Offered by Department of Biology:

Biology Major

Biology Option
Bachelor of Science

NSS BS 5104

• Minimum General Studies = 45
  + General Studies coursework required by major = 46
  • English Language minimum = 9
  • Humanities minimum = 9
  • Mathematics, Statistics & Computer Science minimum = 6
    
    (The Biology degree requires a minimal mathematical competency at the level of trigonometry. Students with sufficient preparation may enter the mathematics program at a higher level reducing the total hours needed for the General Studies. See advisor for math placement.)
    • MATH 102, College Algebra - 3 hours
    • MATH 103, Plane Trigonometry - 3 hours
  • Natural Sciences minimum = 11
    • BIOL 105GS, Biology I - 4 hours
    • BIOL 106GS, Biology II - 4 hours
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences minimum = 9
  • Personal Development minimum = 2
• BS Science-related course requirements = 8
  • CHEM 160GS, General Chemistry - 3 hours
  • CHEM 160LGS, General Chemistry Laboratory - 1 hour
  • CHEM 161GS, General Chemistry - 3 hours
  • CHEM 161LGS, General Chemistry Laboratory - 1 hour
• Major Option = 36
• Minor or 2nd Major, minimum = 24
  Minors are 24 hours; 18 must be unduplicated. Electing a second major may add as many as 18 required hours to the program. Should 6 hours of the minor also meet other requirements, the unrestricted electives will be greater.
• Minimum total hours required coursework = 114
• Unrestricted electives in 125 hour program = 11
• Minimum total hours required for BS in Biology = 125
  All UNK degrees require a minimum of 125 hours. Forty (40) of the hours required for all UNK degrees must be upper division hours, which are courses numbered 300 or above taken at a 4-year college or university.

A minimum 2.5 GPA is required in all courses counting toward this major.

1. Biology Option Core Requirements (19 hours required)
   • Take all of the following:
     • BIOL 201, Fundamental Tools for Biological Studies - 2 hours
     • BIOL 290, Evolution - 3 hours
     • BIOL 307, Ecology - 3 hours
     • BIOL 309, Cellular Biology - 4 hours
     • BIOL 360, Genetics - 4 hours
     • BIOL 375, Scientific Communication - 1 hour
     • BIOL 420, Biology Research - 2 hours
2. Biology Option Required Electives (12 hours required)
   • Take ONE of the following Statistics courses
     • BIOL 305, Research Analysis - 3 hours
     • STAT 241, Elementary Statistics - 3 hours
   • Take 3 hours of Field electives:
     • BIOL 330, Wildlife Conservation - 3 hours
     • BIOL 405, Range and Wildlife Management - 3 hours
     • BIOL 406, Plant Ecology - 3 hours
     • BIOL 418, Plant Taxonomy - 3 hours
     • BIOL 433, Invertebrate Zoology - 3 hours
     • BIOL 435, Herpetology - 3 hours
     • BIOL 462, Animal Behavior - 3 hours
     • BIOL 470, Insect Biology - 3 hours
     • BIOL 472, Fresh Water Biology - 4 hours
     • BIOL 473, Ornithology - 3 hours
     • BIOL 474, Mammalogy - 3 hours
   • Take 6 hours of Laboratory electives:
     • BIOL 211GS, Human Microbiology - 4 hours
     • BIOL 215GS, Human Physiology - 4 hours
     • BIOL 225, Anatomy and Physiology - 4 hours
     • BIOL 226, Anatomy and Physiology - 4 hours (Prereq: BIOL 225 or permission of instructor)
     • BIOL 400, Microbiology - 4 hours
     • BIOL 401, Principles of Immunology - 4 hours (Prereq: BIOL 211GS or BIOL 400; BIOL 309 or CHEM 351 OR permission of instructor)
     • BIOL 403, Plant Physiology - 3 hours
     • BIOL 404, Developmental Biology - 3 hours
     • BIOL 416, Plant Diversity and Evolution - 3 hours
     • BIOL 440, Infectious Diseases - 4 hours (Prereq: BIOL 211GS or BIOL 400 or permission)
     • BIOL 452, Techniques in Molecular Biology - 3 hours
     • BIOL 465, Physiology - 3 hours
     • BIOL 468, Parasitology - 3 hours
3. Biology Option Supporting Course Requirements (5 hours required)
   • Take ONE of the following options:
     • Take 1 course:
       • CHEM 250, Elementary Organic Chemistry - 5 hours
     • OR take 4 courses:
       • CHEM 360, Organic Chemistry - 4 hours
       • CHEM 360L, Organic Chemistry Laboratory - 1 hour
       • CHEM 361, Organic Chemistry - 4 hours
       • CHEM 361L, Organic Chemistry Laboratory - 1 hour