Bachelor of Science in Biology California State University, Fresno

Biology is the scientific study of life: its processes, complexity, and incredible diversity. The Department of Biology at California State University, Fresno offers diversified undergraduate and graduate education that spans the breadth of modern biology - from the inner workings of cells to the structure of whole ecosystems.

The Department of Biology is a vibrant group of tenure-track faculty members; excellent teachers with active and externally funded research programs. Fresno State biologists are investigating the molecular mechanisms of cellular processes, the ecology of the Sierra Nevada forests and watersheds, and the evolution of life in the world's oceans. The Department offers a diverse graduate and undergraduate curriculum to prepare students for an array of career paths in the biological sciences. Motivated students have a wealth of independent research opportunities with Biology faculty.

What You Can Learn

• The role of microorganisms in causing infectious disease
• Ecology, evolution, and diversity of the fish of the world
• Macroscopic and microscopic study of the structure and functional relationships of the human nervous system
• The role of evolution in environmental relationships

The undergraduate biology major we offer has three programmatic goals:

• To provide students with a solid foundation in all aspects of modern biology and the intellectual skills that will serve as the basis for a lifetime of future achievement.
• To provide students with specialized educational opportunities that will allow them to compete successfully for careers in the biological sciences or for advanced studies in doctoral programs.
• To provide preprofessional students with the knowledge needed for advanced study in the many fields that build upon a biological foundation.

The Bachelor of Science in Biology is a 120-unit program. Of the total, 48 units are required to satisfy the university's General Education Program and 21 units are required by the Department of Biology to satisfy the biology core. The core curriculum is a sequence of courses required for all biology majors. The core curriculum builds the foundation upon which further learning in biology will be based.

1. Major requirements (42 units)

Biology Core (21 units)
The biology core is required of all majors (see Advising Notes.)
BIOL 1A, BIOL 1B and BIOL 1BL, BIOL 101, BIOL 102, BIOL 103, BIOL 105, and BIOL 101L or BIOL 104 (21 units)

Other major requirements (21 units)
In addition to the core, all majors must complete major and additional requirements described as follows:

All students must take a minimum of three upper-division biology (BIOL) laboratory courses. Of these, at least one must be designated as a diversity course, and one must be designated as a physiology course, both identified below. The third course may be any other laboratory course, also identified below. All other courses taken as part of the major requirements are the choice of the student. One of these additional courses may be either BIOL 67A or BIOL 67B, but no other lower-division course may be used.

1. Diversity Courses:
BIOL 120, BIOL 122, BIOL 123, BIOL 124, BIOL 125, BIOL 130, BIOL 131, BIOL 132, BIOL 133, BIOL 134, BIOL 135, BIOL 136, BIOL 140, BIOL 143, BIOL 178

2. Physiology Courses:
BIOL 155, BIOL 156, BIOL 157 and BIOL 157L, BIOL 160, BIOL 161, BIOL 162 and BIOL 162L

3. Third Laboratory Course:
BIOL 120, BIOL 122, BIOL 123, BIOL 124, BIOL 125, BIOL 130, BIOL 131, BIOL 132, BIOL 133, BIOL 134, BIOL 135, BIOL 136, BIOL 140, BIOL 141, BIOL 142, BIOL 143, BIOL 144, BIOL 151, BIOL 152, BIOL 153, BIOL 155, BIOL 156, BIOL 157 and BIOL 157L, BIOL 160, BIOL 161, BIOL 162 and BIOL 162L, BIOL 170, BIOL 171, BIOL 172, BIOL 174, BIOL 176, BIOL 178

Options for Completing the 21-unit requirement:
You may take additional laboratory courses from line 3 above, BIOL 67A or 67B, BIOL 110, BIOL 119, BIOL 121, BIOL 150, BIOL 158, BIOL 163, BIOL 164, BIOL 165, BIOL 166, BIOL 173, BIOL 175, BIOL 189T, up to 6 units of BIOL 190.

Additional requirements (30 units)
CHEM 1A, CHEM 1AL, CHEM 1B, CHEM 1BL, CHEM 8 or CHEM 128A, CHEM 129A, and CHEM 150 (see note 3) or CHEM 155A (18 units)
MATH 70 or MATH 75 (4 units)
MATH 101 or PSYCH 42 (4 units)
PHYS 2A (4 units)

2. General Education requirements (48 units)

3. Other requirements (9 units)
American Government and Institutions (PLSI 2), Multicultural and International (MI), and Upper-division writing.

4. Sufficient elective units to meet required total units (varies)

5. Total (120 units)**

The biology degree program prepares students for entry into a wide range of careers, for further academic study at the graduate level, including the department's own M.S. in Biology, and for entrance into professional degree programs. Within the scope of the major requirements and electives, students may focus their studies in areas that best meet their future career needs. Students must consult an advisor for help in selecting courses appropriate to their interests and career objectives. An emphasis on cellular and molecular processes prepares students for the department's professional science Master of Biotechnology.