2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog *As of 06/01/2024 
    
    Nov 02, 2024  
2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog *As of 06/01/2024

Biology Non-Teaching, B.S. - Biomedical and Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Track


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Departmental Requirements

Students majoring in Biology with the Biomedical and Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Track must complete a total of 120 credit hours of University courses. This includes a minimum of 42 semester hours of General Education Requirements, 29 semester hours of Departmental Core courses, 15 semester hours of Program Electives and 34 semester hours of Supportive courses.

The Biomedical and Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental track of the Biology Program provides strong preparation for students who are interested in pursuing medical and dental careers. It provides equally strong preparation for those interested in graduate study leading to M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in biology and related fields, and for modern careers in cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, among other disciplines.

Objectives

The objectives of the Biology Program are to:

  1. Provide Biology majors in the Department of Natural Sciences with the knowledge and information necessary to gain entry into medical or graduate school;
  2. Provide Biology majors with a curriculum that will advance their general knowledge in the field of Biology necessary for successfully completing standardized examinations required for the entry into medical and graduate schools;
  3. Increase the level of competency in laboratory techniques and skills of Biology majors in the Department of Natural Sciences to ultimately prepare the student for the rigors of medical school and original scientific research; and
  4. Develop technical communication and critical thinking skills of Biology majors in the Department of Natural Sciences and train the same through mentoring and personal experience to perform in medical and graduate programs.

Career Opportunities

A Biology degree has many opportunities based on a person’s interests and undergraduate preparation. Biologists can pursue a biomedical or biological graduate degree for entrance into a specialized area of medicine, dentistry, academia, research or consulting careers. Resources for careers opportunities are available at the following websites: Sciencecareers.sciencemag.org covers all sciences; www.aibs.org/careers covers the entire breadth of Biology and www.epa.gov covers the ecological and environmental opportunities with the federal government. The specific elective courses taken in the undergraduate program are generally chosen based on the goals of the student for his/her future career.

Required Courses


General Education Requirements


All Biology majors are expected to complete a common body of academic course work. The General Education Requirements are designed to promote the development of a comprehensive educational base which will effectively support a student’s choice of a major concentration. MATH 099  and MATH 109  do not meet the General Education Requirement for a degree in biology, chemistry or environmental sciences; and do not apply toward graduation requirements. However, students placed in MATH 099  or MATH 109  should take these courses to prepare them for the required MATH 110  and higher level math courses.

Students in the Honors program should take honors courses designated by HONORS. All students are encouraged to take a couple of courses online or during summer and winter sessions to develop skills that will support lifelong learning. Discuss with your advisor for details.

General education requirements are distributed as follows:

Curriculum Area I - Arts and Humanities: Credits 9


Select two courses from any of the courses within Disciplines A - D, and ENGL 203 from Discipline E:

Curriculum Area II - Social and Behavioral Sciences: Credits 6


Select two courses from any of the courses within Social and Behavioral Sciences:

Curriculum Area III - Biological and Physical Sciences: Credits 8


Curriculum Area IV - Mathematics: Credits 6


Curriculum Area V - English Composition: Credits 9


Curriculum Area VI - Emerging Issues: Credits 4


Total Required for General Education: Credits 42


1Students must pass ENGL 101  and ENGL 102  with grade of “C” or above before taking ENGL 203 .

2Honors students should take honors courses.

Program Requirements


Program Electives: Credits 15


A minimum of 15 credits must be selected. A grade of “C” or better is required in each of these courses. Students with interest in pursuing medicine and/or professional and graduate degrees in the biomedical sciences are encouraged to take Biomedical Biology electives. Students are encouraged to take one elective course in an area not related to his/her career interest.

Free Electives: Credits 0


Total Credits Required for Graduation: 120


Curriculum Guide for Biology Non-Teaching, B.S. - Biomedical and Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Track


  

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