Program Overview

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Bachelor of Science in Biology: Concentration in Zoology

The Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in Zoology is designed to provide students with a broad background in animal biology. This program includes coursework in evolutionary biology, ecology, behavior, anatomy, and physiology of both vertebrate and invertebrate animals.

Overview

The concentration in Zoology is one of several concentrations offered within the Bachelor of Science in Biology degree program. It is recommended that students obtain a background in both vertebrate and invertebrate biology through the selection of appropriate elective courses.

Degree Requirements

To complete the Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in Zoology, students must fulfill the following requirements:

• Complete a minimum of 64-70 units
• Earn a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all coursework
• Complete at least 12 units in biology at SF State
• Complete all major coursework with letter grades (CR/NC is not acceptable)

Lower-Division Requirements (34-35 units)

The following courses are required:

• BIOL 230: Introductory Biology I (5 units)
• BIOL 240: Introductory Biology II (5 units)
• CHEM 115: General Chemistry I: Essential Concepts of Chemistry (5 units)
• CHEM 130: General Organic Chemistry (3 units)
• Select 16-17 units from the following:
  • CHEM 215 and CHEM 216: General Chemistry II: Quantitative Applications of Chemistry Concepts and General Chemistry II Laboratory: Quantitative Applications of Chemistry Concepts
  • MATH 226: Calculus I
  • MATH 227: Calculus II
  • PHYS 111 and PHYS 112: General Physics I and General Physics I Laboratory
  • PHYS 121 and PHYS 122: General Physics II and General Physics II Laboratory

Upper-Division Requirements (19-21 units)

The following courses are required:

• BIOL 337: Evolution (3 units)
• BIOL 355: Genetics (3 units)
• BIOL 458: Biometry (4 units)
• Select one course on advisement:
  • BIOL 350: Cell Biology
  • BIOL 357: Molecular Genetics
  • BIOL 380: Evolutionary Developmental Biology
  • BIOL 382: Developmental Biology
  • BIOL 453: General Parasitology
  • BIOL 600: Animal Behavior
  • BIOL 612: Human Physiology
  • BIOL 620: Endocrinology
  • BIOL 621: Reproductive Physiology
  • BIOL 630: Animal Physiology
• Select 3-4 units on advisement:
  • BIOL 482: Ecology
  • BIOL 529GW: Plant Ecology - GWAR
  • BIOL 530: Conservation Biology
  • BIOL 532: Restoration Ecology
  • BIOL 534: Wetland Ecology
  • BIOL 577: Ecological and Environmental Modeling
  • BIOL 580: Limnology
  • BIOL 582: Biological Oceanography
  • BIOL 585: Marine Ecology
  • BIOL 586: Marine Ecology Laboratory
• Taxonomy or Whole Organism Biology of an Invertebrate or Vertebrate: Select one course upon advisement
  • BIOL 460: General Entomology
  • BIOL 461: Insect Taxonomy
  • BIOL 464: Medical Entomology
  • BIOL 475GW: Herpetology - GWAR
  • BIOL 478GW: Ornithology - GWAR
  • BIOL 555: Marine Invertebrate Zoology
  • BIOL 570GW: Biology of Fishes - GWAR

Electives (11-14 units)

Upon advisement, choose from the alternates not used in fulfilling the requirements listed above or any other upper-division Biology courses not specifically excluded for major credit, or any graduate Biology course.

General Education Requirements

The following General Education requirements are met in the Biology major:

• Area B1 (Physical Science) is satisfied upon completion of CHEM 130 or CHEM 233
• Areas B2 (Life Science) and B3 (Laboratory Science) are satisfied upon completion of BIOL 240
• Upper-Division General Education: Physical and Life Sciences (UD-B) is satisfied upon completion of BIOL 355

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)

Students must earn a C or better in a GWAR course to satisfy the requirement. Biology majors have flexibility in which GWAR course they can take to meet their requirement, as long as the prerequisites for the course have been completed.

Program Learning Outcomes

The program has several core competencies and concepts, including:

• Understanding the process of science
• Quantitative reasoning
• Relationship between science and society
• Evolution
• Relationship between structure and function
• Information flow and storage

Impaction

All Biology concentrations are impacted, which means that students must first enroll as pre-biology majors. Upon successful completion (C- or better) of two courses in the major, students may apply to become a Biology major.

Transfer Student Roadmap (2 Year)

For students with an AS-T in Biology, this roadmap is available on the Roadmaps tab on the degree requirements page for the major.

General Advising Information for Transfer Students

Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible. The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation:

• A course in U.S. History
• A course in U.S. & California Government

All Students Must Meet the Transfer Eligibility Requirements Outlined Below for Admission

For more information, visit the Undergraduate Admissions section.

• Complete 60 or more transferable semester units or 90 or more quarter units
• Earn a college grade point average of 2.0 or better in all transferable courses
• Be in good standing at the last college or university attended
• Complete 30-semester units (45-quarter units) of general education, including four basic skills courses:
  • One course in oral communication (same as CSU GE Area A1)
  • One course in written composition (same as CSU GE Area A2)
  • One course in critical thinking (same as CSU GE Area A3)
  • One course in mathematics or quantitative reasoning (same as CSU GE Area B4)