Technological breakthroughs in areas such as biochemistry, botany, ecology, genetics, microbiology, molecular biology, and physiology are being used to solve problems in agriculture, the environment, and medical oriented industries. Preparing students at all levels in the education system to work in the sciences is important to solving future problems and making new discoveries. The Department of Biology focuses on areas of modern biology and biotechnology offering a degree in two specializations: B.S. General Biology and B.A. Biology Teaching. The specializations include a series of seven core courses fundamental to all areas of biology. 

Graduates with the B.S. General Biology degree are prepared to gain employment in industry, government, health professions, and research laboratories, or to pursue advanced degrees in the biological sciences. Graduates with the B.A. Biology Teaching degree are certified to teach in the public high school system in Florida. 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.

Program Requirements

In addition to the university’s general requirements, students seeking the B.S. or B.A. in Biology must meet the requirements listed below.

A grade of “C-” or better is required in each of the seven biology core courses. Consult with your academic advisor for courses that may satisfy both the General Education requirements and common prerequisites.

A minimum grade of "C-" or better is required in all courses in the program including all Major-Related, Electives and Common Prerequisites.

General Biology Specialization

The General Biology Specialization includes a grounding in the basic areas of biology from molecular to ecological processes. Electives allow students to concentrate in areas of interest, such as microbiology, ecology, etc., at a more advanced level. Directed study hours may be included as electives to increase "hands-on" learning in an area of interest.

Minimum grade of "C-" or better required in all courses in the program to include all Core, Specialization, Subcore, Major-Related, and Common Prerequisites. Some Biology Program courses require prerequisite biology course grades of "C" or better.  Biology Program minimum GPA of 2.0 is required for graduation.

General Education

Biology majors should satisfy the mathematics (6 sh) and science (6 sh) components of General Education with coursework taken from the common prerequisites shown below.

In addition to the General Education 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 Education curriculum. For a complete listing of general degree requirements, refer to the "University Requirements" section of this catalog.

General Education Curriculum:

Multicultural Requirement

Civic Literacy Requirement

The 2017 Florida Legislature amended Section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, to require students initially entering a State University System (SUS) and/or Florida College System (FCS) institution in 2018-2019 and thereafter to demonstrate competency in civic literacy.  The 2021 Legislature further amended Florida Statutes, requiring students to complete both a civic literacy course and exam. As a result, there are three cohorts of students currently matriculating at Florida public institutions subject to varying requirements. As demonstrated in the table below, the exact civic literacy requirements are based on the academic term in which a student first enrolled in a Florida public institution.

Additionally, the 2021 Legislature made two additional exceptions: approving the use of accelerated mechanisms for meeting the course competency requirement and exempting high school students who pass the Florida Civic Literacy Exam in high school from the postsecondary exam requirement. These two changes are in effect for Cohort 3.

There are multiple ways to satisfy this requirement. Students should work with their academic advisor to determine which option is best for their degree requirements/degree plan. 

Additional information can be found on our Civic Literacy website.

*BOG 8.006; s.1007.25(4,a-b) 

Common Prerequisites

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. or B.A. 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.

Lower Division Electives

Major Required Courses

Major GPA Calculation

The upper-division courses (3000-4000 level) with the following prefixes will be used in calculating the major grade point average: BCH, BOT, BSC, HSA, HSC, MLS, PCB, and ZOO.

Upper Division Electives (26 hours)

Elective hours must include 2 laboratory courses

Up to 3 sh of directed study credit may be applied to electives. Students must confer with an advisor when selecting electives.

Accelerated Bachelor's (BS)/Master's (MS) in Biology Option

Minimum Requirements For Admission:

• Overall undergraduate GPA of 3.25 or better
• Undergraduate Major GPA of 3.5 or better
• A grade of B (3.0) or better in each Bachelor of Sciences in Biology core courses
• Two letters of recommendation 

Process:

A prospective student who meets the minimum requirements for admission to the Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s (BS/MS) program must schedule a meeting with their undergraduate advisor and the Biology graduate coordinator to discuss and develop a degree plan for the student's Accelerated BS/MS program. The student must then submit an application for the Accelerated BS/MS Biology Program and two letters of recommendation to the Biology graduate coordinator.

Program Requirements: 

Students must have completed 75 undergraduate credit hours, including credits earned from advanced placement, prior to applying to the Accelerated BS/MS program in Biology. Transfer students must have completed a minimum of two semesters and at least 24 credit hours at the University of West Florida prior to application to the Accelerated BS/MS program. Admission into the Accelerated BS/MS program does not guarantee admission into the Biology MS program upon completion of the Biology BS undergraduate degree. Students must still submit an Express Admission application for the Biology MS program. Students who are a part of the BS/MS program cannot be provisionally or conditionally admitted into the Biology MS program. 

Upon admission into the Master’s In Biology program, 12 graduate credit hours completed as an undergraduate student will count for 12 semester hours of coursework for the Master’s program. Students in the Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Program in Biology must earn a grade of B (3.0/4.0) or better in each of the graduate-level courses that are being applied to both degrees. Courses completed with a grade of B- or below cannot be applied to the Master’s degree. Any dual-listed 4000/5000 level Biology courses are permitted. The student must take the class at the 5000 level to count for accelerated credit. 

If a student in the program completes the Bachelor’s degree requirements with an overall GPA of less than 3.25/4.0, the student is no longer eligible to apply the graduate credit hours to both degrees. A student who becomes ineligible to continue participating in or withdraws from the Accelerated BS/MS program cannot apply any graduate credit hours toward both degrees (i.e., the student can only apply the credit hours towards completion of the BS degree or toward a future Master’s degree).

Students who are enrolled in the program are eligible for graduate assistantship positions only after completing the Bachelor’s degree. 

In addition to the General Education 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 Education curriculum. For a complete listing of general degree requirements, refer to the "University Requirements" section of this catalog.

General Education Curriculum: 

Multicultural Requirement

Major Required Courses

Major GPA Calculation

The upper-division courses (3000-4000 level) with the following prefixes will be used in calculating the major grade point average: BCH, BOT, BSC, HSA, HSC, MLS, PCB, and ZOO.

Upper Division Electives (26 hours)

Elective hours must include 2 laboratory courses

Up to 3 sh of directed study credit may be applied to electives and count towards lab requirement. Students should confer with an advisor when selecting electives. 

Graduate Level Courses

Biology Teaching

Students entering UWF or declaring a major in the Biology Teaching degree program will automatically be placed in a pending status until they are fully admitted to the program. While in the pending status, students may not take 3000/4000 level education coursework, but should work closely with their advisor to plan an appropriate course of study in preparation for application to the program.

To be admitted, students must meet the following requirements:

• A cumulative GPA of 2.50 in all previously attempted college work;
• A passing score on the General Knowledge Test of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam;
• Completion of EDG 2041 Exploring Inquiry Teaching or equivalent with a grade of "C-" or higher.

The admission process requires students to complete the Application for Admission to Teacher Education (which includes a self-rating on dispositions toward teaching) and complete the orientation requirement. 

General Education

Biology majors should satisfy the mathematics (6 sh) and science (6 sh) components of General Education with course work taken from the common prerequisites shown below.

In addition to the General Education 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 Education curriculum. For a complete listing of general degree requirements, refer to the "University Requirements" section of this catalog.

General Education Curriculum:

Multicultural Requirement

Civic Literacy Requirement

The 2017 Florida Legislature amended Section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, to require students initially entering a State University System (SUS) and/or Florida College System (FCS) institution in 2018-2019 and thereafter to demonstrate competency in civic literacy.  The 2021 Legislature further amended Florida Statutes, requiring students to complete both a civic literacy course and exam. As a result, there are three cohorts of students currently matriculating at Florida public institutions subject to varying requirements. As demonstrated in the table below, the exact civic literacy requirements are based on the academic term in which a student first enrolled in a Florida public institution.

Additionally, the 2021 Legislature made two additional exceptions: approving the use of accelerated mechanisms for meeting the course competency requirement and exempting high school students who pass the Florida Civic Literacy Exam in high school from the postsecondary exam requirement. These two changes are in effect for Cohort 3.

There are multiple ways to satisfy this requirement. Students should work with their academic advisor to determine which option is best for their degree requirements/degree plan. 

Additional information can be found on our Civic Literacy website.

*BOG 8.006; s.1007.25(4,a-b) 

Common Prerequisites

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.

Minimum grade of "C" or better required in all courses in the program to include all Core, Elective, Education, Major-Related, and Common Prerequisites.

Graduation requirements for the B.S. or B.A. 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.

Biology Elective Courses (9 hours)

(Advisor approved 9 hours at the 3000-4000 level)

The following is a suggested, but not inclusive, list of possible electives:

Teacher Education Courses (27 hours)

The upper-division courses (3000-4000 level) with the following prefixes will be used in calculating the major grade point average: BCH, BOT, BSC, PCB, MCB, ZOO, EDF, EDG, ESE, SCE, and TSL.

Biology

A 20 sh Minor in Biology is available for students in a wide variety of majors. It provides the opportunity to add value to the major degree and to expand their 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 Department of Biology Academic Advisor for assistance in choosing courses to meet specific needs.
Biology, Marine Biology, and Zoo Science majors may not earn this minor.