Departments & Programs
Department of Biology
Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements
Degree Requirements
First-Year Experience Course
Beginning freshmen and transfer students with fewer than 19 credit hours are required to take SCI-I120 Windows on Science (1 cr.) or an equivalent first-year experience course.
Area Requirements
Area I English Composition and Communication Competency
See the School of Science requirements under “Undergraduate Programs” in this bulletin.
Written Communication (6 cr.)
ENG-W131 Reading, Writing and Inquiry (3 cr.)
The second semester of English composition may be satisfied with ENG-W270 (or ENG-W150), ENG-W231, ENG-W350, TCM 22000, TCM 32000 or ENG-W230.
Oral Communication (3 cr.)
COMM-R110 Fundamentals of Speech Communication (3 cr.)
Area II World Language Competency
No world language proficiency is required for a Bachelor of Science degree. However, knowledge of a world language is strongly recommended for any student planning to attend graduate school.
Area IIIA Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, and Cultural Understanding Competencies (12 cr.)
- 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.
- 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.
- One additional course from either List H or List S.
- 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.
For the most current list of courses in the areas of Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Understanding, please refer to the IUPUI General Education Curriculum.
Area IIIC Life and Physical Sciences Competency
Physics Two semesters of basic physics (PHYS-P201 / PHYS-P202 or PHYS 15200 / PHYS 25100).
Chemistry Two semesters of Principles of Chemistry with laboratories (CHEM-C105/CHEM-C125 3/2 cr.; CHEM-C106/CHEM-C126 3/2 cr.), two semesters of organic chemistry with laboratories (CHEM-C341/CHEM-C343 3/2 cr.; CHEM-C342/CHEM-C344 3/2 cr.), 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 Analytical Reasoning Competency
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 programming requirement may be satisfied with CSCI-N200, 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 general electives.
Area IV Biology Requirements
Required Core Sequence
- BIOL-K101 / BIOL-K103 Concepts of Biology I and II (BIOL-K102/BIOL-K104 Honors)
- BIOL-K322 Genetics and Molecular Biology
- BIOL-K324 Cell Biology
- BIOL-K341 Principles of Ecology and Evolution
Upper-Level Courses
- At least one lecture course from each of areas I and II listed below.
- Four laboratory courses beyond BIOL-K101 / BIOL-K103 selected from areas listed below. To receive credit for a laboratory course, an accompanying pre- or co-requisite lecture course must be completed with a minimum grade of C-. BIOL-K493 will count as one laboratory course only if BIOL-K490 is also taken.
- Capstone for the BS may be met with BIOL-K493 Independent Research (2 to 3 credit hours) and BIOL-K494 Senior Research Thesis (1 credit hour) or by taking the BIOL-K490 Capstone (1 credit hour). The BIOL-K493 / BIOL-K494 option will consist of the completion BIOL-K493 (research) and the preparation of a written report (BIOL-K494) 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. A student may complete BIOL-K493 in lieu of one of the required labs. If the student uses BIOL-K493 for a lab, they must complete BIOL-K490 for the capstone requirement.
- Electives consisting of sufficient BIOL-K 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 listed below.
- 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 required biology and chemistry courses. Transfer students may need additional 300-level hours.
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 advisor for information and additional course restrictions.
A minimum 2.00 GPA must be earned in BIOL-K courses; No grade lower than a C- allowed.
Once admitted, students are expected to complete their course requirements within the major at IUPUI.
Areas/Electives
I. Molecular/Cellular Area
- Undergraduate Level
- BIOL-K324 Cell Biology
- BIOL-K338 Introductory Immunology
- BIOL-K384 Biological Chemistry
- BIOL-K416 Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
- BIOL-K451 Neuropharmacology
- BIOL-K484 Cellular Biochemistry
- BIOL-K488 Endocrinology in Health and Disease
- Undergraduate and Graduate Level
- BIOL 50700 Principles of Molecular Biology
- BIOL 51600 Molecular Biology of Cancer
- BIOL 54410 Sensory Systems
- BIOL 55000 Plant Molecular Biology
- BIOL 55900 Endocrinology
- BIOL 56010 Neurodegenerative Diseases
- BIOL 56100 Immunology
- BIOL 56400 Molecular Genetics of Development
- BIOL 57410 Molecular and Cell Bone Biology
II. Organismal Area
- Undergraduate Level
- BIOL-K331 Developmental Biology
- BIOL-K350 Comparative Animal Physiology
- BIOL-K356 Microbiology
- BIOL-K411 Global Change Biology
- FIS 43000 Population Genetics (P: STAT 30100)
- Undergraduate and Graduate Level
- BIOL 55600 Physiology I
- BIOL 55700 Physiology II
Laboratory Courses (select 4)
- BIOL-K323 Genetics (BIOL-S323 Honors)
- BIOL-K325 Cell Biology (BIOL-S325 Honors)
- BIOL-K333 Developmental Biology
- BIOL-K339 Immunology
- BIOL-K342 Ecology
- BIOL-K357 Microbiology (BIOL-S357 Honors)
