Department of Biological Sciences

Overview

In addition to University Requirements:

• Complete individual plan requirements.

Please note that you may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

No more than 50% of the units used to satisfy minor requirements may be used to satisfy major requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to communicate scientific information effectively in written and oral forms (including using standard practices in scientific writing), addressing basic biological concepts encompassing a range of sub-disciplines within the field of biology.
• Students will be able to apply the scientific method as a demonstration that they understand the basic paradigm of scientific inquiry as it relates to general biological problems.
• Students will be able to describe fundamental principles of biology e.g., central dogma, diversity of life, inheritance.
• Students will understand that evolution is the central principle uniting the field of biology, and apply the theory of evolution to explain diverse biological phenomena spanning molecular to organismal biology.
• Students will be able to access and interrogate the primary scientific literature in the biological sciences.
• Students will be able to synthesize material from across a biological sub-discipline and apply this to advanced-level course material (i.e., a Capstone experience); specifically, students will draw from their learning experiences in the fields of ecology, evolution, behavior, physiology, systematics, etc as related to the topic of their capstone course.
• Students will develop an appreciation for the interdisciplinary role of science as applied to human and environmental challenges across both local and global scales.