Bachelor of Science in Biology
Credentials
Bachelor of Science - Biology
Modality
On Campus
Time to Complete
4 years
What Can I Do with a Bachelor of Science in Biology?
- Healthcare professions such as physicians, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and physician assistants
- Government and private industry roles in environmental science, biotechnology, and more
- Education as teachers or professors
- Research, earning advanced degrees (Master’s or Ph.D.), and contributing to groundbreaking discoveries
Course Requirements
| General Education Component | ||
| Area I (Written Composition) | 6 | |
| Area II (Humanities and Fine Arts) 1 | 12 | |
| Area III (Natural Sciences and Mathematics) | 11 | |
| Principles of Biology and Principles of Biology |
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Select one from the following:
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| College Algebra | ||
| College Trigonometry | ||
| Pre-Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Area IV (History, Social and Behavioral Sciences) | 12 | |
| Major Core Requirements in Biology | ||
| BI 111 | Principles of Biology 2 | 4 |
| BI 112 | Principles of Biology 2 | 4 |
| BI 200W | Biological Literature | 2 |
| BI 306 | Genetics | 4 |
| BI 307 | Microbiology | 4 |
| BI 312 | Evolution | 3 |
| BI 375 | Cell Biology | 4 |
| BI 435 | Biostatistics (Biostatistics) | 3 |
| BI 498 | Senior Assessment Seminar | 1 |
| Prescribed Supporting Courses | ||
| CH 111 | General Chemistry | 3 |
| CH 111L | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| CH 112 | General Chemistry | 3 |
| CH 112L | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| CIS 125 | Business Applications of Microcomputer Software | 3 |
| or CS 135 | Computer Skills for Problem-Solving | |
| Major Concentration Requirements | 32-53 | |
| Select one from the following Options: | ||
| Minor Requirements | ||
| Option I: Professional Biology | ||
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A minor is not required.
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| Option II: General Biology | ||
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A minor, second major or second degree is required
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| Option III: Environmental Biology | ||
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A minor is not required.
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| Option IV: Cellular and Molecular Biology | ||
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A minor is not required.
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| Option V: Pre-Health | ||
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A minor is not required.
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| General Electives | ||
| General Elective hours, if required, to bring total to 120. | 2-23 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
- 1
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For BA degree, select six hours of a required foreign language at the introductory level.
- 2
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These courses are required in the major or minor if not completed as part of the General Education Component.
Along with a General Education curriculum, our biology program has five flexible options so students can focus on their interests while receiving rigorous preparation for their chosen careers.
Cellular and Molecular Biology Option
The cellular and molecular biology option is intended for students looking to prepare for entry-level positions in biotechnology, biochemistry, or medical research or to pursue graduate studies in these areas. This option requires additional chemistry, biology, mathematics, and physics coursework.
Environmental Biology Option
The environmental biology option is intended for students pursuing careers in natural resource management, ecological research, and environmental education or for graduate studies in environmental biology. The coursework is primarily centered on biology, with additional chemistry courses. Students can also select from a block of courses (9 hours) that specifically prepare them for other related responsibilities. This major does not require a minor field of study.
General Biology Option
The general biology option is tailored for students seeking to prepare for careers that require a broad understanding of biology. This major includes some chemistry and mathematics coursework and requires a minor in a different discipline. Popular minors among our students include psychology, geography, sociology, sustainability, and business.
Pre-Health Biology Option
Our latest addition to this program, the Pre-Health Biology option, prepares students for health professions by covering prerequisite courses while maintaining a comprehensive biology education. This option offers a flexible selection of pre-health electives and an upper-level social science course to address the growing emphasis on psychological and sociological knowledge in healthcare.
Professional Biology Option
The professional biology option is tailored for students pursuing graduate studies leading to a Master's degree or Ph.D. and those interested in research and technical fields at the undergraduate level. This option does not require a chemistry minor but additional mathematics coursework, including calculus and physics.
| Ecology | ||
| Select at least 4 hours from the following: | 4 | |
| Tropical Ecology and Field Experience: Exploration of an Education Abroad Site |
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| Ecology | ||
| Aquatic Ecology | ||
| Cellular and Molecular Biology Elective | ||
| Select one of the following courses: | 4 | |
| Microbial Ecology and Evolution | ||
| Immunology | ||
| Molecular Biology | ||
| Histology | ||
| Organismal Biology (Plants) Elective: | ||
| Select one from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Non-Vascular Plants | ||
| Vascular Plants | ||
| Plant Physiology | ||
| Plant Taxonomy | ||
| Organismal Biology (Animals) Elective | ||
| Select one from the following: | 4 | |
| Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | ||
| Animal Physiology | ||
| Invertebrate Zoology | ||
| Natural History of the Vertebrates | ||
| Embryology | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Southeastern Fishes | ||
| Parasitology | ||
| Biochemistry | ||
| CH 311 | Organic Chemistry | 4 |
| CH 311L | Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| BI 441 | Biochemistry | 3 |
| Additional upper-level science elective | 4 | |
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Select at least 4 hours of coursework (not already used to satisfy any other major or minor requirements) from among 300-/400-level BI or CH courses
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| Prescribed Supporting Courses | ||
| Select one of the following sequences or courses: | 4-6 | |
| Calculus for Business and Life Sciences I and Calculus for Business and Life Sciences II 1 |
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| Calculus I | ||
| Select one of the following sequences: | 8-10 | |
| General Physics I and General Physics II |
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| Technical Physics I and Technical Physics II |
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| Total Hours | 39-44 | |
- 1
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This math sequence does not satisfy the Area III mathematics requirement.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Ecology Elective | ||
| Select 4 hours from the following: | 4 | |
| Coastal Wetlands Ecology (at Dauphin Island Sea Lab) | ||
| Marine Ecology (at Dauphin Island Sea Lab) | ||
| Marine Behavioral Ecology (at Dauphin Island Sea Lab) | ||
| Tropical Ecology and Field Experience: Exploration of an Education Abroad Site |
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| Ecology | ||
| Aquatic Ecology | ||
| Organismal Biology (Plants) Elective | ||
| Select one from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Non-Vascular Plants | ||
| Vascular Plants | ||
| Marine Botany (at Dauphin Island Sea Lab) | ||
| Plant Physiology | ||
| Plant Taxonomy | ||
| Organismal Biology (Animals) Elective | ||
| Select one from the following: | 4 | |
| Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | ||
| Animal Physiology | ||
| Invertebrate Zoology | ||
| Natural History of the Vertebrates | ||
| Marine Invertebrate Zoology (at Dauphin Island Sea Lab) | ||
| Marine Vertebrate Zoology (at Dauphin Island Sea Lab) | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Southeastern Fishes | ||
| Parasitology | ||
| Histology | ||
| Additional 300-/400-level BI Elective | ||
| Two courses selected from the following (not already used to satisfy the above elective category requirements): | 6-8 | |
| Marine Biology (at Dauphin Island Sea Lab) | ||
| Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | ||
| Animal Physiology | ||
| Invertebrate Zoology | ||
| Natural History of the Vertebrates | ||
| Non-Vascular Plants | ||
| Vascular Plants | ||
| Marine Invertebrate Zoology (at Dauphin Island Sea Lab) | ||
| Microbial Ecology and Evolution | ||
| Marine Vertebrate Zoology (at Dauphin Island Sea Lab) | ||
| Immunology | ||
| Molecular Biology | ||
| Marine Botany (at Dauphin Island Sea Lab) | ||
| Embryology | ||
| Biochemistry | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Southeastern Fishes | ||
| Plant Physiology | ||
| Plant Taxonomy | ||
| Histology | ||
| Minor | ||
| A minor in another discipline is required. | 18-21 | |
| Total Hours | 35-41 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Organismal Biology (Plants) | 8 | |
| Non-Vascular Plants | ||
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or BI 363
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Vascular Plants | |
| Plant Taxonomy | ||
| Organismal Biology (Animals) | 12 | |
| Animal Physiology | ||
| Invertebrate Zoology | ||
| Natural History of the Vertebrates | ||
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or BI 453
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Southeastern Fishes | |
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or BI 499
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Special Topics in Biology | |
| Population Biology | 8 | |
| Ecology | ||
| Select at least 4 hours from: | ||
| Microbial Ecology and Evolution | ||
| Marine Ecology (at Dauphin Island Sea Lab) | ||
| Tropical Ecology and Field Experience: Exploration of an Education Abroad Site |
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| Aquatic Ecology | ||
| Required Supporting Courses | 10 | |
| Earth Science/Physical Geology | ||
| Water Resources | ||
| Environmental Regulations | ||
| Select one of the following blocks of courses: | 9-10 | |
| Environmental GIS Certificate | ||
| Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Geography Capstone Project | ||
| Web GIS | ||
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or GE 484
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Advanced GIS | |
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or GE 485
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GIS Applications | |
| Earth Science Coursework: | ||
| Energy | ||
| Sustainable Food and Agriculture | ||
| Environmental Justice | ||
| Tectonics | ||
| Paleobiology | ||
| Topics in Earth Science | ||
| Hospitality and Events Management Micro-credential: | ||
| Lodging Systems | ||
| Food and Beverage Operations Management | ||
| Conventions, Meetings and Trade Show Management II | ||
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or CAM 335
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Event Planning & Management | |
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or HEM 203
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Sustainability in Hotel, Restaurant, and Event Operations | |
| Media Writing Micro-credential: | ||
| Media Writing | ||
| Advanced Reporting | ||
| Copy Editing | ||
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or COM 370
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Feature Writing | |
| Public Relations for Non-Profits Micro-credential: | ||
| Public Relations Writing | ||
| Crisis Management and Community Relations | ||
| Aural-Visual Production | ||
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or COM 410
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Layout and Design I | |
| Marine Science 1 | ||
| Marine Geology (at Dauphin Island Sea Lab) | ||
| Advanced Marine Technical Methods (at Dauphin Island Sea Lab) | ||
| Experimental Oceanography (at Dauphin Island Sea Lab) | ||
| Total Hours | 47-48 | |
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BI 412 (4) Marine Ecology is required for the Population Biology elective if completing this block.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular Biology & Biochemistry | ||
| BI 415 | Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BI 441 | Biochemistry | 3 |
| Organismal Biology | ||
| Select one from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Invertebrate Zoology | ||
| Natural History of the Vertebrates | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Plant Taxonomy | ||
| Parasitology | ||
| Ecology | ||
| Select one from the following: | 4 | |
| Microbial Ecology and Evolution | ||
| Tropical Ecology and Field Experience: Exploration of an Education Abroad Site |
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| Ecology | ||
| Aquatic Ecology | ||
| Cellular/Molecular Biology | ||
| Select a minimum of 8 hours from the following: | 8 | |
| Animal Physiology | ||
| Immunology | ||
| Embryology | ||
| Plant Physiology | ||
| Histology | ||
| Research/Internship | ||
| Special Topics in Biology | ||
| Prescribed Supporting Courses | ||
| CH 311 & 311L |
Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry Laboratory |
5 |
| Select one of the following sequences or courses: | 4-6 | |
| Calculus for Business and Life Sciences I and Calculus for Business and Life Sciences II 1 |
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| Calculus I | ||
| Select one of the following sequences: | 8-10 | |
| General Physics I and General Physics II |
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| Technical Physics I and Technical Physics II |
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| Total Hours | 39-43 | |
- 1
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This math sequence does not satisfy the Area III mathematics requirement.
| Prescribed Supporting Courses | 18 | |
| Pre-Health Professions Orientation | ||
| General Chemistry and General Chemistry Laboratory |
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| General Chemistry and General Chemistry Laboratory |
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| Business Applications of Microcomputer Software | ||
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or CS 135
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Computer Skills for Problem-Solving | |
| General Psychology | ||
| Introductory Sociology | ||
| Organismal Biology | 3-4 | |
| One course selected from: | ||
| Invertebrate Zoology | ||
| Natural History of the Vertebrates | ||
| Non-Vascular Plants | ||
| Vascular Plants | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Southeastern Fishes | ||
| Plant Taxonomy | ||
| Parasitology | ||
| Ecology | 4 | |
| Select at least 4 hours from: | ||
| Tropical Ecology and Field Experience: Exploration of an Education Abroad Site |
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| Ecology | ||
| Aquatic Ecology | ||
| Upper-level Anatomy/Physiology | 4 | |
| One course selected from: | ||
| Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | ||
| Animal Physiology | ||
| Embryology | ||
| Histology | ||
| Upper-level Social Science | 3 | |
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One course selected from:
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| Abnormal Psychology | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Physiological Psychology | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
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or SO 442
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Social Psychology | |
| Sociology of Gender and Sexual Behavior | ||
| Medical Sociology | ||
| Death and Dying | ||
| Cultural Diversity and Social Inequality | ||
| Pre-Health Electives | 21-30 | |
| Select 21-30 hours from among the following courses or sequences (not already used to satisfy the above elective category requirements): | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I and Human Anatomy and Physiology II |
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| Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | ||
| Animal Physiology | ||
| Immunology | ||
| Molecular Biology | ||
| Embryology | ||
| Biochemistry | ||
| Parasitology | ||
| Histology | ||
| Research/Internship | ||
| Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry Laboratory |
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| Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry Laboratory |
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| Medical Terminology | ||
| Calculus for Business and Life Sciences I and Calculus for Business and Life Sciences II |
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| Calculus I | ||
| General Physics I and General Physics II |
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| Technical Physics I and Technical Physics II |
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PY 300/400-level elective (3-6)
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SO 300/400-level elective (3-6)
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| Total Hours | 53-63 | |