Biology Comprehensive Major: Environmental Biology and Ecology Emphasis

Program Requirements

The Environmental Biology and Ecology Emphasis requires a minimum of 58 credits, including the 26-credit Biology Nucleus, 17 additional credits in Biology, and 15 credits of supporting courses:

All Biology majors require the 26-credit Biology Nucleus.

Biology Nucleus
BIOL 150Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1)4
BIOL 151Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory)4
BIOL 301GENERAL ECOLOGY3
BIOL 310Cell Biology3
BIOL 312Genetics (with recitation)4
CHEM 111General Chemistry I (GT-SC2)3
CHEM 112General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1)1
CHEM 113General Chemistry II3
CHEM 114General Chemistry Laboratory II1
Total Credits26
Required Biology Courses
BIOL 302Ecology Laboratory and Recitation2
Select six credits in two or more of the following systems and applications courses:6
EVOLUTION
Wildlife Ecology and Management (with laboratory)
Wildlife Techniques Workshop
Conservation Biology
Colorado Ecoregions
Aquatic Ecology (with laboratory)
Plant Ecology (with laboratory)
Forest Ecology (with laboratory)
Select at least two of the following organismal courses:6-8
Ornithology (with laboratory and recitation)
Mammalogy (with laboratory and recitation)
Field Entomology (with laboratory)
Botany (with laboratory)
Rocky Mountain Flora
Spring Fungi Rocky Mountains (with laboratory)
Biology of Fishes
Select at least two credits of Capstone Experience courses:2
Senior Seminar (may be repeated)
Senior Thesis
Total Credits16-18
Minimum Supporting Courses
CHEM 231Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry3
CHEM 234Introductory Organic and Biochemistry Laboratory1
GEOL 101Physical Geology (GT-SC2)3
GEOL 105Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1)1
MATH 213Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1)3
PHYS 140Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1)4
Total Credits15

Capstone Course Requirement

The following courses in the Biology Major fulfill the capstone course requirement: BIOL 495 SENIOR SEMINARBIOL 496 Senior Thesis , or EDUC 409 SECONDARY STUDENT TEACHING.

Graduation Requirements

Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation.  Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above).  Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued. 

Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
BIOL 151 Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory) 4
CHEM 111 General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) 3
CHEM 112 General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1) 1
ENG 102 Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) 3
HWTR 100 First Year Seminar 1
MATH 140 College Algebra (GT-MA1) 3
 Credits15
Spring
BIOL 150 Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) 4
CHEM 113 General Chemistry II 3
CHEM 114 General Chemistry Laboratory II 1
MATH 141 Precalculus (GT-MA1) 4
ENG 103 Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) 3
 Credits15
Year Two
Fall
BIOL 301 GENERAL ECOLOGY 3
BIOL 302 Ecology Laboratory and Recitation 2
CHEM 231 Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry 3
CHEM 234 Introductory Organic and Biochemistry Laboratory 1
Gen EdSocial Sciences 3
Gen EdArts & Humanities 3
 Credits15
Spring
BIOL 310 Cell Biology 3
Gen Ed Arts & Humanities 3
MATH 213 Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) 3
PHYS 140 Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) 4
Gen Ed Social Sciences 3
 Credits16
Year Three
Fall
BIOL 312 Genetics (with recitation) 4
Gen Ed Arts & Humanities 3
Gen EdSocial Sciences 3
GEOL 101 Physical Geology (GT-SC2) 3
GEOL 105 Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) 1
Gen Ed General Education 3
 Credits17
Spring
BIOL Biology Systems/Apps 3
BIOLBiology Organismal Elective 4
Gen Ed General Education 9
 Credits16
Year Four
Fall
BIOL 495
Senior Seminar
or Senior Thesis
2
Biology Systems/Apps 3
Gen Ed General Education 9
 Credits14
Spring
Biology Organismal Elective
Gen Ed General Education 12
 Credits12
 Total Credits120