Biological Sciences Major B.S.
- Preparation for biology graduate programs or professional school, including Physician Assistant programs
- Specializations in clinical laboratory science/medical technology, exercise physiology, or neuroscience
- Careers in state and federal government, higher education settings, the health industry, research laboratories, environmental organizations, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nature centers, museums, etc.
Major code: BS2121
Faculty Contact: Jim Van Brocklyn
Program Overview
The B.S. degree program in Biological Sciences is designed for students who seek flexibility and breadth in their programs. This track is particularly well-suited for students who plan to enter a biological sciences graduate program or professional school.
To fulfill the minimum of 36 hours in biology, courses can be chosen to prepare for the student's specific area of interest, while fulfilling the biology breadth requirement.
This track also fulfills the need of students interested in the following specializations:
- Medical Laboratory Science or Medical Technology
- Exercise Physiology
- Neuroscience
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Careers and Graduate School
Students who complete a program in Biological Sciences will be prepared for a wide range of careers, including, but not limited to, work in the state and federal government, higher education settings, the health industry, research laboratories, environmental organizations, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nature centers, museums, etc. This track is particularly well-suited for students who plan to enter a biological sciences graduate program or professional school. With careful course selection, this major will meet the prerequisites for applying to the Physician?s Assistant programs.
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Admissions Information
Freshman/First Year Admission: Freshmen who would like to declare any Biology major must have a minimum Math ACT subscore of 20, equivalent Math SAT subscore (490 on tests taken prior to March 2016 or 520 on tests taken March 2016 or later), or a minimum Ohio University math placement score of PL1 to enter these programs. Students who do not meet this criterion may still earn admission to Ohio University but will not be able to enter any of the Biological Sciences majors directly. After admission to Ohio University, students may transfer into a Biological Sciences major if they have earned a grade of "C" or better in both BIOS 1700 and BIOS 1705 and have a minimum accumulative GPA of 2.5 at Ohio University.
Change of Program Policy: Current Ohio University students who would like to declare one of the Biology majors must have a minimum Math ACT subscore of 20; equivalent Math SAT subscore (490 on tests taken prior to March 2016 or 520 on tests taken March 2016 or later); a minimum Ohio University math placement score of PL1; or a grade of "C" or better in equivalent courses to both BIOS 1700 and BIOS 1705 with a minimum accumulative Ohio University GPA of 2.5.
External Transfer Admission: Transfer students who would like to declare one of the Biology majors must have a minimum Math ACT subscore of 20; equivalent Math SAT subscore (490 on tests taken prior to March 2016 or 520 on tests taken March 2016 or later); a minimum Ohio University math placement score of PL1; or a grade of "C" or better in the equivalent courses to both BIOS 1700 and BIOS 1705 with a minimum accumulative GPA of 2.5 from their previous institution.
Degree Requirements
Major Hours Requirement
The biological science major requires a minimum of 121 hours.
University-wide Graduation Requirements
To complete this program, students must meet all University-wide graduation requirements.
College-Level Requirements for the College of Arts & Sciences
View the College-Level Requirements for the College of Arts & Sciences.
Biological Sciences Hours Requirement
Complete a total of 36 semester hours of BIOS coursework, including all of the requirements below. Note: 1000- and 2000-level courses not specifically required by the major will not count toward the BIOS hours requirement, but they may be used to fulfill University graduation requirements.
Biological Sciences Common Curriculum
Complete the following courses:
- BIOS 1700 - Biological Sciences I: Molecules and Cells Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 1705 - Biological Sciences I Laboratory Credit Hours: 1.0
- BIOS 1710 - Biological Sciences II: Ecology, Evolution, Animal Body Systems Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 1715 - Biological Sciences II Laboratory Credit Hours: 1.0
- BIOS 3100 - General Genetics Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 3200 - Fundamentals of Animal Cell Biology Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 3300 - Principles of Evolution Credit Hours: 3.0
Biological Sciences Sub-Requirements
Complete one course or course group in three of the following five sub-requirements.
Sub-Requirement 1: Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior
Complete one of the following courses:
- BIOS 3750 - Animal Ecology Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 3760 - Field Ecology Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 4290 - Marine Biology Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 4310 - Aquatic Biology Credit Hours: 4.0
- BIOS 4570 - Animal Systematics Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 4730 - Animal Behavior Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 4810 - Animal Conservation Biology Credit Hours: 3.0
Sub-Requirement 2: Form and Function
Complete one of the following courses or course group:
- BIOS 3030 - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Credit Hours: 4.0
- BIOS 4360 - Field Entomology Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 4650 - Ichthyology Credit Hours: 4.0
- BIOS 4710 - Ornithology Credit Hours: 4.0
- BIOS 4720 - Herpetology Credit Hours: 4.0
- BIOS 4740 - Mammalogy Credit Hours: 4.0
Or complete the following Human Anatomy course group:
- BIOS 3010 - Human Anatomy Credit Hours: 3.0
- and BIOS 3015 - Human Anatomy Lab Credit Hours: 1.0
Sub-Requirement 3: Microbes
Complete the following course:
- BIOS 3210 - General Microbiology Credit Hours: 4.0
Sub-Requirement 4: Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Complete one of the following courses or course group:
- BIOS 3105 - Laboratory Genetics Credit Hours: 2.0
- BIOS 3205 - Cell and Microbiology Techniques Credit Hours: 2.0
- BIOS 4070 - Developmental Biology Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 4140 - Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 4260 - Molecular Genetics Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 4270 - Mechanisms of Gene Regulation Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 4630 - Biological Chemistry Credit Hours: 3.0
Or complete the following Biochemistry course group:
- CHEM 4901 - Biochemistry I Credit Hours: 3.0
- and CHEM 4902 - Biochemistry II Credit Hours: 3.0
Sub-Requirement 5: Physiology and Body Systems
Complete the following course or course group:
- BIOS 3430 - Principles of Physiology Credit Hours: 3.0
- and BIOS 3435 - Principles of Physiology Lab Credit Hours: 2.0
Or complete one Human Physiology course group:
- BIOS 3450 - Human Physiology Credit Hours: 3.00
- and BIOS 3455 - Human Physiology Laboratory Credit Hours: 2.0
Biological Sciences Upper Level Laboratory Courses
Complete additional Biological Sciences courses at the 3000 level or above to meet the 36 credit-hour requirement. At least three laboratory courses at the 3000 level or above must be included in the 36 hours.
- BIOS 3015 - Human Anatomy Lab Credit Hours: 1.0
- BIOS 3030 - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Credit Hours: 4.0
- BIOS 3105 - Laboratory Genetics Credit Hours: 2.0
- BIOS 3205 - Cell and Microbiology Techniques Credit Hours: 2.0
- BIOS 3210 - General Microbiology Credit Hours: 4.0
- BIOS 3430 - Principles of Physiology Credit Hours: 3.0
- and BIOS 3435 - Principles of Physiology Lab Credit Hours: 2.0
- BIOS 3455 - Human Physiology Laboratory Credit Hours: 2.0
- BIOS 3640 - Forensic Biology Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 3760 - Field Ecology Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 4135 - Human Neuroscience Laboratory Credit Hours: 1.0
- BIOS 4190 - Computer Simulation in Biology Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 4290 - Marine Biology Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 4310 - Aquatic Biology Credit Hours: 4.0
- BIOS 4360 - Field Entomology Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 4570 - Animal Systematics Credit Hours: 3.0
- BIOS 4635 - Biological Chemistry Laboratory Credit Hours: 2.0
- BIOS 4650 - Ichthyology Credit Hours: 4.0
- BIOS 4710 - Ornithology Credit Hours: 4.0
- BIOS 4740 - Mammalogy Credit Hours: 4.0
- BIOS 4865 - Immunology Lab Credit Hours: 1.0
- BIOS 4910 - Biological Internship Credit Hours: 1.0-3.0
- BIOS 4940 - Undergraduate Research Credit Hours: 1.0-3.0
- BIOS 4940H - Honors Undergraduate Research Credit Hours: 2.0-6.0
- BIOS 4941 - Senior Research and Thesis Credit Hours: 3.0
Extradepartmental Requirements
Complete five sub-requirements.
Sub-Requirement 1: Intro Chemistry
Complete the following courses:
- CHEM 1510 - Fundamentals of Chemistry I Credit Hours: 4.0
- CHEM 1520 - Fundamentals of Chemistry II Credit Hours: 4.0
Sub-Requirement 2: Mathematics
Complete the following course:
- MATH 2301 - Calculus I Credit Hours: 4.0
Sub-Requirement 3: Organic Chemistry
Complete the following course or course group:
- CHEM 3010 - Organic Chemistry Credit Hours: 3.0
- or CHEM 3050 - Organic Chemistry I Credit Hours: 3.0
- CHEM 3060 - Organic Chemistry II Credit Hours: 3.0
Sub-Requirement 4: Physics
Complete one of the following course group options:
Introduction to Physics course group option
Complete the following courses:
- PHYS 2001 - Introduction to Physics Credit Hours: 4.0
- PHYS 2002 - Introduction to Physics Credit Hours: 4.0
General Physics course group option
Complete the following courses:
- PHYS 2051 - General Physics Credit Hours: 5.0
- PHYS 2052 - General Physics Credit Hours: 5.0
Sub-Requirement 5: Statistics
Complete one of the following:
- MATH 2500 - Introduction to Statistics Credit Hours: 4.0
- PSY 2110 - Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences Credit Hours: 4.0
Special Interest Options
Students in the Biological Sciences track also have the option of pursuing one of the following special interests. Contact the pre-health adviser by the end of the sophomore year to be assigned an appropriate faculty adviser.
Clinical Laboratory Science and Medical Technology
Students in any biological sciences major track may choose to enter a clinical laboratory sciences internship provide they have taken Microbiology (BIOS 3210), Immunology (BIOS 4860, 4865), and Human Physiology (BIOS 3450). The internship year in a licensed clinical facility qualifies a student to take the American Society of Clinical Pathologists registry exam to become a registered medical technologist. The program prepares students to work in hospitals, public health facilities, forensic biology organizations, and medical diagnosis laboratories, or to go on to graduate or professional education. Students registered at Ohio University may count courses taken during this period toward total credit hours in Biological Sciences.
Exercise Physiology
Students interested in exercise physiology may take courses designed to prepare for graduate studies in exercise or applied physiology. These students should take Human Anatomy (BIOS 3010), Human Physiology (BIOS 3450, 3455), and Physiology of Exercise (BIOS 4450, 4455). Biomechanics and Applied Kinesiology (EXPH 3200 and 3205) is also highly recommended.
Neuroscience
Students interested in graduate study in neuroscience or neuroscience research in conjunction with a health professional career should consider this option. Specialized neuroscience courses are required in the junior and senior years. Students are strongly encouraged to pursue undergraduate research, since neuroscience careers almost exclusively involve research. Stipends and support for research are available, by application, during the summer of the third year.