Mar 28, 2024  
2019-2020 Course Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Course Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Biology, B.S.


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Biology is no longer one discipline. Nor is it divided between plants and animals as it was a century ago. The main divisions are now between the approaches taken to study life as well as the scope of the endeavor: everything from the interactions of photons and pigments in the organelles of microbes, to unraveling how genes play out in immune system function, to the international loss of species diversity, to the impending massive changes climate will unleash upon the biota of the planet. This major can be personally designed to meet your needs depending on your interests.

Graduates of the program have gone on to positions at Jackson Laboratories, Northeast Audubon Center, UConn Medical Center, the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Miles Inc., Clean Harbors Inc., and Yale University. Graduate study is required for positions in most health fields, business, research, and environmental studies. Many prestigious graduate programs, including Brown University, University of Colorado, Wesleyan University, Dartmouth, Yale, Brandeis, Northeastern, and the University of Connecticut have admitted our biology graduates for advanced studies.

Program outcomes

The student will:

  • Develop a comprehensive strategy to investigate and research current topics in Biology

  • Communicate scientific information effectively through writing and presentation skills

  • Critique, develop and solve scientific problems using quantitative reasoning and integration of biological concepts

  • Reinforce underlying biological themes in evolution, scale systems and structure/function relationships

Continuation requirements and repeat policy

All 100 and 200 level major courses need to be passed with a C or better before taking the capstone or BIOL 499.

Majors in biology are expected to earn a minimum grade of C or better in each biology course and a C- or better in each required supporting course with labs.

If a student earns less than a C in any one of these major courses or C- in a supporting course, up to three of those courses may be repeated once. Repeating a course needs to take place at the next offering or at the latest in the next academic year the student is enrolled.

Courses being transferred to satisfy major requirements will also need to follow the policy. If the proposed transfer course for the major is less than a C that course will need to be repeated to earn a qualifying grade.

 

Degree requirements:

(30 credits of Biology courses). Due to the variability of course credits, a student may need more than 30 credits to satisfy all requirements.

Required Courses (30 credits)


Required Supporting Coursework (30-32 credits)


Two semesters of General Chemistry with labs
Two semesters of Advanced Chemistry with labs (such as organic, biochemistry)
Two semesters of Physical Science with labs (such as physics, earth science, hydrology)
Two semesters of Math (such as college algebra,  precalculus, calculus, statistics, modeling)

The exact courses will be determined by the student’s career interest.

Notes


  • During senior year, students with a 3.0 GPA may be able to take graduate-level courses
  • Biology majors seeking teaching licensure should speak to the teacher licensure officer about specific course selection requirements

Suggested Plan of Study


First Year


Sophomore Year


Junior Year


  •                          FALL

  • 3 Credits (Fall or Spring)
  • BIOL 3XX  Biology elective (300 level or higher) 4 credits
  • PHYS 1XX Physical Science  4 credits
  • CORE/Elective 3 credits
  • CORE/Elective 3 credits
  •                          SPRING

  • INTD 301 - Mercy Integrative Seminar  3 credits (Fall or Spring)
  • BIOL 3XX  Biology elective (300 level or higher) 4 credits
  • PHYS 1XX Physical Science  4 credits
  • CORE/Elective 3 credits
  • CORE/Elective 3 credits

Senior Year


Specialized Career Requirements


Students who would like to follow a specific career path should consider these additional courses:

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