Program Overview

Bachelor of Science in Biology: Concentration in Physiology

The Physiology program is designed to provide a firm foundation in physiology. Students interested in vertebrate, invertebrate, and plant physiology will find this concentration appropriate. The program is one commonly taken by students preparing for careers in the health professions.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Understanding the process of science: Students can design an experiment with the appropriate control groups to test a hypothesis.
2. Quantitative reasoning: Students can interpret a graph or dataset to determine if the results of an experiment support or reject a hypothesis.
3. Relationship between science and society: Students can weigh the costs and benefits to society of the use of recent scientific and technological developments.
4. Evolution: Students can explain the role that variation between individuals plays in the processes of natural selection and evolution.
5. Relationship between structure and function: Students can explain how a change in the structural characteristics of a molecule, tissue, or organism will affect its function.
6. Information flow and storage: Students can describe the mechanisms of information flow in classical and molecular genetics and predict the outcomes of crosses.
7. Pathways and transformation of matter and energy: Students can explain how a carbon molecule flows through a biological process or system.
8. Systems: Students can predict the consequences of how a change in one aspect of a biological or complex system will affect other aspects of the system.

Degree Requirements

• Candidates entering the bachelor's programs in biology should have completed three years of high school mathematics and one year of high school chemistry.
• All major coursework must be completed with letter grades.
• A minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all coursework is required to receive a degree in these programs.

Lower-Division Requirements

• BIOL 230: Introductory Biology I
• BIOL 231: Advising for Success as a Biology Major
• BIOL 240: Introductory Biology II
• CHEM 115: General Chemistry I
• CHEM 215: General Chemistry II
• Select one organic chemistry sequence
• MATH 226: Calculus I
• Select one physics sequence

Upper-Division Requirements

• Select One: CHEM 349: General Biochemistry or CHEM 340: Biochemistry I
• BIOL 337: Evolution
• BIOL 355: Genetics
• Select One: BIOL 612: Human Physiology or BIOL 630: Animal Physiology
• Select One: BIOL 613GW: Human Physiology Laboratory - GWAR or BIOL 631GW: Animal Physiology Laboratory - GWAR

Upper Division Electives

Select 10 units from the classes below; at least 6 units must be chosen from among the Group A courses.

• Group A courses:
  • BIOL 328: Human Anatomy
  • BIOL 350: Cell Biology
  • BIOL 616: Cardiorespiratory Physiology
  • BIOL 617: Environmental Physiology
  • BIOL 618: Biology of Aging
  • BIOL 620: Endocrinology
  • BIOL 621: Reproductive Physiology
  • BIOL 622: Hormones and Behavior
  • BIOL 623: Pharmacology
  • BIOL 640: Cellular Neurosciences
  • BIOL 642: Neural Systems Physiology
• Group B courses:
  • BIOL 332: Health Disparities in Cancer
  • BIOL 435: Immunology
  • BIOL 453: General Parasitology
  • BIOL 454: Parasitology Laboratory
  • BIOL 525: Plant Physiology
  • BIOL 526: Plant Molecular Physiology Laboratory
  • BIOL 615: Molecular Pathophysiology
  • BIOL 644: LEADerS Service Learning Course: Learners Engaged in Advocating for Diversity in Science
  • BIOL 654: Peer Assistants for Learning Science (PALS)
  • BIOL 699: Independent Study in Biology

General Education Requirements Met in the Major

• Area B2 (Life Science) is satisfied upon completion of BIOL 240.
• Upper-Division General Education, Physical, and Life Sciences (UD–B) is satisfied upon completion of BIOL 355.

First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)

The roadmaps presented are intended as suggested plans of study and do not replace meeting with an advisor.

Transfer Student Roadmap

For students with an AS-T in Biology.

General Advising Information for Transfer Students

1. Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
2. 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

Previous Bulletins

Students following earlier "Bulletin" requirements can access the appropriate year for more information.