Major Requirements

Course Requirements

Biological Sciences Core

Allied Field Courses

Allied Field courses are required for completion of a major's requirements, but which are offered by departments other than the major department.

Chemistry

Students are typically expected to take the first year chemistry courses simultaneously with Biology 191, 192, and 193.

Physics

Students may substitute comparable sequences of Physics courses designed for science majors. 

Mathematics

Choose one of the following three course Calculus sequences:

Students may be advised on the basis of their performance on the Mathematics Diagnostic test to take one or more pre-calculus courses. 

Concentration Requirements

Students must also complete the requirements from one of the following concentrations: General; Biotechnology; Pre-Health; Neuroscience; Ecology-Evolution; or Cell & Molecular Biology.  Students are limited to only declaring one concentration.

Sequencing

Since programs in the Biological Sciences tend to be structured, it is useful for students to take courses in sequence. Students should begin with the General Biology and General Chemistry sequences. These are prerequisite to higher level requirements such as Ecology, Cell Biology, Genetics, and Organic Chemistry, which should preferably be taken in the sophomore year. Since calculus is required for the degree, students should also begin their study of mathematics as soon as possible, preferably prior to their junior year, so that they can be adequately prepared for the General Physics sequence, best taken in the junior year. Because of this highly structured sequence, students are strongly encouraged to work with their Departmental advisor in order to plan their course schedules and plan alternatives if necessary. Such planning is particularly important for transfer students, as the sequence presented above is highly recommended and most likely to be completed in a timely fashion.

The predominance of chemistry and biology course sequences required in the freshman and sophomore years generally dictates that, with the exception of the Liberal Studies Core courses, the majority of the Liberal Studies courses may be postponed until the junior and senior years. Students may therefore be taking fewer Liberal Studies courses in the first two years than many other programs, concentrating instead on major field requirements, which are prerequisites to upper division courses.

BIO 191

GENERAL BIOLOGY I FOR SCIENCE MAJORS

Focuses on the unity of life: its biochemical and cellular makeup and functions, the acquisition and utilization of energy, and the storage and utilization of genetic information. Lecture-laboratory. Lab fee. Formerly BIO 101. CO-REQUISITE(S): Recommended: CHE 130 and CHE 131.
Prerequisites:
MAT 130 is a prerequisite for this class.

BIO 192

GENERAL BIOLOGY II FOR SCIENCE MAJORS

Introduction to evolution, ecology, organismal development and diversity. Lecture-laboratory. Lab fee. Formerly BIO 102.
Prerequisites:
MAT 130 and BIO 191 are a prerequisite for this class.

BIO 193

GENERAL BIOLOGY III FOR SCIENCE MAJORS

Deals primarily with diversity and development within the plant and animal kingdoms including basic principles of physiology. Lecture-laboratory. Lab fee. Formerly BIO 103.
Prerequisites:
MAT 130 and BIO 192 are a prerequisite for this class.

BIO 260

GENETICS

Transmission of heritable traits, nature of genetic material, manner of its expression, its mutability, and its significance with respect to organismal and species variation. Lecture-laboratory. Lab fee.
Prerequisites:
BIO 191 and BIO 193 are a prerequisite for this class.

CHE 130

GENERAL CHEMISTRY I

This introductory course for science majors emphasizes the composition of matter, atomic and molecular structure, bonding and chemical reactions. It is the first in the three-course sequence of General Chemistry. This course meets for three hours of lecture and one hour of discussion per week. Formerly CHE 111LEC. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE 131.
Prerequisites:
MAT 130 or (CHE 128 and CHE 129) is a prerequisite for this class.

CHE 131

GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY

Laboratory course to be taken in conjunction with CHE 130. The course meets weekly for three hours. The experimental techniques provide hands-on experience with the course material in CHE130. Formerly CHE 111LAB. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE130.
Prerequisites:
MAT 130 or (CHE 128 and CHE 129) is a prerequisite for this class.

CHE 132

GENERAL CHEMISTRY II

Second course of three in the General Chemistry series. Topics discussed include: common states of matter, phase transitions, properties of solutions, kinetics and equilibrium. This course meets for three hours of lecture and one hour of discussion per week. Formerly CHE 113LEC. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE133.
Prerequisites:
CHE 130 and CHE 131 are a prerequisite for this class.

CHE 133

GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II

Laboratory to be taken in conjunction with CHE 132. The Course meets weekly for three hours. The experimental techniques learned in lab provide hands-on experience with the course material in CHE132. Formerly CHE 113LAB. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE 132.
Prerequisites:
CHE 130 and 131 are a prerequisite for this class.

CHE 134

GENERAL CHEMISTRY III

Third of three courses in the General Chemistry sequence. Topics included in lecture: chemical equilibrium in aqueous solution (acids and bases, solubility, complex ion formation), Thermodynamics (entropy and free energy), electrochemistry, chemistry of d-block elements and descriptive chemistry. Formerly CHE 115LEC. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE135.
Prerequisites:
CHE 132 and CHE 133 are a prerequisite for this class.

CHE 135

GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY III

Laboratory to be taken in conjunction with CHE 134. The Course meets weekly for three hours. The experimental techniques provide hands-on experience with the course material in CHE134. Formerly CHE 115LAB. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE 134.
Prerequisites:
CHE 132 and CHE 133 are a prerequisite for this class.

CHE 230

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I

First in a sequence of courses designed to investigate what organic chemistry is and how it works, by emphasizing the relationship between structure and function of organic molecule and the language and fundamental concepts of organic chemistry, including: structure and bonding; acid-base reactions; functional groups; thermodynamics and kinetics of organic reactions; stereochemistry; substitution and elimination reactions of alkyl halides. Formerly CHE 171LEC. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE231.
Prerequisites:
(CHE 134 and CHE 135) or (CHE 138 and CHE 139) are prerequisites for this class.

CHE 231

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I

Laboratory to be taken in conjunction with CHE230. Formerly CHE 171LAB. CO-REQUISTE(S): CHE 230.
Prerequisites:
(CHE 134 and CHE 135) or (CHE 138 and CHE 139) are a prerequisite and CHE 230 is a corequisite for this class.

CHE 232

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II

Second in a sequence of courses designed to investigate what organic chemistry is and how it works, by emphasizing the relationship between structure and function of organic molecules. Specific topics investigated include the reactivity and synthesis of alcohols, ethers, epoxides, alkenes, alkynes, alkanes, conjugated, and aromatic compounds. Formerly CHE 173LEC. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE233
Prerequisites:
(CHE 230 and CHE 231) or (CHE 236/ and CHE 237) are a prerequisite for this class.

CHE 233

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II

Laboratory to be taken in conjunction with CHE232. Formerly CHE 173LAB. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE 232
Prerequisites:
(CHE 230 and CHE 231) or (CHE 236/ and CHE 237) are a prerequisite for this class.

CHE 234

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY III

Third in a sequence of courses designed to investigate what organic chemistry is and how it works, by emphasizing the relationship between structure and function of organic molecules. Specific topics investigated include the reactivity and synthesis of carbonyl compounds; amines; and bio-molecules. Formerly CHE 175LEC. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE235.
Prerequisites:
CHE 232 and CHE 233 are a prerequisite and CHE 235 is a corequisite for this class.

CHE 235

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY III

Laboratory to be taken in conjunction with CHE234. Formerly CHE 175LAB. CO-REQUISITE(S):CHE 234.
Prerequisites:
CHE 232 and CHE 233 are a prerequisite and CHE 234 is a corequisite for this class.

PHY 150

GENERAL PHYSICS I

Mechanics, vibrations and fluids. Laboratory fee.
Prerequisites:
MAT 131 or above is a prerequisite for this class.

PHY 151

GENERAL PHYSICS II

Heat, thermodynamics, sound and light. Laboratory fee.
Prerequisites:
PHY 150 is a prerequisite for this class.

PHY 152

GENERAL PHYSICS III

Electricity, magnetism and modern physics. Laboratory fee.
Prerequisites:
PHY 151 is a prerequisite for this class.

MAT 150

CALCULUS I

Limits, continuity, the derivative, rules of differentiation, exponential and logarithmic functions, related rates and other applications.
Prerequisites:
MAT 131 or placement by test is a prerequisite for this class.

MAT 151

CALCULUS II

Applications of the derivative, extrema, curve sketching, definite and indefinite integrals, applications of the integral.
Prerequisites:
MAT 150 or MAT 160 or MAT 170 is a prerequisite for this class.

MAT 152

CALCULUS III

Techniques of integration, L'Hopital's rule, improper integrals, series and sequence Taylor polynomials.
Prerequisites:
MAT 151 or MAT 161 or MAT 171 is a prerequisite for this class.

MAT 147

CALCULUS WITH INTEGRATED PRECALCULUS I

Limits, continuity, the derivative, rules of differentiation, and applications, with precalculus review included for each topic. The full MAT 147-8-9 sequence will cover all the material of MAT 150-1-2 plus additional precalculus material.
Prerequisites:
MAT 130 or equivalents or placement by test is a prerequisite for this class.

MAT 148

CALCULUS WITH INTEGRATED PRECALCULUS II

Extrema, curve sketching, related rates, definite and indefinite integrals, applications of the integral, exponential and logarithmic functions, with precalculus review included for each topic.
Prerequisites:
MAT 147 is a prerequisite for this class.

MAT 149

CALCULUS WITH INTEGRATED PRECALCULUS III

Techniques of integration, L'Hopital's rule, improper integrals, Taylor polynomials, series and sequences, first-order differential equations, with precalculus review included for each topic.
Prerequisites:
MAT 148 is a prerequisite for this class.

MAT 160

CALCULUS FOR MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE MAJORS I

Limits, continuity, the derivative, rules of differentiation, exponential and logarithmic functions, related rates and other applications. Course meets for an additional 1.5 hour lab session each week in order to cover the material in greater depth. Students considering a math major are advised to take the 160 or 170 sequence.
Prerequisites:
MAT 131 or placement by test is a prerequisite for this class.

MAT 161

CALCULUS FOR MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE MAJORS II

Applications of the derivative, extrema, curve sketching, definite and indefinite integrals, applications of the integral. Course meets for an additional 1.5 hour lab session each week in order to cover the material in greater depth.
Prerequisites:
MAT 147 or MAT 150 or MAT 160 or MAT 170 is a prerequisite for this class.

MAT 162

CALCULUS FOR MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE MAJORS III

Techniques of integration, L'Hopital's rule, improper integrals, series and sequences, Taylor polynomials. Course meets for an additional 1.5 hour lab session each week in order to cover the material in greater depth.
Prerequisites:
MAT 151 or MAT 161 or MAT 171 is a prerequisite for this class.

MAT 170

CALCULUS I WITH SCIENTIFIC APPLICATIONS

The course will cover the following topics using examples from the sciences: Functions as models, logarithmic scale graphing, exponential growth and decay, difference equations and limits of sequences, geometric series, functions and limits, trigonometric functions and their limits, continuity, limits at infinity, the derivative, differentiation rules, derivatives of trigonometric and exponential functions, related rates, derivatives of inverse and logarithm functions. Course meets for an additional lab session each week during which time students will work on applied mathematics projects based on the topics covered in the course. Students majoring in the sciences should consult with their major department to decide between the 160 and 170 sequences.
Prerequisites:
MAT 131 or placement by test is a prerequisite for this class.

MAT 171

CALCULUS II WITH SCIENTIFIC APPLICATIONS

The course will cover the following topics using examples from the sciences: Applications of the derivative including approximation and local linearity, differentials, extrema and the Mean Value Theorem, monotonicity and concavity, extrema, inflection points, graphing, L'Hospital's Rule, optimization, and the Newton-Raphson method, antiderivaties, the definite integral, Riemann sums, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, area, cumulative change, average value of a function, and techniques of integration: substitution rule and integration by parts. Course meets for an additional lab session each week during which time students will work on applied mathematics projects based on the topics covered in the course.
Prerequisites:
MAT 150 or MAT 160 or MAT 170 is a prerequisite for this class.

MAT 172

CALCULUS III WITH DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

This course is designed for students in the life sciences and covers some topics from MAT 152, differential equations and an introduction to the Calculus of functions of several variables. Specific topics are as follows. Numerical integration, partial fraction expansions, Taylor approximations of a function, differential equations, separation of variables, slope fields, Euler's existence theorem, polygonal approximations to solutions of differential equations, the logistic equation and allometric growth models, equilibiria of differential equations and their stability, applications of stability theory, functions of several variables, partial derivatives, directional derivative and the gradient. Course meets for an additional lab session each week during which time students will work on applied mathematics projects based on the topics covered in the course.
Prerequisites:
MAT 151 or MAT 161 or MAT 171 is a prerequisite for this class.