Program Competencies
Students graduating with the Bachelor of Science degree in Biology should possess the following:
1. Written, oral and interpersonal communication skills in the sciences that will allow the graduate to collect, analyze, interpret, utilize and present information that is contemporary in the biological sciences.
2. An awareness of the basic concepts of the physical and biological sciences and how these concepts are applicable in the profession.
3. An awareness of the importance of the arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, health sciences as well as the biological and physical sciences to the human community.
4. A basic understanding of literacy of all disciplines of biology, specifically to include the areas of botany, zoology, genetics, microbiology, cell biology, physiology, ecology and evolution.
5. A general competency in basic inorganic and organic chemistry as well as in introductory physics, mathematics and statistics.
Assessment Procedures
Exit examinations
Employer feedback
Graduate feedback
Performance of graduates on entrance examinations
to post-baccalaureate programs
Core Requirements
BIOL 171 Principles of Biology 4
BIOL 210 General Zoology 4
BIOL 215 General Botany 4
BIOL 317 Principles of Microbiology 4
BIOL 461 Ecology 3
BIOL 499D Principles of Evolution 3
MATH 353 Statistics 3
Total Hours for Biological Sciences Core = 25
Option Requirements
BIOL 305 Genetics 3
BIOL 380 Cell Biology 4
BIOL 425 Animal Physiology 4
or
BIOL 426 Plant Physiology 4
Total Hours for Biology Option = 11
Advanced Biology Electives
Students must select three advanced electives in biology from the following list:
BIOL 318 Local Flora
BIOL 334 Entomology
BIOL 336 Pathophysiology
BIOL 337 Comparative Anatomy
BIOL 338 Developmental Biology
BIOL 407 Invertebrate Zoology
BIOL 409 Limnology
BIOL 422 Plant Pathology
BIOL 424 Immunology
BIOL 425 Animal Physiology
BIOL 426 Plant Physiology
BIOL 427 Pathogenic Microbiology
BIOL 428 Virology
BIOL 429 Histology
BIOL 433 Ichthyology
BIOL 434 Herpetology
BIOL 438 Mammalogy
BIOL 441 Ornithology
BIOL 443 General Parasitology
BIOL 444 Clinical Laboratory Procedures
BIOL 446 Biotechnology
BIOL 447 Organ Systems Physiology
BIOL 449 Plant Anatomy
BIOL 450 Aquatic Entomology
BIOL 456 Plant Morphology
BIOL 490 Biochemistry
BIOL 493 Laboratory Techniques in Biochemistry
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory courses may be used to fulfill an advanced biology elective category. See statement concerning MSU's affiliation agreement with GCRL at the end of the biology program descriptions on page 141 of the 2008-2009 Morehead State University Undergraduate Catalog .
Total Hours of Advanced Biology Electives = 9-12
Supplemental Requirements-Major
Chemistry (16 hours)
CHEM 111 Principles of Chemistry I 4
CHEM 112 Principles of Chemistry II 4
CHEM 326 Organic Chemistry I 4
BIOL/CHEM 301 Fundamentals of Biochemistry 4
Physics (8 hours)
PHYS 201 Elementary Physics I 3
PHYS 201A Elementary Physics I Lab 1
PHYS 202 Elementary Physics II 3
PHYS 202A Elementary Physics II Lab 1
Mathematics (3 to 6 hours)
MATH 174 Pre-Calculus Mathematics or equivalent 3
or
MATH 141 Plane Trigonometry, and
MATH 152 College Algebra 6
Total Supplemental Hours = 27-30
