Program Overview
Introduction to the Botany Program
The Department of Botany provides an introduction to the living world, including the diversity of its organisms, historical origins through evolution, principles of structure, function, and ecology, and interactions with the nonliving world. Botany is the science of plants, algae, fungi, and bacteria, and it plays a crucial role in understanding the natural world.
How to Get in
Prospective Botany majors should consult with the general undergraduate botany advisor by the beginning of the junior year to outline a course of study appropriate to the student's needs. Major Declaration may occur by meeting with the undergraduate advisor in the major. To be accepted as a major in Botany, a student must have a grade point average of 2.500 for all science courses taken prior to declaration.
University General Education Requirements
All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. These requirements include:
- BreadthHumanities/Literature/Arts: 6 credits
- BreadthNatural Science: 4 to 6 credits
- BreadthSocial Studies: 3 credits
- Communication Part A & Part B
- Ethnic Studies
- Quantitative Reasoning Part A & Part B
College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. The College of Letters & Science allows this major to be paired with either the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degree requirements. The requirements include:
- Mathematics: Complete two courses of 3+ credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level in MATH, COMP SCI, or STAT subjects.
- Language: Complete the third unit of a language other than English.
- L&S Breadth: Complete 12 credits of Humanities, 12 credits of Social Science, and 12 credits of Natural Science.
- Liberal Arts and Science Coursework: Complete at least 108 credits.
- Depth of Intermediate/Advanced Coursework: Complete at least 60 credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level.
- Major: Declare and complete at least one major.
- Total Credits: Complete at least 120 credits.
- UW-Madison Experience: Complete 30 credits in residence, overall, and 30 credits in residence after the 86th credit.
- Quality of Work: Maintain a 2.000 GPA in all coursework at UWMadison and a 2.000 GPA in Intermediate/Advanced level coursework at UWMadison.
Requirements for the Major
The major in Botany requires the completion of the following courses:
- Math, Chemistry, and Physics:
- Statistics/Mathematics: One course from STAT 301, STAT 324, or STAT 371.
- General Chemistry: One of the following sequences: CHEM 103 & CHEM 104, CHEM 115 & CHEM 116, or CHEM 109.
- Organic Chemistry: CHEM 341 or CHEM 343.
- Physics: One course from PHYSICS 115, PHYSICS 103, PHYSICS 104, PHYSICS 201, PHYSICS 202, PHYSICS 207, PHYSICS 208, PHYSICS 247, PHYSICS 248, or PHYSICS 249.
- Biology and Botany Requirements:
- Introductory Biology: One of the following options: BOTANY/BIOLOGY 130, BIOLOGY/ZOOLOGY 151 & BIOLOGY/ZOOLOGY 152, or BIOCORE 381 & BIOCORE 382 & BIOCORE 383 & BIOCORE 384 & BIOCORE 485.
- Botany Distribution: Five courses, to include at least one course in each of the following areas: Cell, Molecular, Physiology; Ecology; Genetics, Evolution; and Diversity.
- Independent Research Experience: One of the following options: BOTANY 691 & BOTANY 692, BOTANY 681 & BOTANY 682, or BOTANY 699.
Residence and Quality of Work
- 2.000 GPA in all BOTANY and major courses
- 2.000 GPA on 15 upper-level major credits, taken in residence
- 15 credits in BOTANY, taken on the UWMadison campus
Honors in the Major
Students may declare Honors in the Botany Major in consultation with the Botany undergraduate advisor. To earn Honors in the Major in Botany, students must satisfy the requirements for the major and the following additional requirements:
- 3.300 University GPA
- 3.400 GPA in all BOTANY and major courses
- Complete 12 Honors credits from coursework listed in the "Botany Distribution" requirements or from Intermediate/Advanced Honors coursework in Biocore
- Conduct Senior Honors Thesis research in BOTANY 681 & BOTANY 682 for a total of 6 credits
Learning Outcomes
The learning outcomes for the Botany major include:
- Acquire and demonstrate foundational understanding of the basic properties of plant life from the subcellular to the ecosystem level of organization.
- Acquire and demonstrate basic understanding in chemistry, physics, and mathematics to interpret biological phenomena.
- Acquire and demonstrate detailed knowledge in at least five of the core areas of plant biology: Genetics, Physiology, Structural biology, Ecology, Systematics, Evolution, Cryptogamic biology.
- Explore these core areas in the context of the laboratory and/or the field.
- Engage in plant biology research: develop hypotheses, acquire scientific information, and interpret results in the context of the historical scientific literature in one or more specialized botanical subdisciplines.
- Develop an appreciation of communicating scientific information, especially in written form.
Four-Year Plan
The Four-Year Plan for the Botany major is designed to help students complete the major requirements in a timely manner. The plan includes:
- First Year: General chemistry, introductory biology, mathematics, and language requirement courses.
- Second Year: Organic chemistry, physics, and botany breadth courses.
- Third Year: Botany distribution courses, independent research experience, and electives.
- Fourth Year: Senior thesis, botany breadth courses, and electives.
Advising and Careers
The Department of Botany provides academic advising and career guidance to its students. The SuccessWorks program at the College of Letters & Science also offers career advising, events, and resources to help students explore career options and secure jobs or internships.