Biology - B.S.

Required Biology Courses:

Ten biology courses of at least 3 semester hours each and the biology major assessment (BIOL 475).

A minimum grade of C- in BIOL 112 is required for admission to all biology courses numbered 240 or higher.

• BIOL 111 - General Biology I or the equivalent
• BIOL 112 - General Biology II or the equivalent
• BIOL 240 - Genetics
• BIOL 397 - Evolution

•  

• Complete one of the following two courses:

• BIOL 298 - Research Methods in Molecular Biology
• BIOL 352 - Molecular and Cellular Biology

•  

• Five additional BIOL courses numbered 200 or higher (not including BIOL 252 )
• BIOL 475 - Comprehensive Assessment for Biology Majors

Additional Required Courses:

Complete the following collateral courses as part of the biology major:

• CHEM 120 - General Chemistry I
• CHEM 121 - General Chemistry II
• CHEM 253 - Organic Chemistry I
• CHEM 254 - Organic Chemistry II

•  

• Complete one of the following mathematics courses:

• MATH 131 - Trigonometry and Analytic Geometry
• MATH 250 - Introduction to Calculus
• MATH 261 - Analytic Geometry and Calculus I

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• Complete one of the following course pairs:

• PHYS 211 - College Physics I and
• PHYS 212 - College Physics II

• or

• PHYS 221 - University Physics I and
• PHYS 222 - University Physics II

Additional Requirements:

• At least seven of the biology courses must have a laboratory, and no more than 4 credit hours may be in independent research.
• A minimum of five courses in biology must be completed at Dominican.
• A minimum grade of C- must be earned in all courses required for the major.
• Students who major in biology may not also major in natural sciences.
• Interested freshmen and transfer students should consult with the department for placement information prior to registration.
• Upon completion of a biology course in residence with a minimum grade of C-, the student should have a major application signed by a member of the department, who will then serve as his or her advisor.
• All students intending to earn a major in biology are required to complete a comprehensive biology examination in their final semester prior to graduation.  To facilitate the administration of this requirement, all biology students must register for BIOL 475  in their final semester. Students must earn a passing score on the examination to qualify for graduation with a biology major.

Optional Concentrations

Students may choose to complete one of the following concentrations as part of the biology major:

Additional Information:

The following collateral courses are recommended for those intending to attend graduate or professional school:

• CHEM 360 - Biochemistry
   
• MATH 211 - Principles of Statistics
   

Majors in biology earn the Bachelor of Science degree.

Cooperative Biology Courses at the Morton Arboretum and the Shedd Aquarium

As part of its participation in the program of the Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area, Dominican University offers credit for cooperative courses given in selected biological topics at the Morton Arboretum and at the Shedd Aquarium as well as for cooperative seminar courses in advanced topics in biology. These courses are often taught by guest lecturers who are experts in the subject. Because the cooperative course topics vary from year to year, interested students should consult the biology faculty for course and registration information.

Independent Research

Advanced students are encouraged to do original research either at Dominican or at neighboring institutions. Hours are arranged after consultation with individual faculty members.

Biology Education