Requirements for Major in Biology Leading to the B.S. Degree

Requirements for Major in Biology Leading to the B.S. Degree

A total of fifty-four to sixty (54-60) credits as follows:

1. BIOL 130-131L (Biology I with laboratory) and BIOL 140-141L (Biology II with laboratory).
2. CHEM 120-125L (Foundations of Chemistry with laboratory) and CHEM 211 (Organic Chemistry I).
3. One statistics course from the following list:
   ECON 290 (Statistical Analysis for Economics and Business)
   MATH 111 (Applied Statistics for Liberal Arts)
   MATH 211 (Applied Statistics for the Formal and Natural Sciences)
   PSYC 211 (Statistical Methods).
4. One computational course from the following list:
   COMP 141 (Computer Science I: Programming Fundamentals) or above
   INTD 225 (Geographic Information Systems [GIS])
   MATH 115 (Applied Calculus)
   MATH 122 (Integral Calculus)
   MATH 214 (Discrete Mathematical Modeling with Biological Applications).
5. BIOL 485 or 486 (Senior Seminar).
6. Six upper-level courses defined by concentration areas. At least four of the six upper level courses required must have an associated lab experience.  Of the four required lab experiences, three of them must be chosen from the appropriate designated concentration courses. Four credits of BIOL 451 or 452 (Research in Biology) combined can satisfy one upper-level course with lab requirement. The ability of BIOL 451 or 452 (Research in Biology) to fulfill concentration requirements will vary dependent on the instructor of record and should be discussed with faculty prior to registration.

Courses and accompanying laboratories of the same name are linked co-requisites and must be taken together unless approved by petition to the department. Unless otherwise noted, courses meet under the standard class schedule and laboratories meet for a three-hour period; laboratories also often require further project work outside the scheduled lab time.

Students seeking a double major must have at least four upper-level courses for the Biology major that are not used to satisfy requirements for the other major.

Normally, at least four of the six upper level courses used to satisfy these requirements must be taken within the Biology Department at Rhodes.  Courses taught outside the department that can satisfy upper level course requirements for the Biology major, subject to the limit indicated above, include certain courses approved by the Department Chair for transfer credit and the following:  CHEM 315 (Biochemistry); with BMB 310 (Methods in Biochemistry and Cell Biology) may satisfy a course with lab requirement, CHEM 416 (Mechanisms of Drug Action), and NEUR 270 (Neuroscience). 

Courses taught outside the Department may also be available through the Woods Hole Semester in Environmental Sciences Program: ENVS 260 (Aquatic Ecosystem Analysis), ENVS 270 (Terrestrial Ecosystem Analysis), and BIOL 280 (Microbial Methods in Ecology). 

Additional courses can be taken through our partnership with the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory including Marine Biology, Barrier Island Ecology, Marine Ichthyology, Marine Mammalogy, Marine Invertebrate Zoology, Coastal Herpetology, and Parasites of Marine Animals. Offerings change each year. In addition to month-long summer courses, some are available as mini-courses during January and May. Students interested in either program should contact the Biology Department for details.
 

7. Each student will choose only one of the following four concentrations in the Biology major: ‘General Biology’, ‘Integrative Biology’, ‘Ecology, Evolution, Behavior’ or ‘Biomedical Sciences’.  

The Biology concentrations and associated class options:

General Biology (BIOL:GB) 

Upper level Biology course requirements: Six upper level Biology courses; at least four must have an associated lab. See list of  upper level Biology course offerings (course numbers 300 and above).

Integrative Biology (BIOL:IB)

Upper level Biology course requirements: Six of the following upper level Biology courses including four courses with lab; at least one course must be taken from each of the following three categories; at least one lab requirement must come from each category. See list of  upper level Biology course offerings (course numbers 300 and above).

1. Genetics, Cells, and Molecules

BIOL 304: Genetics with Lab

BIOL 301: Microbiology with Lab

BIOL 305: Population Genomics with Lab

BIOL 307: Cell Biology

BIOL 325: Molecular Biology with Lab

BIOL 330: Virology/Immunology

BIOL 365: Advanced Topics in Biology (depends on topic)

BIOL 376: Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience with Lab

BIOL 380: Topics in Biomedical Science

CHEM 315: Biochemistry

CHEM 416: Mechanisms of Drug Action

2. Development, Physiology, Anatomy

BIOL 302: Parasitology

BIOL 308: Mycology with Lab

BIOL 350: Comparative Vertebrate Morphology with Lab

BIOL 340: Animal Physiology with Lab

BIOL 355: Animal Development with Lab

BIOL 360: Histology with Lab

BIOL 365: Advanced Topics in Biology (depends on topic)

BIOL 375: Neuroendocrinology with Lab

BIOL 377: Developmental Neuroscience with Lab

NEUR 270: Neuroscience

3. Ecology and Evolution

BIOL 300: Evolution with Lab

BIOL 309: The Science of Climate Change

BIOL 311: Invertebrate Biology with lab

BIOL 312: Environmental Issues in Southern Africa

BIOL 314: Environmental Field Study in Namibia

BIOL 315: Ecology with Lab

BIOL 316: Freshwater Ecology with Lab

BIOL 318: Entomology with Lab

BIOL 320: Conservation Biology with Lab

BIOL 321: Animal Behavior with Lab

BIOL 322: Plant Diversity & Evolution with Lab

BIOL 345: Ornithology with Lab

BIOL 348: Wildlife Biology with Lab

BIOL 365: Advanced Topics in Biology (depends on topic)

ENVS 260: Aquatic Ecosystem (Woods Hole)

ENVS 270: Terrestrial Ecosystem (Woods Hole)
 

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior (BIOL:EEB)

Upper level Biology course requirements: Six upper level Biology courses; at least four must come from the following list.  At least three of the four lab requirements must come from this category. Up to two courses may be taken from additional upper level Biology course offerings (course numbers 300 and above).
 

BIOL 300: Evolution with Lab

BIOL 302: Parasitology

BIOL 304: Genetics with Lab

BIOL 308: Mycology with Lab

BIOL 309: The Science of Climate Change

BIOL 311: Invertebrate Biology with Lab

BIOL 312: Environmental Issues in Southern Africa

BIOL 314: Environmental Field Study in Namibia

BIOL 315: Ecology with Lab

BIOL 316: Freshwater Ecology with Lab

BIOL 318: Entomology with Lab

BIOL 320: Conservation Biology with Lab

BIOL 321: Animal Behavior with Lab

BIOL 322: Plant Diversity & Evolution with Lab

BIOL 345: Ornithology with Lab

BIOL 348: Wildlife Biology with Lab

BIOL 350: Comparative Vertebrate Morphology with Lab

BIOL 365: Advanced Topics in Biology (depends on topic)

ENVS 260: Aquatic Ecosystem (Woods Hole)

ENVS 270: Terrestrial Ecosystem (Woods Hole)

Biomedical Science (BIOL:BMS)

Upper level Biology course requirements: Six upper level Biology courses; at least four must come from the following list.  At least three of the four lab requirements must come from this category. Up to two courses may be taken from additional upper level Biology course offerings (course numbers 300 and above)..

BIOL 300: Evolution with Lab

BIOL 301: Microbiology with Lab

BIOL 302: Parasitology

BIOL 304: Genetics with Lab

BIOL 305: Population Genomics with Lab

BIOL 307: Cell Biology

BIOL 308: Mycology with Lab

BIOL 325: Molecular Biology with Lab

BIOL 330: Virology/Immunology

BIOL 340: Animal Physiology with Lab

BIOL 350: Comparative Vertebrate Morphology with Lab

BIOL 355: Animal Development with Lab

BIOL 360: Histology with Lab

BIOL 365: Advanced Topics in Biology (depends on topic)

BIOL 375: Neuroendocrinology with Lab

BIOL 376: Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience with Lab

BIOL 377: Developmental Neuroscience with Lab

BIOL 380: Topics in Biomedical Science

NEUR 270: Neuroscience

CHEM 315: Biochemistry

CHEM 416: Mechanisms of Drug Action

Satisfying the prerequisites for courses is the student’s responsibility; however, in special circumstances, students with advance permission of the instructor may enroll in a course without meeting prerequisites.