Program Overview

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Plant Biology - B.S.

Overview

The Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Biology focuses on the scientific study of plants and understanding of how plants provide aesthetic beauty, as well as materials for basic needs including food, shelter and oxygen. Botanical research has diverse applications in modern horticulture, agriculture, soil science and forestry, in addition to pharmacology and biotechnology.

About This Program

Explore the fascinating world of plants with Kent State's Plant Biology program. Our Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology provides hands-on experience in plant physiology, ecology, genetics and more. With experienced faculty and valuable networking opportunities, the Plant Biology program prepares you for a rewarding career in the field.

Contact Information

• Edgar Kooijman | |
• Speak with an Advisor
• Chat with an Admissions Counselor

Program Delivery

• Delivery: In person
• Location: Kent Campus

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries

• Biological science teachers, postsecondary
  • 9.3% much faster than the average
  • 64,700 number of jobs
  • $85,600 potential earnings
• Biological scientists, all other
  • 2.2% slower than the average
  • 44,700 number of jobs
  • $85,290 potential earnings
• Natural sciences managers
  • 4.8% about as fast as the average
  • 71,400 number of jobs
  • $137,940 potential earnings
• Soil and plant scientists
  • 6.8% faster than the average
  • 17,800 number of jobs
  • $66,120 potential earnings

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students.

• First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.
• First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.
• International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.
• Former Students: Former Kent State students who have not attended another institution since Kent State and were not academically dismissed will complete the re-enrollment process through the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center. Former students who attended another college or university since leaving Kent State must apply for admissions as a transfer or post-undergraduate student.
• Transfer Students: Students who attended an educational institution after graduating from high school or earning their GED must apply as transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

• Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours
  • BSCI 10110 | BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) | 4
  • BSCI 10120 | BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) | 4
  • BSCI 30156 | ELEMENTS OF GENETICS | 3
  • BSCI 40163 | EVOLUTION | 3
  • BSCI 40224 | QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN BIOLOGY | 3-5
  • or MATH 12003 | ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS II
  • or MATH 30011 | BASIC PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS
  • BSCI 40600 | WRITING IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (WIC) | 1
  • CHEM 10062 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) | 1
  • CHEM 10063 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) | 1
  • CHEM 20481 | BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I | 3-4
  • or CHEM 30481 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I
  • CHEM 20482 | BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II | 1-3
  • or CHEM 30475 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I (ELR)
  • or CHEM 30482 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
  • MATH 12002 | ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS I (KMCR) | 5
  • Biology Elective, choose from the following: | 1-6
    • BSCI 30105 | CAREER PATHWAYS IN BIOLOGY
    • BSCI 40192 | INTERNSHIP IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (ELR)
    • BSCI 40196 | INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION (ELR)
    • BSCI 40199 | SENIOR HONORS THESIS (ELR)
  • Biology, Chemistry, Physics Electives, choose from the following: | 20-25
    • CHEM 20482 | BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
    • or CHEM 30482 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
    • CHEM 30475 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I (ELR)
    • CHEM 30476 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II
    • PHY 13001 & PHY 13021 | GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS I (KBS) and GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS LABORATORY I (KBS) (KLAB)
    • or PHY 23101 | GENERAL UNIVERSITY PHYSICS I (KBS) (KLAB)
    • PHY 13002 & PHY 13022 | GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS II (KBS) and GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS LABORATORY II (KBS) (KLAB)
    • or PHY 23102 | GENERAL UNIVERSITY PHYSICS II (KBS) (KLAB)
    • Any Biological Sciences (BSCI) Upper-Division course (30000 or 40000 level)
  • General Chemistry Electives, choose from the following: | 8
    • CHEM 10058 & CHEM 10059 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY FOR LIFE SCIENCES I and GENERAL CHEMISTRY FOR LIFE SCIENCES II
    • CHEM 10060 & CHEM 10061 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (KBS) and GENERAL CHEMISTRY II (KBS)
  • Plant Biology Core Electives, choose from the following: | 12-14
    • BSCI 30267 | PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
    • BSCI 30270 | GENERAL PLANT BIOLOGY
    • BSCI 30271 | GENERAL PLANT BIOLOGY LABORATORY
    • BSCI 30274 | FORESTRY
    • BSCI 30275 | LOCAL FLORA (ELR)
    • BSCI 30277 | ECONOMIC BOTANY
    • BSCI 40162 | SOIL BIOLOGY
    • BSCI 40270 | PLANT ECOLOGY
    • BSCI 40272 | PLANT ANATOMY
    • BSCI 40368 | WETLAND ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT (ELR)
  • Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
    • UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1
    • Foreign Language (see Foreign Language College Requirement below) | 8
    • Kent Core Composition | 6
    • Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each) | 9
    • Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines) | 6
    • Kent Core Additional | 2
    • General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours) | 13
  • Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120

Graduation Requirements

• Graduation Requirements Summary
  • Minimum Major GPA | 2.000
  • Minimum Overall GPA | 2.000

University Requirements

• All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.
• NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements. Please see Program Requirements for details.

Kent Core Requirements

• Bachelor's Requirements Requirement | Credits/Courses
  • Kent Core Composition (KCMP) | 6
  • Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning (KMCR) | 3
  • Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (KHUM/KFA) (min one course each) | 9
  • Kent Core Social Sciences (KSS) (must be from two disciplines) | 6
  • Kent Core Basic Sciences (KBS/KLAB) (must include one laboratory) | 6-7
  • Kent Core Additional (KADL) | 6
  • Total Credit Hours: | 36-37

Program Learning Outcomes

• Graduates of this program will be able to:
  1. Understand fundamental biological principles.
  2. Acquire fundamental skills necessary for laboratory and field investigations.
  3. Conduct proper experimental design, analyze biological data and communicate research results.
  4. Know and appreciate the role that biology plays in societal issues, such as those related to the environment, biodiversity, ethics, human health and disease.

Program Policies

Foreign Language Requirements

• In general, students may elect any foreign language taught through the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies. However, certain majors, concentrations and minors require specific languages or limit the languages from which students may choose. In addition, students who plan to pursue graduate study may need particular languages for that study. In such cases, students should seek the advice of the appropriate department before selecting a language.

Progress Toward Fulfillment

• College of Arts and Sciences students are encouraged to begin meeting the foreign language requirement as early as possible in their program to ensure timely degree completion.

Mandatory Outcomes Assessment

• In addition to the other General Requirements of the college, candidates for an undergraduate degree in the College of Arts and Sciences are required, as a condition of graduation, to participate in an outcomes assessment. These outcomes assessments are conducted by each undergraduate degree program in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid | Semester One | Credits

• ! | BSCI 10110 | BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) | 4
• ! | CHEM 10062 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) | 1
• | UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1
• ! | General Chemistry Elective | 4
• | Kent Core Requirement | 3
• | Kent Core Requirement | 3
• | Credit Hours | 16
• Semester Two
• ! | BSCI 10120 | BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) | 4
• ! | CHEM 10063 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) | 1
• ! | General Chemistry Elective | 4
• | Kent Core Requirement | 3
• | Kent Core Requirement | 3
• | Credit Hours | 15
• Semester Three
• ! | CHEM 20481 or CHEM 30481 | BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I or ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I | 3-4
• | CHEM 20482 or CHEM 30475 or CHEM 30482 | BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II or ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I (ELR) or ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II | 0-3
• | Plant Biology Core Electives | 4
• | Kent Core Requirement | 3
• | Kent Core Requirement | 3
• | Kent Core Requirement | 3
• | Credit Hours | 17
• Semester Four
• ! | BSCI 30156 | ELEMENTS OF GENETICS | 3
• | BSCI 40600 | WRITING IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (WIC) | 1
• | CHEM 20482 or CHEM 30475 or CHEM 30482 | BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II or ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I (ELR) or ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II | 0-3
• | Biology Elective and/or Biology, Chemistry, Physics Elective | 3
• | Plant Biology Core Electives | 4-6
• | Kent Core Requirement | 2
• | Credit Hours | 13
• Semester Five
• | MATH 12002 | ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS I (KMCR) | 5
• | Biology Elective and/or Biology, Chemistry, Physics Elective | 3
• | Plant Biology Core Electives | 4
• | Foreign Language | 4
• | Credit Hours | 16
• Semester Six
• | BSCI 40224 or MATH 12003 or MATH 30011 | QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN BIOLOGY or ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS II or BASIC PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS | 3-5
• | Biology Elective and/or Biology, Chemistry, Physics Electives | 9
• | Foreign Language | 4
• | Credit Hours | 16
• Semester Seven
• | BSCI 40163 | EVOLUTION | 3
• | Biology Elective and/or Biology, Chemistry, Physics Electives | 8
• | General Elective | 3
• | Credit Hours | 14
• Semester Eight
• | Biology Elective and/or Biology, Chemistry, Physics Elective | 3
• | General Electives | 10
• | Credit Hours | 13
• | Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120