The Biology minor provides a strong foundation in the life sciences and can be customized to fit your interests and career goals.
To earn a Biology minor, students complete 15 credits of approved life science coursework.
- Catalog year 2025 and later: At least 3 credits must count only toward the Biology minor.
- Catalog year 2024 and earlier: At least 9 credits must count only toward the Biology minor.
Required Courses (8 credits)
All Biology minors must complete the introductory biology sequence:
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 2110 | Principles of Biology I | 3 |
| BIOL 2110L | Principles of Biology I Lab | 1 |
| BIOL 2120 | Principles of Biology II | 3 |
| BIOL 2120L | Principles of Biology II Lab | 1 |
Additional Coursework (7+ credits)
Choose at least 7 additional credits from the approved list below to reach the 15-credit total.
- At least 6 of these credits must be at the 3000-level or above with a grade of C or higher.
Approved Courses for the Biology Minor
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 3110X | Genome Editing and Engineering | 1 |
| BIOL 3120 | Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 3130 | Principles of Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL 3130L | Principles of Genetics Lab | 1 |
| BIOL 3140 | Principles of Molecular Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 3150 | Biological Evolution | 3 |
| BIOL 3180 | Introduction to Ecosystems | 3 |
| BIOL 3190 | Analysis of Environmental Systems | 3 |
| BIOL 3220 | Introduction to Bioinformatics and Computational Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 3280 | Molecular and Cellular Biology of Human Diseases | 3 |
| BIOL 3350 | Human and Other Animal Physiology | 3 |
| BIOL 3350L | Human and Other Animal Physiology Lab | 1 |
| BIOL 3440 | Human Reproduction | 3 |
| BIOL 3490 | The Genome Perspective in Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 3500 | Comprehensive Human Anatomy | 4 |
| BIOL 3510 | Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | 3 |
| BIOL 3510L | Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Lab | 2 |
| BIOL 3520 | Vertebrate Histology | 4 |
| BIOL 3530 | Introductory Parasitology | 3 |
| BIOL 3540 | Animal Behavior | 3 |
| BIOL 3540L | Animal Behavior Lab | 1 |
| BIOL 3550 | Plants and People | 3 |
| BIOL 3560 | Dendrology | 4 |
| BIOL 3570 | Biology of Plants | 3 |
| BIOL 3580 | Bee Biology, Management, and Beekeeping | 3 |
| BIOL 3600X | Marine Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 3640 | Invertebrate Biology | 3-4 |
| BIOL 3650 | Vertebrate Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 3660 | Plant Systematics | 4 |
| BIOL 3700 | GIS for Ecology and Environmental Science | 1-6 |
| BIOL 3710 | Ecological Methods | 3 |
| BIOL 3750 | Marine Ecology and Ecosystems Dynamics | 3 |
| BIOL 3930 | North American Field Trips | 1-4 |
| BIOL 3940 | International Field Trips | 1-4 |
| BIOL 3950X | Professional Development in Biological Sciences | 2 |
| BIOL 4010 | Bioinformatics of Sequences | 3 |
| BIOL 4020 | Introduction to Pathology | 3 |
| BIOL 4030 | Introduction to Pathology II | 3 |
| BIOL 4060 | Bioinformatics of OMICS | 3 |
| BIOL 4230 | Developmental Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 4230L | Developmental Biology Lab | 1 |
| BIOL 4280 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 4300 | Principles of Plant Physiology | 3 |
| BIOL 4340 | Endocrinology | 3 |
| BIOL 4360 | Neurobiology | 3 |
| BIOL 4510 | Plant Evolution and Phylogeny | 4 |
| BIOL 4540 | Plant Anatomy | 4 |
| BIOL 4560 | Principles of Mycology | 3 |
| BIOL 4570 | Herpetology | 2 |
| BIOL 4570L | Herpetology Lab | 1 |
| BIOL 4580 | Ornithology | 2 |
| BIOL 4580L | Ornithology Lab | 1 |
| BIOL 4590 | Mammalogy | 2 |
| BIOL 4590L | Mammalogy Lab | 1 |
| BIOL 4620 | Evolutionary Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL 4640 | Wetland Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 4650 | Macroevolution | 3 |
| BIOL 4710 | Introduction to Conservation Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 4740 | Plant Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 4830 | Environmental Biogeochemistry | 3 |
| BIOL 4850 | Community Ecology | |
| BIOL 4860 | Aquatic Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 4860L | Aquatic Ecology Lab | 1 |
| BIOL 4870 | Microbial Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 4880 | Identification of Aquatic Organisms | 1 |
| BIOL 4890 | Population Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 4900 | Independent Study | 1 |
| BIOL 4910 | Undergraduate Teaching Experience | 1-2 |
| BIOL 4940 | Biology Internship | 1-2 |
| BIOL 4950 | Undergraduate Seminar | 1-3 |
| BIOL 4990 | Undergraduate Research | 1-3 |