CEFNS Biological Sciences
Virtual Visit Request info Apply
MENUMENU
  • Degrees & programs
    • Undergraduate »
      • Biology, Bachelor of Science
      • Biomedical Science, Bachelor of Science
      • Secondary Education - Biology, Bachelor of Science in Education
      • Exercise Physiology, Bachelor of Science
      • Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Bachelor of Science
      • Microbiology, Bachelor of Science
      • Brewing and Fermentation Science, Undergraduate Certificate
      • Wildlife Ecology and Management, Undergraduate Certificate
      • Biology, Minor
    • Graduate »
      • Biology, Master of Science
      • Biology, Doctor of Philosophy
  • People
    • Faculty & staff
      • Directory
      • Emeritus and adjunct faculty
      • Faculty laboratories
    • Student groups
      • Alumni Association
      • Associated Students of Northern Arizona University
      • Biology Graduate Student Government Association
      • Graduate Student Government
      • Student clubs and organizations
  • Research
    • Centers
      • Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes
      • Center for Ecosystem Science and Society
      • Pathogen and Microbiome Institute
    • Labs and Facilities
      • Collections
      • Facilities
      • Faculty Labs
  • Resources
    • Undergraduate student resources
    • Graduate student resources
    • Department seminar series
  • Give
    • Benefits of giving
    • Partner with us
    • Give now
  • About
    • Mission & goals
    • News
    • Events
    • Contact us
  • NAU
  • CEFNS
  • Biological Sciences
  • BS Biology

Contact Biological Sciences

Email:
cefnsacademic​@nau.edu
Call:
928-523-2381
Get Application Information
  Course Offerings nau cefns student doing research in a field near sunset crater  Download Catalog Info (PDF) 


Biology, Bachelor of Science

This degree attracts students who are fascinated by the spectrum of biology, from the tiniest or simplest to the largest or most complex. Students may pursue a number of areas, including plants, animals, their evolution, physiology, or relationships.

  • Degree Info Tab Open

  • Requirements Tab Open

  • Overview Tab Closed

  • Details Tab Closed

  • Availability Tab Closed

Requirements Accordion Open

  • To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the general studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.

    • All of Northern Arizona University's general studies, junior-level writing, and capstone requirements.
    • All requirements for your specific academic plan(s).
    • At least 30 units of upper-division courses, which may include transfer work.
    • At least 30 units of coursework taken through Northern Arizona University, of which at least 18 must be upper-division courses (300-level or above). This requirement is not met by credit-by-exam, retro-credits, transfer coursework, etc.
    • A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on all work attempted at Northern Arizona University.

    The full policy can be viewed here.

Overview Accordion Closed

In addition to University Requirements:

  • 72 - 77 units units of major requirements.
  • Students may transfer up to 75 units of credit from an accredited community college.
  • Up to 9 units of major prefix courses may be used to satisfy General Studies Requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy major requirements.
  • Elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Minimum Units for Completion120
Major GPAC
Highest Mathematics RequiredMAT 125
Fieldwork Experience/InternshipOptional
ResearchOptional
University Honors ProgramOptional
AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-ARecommended
Progression Plan LinkView Progression Plan

Purpose Statement

The Bachelor of Science degree in Biology is for students who are fascinated by the wonders of life, from the smallest microorganisms to the complexities of ecosystems, unraveling the mysteries of genetics, ecology, and the intricate workings of living organisms.

Our BS in Biology students use hands-on learning to explore the diversity of life, contribute to scientific discoveries, and address global challenges. This major offers a modern, balanced, and comprehensive treatment of biology, emphasizing critical information analysis and integration among its sub-disciplines. Students begin by taking foundational courses that address fundamental biological concepts such as cellular and molecular processes, genetics and inheritance, and ecological and evolutionary theory. After completing the foundation courses, students tailor their degree plans to match their interests in areas of physiology, evolution, ecological systems, genetics, or cell theory.

Students seeking research opportunities can engage with our biological research faculty and/or our associated research center - Center for Adaptive Western Landscapes, Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, and the Pathogen and Microbiome Institutes.

Our BS in Biology graduates attain high-level scientific inquiry skills and have endless career opportunities in graduate school, healthcare, research, education, conservation, government agencies, environmental science, or biotechnology. This degree encourages your curiosity to grow as it plunges you into the world of biology.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Identify, describe, and apply the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, and empirical findings in biology using the fundamental principles of the natural sciences including:
    • The basic molecular and cellular units of structure that define all living things.
    • The limits and processes of biological systems as they operate through chemical transformations and energy flow in biological systems.
    • The theory of evolution and how the diversity of life has evolved and is evolving via four population genetic mechanisms (mutation, migration, selection, drift).
    • The molecular, genetic, and environmental bases of variation and how the phenotype of an organism is controlled by its genotype and environment.
    • The fundamental principles of biological science operating at the molecular, cellular, organismal, population, and ecosystem levels (e.g., central dogma, inheritance, energy flow, diversity of life).
    • Identify the ethics and responsibilities of working with living organisms.
  • Apply scientific and quantitative reasoning in data interpretation and analysis of biological data by:
    • Applying the scientific method, inquiry, and discovery to the study of living systems.
    • Apply methods for collecting, statistically analyzing, and interpreting scientific data with application to problems in biology.
    • Applying quantitative reasoning (e.g., arithmetic algebraic methods or statistical analyses) to biology and related natural sciences  
    • Applying and interpreting basic statistical methods and graphically presenting scientific data to communicate scientific findings.
    • Understanding the difference between ethical and unethical conduct of research.
  • Effectively communicate evidence-based findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
    • Interpret primary scientific literature in biological sciences.
    • Find and evaluate primary sources, assessing the quality of information, the source's credibility, and the ethical practices of the research conducted.
    • Synthesize empirical findings in biology, and communicate the findings through collaboration, writing, and oral presentation.
    • Understand and apply ethical practices in communicating science by giving appropriate credit to the work of other scholars via in-text citations and reference lists.
  • Synthesize fundamental concepts, apply core knowledge, and conduct civil discourse in Biology as it relates to organisms, habitats, ecosystems, or human health questions.
    • Apply depth of biological knowledge by applying core concepts to new contexts or problems in conservation, climate change, natural resource management, forestry, agriculture, or human/animal health.
    • Apply biological principles and demonstrate the ability to interpret data in evaluating the strength of evidence and conclusions.
    • Apply the unifying concept of evolution to explain patterns and processes in biological systems.
    • Synthesize foundational knowledge of ethics to evaluate responsible conduct in research as it pertains to the collection and curation of data, use of living organisms, use of natural and cultural resources, or dissemination of results in biological sciences.

Details Accordion Closed

Transfer Block
    • Students may transfer up to 75 units of credit from an accredited community college.
Major Requirements
  • This major requires 72 - 77 units distributed as follows:

    • Biology and Biology-Related Coursework: 44 - 45 units
    • Math and Science Coursework: 28 - 32 units

    Take the following 72 - 77 units including 44 - 45 units of Biology and Biology-related courses. All courses must be completed with a Grade of 'C' or better:
  • Biology and Biology-Related Coursework (44 - 45 units)

    • BIO 181, BIO 181L, BIO 182, BIO 182L, BIO 244 (11 units)
    • Select from the following (4 units):   
      • BIO 205 and BIO 205L 
      • BIO 221 
      • BIO 226 and BIO 226L 
      • BIO 322 and BIO 322L 
      • BIO 323 and BIO 323L 
      • BIO 325 and BIO 325L 
      • BIO 384 and BIO 384L 
    • BIO 365W (3 units)
    • Select from the following which meet the senior capstone requirement (3 - 4 units): 
      • BIO 401C, BIO 412C, BIO 420C, BIO 426C, BIO 432C, BIO 433C, BIO 435C, BIO 444C, BIO 451C, BIO 452C, BIO 454C, BIO 462C, BIO 465C, BIO 471C, BIO 485C, BIO 488C
    • Select additional coursework from the following (23 units):
      • Any BIO courses except BIO 100, BIO 100L, BIO 310, or any BIO recitation (R)
      • Up to 3 units of BIO 300
      • Up to 6 units from BIO 408, BIO 485, BIO 488C, BIO 497, BIO 498
      • Select up to 6 units of non-BIO prefix courses from the following (6 units):
        • AIS 450
        • ANT 271, ANT 370
        • CHM 440, CHM 461, CHM 462C
        • ENV 440, ENV 440L
        • FOR 240
        • GLG 107
        • GLG 225 and GLG 225L
        • HON 491C - Calderwood Seminar: Ease and Disease
        • HON 491C - Topics in Biology
        • NTS 356
        • PHI 332
        • PSY 350, PSY 355
        • SOC 318
        • STA 471
  • Math and Science Coursework (28 - 32 units)

    • Basic chemistry sequence (9 units):
      • CHM 151, CHM 151L, CHM 152, CHM 152L
    • Biochemistry Coursework - Select from the following (3 units):
      • CHM 360, CHM 461
    • Organic Chemistry Sequence - Select from the following (4 - 5 units):
      • CHM 230, CHM 230L (4 units)
      • CHM 235, CHM 235L (5 units)
        • If choosing to complete this sequence, then CHM 238 (3 units) is recommended.
    • Select one of the following math combinations (4 - 7 units):
      • MAT 125 and STA 270 (7 units)
      • MAT 125 and PSY 230 (7 units)
      • MAT 136 (4 units)
    • Physics sequence - Select from the following (8 units):
      • PHY 111 and PHY 112
      • PHY 161, PHY 262, and PHY 262L
        • If choosing to complete this sequence, then PHY 263 (3 units) is recommended.


    All prerequisite coursework must be completed with a Grade of "C" or better.

  • Students enrolled in this plan may not enroll in or pursue the following due to the number of overlapping units:

    • Biomedical Science, BS
    • Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, BS
    • Exercise Physiology, BS
    • Microbiology, BS
General Electives
  • Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.

    You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or General Studies Requirements.

    We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.

Additional Information
  • Some courses may have prerequisites. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

Availability Accordion Closed

  • Flagstaff
  • Scottsdale Cmty Coll

Biological Sciences
Location
Room 227 Building 21
Biological Sciences
617 S Beaver
Flagstaff, Arizona 86011
Mailing Address
PO Box 5640
Flagstaff, Arizona 86011
Contact Form
Email
biology@nau.edu
Phone
928-523-2381
Social Media
Facebook