Biological Sciences Minor

Program Description

The program of study for a minor in biological sciences includes at least 24 credit hours from a broad selection of courses in biological sciences.

The flexibility of the minor program is intended to accommodate the needs and goals of a variety of students, including people with science majors as well as those from business, liberal arts, or other disciplines. It provides a solid foundation in biological principles and still enables students to focus on particular subdisciplines, such as molecular, organismic, or environmental biology.

Admission Requirements

Minimum entry requirements:

24 semester hours earned
2.0 grade-point average in the introductory biology courses (BIO 1120 and BIO 1150)

Program Learning Objectives

Students enrolled in this minor will learn to:

Describe the core concepts of the life sciences
Outline the scientific method
Interpret scientific data and statistical analysis
Evaluate scientific claims critically
Discuss ethical implications of scientific research

Program Learning Outcomes

As a result of their learning experience, students successfully completing this minor can:

Describe the core concepts of the life sciences
Outline the scientific method
Interpret scientific data and statistical analysis
Evaluate scientific claims critically
Discuss ethical implications of scientific research

For More Information

Program Requirements:

I. Departmental Core Requirements: 8 Hours

BIO 1120 - Cells and Genes Credit Hour(s): 4
BIO 1150 - Organisms and Ecosystems Credit Hour(s): 4

II. Life Science Electives: 16 Hours

Select 16 credits from approved BIO electives. A minimum of one lab-based course required. Choose from the following:

BIO 2000 - BIO 4990 (a minimum of 6 hours of 3000-4000 level courses in BIO or approved substitutions must be completed, may not include more than three hours of independent study from BIO 3990 , BIO 4950 , BIO 4880 , BIO 4920 , BIO 4990 )

Total: 24 Hours

Notes:

*All BIO courses must be a grade of D or better for graduation credit

*Minimum GPA of 2.0 in all BIO courses and approved substitutions required

*Other courses outside the Biology Department may be considered for approval