Departments & Programs
Department of Biology
Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements
Degree Requirements
First-Year Experience Course
Beginning freshmen and transfer students with fewer than 18 credit hours are required to take SCI-I120 Windows on Science (1 cr.) or an equivalent first-year experience course.
Area I English Composition and Communication Skills
See the School of Science requirements under “Undergraduate Programs” in this bulletin. The second semester of English composition may be satisfied with ENG-W132 (or ENG-W150), ENG-W231, TCM 22000, or TCM 32000.
Area II Foreign Language
No foreign language proficiency is required for a Bachelor of Science degree. However, knowledge of a foreign language is strongly recommended for any student planning to attend graduate school.
Area IIIA Humanities, Social Sciences, and Comparative World Cultures (12 cr.)
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HIST H114 Western Civilization II or HIST-H109 Perspectives on the World: 1800-Present
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List H course: Choose one course (3cr.) from this list. The list of course choices is located under the School of Science requirements “Undergraduate Programs” in this bulletin.
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List S course: Choose one course (3cr.) from this list. The list of course choices is located under the School of Science requirements “Undergraduate Programs” in this bulletin.
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List C course: Choose one course (3cr.) from this list. The list of course choices is located under the School of Science requirements “Undergraduate Programs” in this bulletin.
Area IIIB Junior/Senior Integrator
The Junior/Senior Integrator requirement is suspended indefinitely as a School-level requirement. No junior/senior integrator course is required for biology majors.
Area IIIC Physical and Biological Sciences
Physics Two semesters of basic physics (PHYS-P201 / PHYS-P202 or PHYS 15200 / PHYS 25100).
Chemistry Two semesters of Principles of Chemistry (CHEM-C105/CHEM-C125 3/2 cr.; CHEM-C106/CHEM-C126 3/2 cr.), two semesters of organic chemistry with laboratories (CHEM-C341, CHEM-C342, CHEM-C343, CHEM-C344), plus prerequisite basic sequence or background to enter sequence above. (A course in analytical chemistry or biochemistry is also strongly recommended; determination should be made in consultation with departmental advisor.)
Area IIID Mathematical Sciences
Course work through two semesters of calculus (MATH 23100 / MATH 23200 or MATH 22100 / MATH 22200 or MATH 16500 / MATH 16600). Starting point to be worked out with departmental advisor based on the math placement test and/or background of the student. The computer science requirement may be satisfied with CSCI-N201, CSCI-N207, or CSCI-N211.
Note: Computer Science CSCI-N241 and CSCI-N299 do not count in Area IIID, but may count as a general elective.
Area IV Biology Requirements
Required Core Sequence
- BIOL-K101 / BIOL-K103 Concepts of Biology I and II
- BIOL-K322 Genetics and Molecular Biology
- BIOL-K341 Principles of Ecology and Evolution
Capstone; met by option A or B.
A. BIOL-K493 Independent Research; 2 cr. min., 3 cr. max. and
BIOL-K494 Senior Research Thesis
B. BIOL-K490 Capstone
Upper-Level Courses
A. At least one lecture course from each of areas I-III listed below.
B. Four laboratory/lecture courses beyond BIOL-K101 / BIOL-K103 selected from areas I-IV. To receive credit for a laboratory for which there is an accompanying pre- or co-requisite lecture, the lecture must be completed with a minimum grade of C-.
C. Capstone for the BS may be met with BIOL-K493 Independent Research (2 to 3 credit hours) and BIOL-K494 Senior Research Thesis or by taking the BIOL-K490 Capstone. The BIOL-K493 / BIOL-K494 option will consist of the completion BIOL-K493 and the preparation of a written report on the results of the research project. The title and nature of the BIOL-K493 / BIOL-K494 sequence is to be determined in consultation with the department research sponsor.
D. Electives consisting of sufficient lecture and laboratory course work to total 40 credit hours (including core sequence credit hours). These credits may be selected from any of the areas I-IV below.
E. Residency Credits. In order to graduate students must have a minimum of 32 credit hours at the 300 level or above at IUPUI. B.S. students usually fulfill the requirement with biology and chemistry courses. Transfer students may need additional 300 level hours.
Areas/Electives
I. Molecular Area
- Undergraduate Level
- BIOL-K338 Introductory Immunology
- BIOL-K339 Immunology Laboratory
- BIOL-K483 Biological Chemistry
- BIOL-K484 Cellular Biochemistry
- Undergraduate and Graduate Level
- BIOL 50700 Principles of Molecular Biology
- BIOL 51600 Molecular Biology of Cancer
- BIOL 53000 Introductory Virology
- BIOL 55000 Plant Molecular Biology
- BIOL 55900 Endocrinology
- BIOL 56100 Immunology
- BIOL 56400 Molecular Genetics of Development
- BIOL 57000 Biological Membranes
II. Cellular Area
- Undergraduate Level
- BIOL-K324 Cell Biology
- BIOL-K325 Cell Biology Laboratory
- BIOL-K356 Microbiology
- BIOL-K357 Microbiology Laboratory
- BIOL-K416 Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience
- Undergraduate and Graduate Level
- BIOL 56600 Developmental Biology
- BIOL 57100 Developmental Neurobiology
III. Organismal Area
- Undergraduate Level
- BIOL-K331 Embryology
- BIOL-K333 Embryology Laboratory
- BIOL-K350 Comparative Animal Physiology
- BIOL-K411 Global Change Biology
- Undergraduate and Graduate Level
- BIOL 55600 Physiology I
- BIOL 55700 Physiology II
IV. Biotechnology Electives
- Undergraduate Level
- BIOL-K493 Independent Research
- Undergraduate and Graduate Level
- BIOL 54000 Topics in Biotechnology
- BIOL 54800 Techniques in Biotechnology
- BIOL 56800 Regenerative Biology and Medicine
Additional laboratory courses for the B.S.
- BIOL-K323 Genetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory
- BIOL-K342 Principles of Ecology and Evolution Laboratory
A maximum of 20 credit hours of biology earned previously at other institutions is applicable toward the major for the B.S. degree.
Unless approved as part of the major, note that all courses taken outside the Schools of Science and Liberal Arts must receive approval from the student's major department and the School of Science Academic Dean's Office. Consult with your major department or the School of Science Academic Dean's Office for additional course restrictions.
Once admitted, students are expected to complete their course requirements within the major at IUPUI.