This past summer, the Biology faculty voted on two proposals brought forward by the Biology Program Committee. The results of these votes mean a few changes in Biology Program degree requirements for students.
More Flexibility with Lab/Field Courses for Students
To meet the degree requirements for Biology at Iowa State, students must complete two advanced biology courses with a laboratory or field component. The first approved change grants students more flexibility when selecting these lab/field courses. Previously, Biology majors needed to select these courses from Biology Program offerings only (i.e., those listed as BIOL in the university catalog). The Biology faculty voted to allow any approved advanced biology course with a laboratory component to satisfy the lab/field requirement.
Changing Expectations to Grades Earned in Biology Courses
Biology majors are also expected to demonstrate greater competency in their discipline of choice. Previously, this was reflected by requiring students to earn a "C-" grade or above in all biology core and advanced biology courses. The Biology faculty voted to adopt a new standard: a 2.0 or higher cumulative grade point average (GPA) for both the biology core and advanced biology courses. These grade point averages are calculated independently, so students must have a 2.0 for both their core courses and a 2.0 for their advanced courses.