Biology BA/BS
The biology major provides a strong foundation through five classes that cover key areas: molecular, cellular, organismal, microbiological, ecological, and evolutionary biology. The program's flexibility allows students to work closely with academic advisers to tailor a course of study that aligns with their strengths and interests. Upper division electives offer a range of options such as immunology, mammalogy, and animal behavior. Students may also enhance their education through undergraduate research projects, teaching assistantships, and internships.
With its broad course offerings, the Biology Program prepares students for diverse career paths including graduate school and admission to professional schools in medicine, dentistry, and other health-related fields. Graduates may also pursue careers in biological research or work with agencies like Idaho Fish and Game. Additionally, students interested in teaching can complete the coursework required for secondary education certification.
The goals of the biology program are to provide students with learning experiences in both the classroom and laboratory so that they can achieve the following:
- Understand cell structure, function, and reproduction;
- Understand the principles of natural selection and evolution;
- Understand organismal form and function;
- Think critically and apply knowledge in novel contexts;
- And perform basic laboratory procedures in a safe manner.
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Written Communication | ||
| Select one of the following: | 6.00 | |
| WRITING AND RHETORIC I and WRITING AND RHETORIC II | ||
| COLLEGE WRITING AND RESEARCH | ||
| Oral Communication | ||
| Select one from the following: | 3.00 | |
| FUNDAMENTALS OF ORAL COMMUNICATION | ||
| SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION | ||
| PUBLIC SPEAKING | ||
| Mathematical Ways of Knowing | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3.00-5.00 | |
| PRECALCULUS I: ALGEBRA | ||
| PRECALCULUS | ||
| CALCULUS I | ||
| Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing | ||
| Select one course from two categories: | 6.00-8.00 | |
Literature | ||
| LITERATURE AND IDEAS | ||
| WORLD CLASSICS | ||
| INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE | ||
| NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE | ||
| MYTHOLOGIES | ||
Arts | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO ART | ||
| THE ART AND HISTORY OF THE MOTION PICTURE | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO THE ARTS | ||
| SURVEY OF MUSIC | ||
| MUSIC IN AMERICA | ||
| WORLD MUSIC | ||
| HISTORY OF MUSICAL THEATER | ||
| HISTORY OF JAZZ AND POPULAR MUSIC STYLES | ||
| SURVEY OF THE THEATER | ||
Language | ||
| NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE | ||
| NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND HISTORY | ||
| ELEMENTARY SPANISH I | ||
| ELEMENTARY SPANISH II | ||
| Scientific Ways of Knowing | ||
| Select two of the following: | 8.00 | |
| PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I | ||
| GENERAL PHYSICS I | ||
or PHYS-211 | PHYSICS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS I | |
| Social & Behavioral Ways of Knowing | ||
| Select one course from two disciplines: | 6.00 | |
| CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY | ||
| WORLD PREHISTORY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY | ||
| WORLD HISTORY I | ||
| WORLD HISTORY II | ||
| UNITED STATES HISTORY I | ||
| UNITED STATES HISTORY II | ||
| DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS | ||
| HUMAN RELATIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS | ||
| AMERICAN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT | ||
| INTERNATIONAL POLITICS | ||
| COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY | ||
| SOCIAL PROBLEMS | ||
| DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS | ||
| HUMAN RELATIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS | ||
| Global Perspectives | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3.00-4.00 | |
| CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY | ||
| WORLD PREHISTORY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES | ||
| RACE AND ETHNICITY | ||
| INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION | ||
| INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE | ||
| NATIVE AMERICAN WRITTEN LITERATURE | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY | ||
| WORLD HISTORY I | ||
| WORLD HISTORY II | ||
| UNITED STATES HISTORY I | ||
| UNITED STATES HISTORY II | ||
| DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS | ||
| ETHICS AND IDENTITY | ||
| SOCIAL-CULTURAL ASPECTS OF SPORTS | ||
| NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE | ||
| NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND HISTORY | ||
| COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY | ||
| ELEMENTARY SPANISH I | ||
| ELEMENTARY SPANISH II | ||
| INTERMEDIATE SPANISH I | ||
| INTERMEDIATE SPANISH II | ||
| Integrative Seminar: Ethics & Values | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3.00 | |
ID 300A - 300Z (see course descriptions for options) | ||
| HELLS CANYON INSTITUTE | ||
| Foreign/Heritage Language | ||
| Select 16 credits of language if selecting Bachelor of Arts Degree | 16.00 | |
| Total Credits | 38.00-43.00 | |
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major Courses | ||
| BIOL-181 | ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, DIVERSITY OF LIFE | 4.00 |
| BIOL-182 | CONCEPTS IN CELLULAR MECHANISMS | 4.00 |
| BIOL-213 | PLANT AND ANIMAL FORM AND FUNCTION | 4.00 |
| or BIOL-228 | HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II | |
| BIOL-331 | ECOLOGY | 3.00 |
| BIOL-341 | GENETICS | 4.00 |
| BIOL-355 | GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY | 4.00 |
| or BIOL-362 | CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | |
| BIOL-372 | COMPUTATIONAL BIOSTATISTICS | 4.00 |
| BIOL-460 | EVOLUTION | 4.00 |
| CHEM-112 | PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II | 4.00 |
| CHEM-371 & CHEM-373 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I LAB | 4.00 |
| CHEM-481 | BIOCHEMISTRY I | 4.00 |
| CALCULUS I (Required if not completed as core) | ||
| PHYS-112 | GENERAL PHYSICS II | 4.00 |
| Program Electives | ||
| Select 19 credits from the following: 1 | 19.00 | |
Select 3 credits from BIOL/CHEM/GIS in the 200/300/400 level | ||
Select 4 credits from BIOL/CHEM/GIS in the 300/400 level | ||
Select 4 credits from BIOL/CHEM in the 300/400 level | ||
Select 8 credits from BIOL in the 300/400 level | ||
| Electives | ||
| Select 16 elective credits | 16.00 | |
| Total Credits | 82.00 | |
- 1
8 or less credits of CHEM/GIS and 3 or less credits total from courses ending in -94, -95, or -99.
- 2
3 or less credits total from BIOL-485. BIOL-280 and BIOL-480 cannot be used as Biology electives.
Sequential Plan of Study
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| BIOL-181 | ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, DIVERSITY OF LIFE | 4.00 |
| CHEM-111 | PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I | 4.00 |
| ENGL-101 | WRITING AND RHETORIC I | 3.00 |
| CORE | MATH-143, MATH-147 or MATH-170 | 3.00-5.00 |
| Credits | 14.00-16.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL-182 | CONCEPTS IN CELLULAR MECHANISMS | 4.00 |
| CHEM-112 | PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II | 4.00 |
| CORE | Oral Communication | 3.00 |
| ENGL-102 | WRITING AND RHETORIC II | 3.00 |
| Credits | 14.00 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL-213 or BIOL-228 |
PLANT AND ANIMAL FORM AND FUNCTION or HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II |
4.00 |
| CHEM-371 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I | 3.00 |
| CHEM-373 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I LAB | 1.00 |
| CORE | Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing | 3.00 |
| Elective | Elective Credits | 3.00 |
| Credits | 14.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL-372 | COMPUTATIONAL BIOSTATISTICS | 4.00 |
| CORE | Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing | 3.00 |
| Program Requirement | Select BIOL, CHEM, GIS course in 200/300/400 level | 3.00 |
| Elective | Elective Credits | 4.00 |
| Credits | 14.00 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL-341 | GENETICS | 4.00 |
| BIOL-355 or BIOL-362 |
GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY or CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY |
4.00 |
| PHYS-111 or PHYS-211 |
GENERAL PHYSICS I or PHYSICS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS I |
4.00 |
| CORE | Social & Behavioral Ways of Knowing | 3.00 |
| Credits | 15.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL-331 | ECOLOGY | 3.00 |
| CORE | Social & Behavioral Ways of Knowing | 3.00 |
| PHYS-112 | GENERAL PHYSICS II | 4.00 |
| Program Requirement | Select BIOL or CHEM course in 300/400 level | 4.00 |
| Elective | Elective Credits | 2.00 |
| Credits | 16.00 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CHEM-481 | BIOCHEMISTRY I | 4.00 |
| CORE | Integrative Seminar: Ethics & Values | 3.00 |
| Program Requirement | Select BIOL course in 300/400 level | 4.00 |
| Program Requirement | Select BIOL, CHEM, GIS course in 300/400 level | 4.00 |
| Credits | 15.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL-460 | EVOLUTION | 4.00 |
| CORE | Global Perspectives | 3.00 |
| Program Requirement | Select BIOL course in 300/400 level | 4.00 |
| Elective | Elective Credits | 3.00 |
| Elective | Elective Credits | 4.00 |
| Credits | 18.00 | |
| Total Credits | 120.00-122.00 | |