Biology Comprehensive Major: Pre-Medicine/Cell and Molecular Biology Emphasis

Program Requirements

The Pre-Medicine/Cell and Molecular Biology Emphasis requires a minimum of 67 credits, including the 26-credit Biology Nucleus, 19 additional credits in Biology and/or Chemistry, and 22 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 and Chemistry courses
BIOL 313Cell and Genetics Laboratory2
Fifteen credits of the following:15
Genome Analysis (with laboratory)
Microbiology (with laboratory)
Human Anatomy and Physiology II (with laboratory)
Molecular Biology (with laboratory)
Developmental Biology (with laboratory)
Comparative Animal Physiology (with laboratory)
Biochemistry II
Biochemistry Laboratory
Select at least two credits of Capstone Experience Courses:2
Senior Seminar (may be repeated)
Senior Thesis
Total Credits19
Minimum Supporting Courses
CHEM 331Organic Chemistry I3
CHEM 332Organic Chemistry II3
CHEM 334Organic Chemistry Laboratory I1
CHEM 335Organic Chemistry Laboratory II1
CHEM 471Biochemistry I3
One of the following:3-4
Calculus I (GT-MA1)
Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1)
Select one of the following pairs of courses:8
Principles of Physics I (GT-SC2)
and Laboratory Physics I (GT-SC1)
AND
Principles of Physics II (GT-SC2)
and Laboratory Physics II (GT-SC1)
OR
General Physics I (GT-SC2)
and Laboratory Physics I (GT-SC1)
AND
General Physics II (GT-SC2)
and Laboratory Physics II (GT-SC1)
Total Credits22-23

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 150 Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) 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 151 Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory) 4
ENG 103 Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) 3
CHEM 113 General Chemistry II 3
CHEM 114 General Chemistry Laboratory II 1
MATH 141 Precalculus (GT-MA1) 4
 Credits15
Year Two
Fall
BIOL 310 Cell Biology 3
BIOL 301 GENERAL ECOLOGY 3
CHEM 331 Organic Chemistry I 3
CHEM 334 Organic Chemistry Laboratory I 1
MATH 151
Calculus I (GT-MA1)
or Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1)
3-4
Arts & Humanities GE 3
 Credits16-17
Spring
CHEM 332 Organic Chemistry II 3
CHEM 335 Organic Chemistry Laboratory II 1
BIOL 312 Genetics (with recitation) 4
BIOL 313 Cell and Genetics Laboratory 2
Social Science GE 3
Arts & Humanities GE 3
 Credits16
Year Three
Fall
CHEM 471 Biochemistry I 3
Social Science GE 3
Biology Elective 4
PHYS 170
Principles of Physics I (GT-SC2)
or General Physics I (GT-SC2)
3
PHYS 185 Laboratory Physics I (GT-SC1) 1
 Credits14
Spring
PHYS 171
Principles of Physics II (GT-SC2)
or General Physics II (GT-SC2)
3
PHYS 186 Laboratory Physics II (GT-SC1) 1
Biology Elective 4
Social Science GE 3
Arts & Humanities GE 3
 Credits14
Year Four
Fall
BIOL 495
Senior Seminar
or Senior Thesis
2
Biology Elective 4
Elective Elective 11
 Credits17
Spring
Biology Elective 3
Elective Elective 9
 Credits12
 Total Credits119-120