Undergraduate Majors, Emphases, & Minors

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

Students can earn one of three different Bachelor's degrees in our Department: Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS), or Bachelor of Science Education (BSE).  The majority of our majors elect the BS degree.

The Department currently offers three majors and is working for approval on a fourth.  It also offers two minors and is the unofficial host for an interdisciplinary third minor.  All of these degree programs are detailed below.

To declare a major or minor, you must fill out a form in the Undergraduate Advising Resource Center which is located in the Student Success Center.

Graduation requirements for most of our majors were substantially streamlined in 2010.  The links provided on this page list the new requirements.  Students who started under the old requirements may graduate under the new ones; see your adviser for details.

Majors

• Biology Major, with Emphases:
• Biology - Cellular, Molecular, & Professional Emphasis (sample 4 Year Plan)
  
• Biology - Ecology & Organismal Biology Emphasis (sample 4 Year Plan)
  
• Biology - Healthcare-Business Emphasis (sample 4 Year Plan)
  
• Biology - Healthcare-Science Emphasis (sample 4 Year Plan)
  
• Biology - Liberal Arts Emphasis (sample 4 Year Plan)
  
• Biology - Secondary Education Emphasis (sample 4 Year Plan)
  
• Environmental Health Major (sample 4 Year Plan)
  
• Microbiology Major (sample 4 Year Plan)

Minors

• Biology Minor
• Microbiology Minor
• Neuroscience Minor

 Getting Started in One of Our Majors

• Choosing a major should not be rushed. Our Orientation courses (BIO 111-112-113) can help a lot when taken as intended in the freshman year.  To avoid losing ground while still taking your time to decide, ALL first year students intending a major in our Department should:
• Take BOTH BIO 105 and CHEM 105 during the first semester, to ensure timely graduation.  Yes, this means two lab classes in the same semester, but that is how it works in any of our majors so, if it's not for you, better to find out early on that you'd be happier in another major entirely.
  
• Take an Orientation course (either BIO 111, 112, or 113) during the first year, to assist decision-making and planning for graduation in four years.
  

Choosing One of Our Majors

Different students have different priorities for selecting a major, but here are some considerations:

• Bio-CellMolProf: UNDER CONSTRUCTION. 
  
• Bio-EcoOrg: UNDER CONSTRUCTION
  
• Bio-HC-Bus: useful blend for a career in the business of health (insurance, sales, clinic management, etc.); accepts much of the preNursing curriculum (e.g. Chem 101-102, Bio 211-212-233 all count for this major). 
  
• Bio-HC-Sci: takes much of the guesswork out of being a "Pre" (someone intending a healthcare professional career which requires graduate school, such as MD, DO, DDS, DVM, DPT, etc.); rigorous.
  
• Bio-Lib Arts: flexible and customizable; works well if minoring or double majoring in something else; can look like any of the others but does not lock student into as many requirements.
  
• Bio-Sec Ed: for those intending a career teaching High School life science; includes Department of Public Instruction requirements.
  
• Env Health: positions graduates for jobs related to community health, environmental testing, quality control.
• Micro: UNDER CONSTRUCTION