Students wishing to major in biology should have completed high school biology, chemistry and advanced mathematics courses. Students who declare biology as a major and have a science ACT score of less than 21 and demonstrate a weakness in math will be placed into BIOL 110: Fundamentals of Biology as preparation for the General Biology sequence (BIOL 111/112).
Biology majors must achieve a grade-point average of 2.0 in all biology courses (BIOL and BIOLB) applied to the major. A grade of C or better must be earned in BIOL 111 and 112. In addition, no more than two grades of D may be applied to the biology major. The 2.0 grade-point average in the biology major does not include support courses (Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics) required for the major.
College-level science courses taken at another institution will be evaluated on an individual basis in consultation with the student.
Transfer students must complete a minimum of one-third of the requirements for the biology major at Saint Xavier.
Requirements
Introductory Level (8 credit hours)
- BIOL 111: General Biology I (4)
- BIOL 112: General Biology II (4)
Genetic Level (4 credit hours)
BIOL 300: Genetics (4) OR BIOL 301: Genome Biology (4)
Cellular Level (4 credit hours)
BIOL 305: Cell Biology (4) OR BIOL 306: General Microbiology (4)
System Level (4 credit hours)
Choose one of the following:
- BIOL 240: Developmental Biology (4)
- BIOL 304: Immunology (4)
- BIOL 320: Human and Comparative Physiology (4)
- BIOL 341: Neuroscience (4)
Organism Level (4 credit hours)
Choose one of the following:
- BIOL 220: Human and Comparative Anatomy (4)
- BIOL 230: Invertebrate Biology (4)
- BIOL 312: Plant Adaptation and Diversity (4) (required for Science Secondary Education majors)
Population/Community Level (4 credit hours)
Choose one of the following:
- BIOL 208: Natural History of the Great Lakes (with lab) (4)
- BIOL 213: Interactions in the Environment (with lab) (4)
- BIOL 318: Ecology (4) (required for Science Secondary Education majors)
- BIOL 333: Evolution: Process and Pattern (4)
Support Courses (23-26 credit hours)
- CHEM 111: General Chemistry I (4) AND CHEM 112: General Chemistry II (4)
- CHEM 209: Survey of Organic Chemistry (4) OR CHEM 251: Organic Chemistry I (4) (CHEM 251 required for Science Secondary Education majors)
- PHYS 201: Physics I (4)
- MATH 201: Calculus (4) OR MATH 112: College Algebra (3) AND MATH 113: Trigonometry (3)
- MATH 135: Introduction to Statistics (4) OR BIOL 303: Biostatistics (3)
Electives (at least three courses - minimum 9 credit hours)
- BIOL 202: Human Anatomy (4)
- BIOL 203: Human Physiology (4)
- BIOL 208: Natural History of the Great Lakes (with lab) (4)
- BIOL 212: Histotechniques (3)
- BIOL 213: Interactions in the Environment (with lab) (4)
- BIOL 214: Natural History of Vertebrates (3)
- BIOLB 214: Natural History of Vertebrates: Field Experience (1)
- BIOL 215: Wildlife Conservation (3)
- BIOL 220: Human and Comparative Anatomy (4)
- BIOL 230: Invertebrate Biology (4)
- BIOL 240: Developmental Biology (4)
- BIOL 250: Special Topics (1-3)
- BIOL 255: Science Research and Writing Methods Seminar (3)
- BIOL 300: Genetics (4)
- BIOL 301: Genome Biology (4)
- BIOL 302: Molecular Biology Techniques (3)
- BIOL 304: Immunology (3)
- BIOL 305: Cell Biology (4)
- BIOL 306: General Microbiology (4)
- BIOL 308: Histology (4)
- BIOL 310: Animal Behavior (4)
- BIOL 312: Plant Adaptation and Diversity (4)
- BIOL 318: Ecology (4)
- BIOL 320: Human and Comparative Physiology (4)
- BIOL 329: Hormones and Behavior (3)
- BIOL 330: Cadaver Dissection (1)
- BIOL 333: Evolution: Process and Pattern (4)
- BIOL 341: Neuroscience (4)
- BIOL 350: Special Topics (1-3)
- BIOL 353: Independent Study (1-3)
- BIOL 361: Volunteer Experience (0)
- BIOL 362: Patient Contact Experience (0)
- BIOL 363: Animal Contact Experience (0)
Senior Capstone (at least one credit hour)
BIOL 355: Senior Seminar (1) OR BIOL 351 and 352: Laboratory and Field Research (1-3)