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Biology Minor Requirements

The Biology minor at Iowa State University adds a biological science focus to a student's program of study that can be tailored to their interest area.


To complete a Biology minor, students take 15 credits of life science coursework from the approved list, 9 credits of which must count only towards the Biology minor.  The following courses are required of all students wishing to minor in Biology:

Course # Course Name Credits
BIOL 211 Principles of Biology I 3
BIOL 211L Principles of Biology I Lab 1
BIOL 212 Principles of Biology II 3
BIOL 212L Principles of Biology II Lab 1

Students then also complete at least 7 credits of additional coursework to reach a total of 15 credits.  At least 6 of these credits must be at the 300-level or above with a grade of "C" or higher.  Courses approved for use in the minor include:

Course # Course Name Credits 
BIOL 312 Ecology 4
BIOL 313 Principles of Genetics 3
BIOL 313L Principles of Genetics Lab 1
BIOL 314 Principles of Molecular Cell Biology 3
BIOL 315 Biological Evolution 3
Course # Course Name Credits
BIOL 322 Introduction to Bioinformatics and Computational Biology 3
BIOL 328 Molecular and Cellular Biology of Human Diseases 3
BIOL 335 Human and Other Animal Physiology 3
BIOL 335L Human and Other Animal Physiology Lab 1
BIOL 336 Ecological and Evolutionary Animal Physiology 3
BIOL 344 Human Reproduction 3
BIOL 349 The Genome Perspective in Biology 3
BIOL 350 Comprehensive Human Anatomy 4
BIOL 351 Comparative Chordate Anatomy 5
BIOL 352 Vertebrate Histology 4
BIOL 353 Introductory Parasitology 3
BIOL 354 Animal Behavior 3
BIOL 354L Animal Behavior Lab 1
BIOL 355 Plants and People 3
BIOL 356 Dendrology 4
BIOL 357 Biology of Plants 3
BIOL 358X Bee Biology, Management, and Beekeeping 3
BIOL 364 Invertebrate Biology 3-4
BIOL 365 Vertebrate Biology 4
BIOL 366 Plant Systematics 4
BIOL 370 GIS for Ecology and Environmental Science 1-6
BIOL 371 Ecological Methods 3
BIOL 381 Environmental Systems I 3
BIOL 382 Environmental Systems II 3
BIOL 393 North American Field Trips 1-4
BIOL 394 International Field Trips 1-4
BIOL 401 Fundamentals of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology 4
BIOL 402 Introduction to Pathology 3
BIOL 414 Life History and Reproductive Strategies 3
BIOL 421 Biological Principles of Aging 3
BIOL 423 Developmental Biology 3
BIOL 423L Developmental Biology Lab 1
BIOL 428 Cell Biology 3
BIOL 430 Principles of Plant Physiology 3
BIOL 434 Endocrinology 3
BIOL 436 Neurobiology 3
BIOL 444 Bioinformatic Analysis 4
BIOL 451 Plant Evolution and Phylogeny 4
BIOL 454 Plant Anatomy 4
BIOL 455 Bryophyte and Lichen Biodiversity 3
BIOL 456 Principles of Mycology 3
BIOL 457 Herpetology 2
BIOL 457L Herpetology Lab 1
BIOL 458 Ornithology 2
BIOL 458L Ornithology Lab 1
BIOL 459 Mammalogy 2
BIOL 459L Mammalogy Lab 1
BIOL 462 Evolutionary Genetics 3
BIOL 464 Wetland Ecology 3
BIOL 465 Macroevolution 3
BIOL 471 Introduction to Conservation Biology 3
BIOL 472 Community Ecology 3
BIOL 474 Plant Ecology 3
BIOL 476 Functional Ecology 3
BIOL 480 Studies in Marine Biology 1-8
BIOL 481 Summer Field Studies 1-8
BIOL 482 Tropical Biology 1-4
BIOL 483 Environmental Biogeochemistry 3
BIOL 484 Ecosystem Ecology 3
BIOL 486 Aquatic Ecology 3
BIOL 486L Aquatic Ecology Lab 1
BIOL 487 Microbial Ecology 3
BIOL 488 Identification of Aquatic Organisms 1
BIOL 489 Population Ecology 3
BIOL 490 Independent Study 1
BIOL 491 Undergraduate Teaching Experience 1-2
BIOL 492 Preparing for Graduate School in Biology 1
BIOL 494 Biology Internship 1-2
BIOL 495 Undergraduate Seminar 1-3
BIOL 498 Cooperative Education R
BIOL 499 Undergraduate Research 1-3