Areas of Emphasis
The areas listed below ARE NOT majors or specialties that
will be listed on your transcript. These are simply ways of
personalizing the required core curricular elements,
collateral courses, and electives to best fit particular
career goals. These are suggestions, not requirements, and
should be considered as a way of selecting the most
appropriate courses to satisfy both the biology major and
your interests while best preparing you for a career in
that area.
You should discuss your selection of options and
recommended courses with the Biology Peer Assistance Center
counselors and with your adviser to ensure adequate
preparation for specific careers.
With the minimum requirements for a biology major most
students will be able to enter a profession upon
graduation. If you want to advance in your profession after
employment or enter graduate school, medical school, or
veterinary medicine, it will be wise to take Mathematics
111 or 120, and 355; Physics 203 and 204; and a chemistry
minor with Chemistry 365 as an elective.
NOTE: Keep in mind that employers are looking for things
other than coursework when you apply for a job in the
biological sciences or post-graduate training. The three
most important things besides coursework are: communication
skills, leadership skills, and in-field experience. Check
with a Biology Peer Assistance Center counselor and your
adviser to find out how you might enhance these three
areas.
Aquatic Biology
Recommended: 360 or 361 or Water
387; 338, 347, 374, 375; Chemistry 220, or 325 and 326;
Mathematics 355; Physics 203, or 201 and 202; Water 481,
483. Supplementary: Biology 362; Water 389, 480, 482, 484.
Biobusiness
Take at least the following business
courses: Accounting 210, Economics 210 and Business 330 and
336. In certain cases it might be appropriate to take a
business minor. The following courses are recommended for
the following business emphases: Horticulture: Biology 333,
335, 337, 342, 346, 351, 367; Chemistry 220 and 260;
Forestry 331, 333; Soils 260. Pharmaceutical and Biomedical
Sales: Biology 285, 314, 333, 382; Chemistry minor with
Chemistry 365 as an elective.
Biotechnology
310, 314, 317, 318, 319, 326, 333,
490 (Subtitle: Molecular Biology), 498 (both immunology and
DNA sequencing); chemistry minor with Chemistry 365 as
elective; Physics 203 and 204; Mathematics 111 or 120.
Botany
Recommended: 330, 337, 338, 342, 346, 351,
355; Organic Chemistry. Supplementary: 314, 331; 333 or
355; 344, 367; Soils 260.
Ecology/Environmental
Recommended: 281 or 351; 355,
342, 360, 372, 375, Modules in Ecology; Chemistry 220;
Mathematics 355; Geography 379; Computer Information
Systems 102. Supplementary: English 254, Geography 101,
Mathematics 111; Physics 203, or 201 and 202; Political
Science 304; Philosophy 380.
Education
Recommended: 281 or 285; 330 or 342; 314
or 333 or 351. Supplementary: 355 or 384, 385, 386; 360,
367 or 372. You need a faculty adviser in biology AND one
in education.
Graduate Work/Research
Most graduate programs in
biology require a chemistry minor with Chemistry 365 as the
elective, Physics 203 and 204, and Mathematics 111 or 120,
and 355.
Microbiology
Recommended: 314; 333, 335 or 337,
415, 498 (Immunology). Supplementary: 338, 362, 399;
Mathematics 355; chemistry minor.
Natural History
Recommended: 322, 342, 361, 367,
372, 379. Supplementary: 339, 399; Geology 101; Geography
101; Natural Resources 368, 369.
Zoo and Aquaria
Biology 281, 362, 370, 372 (4 cr)
or one of the vertebrate courses: 374, 376, 377 or 378;
382, 385, 386, 388 and 499 (internship).
Zoology
Recommended: 281; 311 or 314; 370 or 371;
344 or 361 or 362 or 367; 372 or 374 or 375 or 376 or 377
or 378. Supplementary: 310, 320, 322, 373, 381, 385, 388;
Water 481; Geology 339.
