Biology, BSBIO

Initial requirements for majors in Biology and Biochemistry

Entering students interested in majoring in biology or biochemistry must fulfill initial requirements and will be advised by the department. Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to the major. To continue in the major (and be eligible to enroll in advanced biology and biochemistry courses), a student must meet all the requirements listed below.

Admission to Biology major

Complete at least 30 hours of college courses and:

Complete with a grade of C or better

Two selections from

BIOL 2041 - Microbiology and
BIOL 2042 - Microbiology Laboratory
or
BIOL 2140 - Principles of Ecology
or
BIOL 2241 - Biology of Higher Plants
or
BIOL 2251 - Biodiversity and Conservation of Animals
or
BIOL 2301 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I (BA only) and
BIOL 2311 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory (BA only)
and
BIOL 2302 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II (BA only) and
BIOL 2312 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory (BA only)

Complete with a grade of C or better

MATH 1610 - Functions, Graphs and Applications
or
MATH 1650 - Pre-Calculus or the placement equivalent
or
MATH 1680 - Elementary Probability and Statistics (BA only)

Have at least a 2.5 GPA on the required biology and chemistry courses listed above

Other requirements

Only two attempts will be allowed for each biology and biochemistry course in the degree. A minimum 2.5 UNT grade point average and an overall 2.5 grade point average are required to enter the department as a pre-major or major (beginning freshmen are exempt). Students in the department whose UNT or overall grade point average drops below the minimum grade point averages (given above) for two consecutive semesters will be removed from the program.

Degree requirements

Hours required and general/college requirements

A minimum of 120 semester hours, of which 42 must be advanced, and fulfillment of degree requirements for the Bachelor’s degree as specified in the “University Core Curriculum ” in the Academics section of this catalog and the College of Arts and Sciences requirements.

Foreign language requirement options

Students may complete either of two options to satisfy the College of Arts and Sciences foreign language requirement:

Option 1

Must attain intermediate II level (2050) in a foreign language or pass appropriate proficiency exam(s) as specified by the College of Arts and Sciences.

Option 2

Complete three courses from the approved groups listed below (a minimum of 9 hours). A student who wishes to fulfill the foreign language requirement by Option 2 must first be counseled by an undergraduate advisor of the Department of Biological Sciences and must obtain written approval of Option 2 for inclusion in the student’s degree audit. Students must choose one course from each group listed below for a total of 9 hours. All courses must be a minimum of 3 hours. Special Problems (BIOL 4900 - BIOL 4910 ), Cooperative Education in Biological Sciences (BIOL 4920 ) and Honors Research/Thesis (BIOL 4940 , BIOL 4950 , BIOL 4951 ) are excluded.

Group 1

Group 2

One biology course at the 3000 level or higher or one additional course from Group 3. If a biology course is used, it must be a course that counts for the major.

Group 3

Select one course from the following:

Biochemistry or chemistry courses at the 3000 level or higher if they are not used to complete the major requirement for advanced chemistry
Computer science courses for computer science majors that are above the CSCE 1020 level
EDSE 4608 - Student Teaching I in Mathematics and Science
EDSE 4618 - Student Teaching II in Mathematics and Science
TECM 4190 - Technical Editing
TECM 4250 - Writing Technical Procedures and Manuals
GEOG 3190 - Statistical Research Methods in Geography
GEOG 3500 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
GEOG 4400 - Introduction to Remote Sensing
GEOG 4520 - Intermediate Geographic Information Systems
GEOG 4550 - Advanced Geographic Information Systems
GEOG 4560 - Introduction to GIS Programming
HNRS 3500 - Honors Thesis Proposal Development
MATH 1680 - Elementary Probability and Statistics or other math course above the level of MATH 1710
PHIL 3250 - Philosophy of Science
PSYC 4640 - Psychophysiology
Physics courses for physics majors at the 3000 level or higher

Note

All courses must be appropriate for majors within the department that offers them. Normal limitations for undergraduate enrollment in graduate classes will still apply.

Major requirements

A major of 42 hours in the biological sciences, of which 28 must be advanced.

Required courses

Two selections from

Advanced biology requirements

One physiology course with laboratory chosen from

Plus 16 advanced hours

(Excluding BIOL 3350 /BIOL 3360 , BIOL 3500 , and BIOL 4050 ) of which 2 courses must be with laboratory.

By selecting upper-division biology courses from a subdiscipline, it is possible for the BS student to establish, unofficially, an area of study in general biology, ecology, microbiology, animal physiology/neuroscience, cell and molecular biology/genetics, or the plant sciences in consultation with the undergraduate advisor. The subdisciplines of general biology, microbiology, plant sciences, ecology and neuroscience have been defined with the courses listed below. Please consult with the undergraduate advising assistant in Room A128 of the Life Sciences Complex for further information.