 312/L, CHEM 105/L |
Electives — 13-15 Credits
The combined credit total of the general science core, biology core and electives should equal a minimum of 56 credits. Any biology course listed on this requirement sheet, which is not taken as part of the general science core or biology core, can be counted as an elective.
| Course Number | Title | Semesters Offered | Credit Hours | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL | Any Biology Core Course listed above | 1.0 - 3.0 | ||
| BIOL 373 | Human Embryology | F | 3.0 | BIOL 113, CHEM 105/L |
| BIOL 390R | Special Topics in Biology | Variable | 3.0 - 4.0 | Corequisite: BIOL 390RL |
| BIOL 390RL | Special Topics in Biology Laboratory | Variable | 1.0 | Corequisite: BIOL 390R |
| BIOL 460 | Advanced Human Anatomy | F | 3.0 | BIOL 260/LC and permission of instructor |
| BIOL 475 | Pathophysiology | W | 3.0 | BIOL 261/L |
| BIOL 496LR | Student Research | F, W, S | 1.0 | Program consent (1 credit/semester, up to 3 credits total) |
| OCEN 201 | Oceanography and Marine Science | F, W, S | 3.0 | Any college-level natural science course of CHEM, BIOL, PHYS, PHSC, GEOL, or ASTR |
| CHEM 351 | Organic Chemistry I | F, W | 3.0 | CHEM 106/L w/C- or better, CHEM 201 (co- or prerequisite) |
| CHEM 351L | Organic Chemistry I Lab | F | 1.0 | Co- or prerequisite: CHEM 351 |
| CHEM 352 | Organic Chemistry II | F, W | 3.0 | CHEM 351 w/C- or better |
| CHEM 352L | Organic Chemistry II Lab | W | 1.0 | CHEM 351/L and co- or prerequisite: CHEM 352 |
| CHEM 481 | Biochemistry I | F, S | 3.0 | BIOL 112/L w/C- or better, CHEM 351 w/C- or better (completion of BIOL 376 or 441 is strongly recommended) |
| CHEM 482 | Biochemistry II | W | 3.0 | CHEM 481 w/C- or better |
| CHEM 483L | Biochemistry Methods Lab – Proteins | F, S | 1.0 | CHEM 351L. Co- or prerequisite: CHEM 481 |
| CHEM 490R | Current Topics in Chemistry and Biochemistry | F, W, S | 1.0 | Junior status with 60+ credits |
| PHYS 121/L or | Introduction to Newtonian Mechanics/Lab or | F, W | 4.0 | MATH 212 and either high school trigonometry or MATH 111, and passing a comprehensive mathematics exam during first week of semester. Sample math exam available in Canvas. |
| PHYS 105/L | College Physics I/Lab | F, S | 4.0 | MATH 110 w/C- or better or ACT math score 22+ or SAT math score 520+ and MATH 111 and passing a comprehensive mathematics exam during first week of semester. Sample math exam available in Canvas. |
| PHYS 106/L or | College Physics II/Lab or | F, W | 4.0 | PHYS 105 w/C- or better |
| PHYS 220/L or | Introduction to Electricity and Magnetism/Lab or | W | 4.0 | PHYS 121 w/C- or better, (completion of MATH 213 is recommended). |
| PHYS 221/L | Introduction to Waves, Optics, and Modern Physics/Lab | S | 4.0 | PHYS 121 w/C- or better, (completion of MATH 213 is recommended). |
Biology Major Requirements
- All students majoring in biology need to complete a minimum of 24 credits of 300-400 level courses.
- All students majoring in the Biology Program, with or without an emphasis, work towards a B.S. in biology. Students are not required to complete a specific emphasis in the major. However, those with special interests, who wish to select a single emphasis may claim it by completing the emphasis requirements as part of, not in addition to, the biology major requirements.
- For students who wish to pursue an advanced degree (MS, PhD, MD, DO, DDS, PA, PT, etc.) we highly recommend the following courses: Organic Chemistry, Physics, and Genetics in addition to other biology courses as required by the graduate program of interest.
Grade policy
No more than nine credits of D grades in biology courses will be allowed for graduation.
Marine Biology Emphasis
The following courses must be completed within, not in addition to, the biology major requirements.
| Course Number | Title | Semesters Offered | Credit Hours | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 312/L | Marine Biology/Lab | F, S | 4.0 | BIOL 113 |
| BIOL 302/L | Invertebrate Zoology/Lab | W | 4.0 | BIOL 113 |
| BIOL 303/L | Vertebrate Zoology/Lab | F | 4.0 | BIOL 113 |
| BIOL 376 | Genetics | F, S | 3.0 | BIOL 112/L, CHEM 105/L |
| BIOL 412/L | Coral Reef Ecology/Lab | S | 4.0 | BIOL 312/L, CHEM 105/L |
| BIOL 484L | Biomolecular Methods Lab - Nucleic Acids | F, W, S | 1.0 | Co- or prerequisite: BIOL 376 or BIOL 441 |
| OCEN 201 | Oceanography and Marine Science | F, W, S | 3.0 | Any college-level natural science course of CHEM, BIOL, PHYS, PHSC, GEOL, or ASTR |
Molecular and Cell Biology Emphasis
The following courses must be completed within, not in addition to, the Biology major requirements.
| Course Number | Title | Semesters Offered | Credit Hours | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 320 | Microbiology | W, S | 3.0 | BIOL 112/L, CHEM 105/L |
| BIOL 320L | Microbiology Lab | W, S | 1.0 | Co- or prerequisite: BIOL 320 |
| BIOL 376 | Genetics | F, S | 3.0 | BIOL 112/L, CHEM 105/L |
| BIOL 441 | Molecular Biology | F | 3.0 | CHEM 106/L, BIOL 320 or BIOL 376 |
| BIOL 442 | Cellular Biology | W | 3.0 | CHEM 106/L, BIOL 320 or BIOL 376 |
| CHEM 351 | Organic Chemistry I | F, W | 3.0 | CHEM 106/L w/C- or better, CHEM 201 (co- or prerequisite) |
| CHEM 351L | Organic Chemistry I Lab | F | 1.0 | Co- or prerequisite: CHEM 351 |
| CHEM 352 | Organic Chemistry II | F, W | 3.0 | CHEM 351 w/C- or better |
| CHEM 352L | Organic Chemistry II Lab | W | 1.0 | CHEM 351; Co- or prerequisite: CHEM 352 |
| CHEM 481 | Biochemistry I | F, S | 3.0 | BIOL 112/L w/C- or better, CHEM 351 w/C- or better (completion of BIOL 376 or 441 is strongly recommended) |
| CHEM 483L | Biochemistry Methods Lab – Proteins | F, S | 1.0 | CHEM 351L. Co- or prerequisite: CHEM 481 |
| BIOL 484L or | Biomolecular Methods Lab – Nucleic Acids or | F, W, S | 1.0 | Co- or prerequisite: BIOL 376 or BIOL 441 |
| CHEM 484L | Biochemistry Methods Lab – Nucleic Acids | F, W, S | 1.0 | Co- or prerequisite: CHEM 482 |
| BIOL 485L or CHEM 485L |
Biomolecular or Biochemistry Methods Lab – Mammalian Cells | W | 1.0 | Co- or prerequisite: Any one of the following: CHEM 481, CHEM 482, BIOL 441 or BIOL 442 |
Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology Emphasis
The following courses must be completed within, not in addition to, the biology major requirements.
| Course Number | Title | Semesters Offered | Credit Hours | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 248 | Conservation Biology | W | 3.0 | BIOL 100 or BIOL 113 |
| BIOL 300/L | Animal Behavior/Lab | F | 4.0 | BIOL 113, CHEM 105/L |
| BIOL 348/L | Natural Resource Management/Lab | W | 4.0 | BIOL 113, CHEM 105/L |
| BIOL 350/L | Ecology/Lab | F | 4.0 | BIOL 113, CHEM 105/L |
| BIOL 374 | Evolution and Human Prehistory | W | 3.0 | BIOL 113 |
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completing a major in biology, students will:
- Demonstrate content knowledge of the discipline.
- Perform essential laboratory techniques, and employ scientific principles and laboratory skills to solve scientific problems.
- Convey scientific ideas and knowledge, in written form, clearly and professionally.
- Analyze and evaluate relevant scientific literature.
The Discipline
The biology major provides a rigorous research-based education for students, with a basic foundation in the life sciences. Special emphasis is placed on providing opportunities for students to participate in meaningful research in areas such as anatomy, genetics, physiology, molecular biology, evolution, natural history, and marine biology. This major seeks to prepare students for professional careers in teaching, government service, industry, research, and the medical professions.
Career Opportunities
With further education, career opportunities for biomedical science graduates include medicine, dentistry, optometry, podiatry, chiropractic, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, physician assistant, and other allied health professions. General biology majors can utilize their degree to obtain careers in areas such as wildlife management, forestry conservation, environmental quality consulting, technical work, and park services. Students interested in aquaria, ocean conservation, marine research, and fisheries can use marine biology to prepare them for entrance into these fields. The study of molecular biology major has particular value for students preparing for jobs in genetics, consulting, research, forensics, and bioinformatics. The biology education program, a cooperative program with the Teacher Education Program, is designed to prepare teachers to teach biology in junior high or high school.
All biology major emphases provide opportunities for a variety of post-baccalaureate studies.