Biological Sciences

College of Natural Science and Mathematics
Department of Biology and Wildlife
907-474-7671
www.bw.uaf.edu

B.A., B.S., M.S., Ph.D. Degrees; Minor

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Minimum Requirements for Degrees: 120 credits

Biological sciences is an appropriate major for students interested in the science of life. Programs in these fields provide a broad education and a foundation in the principles of biology. Graduates are employed in environmental science, health services, biology education, and as field and laboratory technicians. Graduates also pursue advanced M.S., pharmacology, nursing, MD or Ph.D. degrees. Biology faculty advisors can help students choose courses that will best fit their goals.

Biological sciences majors may pursue either a B.A. or B.S. degree. Because biology is an interdisciplinary science, both programs include course work in the physical sciences and mathematics. The B.A. requires fewer credits in natural science and more credits in the social sciences and humanities than the B.S. degree, which focuses more intensively on biological science. The B.S. degree without a concentration provides the most comprehensive education in biology. The B.S. degree with a concentration permits some degree of specialization in one of three sub-disciplines: cell and molecular biology, physiology, or ecology and evolutionary biology.

Incoming students who do not meet the prerequisites for Fundamentals of Biology I (BIOL F115X) and those who did not complete a biology course in high school are encouraged to take a biology course for non-majors such as Biology and Society (BIOL F103X) or Natural History of Alaska (BIOL F104X) and General Chemistry I and II (CHEM F105X and CHEM F106X) during their first year, and to begin the BIOL F115X and F116X series in their sophomore year. Students unprepared for General Chemistry I (CHEM F105X) are encouraged to take Basic General Chemistry (CHEM F103X) beforehand.

Students majoring in the biological sciences must complete a capstone project during their junior or senior year. The goal of the capstone experience is to integrate skills and information students have learned in previous courses by conducting a mentored research project and communicating the results. Students will signal their intent to complete the capstone requirement by registering for Biology F400, capstone project. The capstone research project itself may be completed within one of the designated courses listed below, or by working individually with a faculty mentor. If the capstone project is conducted within a designated course, a passing grade on the project itself is required to satisfy the capstone requirement regardless of the course grade. Biology course credit for mentored research is available as BIOL F490, F397, or F497. More information about the capstone requirement is posted on the Biology and Wildlife website (www.bw.uaf.edu). Students are strongly encouraged to speak to a biology advisor well before their senior year about how they plan to satisfy the capstone requirement.

Major -- B.A. Degree

  1. Complete the general university requirements. (As part of the core curriculum requirements, complete: CHEM F105X* and F106X*.)
  2. Complete the B.A. degree requirements. As part of the B.A. degree requirements, complete STAT F200X*. As part of the humanities and social sciences requirement, take at least 9 credits of upper-division course work. As part of the minor, take at least 3 credits of upper-division course work.
  3. Complete the following program (major) requirements:*
    1. Complete the following:
      BIOL F115X--Fundamentals of Biology I--4 credits
      BIOL F116X--Fundamentals of Biology II--4 credits
      BIOL F260--Principles of Genetics--4 credits
      BIOL F481--Principles of Evolution--4 credits
      CHEM F321--Organic Chemistry --4 credits
      PHYS F103X--College Physics--4 credits
    2. Complete two of the following three biology breadth requirements:**
      BIOL F310--Animal Physiology (4)
           or BIOL F342--Microbiology (4)
           or BIOL F434W--Structure and Function of Vascular Plants (4)
           or BIOL F213X and F214X--Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II (8)--4-8 credits
      BIOL F360--Cell and Molecular Biology--3 credits
      BIOL F371--Principles of Ecology--4 credits
    3. Complete three elective courses from course lists A, B, C or D below, at least one of which is designated a W course.*** If possible, satisfy all UAF core requirements for W and O courses and the biology capstone requirement with these elective courses.
    4. Satisfy the capstone project requirement by passing BIOL F400, Capstone Project (0 credits), which requires the satisfactory completion of a capstone research project. The project can be done either working individually with a faculty member (e.g., by taking BIOL F490, or BIOL F497, or without course credits), or within one of the following courses:
      BIOL F403W--Metabolism and Biochemistry (4)
           or BIOL F434W--Plant Structure and Function of Vascular Plants (4)
           or BIOL F441W,O/2--Animal Behavior (3)
           or BIOL F459O/2­--Wildlife Nutrition (4)
           or BIOL F472W--Community Ecology (4)
           or BIOL F473W--Limnology (3)--0-4 credits
  4. Minimum credits required--120 credits

Major -- B.S. Degree without concentration

  1. Complete the general university requirements. (As part of the core curriculum requirements, complete: MATH F232X* or MATH F251X*; and CHEM F105X* and F106X*.)
  2. Complete the B.S. degree requirements. (As part of the B.S. degree requirements, complete STAT F200X* or STAT F300* and PHYS F103X* and PHYS F104X* or PHYS F211X* and PHYS F212X*)
  3. Complete the following program (major) requirements:*
    BIOL F115X--Fundamentals of Biology I--4 credits
    BIOL F116X--Fundamentals of Biology II--4 credits
    BIOL F260--Principles of Genetics--4 credits
    BIOL F360--Cell and Molecular Biology--3 credits
    BIOL F371--Principles of Ecology--4 credits
    BIOL F310--Animal Physiology (4)
         or BIOL F342--Microbiology (4)
         or BIOL F213X and F214X--Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II (8)
         or BIOL F434W--Structure and Function of Vascular Plants (4)--4-8 credits
    BIOL F481--Principles of Evolution--4 credits
    CHEM F321--Organic Chemistry I (4)
         and either CHEM F325--Organic Chemistry II (4)
         or CHEM F451--General Biochemistry -- Metabolism (3)--3-4 credits
  4. Complete the following electives (at least one must satisfy the W requirement):***
    Organismal elective:
    Complete one additional course from list D--3-4 credits
    Biology electives:
    Complete four additional courses at the 200 level or above, at least three of which must be from lists A, B, C or D--2-16 credits
  5. Satisfy the capstone project requirement by passing BIOL F400, Capstone Project (0 credits), which requires the satisfactory completion of a capstone research project. The project can be done either working individually with a faculty member (e.g., by taking BIOL F490, or BIOL F497, or without course credits), or within one of the following courses:
    BIOL F403W--Metabolism and Biochemistry (4)
         or BIOL F434W--Structure and Function of Vascular Plants (4)
         or BIOL F441W,O/2--Animal Behavior (3)
         or BIOLF456O/2­--Wildlife Nutrition (4)
         or BIOL F472W--Community Ecology (4)
         or BIOL F473W--Limnology (3)
  6. Minimum credits required--120 credits

Major -- B.S. Degree with concentration

  1. Complete the general university requirements. (As part of the core curriculum requirements, complete: MATH F232X* or MATH F251X*; and CHEM F105X* and F106X*.)
  2. Complete the B.S. degree requirements. (As part of the B.S. degree requirements, complete STAT F200X* or STAT F300* and PHYS F103X* and PHYS F104X* or PHYS F211X* and PHYS F212X*.)
  3. Complete the following program (major) requirements:*
    BIOL F115X--Fundamentals of Biology I--4 credits
    BIOL F116X--Fundamentals of Biology II--4 credits
    BIOL F260--Principles of Genetics--4 credits
    BIOL F310--Animal Physiology (4)
         or BIOL F434W--Structure and Function of Vascular Plants (4)
         or BIOL F342--Microbiology (4)
         or BIOL F213X and F214X--Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II (8)--4-8 credits
    BIOL F481--Principles of Evolution--4 credits
    CHEM F321--Organic Chemistry I (4)
         and either CHEM F325--Organic Chemistry II (4)
         or CHEM F451--General Biochemistry -- Metabolism (3)--3-4 credits
  4. Complete one of the following concentrations:***.
    (When choosing courses to fulfill concentration requirements, students should consider the university requirement for two W courses and one O course, and the departmental requirement for a capstone project.)
    1. Cell and Molecular Biology
      1. As part of the program requirements, complete CHEM F325.
      2. Complete the following (at least one of which must satisfy the W requirement):
        BIOL F360--Cell and Molecular Biology--3 credits
        CHEM F450--General Biochemistry -- Macromolecules--3 credits
        CHEM F451--General Biochemistry -- Metabolism--3 credits
        Cell and molecular and physiology electives:
         Take three additional courses from lists A or B, at least one of which must be from list A.--9-12 credits
        Biology breadth elective:
        Take one additional course from lists C or D--3-4 credits
    2. Physiology
      Complete the following (at least one of which must satisfy the W requirement):
      BIOL F360--Cell and Molecular Biology--3 credits
      Physiology or cell and molecular biology electives:
      Take two courses from list A and two from list B--12-16 credits
      Biology breadth elective:
      Take one additional course from lists C or D--3-4 credits
      Biology elective:
      Take one additional course from lists A, B, C or D--3-4 credits
    3. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
       Complete the following (at least one of which must satisfy the W requirement):
      BIOL F371--Principles of Ecology--4 credits
      Ecology and evolutionary biology electives:
      Take two additional courses from list C--6-8 credits
      Organismal elective:
      Take one additional course from list D--3-4 credits
      Biology breadth elective:
      Take one additional course from lists A or B--3-4 credits
      Biology elective:
      Take one additional course from lists A, B, C or D--3-4 credits
      STAT F401--Regression and Analysis of Variance (4)
           or STAT F402--Scientific Sampling (3)--3-4 credits
  5. Satisfy the capstone project requirement by passing BIOL F400, Capstone Project (0 credits), which requires the satisfactory completion of a capstone research project. The project can be done either working individually with a faculty member (e.g., by taking BIOL F490, or BIOL F497, or without course credits), or within one of the following courses:
    BIOL F403W--Metabolism and Biochemistry (4)
         or BIOL F434W--Structure and Function of Vascular Plants (4)
         or BIOL F441W,O/2--Animal Behavior (3)
         or BIOL F456O/2--Wildlife Nutrition (4)
         or BIOL F472W--Community Ecology (4)
         or BIOL F473W--Limnology (3)--3-4 credits
  6. Minimum credits required--120 credits

Biology elective course lists:****

  • List A -- Cell and Molecular Biology
    BIOL F342--Microbiology--3 credits
    BIOL F360--Cell and Molecular Biology--3 credits
    BIOL F403W--Metabolism and Biochemistry--4 credits
    BIOL F417O--Neurobiology--3 credits
    BIOL F435--Biology of Cancer--3 credits
    BIOL F460--Principles of Virology--3 credits
    BIOL F462O--Concepts of Infectious Disease--3 credits
    BIOL F465--Immunology--3 credits
    BIOL F466--Advanced Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory--3 credits
    CHEM F325--Organic Chemistry II--4 credits
    CHEM F450--General Biochemistry -- Macromolecules--3 credits
    CHEM F451--General Biochemistry -- Metabolism--3 credits
    CHEM F470--Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience--3 credits
    CHEM F474--Neurochemistry--3 credits
  • List B -- Physiology
    BIOL F310--Animal Physiology--4 credits
    BIOL F335--Epidemiology--3 credits
    BIOL F342--Microbiology--4 credits
    BIOL F417O--Neurobiology--3 credits
    BIOL F434W--Structure and Function in Vascular Plants--4 credits
    BIOL F441W,O/2--Animal Behavior--3 credits
    BIOL F455O--Environmental Toxicology--3 credits
    BIOL F457W,O--Environmental Microbiology--3 credits
    BIOL F458--Vertebrate Endocrinology--3 credits
    BIOL F459O/2--Wildlife Nutrition--4 credits
    BIOL F462O--Concepts of Infectious Disease--3 credits
    BIOL F465--Immunology--3 credits
    BIOL F412--Exercise Physiology--3 credits
  • List C -- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
    BIOL F371--Principles of Ecology--4 credits
    BIOL F418--Biogeography--3 credits
    BIOL F433--Conservation Genetics--3 credits
    BIOL F441W,O/2--Animal Behavior--3 credits
    BIOL F457W--Environmental Microbiology--3 credits
    BIOL F469O--Landscape Ecology and Wildlife Habitat--3 credits
    BIOL F471--Population Ecology--3 credits
    BIOL F472W--Community Ecology--3 credits
    BIOL F473W--Limnology--3 credits
    BIOL F474--Plant Ecology--4 credits
    BIOL F476O--Ecosystem Ecology--3 credits
    BIOL F483--Stream Ecology--3 credits
    BIOL F485W--Global Change Biology--3 credits
    BIOL F486--Vertebrate Paleontology--3 credits
    BIOL F487--Conceptual Issues in Evolutionary Biology--3 credits
    BIOL F488--Arctic Vegetation Ecology: Geobotany--3 credits
    BIOL F489--Vegetation Description and Analysis--3 credits
    WLF F301--Design of Wildlife Studies--3 credits
    WLF F410--Wildlife Populations and their Management--3 credits
  • List D -- Organismal Biology
    BIOL F301--Biology of Fishes--4 credits
    BIOL F331--Systematic Botany--4 credits
    BIOL F406--Entomology--4 credits
    BIOL F418--Biogeography--4 credits
    BIOL F425W--Mammalogy--3 credits
    BIOL F426W,O/2--Ornithology--3 credits
    BIOL F427--Ichthyology--4 credits
    BIOL F486--Vertebrate Paleontology--3 credits
    BIOL F489--Vegetation Description and Analysis--3 credits

Minor

  1. Complete the following program (minor) requirements:*
    BIOL F115X--Fundamentals of Biology I--4 credits
    BIOL F116X--Fundamentals of Biology II--4 credits
    BIOL F260--Principles of Genetics--4 credits
  2. Complete one of the following course options:****
    BIOL F213X and F214X--Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II (8)
         or BIOL F310--Animal Physiology (4)
         or BIOL F342--Microbiology (4)
         or BIOL F360--Cell and Molecular Biology (3)
         or BIOL F371--Principles of Ecology (4)
         or BIOL F434W--Structure and Function of Vascular Plants (4)
         or BIOL F481--Principles of Evolution (4)--3-8 credits
  3. Complete one additional course in biology at the 200 level or above--3 credits
  4. Minimum credits required--18 credits

* Students must earn a C- or better in each course.

** Because biology breadth courses for the B.A. degree serve as prerequisites for many upper-division biology electives, course choices should be made with consideration of the elective biology courses the student plans to complete.

*** Independent study (BIOL F397 or F497) or research experience (BIOL F490, URSA F388 or URSA F488) courses may be substituted by petition for a maximum of two required elective courses in biology (3-4 credits of independent study or research per substituted course). The subject area of the independent study or research will determine which biological subject areas the credits satisfy.

**** Courses that satisfy upper-division elective credit may require prerequisites in addition to the required biology course.

Note: A foreign language is encouraged by the department in meeting requirements of the core curriculum.