Requirements for the Major:
Ten courses in biology, including BIO 110 (102), BIO 112 (101) and BIO 225 . Students who have Advanced Placement credit for biology will receive credit for BIO 050 , which does not count toward the major or minor, but fulfills the CC Science with Laboratoryrequirement. The remaining courses must include at least one in each of the following areas:
Additional Requirements
Of the ten courses, only one may be an independent study, research, or honors course (BIO 490 -BIO 496 or BIO 497 -BIO 499 ). Students must take at least five courses numbered 240 or above and students must take three lab courses numbered 300 or higher. Normally required are at least five courses collectively in mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, and geology to be chosen in consultation with the advisor. Students usually should take CHM 101 and CHM 102 and MTH 110 and MTH 112 (or MTH 113 ) in their first year. Note that acceptance to graduate and professional schools often requires at least two mathematics, four chemistry (including organic chemistry), and two physics courses.
See relevant listings for requirements for a major in biochemistry, environmental sciences & policy, bioengineering, or neuroscience.
Requirements for Honors:
Students eligible for departmental honors must fulfill the College-wide criteria and satisfactorily complete a thesis, traditionally based on the results of original biological research, which receives the approval of the department and appropriate College committee. It is customary, but not required, that research students enroll in three honors research courses, typically during the senior year. Interdepartmental majors must consult with their advisors in both disciplines during their junior year to receive approval for an interdepartmental thesis. The biology component of an interdepartmental thesis will normally incorporate at least one term of biological research.
Requirements for Secondary School Certification: Educational Studies strongly recommends that no undergraduate student at Union attempt to seek secondary certification as an undergraduate. However, those students who wish to become public secondary school teachers are urged to visit The School of Education at Union Graduate College to learn the requirements for achieving certification during a fifth year. Union students who enter the Union secondary certification program are often eligible for special scholarship consideration during their fifth year.
All students who believe they will seek public secondary certification in biology should be advised that they must complete the following courses in biology: BIO 110 (102), BIO 112 (101), and BIO 225 ; at least four 200 or 300 level courses, including BIO 350 ; and at least one course each from the areas of field biology (BIO 250 , BIO 314 , BIO 315 , BIO 320 , BIO 321 , BIO 324 , BIO 328 ), functional biology (BIO 330 , BIO 355 , BIO 362 , BIO 370 , BIO 375 ), and morphological biology (BIO 321 , BIO 332 , BIO 354 ).
All science majors are encouraged to seek certification in more than one science and/or in General Sciences. Students wishing to add certification in General Science must include at least two courses each from the areas of chemistry (CHM 101 and CHM 102 , or CHM 110H ), physics (PHY 110 , PHY 111 , or PHY 210 ), and earth science (any geology course). Also required are at least six courses from mathematics, chemistry, and/or physics to be chosen in consultation with an advisor. Organic chemistry (CHM 231 and CHM 232 ) will normally be required. Highly recommended courses include HST 242 ; PHL 273 or PHL 274 ; and PSC 281 .
Biology interdepartmental majors seeking secondary school certification in any science must have a full major in their primary area of certification. In their second area of certification, a student hoping to teach in a public secondary school should have a minimum of eight courses, which will count toward a major in that science.
All students considering a fifth year at Union Graduate College to achieve public secondary certification in biology must complete additional requirements beyond science courses during their undergraduate career. Before the end of winter term of their senior year they must take PSY 246 , Structured Field Experiences EDS 500A and 500B (see Educational Studies for the appropriate requirements to complete the Field Experiences), and one year of a foreign language.
Course Selection Guidelines
Placement: Students who received a score of 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement exam may receive credit for BIO 050 . The BIO 050 credit received from the A. P. exam does not count as one of the biology courses toward the major or minor.
Courses Suitable for Non-Majors: BIO 050 , BIO 055 , BIO 058 , BIO 065 , BIO 077 , and BIO 094 are designed for the general college community and may not be counted toward the biology major nor toward interdepartmental majors that include biology. IDM 080 , which requires permission from the instructor, is also suitable for selected non-majors, but it does not count for CC science credit.
Senior Writing Requirement: Biology majors can satisfy the Senior Writing requirement (WS) by conducting research under the direction of a faculty member and writing a thesis (see BIO 497 ) or by taking one of the Senior Seminar courses in their senior year (see BIO 487 , BIO 488 , or BIO 489 ).