May 24, 2026

2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog [DRAFT]

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2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog [DRAFT]

Biology (BIGB) - BS Major

Location(s): Hybrid

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74-76 credits (no minor required)

2.0 GPA required.

Letter grade required in all major courses unless otherwise noted.

Biology Core Courses (32 credits)

Biology (14 credits)

BIOL 099 - Seminar and Careers in Biology (0 credits) (0 credits x 4 semesters)
BIOL 241 - Basics of Life (4 credits)
BIOL 242 - Organismal Diversity (4 credits)
◆ BIOL 310 - Genetics (3 credits)
Choose one:
△ BIOL 499 - Capstone Project (1-3 credits) (3 credits required)
or
△ BIOL 498 - Biology Capstone: Scientific Writing and Communication (3 credits)

Note:

Both BIOL 241 and BIOL 242 must be taken for this major and completed prior to 300-level biology courses.

Chemistry (8 credits)

CHEM 212 - Principles of Chemistry I (4 credits)
CHEM 213 - Principles of Chemistry II (4 credits)

Physics (4 credits)

PHYS 201 - General Physics I (4 credits)

Note:

PHYS 201 may be substituted with PHYS 221 .

Mathematics (3 credits)

MATH 112 - Applied Precalculus (3 credits) or higher excluding MATH 202, MATH 203, & MATH 204.

Note:

Please work with your academic advisor to ensure you have completed math courses to fulfill your academic goals.

Statistics (3 credits)

STAT 305 - Biometry (3 credits)

Note:

STAT 305 preferred, but STAT 210 may be substituted for STAT 305.

General Biology Required Courses (4 credits)

Choose one:

BIOL 312 - General Ecology (3 credits)
BIOL 316 - Molecular Ecology (3 credits)

Lab

Choose one:

BIOL 311 - Genetics Laboratory (1 credit)
BIOL 313 - General Ecology Laboratory (1 credit)

Geoscience (6-8 credits)

Choose two courses from this list:

GEOS 100 - Minnesota’s Rocks and Waters (3 credits) or
GEOS 101 - Minnesota’s Rocks and Waters with Lab (4 credits)
GEOS 103 - Natural Disasters (3 credits) or
GEOS 113 - Natural Disasters with Laboratory (4 credits)
GEOS 104 - Climate, Catastrophes and Extinctions (3 credits) or
GEOS 114 - Climate, Catastrophes and Extinctions with Laboratory (4 credits)
GEOS 105 - Astronomy with Laboratory (4 credits) or
GEOS 106 - Astronomy (3 credits)
GEOS 215 - Earth System Science (4 credits)
GEOS 235 - Earth and Life Through Time (4 credits)

Electives (32 credits)

Select 32 credits from the electives list below:

Field or Lab Based Courses (2-8 credits)

Choose two courses from this list of field or lab based courses:

BIOL 307 - Cell Biology Laboratory (1 credit)
BIOL 311 - Genetics Laboratory (1 credit)
BIOL 313 - General Ecology Laboratory (1 credit)
BIOL 324 - General Physiology Laboratory (2 credits)
BIOL 341 - Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (1 credit)
BIOL 393 - Animal Cell Culture (4 credits)
BIOL 400 - Individual Problems in Biology I (1-3 credits)
BIOL 422 - Advanced Regional Anatomy - Cadaver Dissection (3 credits)
BIOL 431 - Molecular Biology Laboratory (4 credits)
BIOL 463 - Ecosystem Restoration (4 credits)

Biology Electives

BIOL 307 - Cell Biology Laboratory (1 credit)
◎ BIOL 309 - Developmental Biology (3 credits)
BIOL 311 - Genetics Laboratory (1 credit)
BIOL 312 - General Ecology (3 credits)
BIOL 313 - General Ecology Laboratory (1 credit)
◎ BIOL 315 - Environmental Biology (3 credits)
BIOL 316 - Molecular Ecology (3 credits)
BIOL 318 - Invertebrate Zoology (4 credits)
BIOL 319 - Vertebrate Biology (4 credits)
BIOL 322 - Human Anatomy (4 credits)
BIOL 323 - General Physiology (4 credits)
BIOL 324 - General Physiology Laboratory (2 credits)
BIOL 340 - Virology (3 credits)
BIOL 341 - Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (1 credit)
BIOL 344 - Yamuna River Study in India: From the Himalayas to the Taj Majal (3 credits)
BIOL 350 - Plant Taxonomy (4 credits)
BIOL 360 - Entomology (4 credits)
◎ BIOL 380 - Evolution (3 credits)
BIOL 393 - Animal Cell Culture (4 credits)
BIOL 400 - Individual Problems in Biology I (1-3 credits)
◎ BIOL 402 - Endocrinology (3 credits)
BIOL 404 - Ichthyology (3 credits)
BIOL 405 - Fishery Biology (3 credits)
BIOL 406 - Ornithology (4 credits)
◎ BIOL 409 - General Microbiology (4 credits)
△ BIOL 415 - Ecology of Large Rivers (4 credits)
BIOL 418 - Plant Ecology (4 credits)
BIOL 420 - Limnology (4 credits)
BIOL 422 - Advanced Regional Anatomy - Cadaver Dissection (3 credits)
◎ BIOL 423 - Ecosystem Ecology (3 credits)
BIOL 424 - Biogeography (3 credits)
BIOL 425 - Animal Behavior (3 credits)
BIOL 427 - Advanced Topics in Biology (1-4 credits)
BIOL 429 - Genetics in Medicine (3 credits)
BIOL 430 - Molecular Genetics (3 credits)
BIOL 431 - Molecular Biology Laboratory (4 credits)
BIOL 441 - Comparative Vertebrate Physiology (3 credits)
△ BIOL 445 - Immunology (3 credits)
△ BIOL 446 - Immunology Laboratory (1 credit)
◎ BIOL 462 - Parasitology (4 credits)
BIOL 463 - Ecosystem Restoration (4 credits)
BIOL 492 - Good Reads in Biology (3 credits)
BIOL 495 - Seminar in Biology (1 credit)
BIOL 496 - Undergraduate Thesis (1 credit)
△ BIOL 498 - Biology Capstone: Scientific Writing and Communication (3 credits)
△ BIOL 499 - Capstone Project (1-3 credits)

Electives from Other Departments

No more than 18 credtis can be from other departments and are limited to:

CHEM 340 - Organic Chemistry Survey (4 credits)
CHEM 350 - Principles of Organic Chemistry I (4 credits)
CHEM 351 - Principles of Organic Chemistry II (4 credits)
CHEM 375 - Clinical Biochemistry (4 credits)
CHEM 405 - Biochemistry I (3 credits)
△ CHEM 406 - Biochemistry I Laboratory (1 credit)
CHEM 444 - Molecular Basis of Disease (2 credits)
◆ HERS 370 - Mechanical Kinesiology (4 credits)
MATH 112 - Applied Precalculus (3 credits)
MATH 115 - College Algebra (3 credits)
MATH 120 - Precalculus (4 credits)
MATH 140 - Applied Calculus (3 credits)
MATH 212 - Calculus I (4 credits)
PHYS 201 - General Physics I (4 credits)
PHYS 202 - General Physics II (4 credits)
PHYS 221 - University Physics I (4 credits)
PHYS 222 - University Physics II (4 credits)
PSY 433 - Neuroscience (4 credits)

Legend

◎ = Oral Intensive

◆ = Math/Critical Analysis Intensive

△ = Writing Intensive

✽ = Physical Development and Wellness Graduation Requirement

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