Biology, B.S.

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Minimum number of hours for the degree: 120

Admission to the major: Grade of C or better in BIO 202 and good academic standing in the College of Science

Minimum hours required for major: 71

Minimum hours required for minor: 16

Special programs: Honors program, Pre-Professional program (medicine, dentistry, veterinary science), B.S. Biology - Medical Technology program, 4+1 B.S./M.S., Secondary Teacher Licensure program.

Required Grade-Point Average: To qualify for graduation, all Biology majors must have a cumulative GPA of not less than 2.00 across all CSU biology courses used to fulfill the major-field requirements. This is in addition to the university requirement of a cumulative GPA of not less than 2.00. Check the University Regulations section of this catalog to determine how a GPA is calculated.

Suggested Freshman Program: To minimize the time needed to complete the major-field requirements, academically proficient students are advised to complete the Introductory Biology (BIO 200 /BIO 201 and BIO 202 /BIO 203 ) and the General Chemistry (CHM 261 /CHM 266 and CHM 262 /CHM 267 ) sequences in their first year.

Requirements of the College of Sciences and Health Professions: A minimum of 120 credit hours is required for a degree, of which 42 semester credit hours must be earned in 300- and/or 400-level courses.

Major-Field Requirements

Bachelor of Science (General Requirements)

Biology Core Courses (25 credit hours)

BIO 200 - Introductory Biology I
BIO 201 - Introductory Biology Laboratory I
BIO 202 - Introductory Biology II
BIO 203 - Introductory Biology Laboratory II
BIO 495 - Seminar (Fulfills the WAC in the major General Education requirement)
BIO 499 - Exit Evaluation

GROUP A - Two of the following three courses with labs*

GROUP B - Two of the following three courses with labs*

BIO 306 - Biochemistry (Note: If this course is used to fulfill the Group B requirement, 20 elective hours are required.)
BIO 308 - Cell Biology and
BIO 309 - Cell Biology Laboratory
BIO 310 - Genetics and
BIO 311 - Genetics Recitation

Biology Electives (19-20 credit hours)

Note: Students who use BIO 306 in Group B will be required to complete 20 credit hours of electives.

*BIO courses numbered 300 to 311 and not used as Group A or Group B can be used as biology electives.

Both BIO 390 and BIO 391 may be used once as a biology elective course.

Select from all biology courses numbered 401 to 497, with three restrictions

Only one course numbered 402 to 497 that does not have a 300-level course as a prerequisite may be used as a biology elective;
A maximum of 8 credits of : BIO 496  and BIO 497  may be used as biology electives. A maximum of 12 credits of
BIO 493
  and
BIO 494
  may be used as biology electives.
BIO 495 does not count as an elective the first time taken.

A maximum of nine credits from the following list of courses may be used as Biology electives.

Chemistry Courses (13 credit hours)

Math / Quantitative Literacy Requirement (6 to 8 credit hours)

Students must complete one of the sequences listed below

Calculus Sequence

Statistcs Sequence

Statistics / Calculus Sequence

Physics Courses (8 credit hours)

Preferred Sequence
PHY 231 - College Physics I - BioMedical Applications
PHY 232 - College Physics II - Biomedical Applications
Alternate Sequences
PHY 221 - College Physics I
PHY 222 - College Physics II
Or
PHY 241 - University Physics I
PHY 242 - University Physics II

Specific Tracks in the Bachelor of Science Program

Pre-Professional Studies

The curriculum for the Biology major provides students with the knowledge to take the aptitude tests required for admission by most professional schools. A suggested program of study for premedical students might consist of the following courses:

All the specified courses (biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics) for the B.S. in Biology, including BIO 306 and BIO 308 /BIO 309 .

Suggested Biology Electives

Additional course required by medical schools

CHM 332 - Organic Chemistry II and either
CHM 337 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
or
CHM 338 - R.E.E.L. Organic Chemistry Laboratory

Suggested Additional Courses:

Economics - one course
Psychology - one course

Note(s)

The COSHP pre-professional adviser coordinates a seminar program for all students at which representatives from professional schools (medical, dental, veterinary, etc.) discuss their program’s admission requirements and procedures. Contact the COSHP pre-professional adviser at 216-687-9321 for an advising appointment and check the Pre-Professional Programs website (http://www.csuohio.edu/sciences/preprof/index.html) for the seminar schedule.

A Post-baccalaureate Program is available to individuals with a bachelor’s degree who lack the minimal science requirements for graduate or professional schools. Pre-professional applicants should contact the COSHP advising center at 216-687-9321; applicants interested in graduate study in one of the BGES programs should contact the BGES graduate program director 216-687-2440.

B.S. Biology - Medical Technology

The Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences offers a program in medical technology that leads to a B.S. degree with a major in Biology. Students interested in the Medical Technology Program should contact the undergraduate adviser for biology at 216-687-2440 or bges@csuohio.edu. Students enrolling in the Medical Technology Program have two options available to them.

Option I (3 + 1)

Option I consists of three years of study at Cleveland State University followed by one year of clinical laboratory training in an affiliated school of medical technology. Students do not enroll at Cleveland State University during their year of clinical training, they enroll at the school of medical technology (note – this means that students are not eligible for financial aid from Cleveland State during this clinical year). After completion of the clinical training, 32 semester credits are transferred from the school of medical technology to Cleveland State University and are counted toward the B.S. degree. The letter grades earned during the internship appear on the student’s records, but are not included in the computation of the grade-point average. Students enrolling in Option I must complete the following courses:

Mathematics and Physical Science Courses (16 credit hours)

One Statistics I and one Statistics II course

Option II (4 + 1)

Option II consists of the successful completion of the B.S. degree with a major in Medical Technology prior to enrolling in an approved school of medical technology. This option is recommended for students who desire flexibility in training program choice, and increased options for career choice and career development. Students enrolling in Option II must complete all of the Option I courses plus 12 additional credit hours from the following list of courses. A maximum of 6 credits may be obtained from the Chemistry courses listed below.

Notes

Regardless of the route and option selected, students subsequently must be accepted into a school of medical technology approved by the Council on Medical Education for the American Medical Association in collaboration with the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences as part of the requirement for taking the certifying examination in medical technology. Following satisfactory completion of their clinical training program, students are eligible to take the national certifying examination of the Registry of Medical Technologists (American Society of Clinical Pathologists) or of the National Certification Agency for Medical Laboratory Personnel.

Biology with Secondary Teacher Licensure

The CSUteach Program offers an integrated science license. This licensure programs require coursework from the College of Science and the College of Education and Human Services. Contact the CSUteach Program for education courses required for undergraduate and Post-Baccalaureate Secondary Teacher Licensure programs (216-687-3709 or JH 345).

BS in Biology, Integrated Science Licensure, Grades 7-12

Biology Courses (35 credit hours)

Environmental Science Courses (11 credit hours)

Chemistry Courses (16 credit hours)

Mathematics Courses (8 credit hours)

Physics Courses (13 credit hours)

Note:

Students will also need to complete additional CSUteach education courses. Please see the College of Education, CSUteach program catalog for details.

Biology Honors Program

The Honors Program requires 3-5 credit hours of honors research (BIO 491), presentation of the work at a venue outside the department, and a successful oral defense of the written thesis (BIO 492, 3 credits). Honors Program course credits count as Biology elective credits up to a maximum of 8 credits.

Honors students will undertake research in a supervising faculty member’s laboratory on a project approved by the faculty member and by the Honors Program Committee. The research must be spread across at least two semesters. A written report on the research project must be defended before a three-person faculty review committee. To remain in the program the student must sustain the grade-point averages required for admission to the program, as well as the approval of the faculty member supervising the student’s honors research.

Biology for University Scholars

University scholars who are Biology majors are required to perform 8 credits of specialized coursework within the upper division electives required for their degree. Scholars who qualify for the departmental honors program and obtain a faculty mentor may satisfy this requirement by completing the Biology or EVS Honors Program. Alternatively, they fulfill this requirement by taking 8 credits of any combination of BIO 496 Independent Study, BIO 497 Independent Research, or 300 or 400 level BIO courses taken as a “contract” course. All of these require the prior agreement of the course’s instructor. A course becomes a contract course if, before the course begins, the student makes an agreement with the course instructor to prepare extra topical assignments related to the course. Students may link this assignment in the contract course with enrollment in BIO 391, which is a WAC course in the major field of study thereby satisfying this general education requirement.

Requirements for University Scholars majoring in Biology

Fulfill the requirements for the biology honors program OR
8 credits of the following courses:

BIO 496 Independent Study in Biology
BIO 497 Independent Research in Biology
Upper level BIO courses (300 level or 400 level) as a “contract course”, with additional exercise, library research and writing under the supervision of the course instructor.