The Bachelor of Science degree in Biological and Physical Sciences centers on a traditional core of courses in the natural sciences. Through academic advising and proper course selection, students may choose a curriculum that is uniquely suited to their specific needs in the biological and physical sciences. Students may follow a very specific curriculum or they may elect to pursue a more general science education. Graduates of the program are prepared to continue their education at the graduate level of certain disciplines or to enter a health-related profession such as physical therapy or occupational therapy. They may also choose to follow the track in environmental and earth sciences.

Basic Degree Requirement

1.  Students must complete a minimum of 120 credit hours with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.

2.  Entering freshmen must take HSS-A 101 Student Success Seminar (1 cr.) 

3.  General Education. Students must complete all of the requirements of the Indiana University Kokomo campus-wide general education curriculum.

4.  All School of Sciences students must complete ENG-W 221 Writing in the Disciplines (3 cr.)

5.  Mathematics and Informatics. Students must take MATH-K 310 Statistical Techniques (3 cr.), MATH-M 215 Calculus I (5 cr.), and INFO-I 101 Introduction to Informatics (4 cr.). CSCI-C 106 (3 cr.) can replace INFO-I 101.

General Principle: To achieve a well-rounded education in biological and physical sciences, students must take 200-level and above courses from at least three of the four core disciplines in the natural sciences (biology, chemistry, geology/physical geography, physics).

Foundational Courses in Natural Sciences (25 cr.): Students must complete the two-semester foundational sequences in biology [BIOL-L 121 (5 cr.) and BIOL-L 122 (5 cr.)] and chemistry [CHEM-C 105/125 (5 cr.) and CHEM-C 106/126 (5 cr.)]. PHYS-P 201 (5 cr.) is also required.

Core Courses in Natural Sciences (40 cr. at the 200-/300-/400-level): Students must take an additional 40 cr. (excluding PHYS-P 201) of natural sciences courses with a minimum of 30 cr. at the 300-/400-level. Of those 40 cr., a minimum of 8 cr. of chemistry and/or physics courses is required.

At the 300-/400-level, at least two courses with a lab (4-5 cr. each) must be selected from any of the natural sciences core areas. At least two lab courses must be in-person.

Students must also take two of the following: a capstone course (BIOL-L 403 or CHEM-C 495), a research course (3 cr.), and/or an internship course (3 cr.). Consult with an advisor or with the School of Sciences for a complete list of eligible courses.

6.  30 of the last 60 credit hours at Indiana University Kokomo.

7.  Students enrolled in this degree shall complete no more than 75% of their program requirements through online courses.

Earth and Sustainability Sciences Track Specific Requirement (in addition to the basic degree requirement)

1.  Biology Courses (8-10 cr.):

• BIOL-L 473/474 Ecology and Lab in Ecology (5 cr.)
• Biology elective (3-5 cr.)

2.  Chemistry and Sustainability Courses (6 cr.):

• CHEM-C 300 Energy and Green Chemistry - A Natural Science Perspective (3-4 cr.)
• SUST-S 305 Topics in Environmental Chemistry (3 cr.)

3.  Geology Courses (23 cr.):

• GEOG-G 107 Physical Systems of the Environment (3 cr.) 
• GEOG-G 315 Environmental Conversation (3 cr.)
• GEOL-G 100 General Geology (5 cr.) or
  • GEOL-G 133 Geology of the United States (5 cr.)
• GEOL-G 300 Environment and Urban Geology (3 cr.)
• GEOL-G 400 Energy: Sources and Needs (3 cr.)
• GEOL-T 312 Geology of Indiana (3 cr.)
• SUST-C 301 Foundations of Sustainability (3 cr.)

4.  Physics courses (5-8 cr.):

• PHYS-P 201 General Physics or PHYS-P 221 Physics I (5 cr.)
• PHYS-P 310 Environmental Physics (3 cr.) is recommended. 

5.  Capstone, research course, or internship (min 6 cr.). Choose two courses, one internship, or one capstone:

• BIOL-L 403 Biology Seminar (3 cr.) 
• BIOL-L 490 Individual Study (1-12 cr.)
• CHEM-C 409 Chemical Research (1-3 cr.)
• CHEM-C 495 Capstone in Chemistry (1-3 cr.)
• GEOL-G 410 Undergraduate Research in Geology (1-6 cr.)
• GEOL-G 440 Professional Practice in Geosciences (1-6 cr.)
• SUST-S 491 Internship in Sustainability (3 cr.)

6.  Management and Economics Courses (9 cr.): Choose 2 courses (6 cr.) from the following list:

• BUS-A 201 Introduction to Financial Accounting (3 cr.)
• BUS-Z 302 Managing and Behavior in Organizations (3 cr.)
• PAHM-V 263 Public Management (3 cr.)
• PAHM-V 264 Urban Structure and Policy (3 cr.)
• PAHM-V 348 Introduction to Government Accounting and Financial Reporting (3 cr.)
• Choose 1 course (3 cr.) from the following list:
  • ECON-E 200 Fundamentals of Economics (3 cr.)
  • ECON-E 201 Introduction to Microeconomics (3 cr.)
  • ECON-E 202 Introduction to Macroeconomics (3 cr.)

7.  Science electives (to complete 120 cr.):

• BIOL-L 203 Evolution and Diversity of Life (3 cr.)
• BIOL-L 345 Vertebrate Biology (3 cr.)
• BIOL-L 350 Environmental Biology (3 cr.)
• BIOL-L 379 Principles of Ornithology (3 cr.)
• BIOL-L 465 Advanced Field Biology (3 cr.)
• CHEM-C 310/311 Analytical Chemistry and Lab (5 cr.)
• CHEM-C 341/343 Organic Chemistry I and Lab (5 cr.)
• GEOL-T 326 Geology of Mineral Resources (3 cr.)
• MICR-M 320 Environmental and Public Health Microbiology (3 cr.)
• PHYS-P 310 Environmental Physics (3 cr.)
• PLSC-B 364 Summer Flowering Plants (5 cr.)

Pre-Chiropractic, Pre-Clinical Lab Science, Pre-Cytotechnology, Pre-Nuclear Medicine Technology, Pre-Radiation Therapy

Students interested in these programs should enroll in the B.S. in Biological and Physical Sciences at IU Kokomo. By selecting appropriate elective courses, students can then complete the admission requirements for these degree programs available on other campuses. Students are advised to consult with their academic advisors, faculty members, and appropriate program websites regarding admission requirements including courses, required grades and other admission requirements.  

For Pre-Chiropractic, IU Kokomo has a 3+3 articulation agreement with Logan University (College of Chiropractic). Under the provisions of this program, a "3+3 Program" student will matriculate at IU Kokomo with a B.S. degree in Biological and Physical Sciences with a minimum of 91-94 credit hours in coursework at IU Kokomo and a minimum of 31 credit hours in coursework at Logan University. Details are below.

Required Coursework to fullfill General Education (min. 29 cr.):

• ENG-W 131 Elementary Composition I (3 cr.)
• ENG-W 221 Sophomore Writing Lab (3 cr.)
• SPCH-S 121 Public Speaking (3 cr.)
• SOC-S 100 and PSY-P 103 (Mandatory) (Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing) (6 cr.) Humanistic and Artistic Ways of Knowing (6 cr.)
• MATH-M 215 Calculus I (5 cr.)
• MATH-K310 Statistics Techniques (3 cr.)

Required Coursework to fulfill Major Compentencies (62-65 cr.)

• BIOL-L121 Biology 1 (5 cr.)
• BIOL-L122 Biology 2 (5 cr.)
• BIOL-L 203 Evolution & Diversity of Life (3 cr.)
• PHSL-P 416/418 Comparative Animal Physiology (5 cr.)
• MICR-M 310/M315 Microbiology/Lab (5 cr.) OR BIOL-L367 Cell Physiology (3 cr.)
• BIOL-L 321 Human Immunology (3 cr.)
• BIOL-L 345 Vertebrate Biology (3 cr.)
• BIOL-L 364 Principles of Genetics (3 cr.)
• BIOL-L 403 Biology Seminar (3 cr.)
• CHEM-C 105/C 125 General Chemistry I/Lab (5 cr.)
• CHEM-C 106/C 126 General Chemistry II/Lab (5 cr.)
• CHEM-C 341/C 343 Organic Chemistry I/Lab (5 cr.)
• CHEM-C 342/C 344 Organic Chemistry II/Lab (5 cr.)
• PHYS-P 201 General Physics I (5 cr.)
• PHYS-P 202 General Physics II (5 cr.)

For every subject required by Logan (either offered by IU Kokomo or by Logan) no grade below a 2.00 on a 4.00 scale will be accepted for credit in this articulate program.  In addition, all “3 + 3 Program” students must have earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75 on a scale of 4.00 for the 91-94 credit hours at IU Kokomo.