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.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Biology Nucleus | ||
| BIOL 150 | Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| BIOL 151 | Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory) | 4 |
| BIOL 301 | GENERAL ECOLOGY | 3 |
| BIOL 310 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 312 | Genetics (with recitation) | 4 |
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 114 | General Chemistry Laboratory II | 1 |
| Total Credits | 26 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Biology Courses | ||
| BIOL 302 | Ecology Laboratory and Recitation | 2 |
| 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 Credits | 16-18 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Supporting Courses | ||
| CHEM 231 | Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 234 | Introductory Organic and Biochemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| GEOL 101 | Physical Geology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| MATH 213 | Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) | 3 |
| PHYS 140 | Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| Total Credits | 15 | |
Capstone Course Requirement
The following courses in the Biology Major fulfill the capstone course requirement: BIOL 495 SENIOR SEMINAR, BIOL 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.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| 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 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| 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 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| 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 Ed | Social Sciences | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Arts & Humanities | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| 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 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 312 | Genetics (with recitation) | 4 |
| Gen Ed | Arts & Humanities | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Social Sciences | 3 |
| GEOL 101 | Physical Geology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| Gen Ed | General Education | 3 |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL | Biology Systems/Apps | 3 |
| BIOL | Biology Organismal Elective | 4 |
| Gen Ed | General Education | 9 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 495 or BIOL 496 |
Senior Seminar or Senior Thesis |
2 |
| Biology Systems/Apps | 3 | |
| Gen Ed | General Education | 9 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| Biology Organismal Elective | ||
| Gen Ed | General Education | 12 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |