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2018-2019 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
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2018-2019 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Biology, B.S.

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Bachelor of Science Degree
College of Science and Mathematics
Contact: Scott A. Reese
Curriculum Coordinator for the National Sciences
(470) 578-6158
http://csm.kennesaw.edu/bs-biology/

The program of study in biology leading to a Bachelor of Science degree provides students with the opportunity to pursue a major field of concentration in biology with the necessary specialization to succeed in a wide array of post-baccalaureate opportunities. The following degree tracks include the course work and experience necessary for student success. See an academic advisor for specific course information and important aspects of each of these tracks.

General Biology Track: This track is designed to allow flexibility in preparing students for a multitude of biological roles. Students can design a course of study that will prepare them for work in private sectors, government agencies or for continued graduate education. Due to the variety of options in this track, students are strongly encouraged to meet with an academic advisor early to plan a course of study.

Pre-Professional Track: This track is designed to prepare students for a multitude of post-baccalaureate education in the medical and professional fields. Course specifications exist for students interested in Human Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dentistry, Optometry, and a number of related fields. Given the intense nature of the course requirements for many of these specialties, students are encouraged to talk to an advisor early in their course of study.

Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology Track: This track is designed to prepare students for graduate school in a number of sub-disciplines that focus on cellular and sub-cellular processes or use a range of molecular techniques.

Ecology/Environmental Biology Track: This track Is designed for students interested in pursuing a career in the field of Ecology or Environmental Biology. Students completing this track will have the knowledge and skills to pursue further graduate education or obtain environmentally-related professional positions in the public and private sector.

Plant Biology Track: This track is designed for students interested in attending graduate school or entering the professional workforce where plants are the principal study organism.

Microbiology Track: This track is designed for students with a strong interest in pursuing professional work or graduate education in microbiology. After completing the track, students will be qualified to sit for certification as Registered Microbiology Specialists in Food Safety and Quality Assurance, Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices, or Specialists in Microbiology.

Biotechnology Track: This track is designed for students interested in pursuing a career in the multitude of biotechnology companies in the Atlanta region and around the world. This track replaces the Biotechnology degree and specifically targets the concepts and techniques necessary to make students marketable across a range of professional opportunities.

Bioinformatics Track: This track is designed to prepare students for professional work or graduate education that uses bioinformatics. Bioinformatics underlies all genomic advances, encompassing principles and techniques for learning from sequence data stored in databases.

Cytogenetics Track: This track is designed to prepare students for a variety of cytogenetic laboratory opportunities, from diagnostic and basic research to graduate studies in molecular cytogenetics. This training program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences1; students who complete the track are eligible to sit for national certification as a clinical cytogenetic specialist. Students are encouraged to meet with the program director.

Biology Education Track: This track prepares students to teach adolescent learners in middle and high school biological science courses. This program allows students to pursue post-graduate opportunities as a biologist, while also providing professional education courses integrated with school-based teaching internships and mentored support, demonstrating all competencies expected of effective, reform-based science teachers.

General Education (42 Credit Hours)

See listing of requirements.   

General Education Requirements Specific to This Major:

Lower Division Major Requirements (Area F) (18 Credit Hours)

  • Lab/math credit from General Education (2 Credit Hours)

Major Requirements (48 Credit Hours)

I. Biology Core Courses (12 Credit Hours)

II. Statistics Requirements (3 Credit Hours)

III. Organic Chemistry Requirements (8 Credit Hours)

IV.A. General Biology Track (25 Credit Hours)

  • Any 3000 or 4000-level Biology course (with the exception of BIOL 3317 or BIOL 3396).
  • A student must have a minimum of four (4) laboratory courses: BIOL 3300L, BIOL 3370L; plus any two upper-level Biology laboratory courses of the student’s choosing (BIOL 3110L, 4400, or 4402 may count for only 1 of these).
  • A student may include up to 4 credit hours of any 3000 or 4000-level Physics, Chemistry, Math, Statistics, GIS, or SCI 3360, HIST 3377, POLS 4456, PSY 4410, or BIOL 3398.

See footnote 3.

IV.B. Pre-Professional Track (25 Credit Hours)

Pre-M.D./Dentistry/Optometry/Pharmacy

For notes on Pre-M.D. see footnote 4.

For notes on Pre-Optometry see footnote 5.

For notes on Pre-Pharmacy see footnote 6.

Required Courses (10 Credit Hours)
Electives (15 Credit Hours)

See footnote 3.

Pre-D.V.M.

Required Courses (14 Credit Hours)
Electives (11 Credit Hours)

See footnote 3.

IV.C. Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology Track (25 Credit Hours)

Required Courses (11 Credit Hours)

Electives (14 Credit Hours)

See footnote 3.

IV.D. Ecology and Environmental Biology Track (25 Credit Hours)

Required Courses (17 Credit Hours)

Organismal Courses (at least 8 Credit Hours)
Concept and Techniques Courses (at least 9 Credit Hours)

See footnote 3.

Electives (8 Credit Hours)

  • Any 3000 or 4000-level Biology course (with the exception of BIOL 3317, BIOL 3396, or BIOL 3398). A student may include up to 4 credits of any 3000 or 4000-level Physics, Chemistry, Math, Statistics, GIS, or HIST 3377 or POLS 4456.

See footnote 3.

IV.E. Plant Biology Track (25 Credit Hours)

Required Courses (16 Credit Hours)

Electives (9 Credit Hours)

See footnote 3.

IV.F. Microbiology Track (25 Credit Hours)

Required Courses (8 Credit Hours)

Electives (17 Credit Hours)

See footnote 8.

IV.G. Biotechnology Track (25 Credit Hours)

Required Courses (16 Credit Hours)

See footnote 7.

Electives (9 Credit Hours)

See footnote 3.

IV. H. Bioinformatics Track (25 Credit Hours)

Required Courses (22 Credit Hours)

Electives (3 Credit Hours)

  • Any 3000 or 4000-level Biology course (with the exception of BIO 3317, 3396, or 3398). A student may include CHEM 3500L and CHEM 3500L or CHEM 3501 and CHEM 3501L (see footnote 7).

See footnote 3.

IV.I. Cytogenetics Track (25 Credit Hours)

Required Courses (17 Credit Hours)

Electives (8 Credit Hours)

  • Any 3000 or 4000-level Biology course (with the exception of BIOL 3317, BIOL 3396, or BIOL 3398). A student may include CHEM 3500 and CHEM 3500L or CHEM 3501 and CHEM 3501L7.

See footnote 3.

IV.J. Biology Education Track (39 Credit Hours)

Biology Content Courses (10 Credit Hours)

Professional Education Courses (29 Credit Hours)

Free Electives (0-12 Credit Hours)

Any credit courses in university curriculum.

Program Total (120 - 122 Credit Hours)

University-Wide Degree Requirements (3 Credit Hours)

   

Graduation Credit Hour Total (123-125 Credit Hours)

Notes:

1  NAACLS: www.naacls.org; 773-714-8880; 5600 North River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, Illinois  60018-5119

2  BIOL 4399 may only be taken once for credit toward a biology degree.

3  A maximum of 8 hours from BIOL 3110, BIOL 4400, BIOL 4402, and/or BIOL 4450 can be used to satisfy biology upper-level electives. Credit for BIOL 3317 and BIOL 3396 can be applied to Free Electives only.

4  Students should take PSYC 3105 and COM 1100 in Area B and are encouraged to take some of the following in Free Electives: PSYC 3105, SOCI 1101, HPE 3300, PSYC 3200, SOCI 3380, HPE 4500.

5  Students should take PSYC 2105 and FL 1002 in Area B, ENGL 2110 and ART 1107 in Area C, and are encouraged to take some of the following in Free Electives: ART 1100, BUSA 1000.

6  Students are encouraged to take BIOL 2221/2221L and BIOL 2222/2222L as Free Electives.

7  Students planning on taking CHEM 3501/3501L need to take CHEM 2800 and those planning on taking CHEM 4500 need to take CHEM 3501/3501L.

8  A maximum of 6 hours from BIOL 3110, BIOL 4400, BIOL 4402, BIOL 3398, and/or BIOL 4110 can be used in this track. Two of the elective classes must have laboratories. A student may include up to 4 credits of any 3000 or 4000-level Physics, Chemistry, Math, GIS, or SCI 3360, HIST 3377, POLS 4456, PSY 4410, or BIOL 3398.

9 This track consists of 126 credits and allows for no Free Electives.

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