Degree Requirements

• B.S. with a Major in Biology - Biodiversity Studies Emphasis
• B.S. with a Major in Biology - Cellular & Molecular Biology Emphasis
• B.S. with a Major in Biology - Pre-Professional Health Emphasis
• B.S. with a Major in Biology - Pre-Physician Assistant Emphasis
• Minor in Biology

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE WITH A MAJOR IN BIOLOGY - BIODIVERSITY EMPHASIS

REQUIREMENTS-- 53 semester hours as follows:

Required Core Biology Courses: (17 hours)

• BIOL 133       Introduction to Population Biology
  
• BIOL 113       Introduction to Population Biology Laboratory
  
• BIOL 134       Introduction to Cellular Biology
  
• BIOL 114       Introduction to Cellular Biology Laboratory
  
• BIOL 246       Biodiversity
  
• BIOL 340       Genetics
  
• BIOL 495       Senior Seminar
  or
  BIOL 498       Senior Thesis

Required Allied Math and Science Courses: (18 hours)

Math and Chemistry: (11 hours)

• MATH 132     College Algebra (or higher math course)
  
• CHEM 132     General College Chemistry I
• CHEM 111     General College Chemistry I Laboratory
  
• CHEM 232     General College Chemistry II
• CHEM 211     General College Chemistry II Laboratory

Remaining 7 hours selected from the following:

• PHYS 241       Physics I
  
• PHYS 242       Physics II
  
• PHYS 137       Physical Science
  
• PHYS 117       Physical Science Laboratory
  
• BIOL 231       Environmental Science or GEOG 231 Environmental Geography

18 hours of biology electives selected from the following three groups.
Students must have at least one class from each group.

Group 1 – Animal Systems

• BIOL 342 Parasitology
• BIOL 347 Invertebrate Zoology
• BIOL 442 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy

Group 2 – Plant Systems

• BIOL 341 Plant Taxonomy
• BIOL 349* Plant Biology
• BIOL 460 Dendrology

Group 3 – Ecology and Field Methods

• BIOL 345 Microbiology
• BIOL 431 Conservation Biology
• BIOL 448 General Ecology
• BIOL 460 Ecological Field Methods

*BIOL 349 Plant Biology is required

Students interested in pursuing graduate studies in this or related fields are strongly encouraged to take the following: Organic Chemistry I and II, Physics I and II, Calculus, and Probability and Statistics.  Students interested in entering the workforce upon graduation are encouraged to complete an internship during the summer before their junior and/or senior years.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE WITH A MAJOR IN BIOLOGY - CELLULAR & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY EMPHASIS

REQUIREMENTS-- 53 semester hours as follows:

Required Core Biology Courses: (17 hours)

• BIOL 133       Introduction to Population Biology
  
• BIOL 113       Introduction to Population Biology Laboratory
  
• BIOL 134       Introduction to Cellular Biology
  
• BIOL 114       Introduction to Cellular Biology Laboratory
  
• BIOL 246       Biodiversity
  
• BIOL 340       Genetics
  
• BIOL 495       Senior Seminar
  or
  BIOL 498       Senior Thesis

Required Allied Math and Science Courses: (18 hours)

Math and Chemistry: (11 hours)

• MATH 132     College Algebra (or higher math course)
  
• CHEM 132     General College Chemistry I
  
• CHEM 111     General College Chemistry I Laboratory
  
• CHEM 232     General College Chemistry II
  
• CHEM 211     General College Chemistry II Laboratory

Remaining 7 hours selected from the following:

• PHYS 241       Physics I
  
• PHYS 242       Physics II
  
• PHYS 137       Physical Science
  
• PHYS 117       Physical Science Laboratory
  
• BIOL 231       Environmental Science
  or
  GEOG 231     Environmental Geography

The following courses are required: (16 of 18 elective hours)

• BIOL 345       Microbiology
  
• BIOL 346       Biochemistry
  
• BIOL 445       Molecular Biology
  
• BIOL 446       Cell Biology in Health and Disease

Recommended electives to meet 18 hours total:

• BIOL 331       Vertebrate Embryology
  
• BIOL 436       Medical Biochemistry
  
• BIOL 441       Immunology
  
• BIOL 447       Histology

Students interested in pursuing graduate studies in this field are strongly encouraged to pursue a minor in Chemistry and take the following: Calculus I and II and Physics I and II and BIOL 498, Senior Thesis.  Students interested in entering the workforce upon graduation are encouraged to complete an internship during the summer before their junior and/or senior years.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE WITH A MAJOR IN BIOLOGY - PRE-PROFESSIONAL HEALTH EMPHASIS

REQUIREMENTS-- 53 semester hours as follows:

Required Core Biology Courses: (17 hours)

• BIOL 133       Introduction to Population Biology
  
• BIOL 113       Introduction to Population Biology Laboratory
  
• BIOL 134       Introduction to Cellular Biology
  
• BIOL 114       Introduction to Cellular Biology Laboratory
  
• BIOL 246       Biodiversity
  
• BIOL 340       Genetics
  
• BIOL 495       Senior Seminar
  or
  BIOL 498       Senior Thesis

Required Allied Math and Science Courses: (18 hours)

Math and Chemistry: (11 hours)

• MATH 132     College Algebra (or higher math course)
  
• CHEM 132     General College Chemistry I
  
• CHEM 111     General College Chemistry I Laboratory
  
• CHEM 232     General College Chemistry II
  
• CHEM 211     General College Chemistry II Laboratory

Remaining 7 hours selected from the following:

• PHYS 241       Physics I
  
• PHYS 242       Physics II
  
• PHYS 137       Physical Science
  
• PHYS 117       Physical Science Laboratory
  
• BIOL 231       Environmental Science or GEOG 231 Environmental Geography

Recommended electives to meet 18 hours total selected from the following:

• BIOL 331       Vertebrate Embryology
  
• BIOL 342       Parasitology
  
• BIOL 345       Microbiology*
  
• BIOL 346       Biochemistry*
  
• BIOL 436       Medical Biochemistry
  
• BIOL 441       Immunology
  
• BIOL 442       Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy*
  
• BIOL 443       General Physiology*
  
• BIOL 445       Molecular Biology
  
• BIOL 446       Cell Biology in Health and Disease
  
• BIOL 447       Histology

*Students interested in applying to medical, dental, or veterinary school are strongly encouraged to complete these courses.

It is important to review the admissions requirements for each program to which you will apply because the prerequisites for admission may be slightly different among professional schools.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE WITH A MAJOR IN BIOLOGY - PRE-PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EMPHASIS

REQUIREMENTS-- 53 semester hours as follows:

Required Biology Courses: (17 hours)

• BIOL 133 Introduction to Population Biology
  
• BIOL 113 Introduction to Population Biology Laboratory
  
• BIOL 134 Introduction to Cellular Biology
  
• BIOL 114 Introduction to Cellular Biology Laboratory
  
• BIOL 246 Biodiversity
  
• BIOL 340 Genetics
  
• BIOL 495 Senior Seminar
  or
  BIOL 498 Senior Thesis

Required Allied Math and Science Courses: (11 hours)

• MATH 132 College Algebra (or higher math course)
  
• CHEM 132 General College Chemistry I
  
• CHEM 111 General College Chemistry Laboratory I
  
• CHEM 232 General College Chemistry II
  
• CHEM 211 General College Chemistry Laboratory II

Additional Allied Math and Science Courses selected from the following: (7 hours)

• PHYS 241 Physics I
  
• PHYS 242 Physics II
  
• PHYS 137 Physical Science
  
• PHYS 117 Physical Science Lab
  
• BIOL 231 Environmental Science

Elective Courses -- a total of 18 hours at the 300- and 400-level completing the Pre-Physician Assistant Curriculum

Students planning to apply to the University’s Physician Assistant program should follow the pre-professional program of studies outlined below. The courses marked with an asterisk (*) are core science courses in the curriculum. These core courses total fifty-seven credit hours. Three of these core courses, marked with a plus (+), combine with the other non-core classes listed below to fulfill the forty-seven credit hours required in the General Education curriculum for undergraduates at University of the Cumberlands.  To complete the Pre-PA curriculum within three years, entering students must have an ACT score in mathematics of at least a 23 or must have already completed a college algebra course. These are prerequisites for General Chemistry I (CHEM 232/111), which is taken during the first semester of the pre-PA curriculum.

Application for the Professional Physician Assistant Program is made during the third year of studies. Completion of the Pre-PA curriculum below does not ensure acceptance into the Professional phase of the Physician Assistant program. For more information on the application process and PA program requirements, students should consult with their biology advisor or with the Director of the PA program. Students who complete the Pre-Professional PA curriculum but do not continue on to the Professional phase of the PA program will need nine hours of biology, five hours of chemistry and sixteen hours of electives to complete a major in biology.  Or they can complete a Bachelor of Science degree in Independent Directions with a focus on applied health sciences. A third alternative is to complete a Bachelor of General Studies degree.

MINOR IN BIOLOGY

REQUIREMENTS-- 23 hours.

• Courses must include:
  • BIOL 113
  • BIOL 114
  • BIOL 133
  • BIOL 134
  • BIOL 246
    
    
• The remaining hours must be selected from Biology courses numbered above 300.

TRANSFER CREDIT —Transfer students must complete a minimum of 12 hours of upper division courses (including BIOL 495) for a major and 8 hours of upper division courses for the minor at Cumberland. Courses transferred from junior colleges and community colleges may not satisfy the requirements for upper division courses in Biology.