| Degree: | Bachelor of Science B.S. |
| Specializations: | General Biology Pre-Professional |
| Minor: | Biology |
| Certificates: | Evolutionary Biology Fisheries and Aquacultures Molecular Science Physiology Plant Science |
| Department: | Building 58, Room 79 850-474-2748 http://uwf.edu/biology/ |
| College: | Arts and Sciences |
| Semester Hours Required For Degree: 120 | |
Technological breakthroughs in areas such as biochemistry, botany, ecology, genetics, microbiology, molecular biology, and physiology are being used to solve problems in agriculture, environmental toxicology, forestry, medicine, public health, and the pharmaceutical industry. The Department of Biology focuses on areas of modern biology and biotechnology offering the degree in two specializations: General Biology and Pre-Professional Biology. The specializations include a series of five core courses fundamental to all areas of biology.
Graduates are prepared to gain employment in industry, government, health professions, and research laboratories or to pursue advanced degrees in the biological sciences, professional schools (medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, veterinary), and public health. Prospective students need to be aware that some biology lab courses involve the use of live animals. Students may wish to seek details from course instructors before enrolling.
In addition to the university’s general requirements, students seeking the B.S. in Biology must meet the requirements listed below.
A grade of “C” or better is required in each of the five biology core courses. Consult with your academic advisor for courses that may satisfy both the General Studies requirements and common prerequisites.
Biology majors should satisfy the mathematics (6 sh) and science (7 sh) components of General Studies with course work taken from the common prerequisites shown below.
In addition to the general studies requirements listed on this page, students must satisfy all additional University requirements, including the Gordon Rule, multicultural, and foreign language requirements. With appropriate planning and coordination with an academic advisor, students may satisfy some of the general University requirements through the General Studies curriculum. For a complete listing of general degree requirements, refer to the "Graduation and General Degree Requirements" section of this catalog.
General Studies Curriculum:
| Communication | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mathematics | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Social Sciences | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Humanities | 8-9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Natural Sciences | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Total Semester Hours: | 36-37 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
State mandated common prerequisites must be completed prior to graduation, but are not required for admission to the program. See the Common Prerequisite Manual for course substitutions from Florida colleges and universities.
Graduation requirements for the B.S. degree in Biology include the successful completion of the common prerequisites. Because it will be difficult to incorporate all prerequisites into the 60 sh Lower Division Curriculum, students are advised to complete the following common prerequisites.
| CHM 2045+L | General Chemistry I (+Lab) * | 4 |
| CHM 2046+L | General Chemistry II (+Lab) * | 4 |
| MAC 2311 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus I * | 4 |
| PCB 2131+L | Cell Biology (+Lab) * | 4 |
| STA 2023 | Elements of Statistics * | 3 |
| Choose one of the following: | 4 | |
| General Botany (+Lab) * | ||
| General Zoology (+Lab) * | ||
| Choose one option from the following: | 8 | |
| Option 1 | ||
| Organic Chemistry I (+Lab) | ||
| Organic Chemistry II (+Lab) | ||
| Option 2 (Preferred Option) | ||
| General Physics I (+Lab) * | ||
| General Physics II (+Lab) * | ||
| Total Hours | 31 | |
| * | Indicates common prerequisites which can be used to satisfy General Studies requirements. |
| STA 4173 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Bioinformatics | ||
| Programming Using Visual Basic for Non-Majors | ||
| Students must take two of the following that were not completed as part of the Common Prerequisites in the lower division: | 8 | |
| General Botany (+Lab) | ||
| Organic Chemistry I (+Lab) | ||
| General Physics I (+Lab) | ||
| General Zoology (+Lab) | ||
| Total Hours | 14 | |
| Students must complete sufficient 1000/2000 level electives to satisfy at least 60 sh in the lower division. Current UWF students may use elective courses at any level (1000-4000) to meet this elective requirement. | 0-6 | |
| Total Hours | 0-6 | |
| BCH 3033+L | Biochemistry I (+Lab) | 4 |
| BCH 3034 | Biochemistry II | 3 |
| MCB 3020+L | Microbiology (+Lab) | 4 |
| PCB 3063+L | Genetics (+Lab) | 4 |
| PCB 4043+L | Ecology (+Lab) | 4 |
| Total Hours | 19 | |
| Choose one of the following: | 4 | |
| Plant Physiology (+Lab) | ||
| Comparative Animal Physiology I (+Lab) | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 4 | |
| Plant Developmental Biology (+Lab) | ||
| Developmental Biology (+Lab) | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 4 | |
| Plant Biotechnology (+Lab) | ||
| Molecular Biology (+Lab) | ||
| Total Hours | 12 | |
| 3000/4000 level Biology electives | 14 | |
| Total Hours | 14 | |
Up to 2 sh of directed study credit may be applied to electives. Students must confer with advisor when selecting electives.
The sub-core may include any upper division course in biology, except ZOO 3733. At least two upper division botany courses must be included in the program.
Paul Nash, PhD- Pre-Health Advisor, Health Advisory Committee Chair
Assistant Professor
Biology
850.474.2649
pnash@uwf.edu
Kristina Behan, PhD, Health Advisory Committee
Associate Professor
Director, Clinical Lab Sciences
(850) 474.3060
kbehan@uwf.edu
Ted Fox, PhD, AED Faculty Advisor
Health Advisory Committee
Associate Professor
Biology
850.474.2754
tfox@uwf.edu
Pamela Tanner, PhD, Health Advisory Committee
Instructor
Chemistry
(850) 857.6363
ptanner@uwf.edu
Angela Hahn, PhD, Health Sciences & MSA/Biomedical Pharmaceutical Advisor
Adjunct Professor
(850) 474.2650
ahahn@uwf.edu
George Stewart, PhD, Director, School of Allied Health and Life Sciences and Chair of Biology
Professor
850.473.7226
gstewart@uwf.edu
Steve Celestial, Biology Advisor
850.474.2885
scelestial@uwf.edu
The number of students applying for professional training in fields such as medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, podiatry, pharmacy, and physical therapy always exceeds the number of positions available. Therefore, competition for these positions is very intensive. Students from Florida primarily apply to in-state professional schools. They must have outstanding credentials to receive serious consideration at public institutions out-of-state. Private out-of-state institutions are somewhat more receptive. Foreign professional schools should be considered with extreme caution.
Professional schools are interested in a student’s academic training and accomplishments as measured by the student’s transcripts. The most successful applicants are full-time students (minimum of 12 sh per semester) with a minimum cumulative GPA above 3.5 during the three or four semesters immediately preceding application. It makes little difference as to the student’s major, although most pre-professional students at UWF select a specialization in biology or chemistry. Criteria to be considered in selecting a major are as follows:
Professional schools require at the minimum:
Most schools have additional requirements. Courses in anatomy, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology, computer techniques, developmental biology, genetics, microbiology, physical chemistry, physiology, psychology, and statistics are also useful and often required. However, a student could major in history, for example, and use electives as a means to complete the entrance requirements. The exact program for each student will depend upon background and interests.
A speech course and two courses in animal science are required for admission to veterinary medicine. UWF students generally meet these requirements by registering at the University of Florida as transient students during a summer semester.
Pharmacy and physical therapy schools require at least two years of college which include the above required courses. The other professional schools prefer a bachelor’s degree.
Professional training is essentially advanced training in biology. The emphasis on mathematics, physics, and chemistry, as much as biology, facilitates understanding of advanced work. Transfer students should have backgrounds in these four science areas. They also should have 12 sh in the humanities, including English composition, and 12 sh in social sciences, such as psychology and history. College algebra with trigonometry, general chemistry, elementary biology, and zoology or botany are prerequisites for the upper-division science courses.
The formal process of applying for admission to professional schools generally begins in the spring of the calendar year prior to the anticipated enrollment. As appropriate, a student takes the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT); the Dental Aptitude Test (DAT); the Optometry Aptitude Test (OAT); the Graduate Record Examination (GRE); or other pre-professional examination. It is necessary to have completed almost all prerequisites by that time. The examinations may be taken at other times, but the decision should be discussed with an advisor.
Applications are completed and submitted to the schools or to application services such as the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) or the Association of American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) during the summer and early fall. Evaluations are submitted by the faculty at that time and students seek interviews from the professional schools which require them. Decisions generally are announced during the January-to-March period.
Students enrolled at UWF who intend to apply for admission to professional schools such as medical, dental, optometry, pediatric medicine or schools of veterinary medicine generally utilize the services of the Health Advisory Committee.
The Health Advisory Committee provides on-going advice (regardless of the student’s major), direct contact with the professional schools, brochures, applications, and other materials of interest to such students. The committee arranges visits of admissions officers from various schools and provides a means of introducing students to local practitioners.
During the application process, candidates for admission to professional schools usually are asked to provide a letter of recommendation from a faculty committee. The Health Advisory Committee serves this function. On request, the Committee will schedule an interview with the candidate. This interview serves three purposes:
| BCH 3033+L | Biochemistry I (+Lab) | 4 |
| BCH 3034 | Biochemistry II | 3 |
| MCB 3020+L | Microbiology (+Lab) | 4 |
| PCB 3063+L | Genetics (+Lab) | 4 |
| PCB 4043+L | Ecology (+Lab) | 4 |
| Total Hours | 19 | |
| PCB 3253+L | Developmental Biology (+Lab) | 4 |
| PCB 4723+L | Comparative Animal Physiology I (+Lab) | 4 |
| Choose one of the following: | 4 | |
| Plant Biotechnology (+Lab) | ||
| Molecular Biology (+Lab) | ||
| Total Hours | 12 | |
| Electives chosen with advisor (the following are recommended): | 11 | |
| Pathophysiology | ||
| Epidemiology of Infectious Disease | ||
| Hematology I (+Lab) | ||
| Medical Microbiology (+Lab) | ||
| Clinical Chemistry I (+Lab) | ||
| Clinical Chemistry II (+Lab) | ||
| Human Genetics | ||
| Immunology (+Lab) | ||
| Molecular Genetics (+Lab) | ||
| Genetic Engineering | ||
Directed Study (2 hours max) | ||
| Students must take one of the following courses that was not completed as part of the Common Prerequisites or Major-Related: | 4 | |
| General Physics II (+Lab) | ||
| Organic Chemistry II (+Lab) * | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | |
| * | Required for Pre-Vet students; may be required for some Pre-Med students - See Advisor |
The Minor in Biology may be earned with the completion of 20 sh and is available for students in a wide variety of majors. It provides the opportunity to add value to the major degree and to expand students’ opportunities for employment. It is especially appropriate for students who plan to work in administrative or other nonresearch-related areas of the biomedical, environmental, pharmaceutical, and other biological science-related industries.
A minimum of 14 sh must be taken at UWF, including at least 9 sh of 3000/4000 course work taken in residence at UWF. A minimum grade of “C” is required in all courses used to satisfy the minor. Neither directed study nor credit by exam (AP, CLEP, etc.) may be applied toward the minor. Contact the Academic Advisor for the Department of Biology for assistance in choosing courses to meet specific needs. Biology, Marine Biology, Medical Technology, and Zoo Science majors may not earn this minor. Students should assess the prerequisites for upper division courses they wish to take to complete the minor.
| PCB 2131+L | Cell Biology (+Lab) | 4 |
| Choose one of the following: | 4 | |
| General Botany (+Lab) | ||
| General Zoology (+Lab) | ||
| 3000/4000 level Biology (BCH, BOT, BSC, MCB, MLS, OCE, PCB, and ZOO) courses which includes at least one 4 sh lab courses | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 20 | |
Department: Biology
Method of Instruction: Classroom
Semester Hours: 9
| BSC 4303 | Biogeography | 3 |
| PCB 4673 | Principles of Evolution | 3 |
| ZOO 4513 | Animal Behavior | 3 |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Department: Biology
Method of Instruction: Classroom
Semester Hours: 12
| FAS 4000+L | Aquaculture (+Lab) | 4 |
| PCB 4364+L | Marine Ecological Physiology (+Lab) | 4 |
| ZOO 4880C | Fisheries Biology | 4 |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Department: Biology
Method of Instruction: Classroom
Semester Hours: 12
| BCH 3033+L | Biochemistry I (+Lab) | 4 |
| PCB 4233+L | Immunology (+Lab) | 4 |
| PCB 4524+L | Molecular Biology (+Lab) | 4 |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
