College of Science

Department of Biology

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• For more information about Biology, see the Biology Department.
• Following is a sample four-year plan. Please note that student-specific plans may differ.
• Admitted students must meet with their academic advisor, Dani Lawrence or Samuel Rivera. Current students should also meet with Dani Lawrence or Samuel Rivera and log on to Degree Works  to check student-specific program progress. Prehealth students pursuing a professional program should also consult with Prehealth Advising office at: https://advising.usu.edu/exploratory/health-professions/index.

 

Minimum University Requirements
Total Credits	120			Grade Point Average (most majors require higher GPA)	2.00 GPA
Credits of C- or better	100			Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above)	40
Total USU Credits	30			Upper-division USU Credits	20
USU Credits within the Major	10			Credits in Minor (if required)	12
Credits in Major	see below			Credits in American Institutions	3
General Education Requirements	see link			University Studies Depth Requirements	see link
NOTES: The highest math requirement for this degree is MATH 1210: Calculus I (QL)  and STAT 3000: Statistics for Scientists (QI) .

 

Admissions Requirements for this Program
New freshmen	Admitted to USU in Good Standing			Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU	2.25 GPA

First Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
BIOL 1050: Biology Professions  or BIOL 1060: Prehealth Professions	1  or 1			BIOL 1620: Biology II (BLS) /BIOL 1625: Biology II Laboratory	3 /1	grade of C- or better
BIOL 1610: Biology I /BIOL 1615: Biology I Laboratory	3 /1	grade of C- or better		CHEM 1220: Principles of Chemistry II (BPS)	4
CHEM 1210: Principles of Chemistry I	4			CHEM 1225: Chemical Principles Laboratory II	1
CHEM 1215: Chemical Principles Laboratory I	1			ENGL 2010: Intermediate Writing: Research Writing in a Persuasive Mode (CL2)	3
ENGL 1010: Introduction to Writing: Academic Prose (CL1)	3			MATH* or University Studies	3
MATH* or University Studies	3
Comments *if students need Math course prerequisites to Math 1210, credits in addition to those listed may be required				Comments *if students need Math course prerequisites to Math 1210, credits in addition to those listed may be required

Second Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
BIOL 2220: General Ecology  or BIOL 3200: Advanced Ecology (CI)	3  or 3			BIOL 3060: Principles of Genetics (QI)	4
CHEM 2310: Organic Chemistry I	4			CHEM 2320: Organic Chemistry II	4
CHEM 2315: Organic Chemistry Laboratory I	1			CHEM 2325: Organic Chemistry Laboratory II	1
MATH 1210: Calculus I (QL)	4			STAT 3000: Statistics for Scientists (QI)	3
SOC 1010: Introductory Sociology (BSS)  or PSY 1010: General Psychology (BSS)	3  or 3			University Studies, Biology Elective, OR General Elective Course	3
Comments				Comments

Third Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
BIOL 3300: General Microbiology  or BIOL 5210: Cell Biology	4  or 3			University Studies, Biology Elective, OR General Elective Course	3
PHYS 2110: General Physics - Life Sciences I  or PHYS 2210: Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (BPS/QI)  and PHYS 2215: Physics for Scientists and Engineers Lab I	4  or 4  and 1			CHEM 3700: Introductory Biochemistry	3
Breadth Creative Arts (BCA)	3			CHEM 3710: Introductory Biochemistry Laboratory	1
Breadth Humanities (BHU)	3			PHYS 2120: General Physics - Life Sciences II (BPS)  or PHYS 2220: Physics for Scientists and Engineers II (BPS/QI)  and PHYS 2225: Physics for Scientists and Engineers Lab II	4  or  4  and 1
				Depth Social Sciences (DSS)	3
Comments				Comments

Fourth Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
BIOL 5250: Evolutionary Biology (CI)	3			BIOL 4600: Advanced Human Physiology	5
University Studies, Biology Elective, OR General Elective Course	3			Depth Communications Intensive (CI)	3
Depth Humanities and Creative Arts (DHA)	3			Breadth American Institutions (BAI)	3
University Studies, Biology Elective, OR General Elective Course	6			University Studies, Biology Elective, OR General Elective Course	4
Comments				Comments

Admission Requirements For This Major

For further information contact the Biology Advising Center in  Biology-Natural Resources 101. The advisors for Biology majors are Dani Lawrence and Samuel Rivera. Contact them by appointment in the Life Sciences Building 308 or by e-mail at dani.lawrence@usu.edu or samuel.rivera@usu.edu.

Students must complete the General Education Requirements:

• PHYS 2120
    or
  PHYS 2220
    will fulfill the Exploration requirement in conjunction with one of the General Education categories
• The required Biology coursework will fulfill the BLS requirement
• The required Chemistry coursework will fulfill the BPS requirement

Students must also complete the University Studies Depth Requirements:

• BIOL 3200  and 
  BIOL 5250
   , or either along with another course having a CI designation, will fulfill the Communications Intensive (CI) requirement
• STAT 3000
    will fulfill the Quantitative Intensive (QI) requirement
• Complete at least 2 credits in approved 3000-level or above courses from each of the following two categories: Humanities and Creative Arts (DHA) and Social Sciences (DSS)