Biology Curriculum

Curriculum Requirements

All bachelor's degrees require a minimum of 120 credit hours, inclusive of UD general education and major requirements as well as elective courses.

The Biology major prepares students for service and leadership through integrative course work, which includes interactive laboratory sessions and experiential learning opportunities. Biological phenomena are stressed at all levels of life from a simple organism to complex ecospheres with evolution serving as the unifying theory.

The Biology major consists of 65 credit hours, which include basic biology core courses plus select allied science and math courses and appropriate biology electives.

Required Biology Core Courses (26 credits):

  • BIO 135: General Zoology (4)
  • BIO 136: General Botany (4)
  • BIO 140: Evolution (3)
  • BIO 195: DNAS Introductory Seminar (1)
  • BIO 235: Cell Biology (4)
  • BIO 236: Genetics (4)
  • BIO 295: DNAS Professional Preparation Seminar (1)
  • BIO 495: Senior Seminar (1)
  • EVS 105: Intro to Environmental Science (4) OR EVS 246: Ecology (4)

Required Allied Sciences and Mathematics Courses (23 credits):

  • CHM 111: General Chemistry I (4)
  • CHM 112: General Chemistry II (4)
  • CHM 221: Organic Chemistry I (4)
  • PHY 151: General Physics I (4)
  • MATH 150: Precalculus (4) OR higher math course not including MATH 230
  • MATH 230: Statistics (3)

Biology Electives (16 credits): In addition, after completing the courses listed above, students will choose one of four areas of emphasis:

1) General Biology Emphasis (16 credits): This option requires no specialization and recognizes the value of all elective course options in preparing a graduate with a broad, general education in biology.

  • Any BIO course at or above 200 level (variable credits depending on courses), OR
  • CHM 222: Organic Chemistry II (4), OR
  • CHM 331: Biochemistry I (4), OR
  • PHY 152: Physics II (4)

2) Research Emphasis (16 credits): This option recognizes the importance of research as the central tenet of science and provides a graduate with a marketable degree emphasis appropriate for application to graduate research programs and research-based jobs.

  • Must include 2 credits of BIO 475: Science Research Techniques AND 2 credits of BIO 491: Independent Research, AND
  • Any BIO course at or above 200 level (variable credits depending on courses), OR
  • CHM 331: Biochemistry I (4), OR
  • CHM 222: Organic Chemistry II (4)

3) Health Professions Emphasis (16 credits): This option prepares a graduate with focused coursework appropriate for application to professional health programs and some lab-based graduate research programs. It recognizes the strong appeal of human-focused careers.

  • BIO 205: Nutritional Physiology (3)
  • BIO 211: Anatomy & Physiology I (4)
  • BIO 212: Anatomy & Physiology II (4)
  • BIO 314: General Microbiology (4)
  • BIO 347: Molecular Biology (4)
  • BIO 422: Advanced Techniques in Cellular and Molecular Biology (4)
  • BIO 425: Neuroscience (3)
  • BIO 475: Science Research Techniques (1 credit; may take up to 4)
  • BIO 485: Internship (variable credits)
  • BIO 491: Independent Research (variable credits)
  • CHM 222: Organic Chemistry II (4)
  • CHM 331: Biochemistry I (4)

4) Ecology and Organismal Emphasis (16 credits): This option provides a graduate with a focus in animal and plant-level coursework that would be appropriate for application to veterinary school, field-based graduate research programs, and/or hybrid lab-field-based graduate research programs.

  • BIO 218: Invertebrate Zoology (4)
  • BIO 220: Vertebrate Field Zoology (4)
  • BIO 223: Biology of Local Flora (3)
  • BIO 247: Plant Physiology (4)
  • BIO 250: Conservation Biology (3)
  • BIO 264: Ecology of the Mississippi (4) or BIO 318 - Ichthyology (4)
  • BIO 319: Ornithology (4)
  • BIO 320: Mammalogy (4)
  • BIO 331: Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (4)
  • BIO 336: Economic Botany (4)
  • BIO 338: Animal Physiology (3)
  • BIO 344: Plant Ecology (4)
  • BIO 368: Field Studies (3) Options to include: Paraguay, Australia, Alaska, Hawaii, etc.
  • BIO 450: Animal Behavior (3)
  • BIO 475: Science Research Techniques (1 credit; may take up to 4)
  • BIO 485: Internship (variable credits)
  • BIO 491: Independent Research (variable credits)
  • EVS 256: Environmental Field Studies (3) Options to include: Boundary Waters, Wyoming, etc.
  • EVS 333: Geographical Information Systems (4)
  • EVS 368: Field Studies (3) Options to include: Paraguay, Australia, Alaska, Hawaii, etc.
  • *EVS 370: Winter Wildlife Research (4)
  • EVS 475: Science Research Techniques (1 credit; may take up to 4)
  • EVS 476: Fisheries and Wildlife Management (4)

The Biology minor consists of 20 credit hours as follows:

  • BIO 135: General Zoology (4) OR BIO 136: General Botany (4)
  • BIO 235: Cell Biology (4)
  • BIO 236: Genetics (4)
  • EVS 105: Intro to Environmental Science (4) OR EVS 246: Ecology (4)
  • Plus 4 credits of Biology electives

Four-Year Plan of Study: Biology