Program Overview

B.S. in Biology - Marine Science Concentration

Curriculum

General Education Requirements

• Academic Foundations
  • First Year Experience requirement (4 credits)
  • English Composition requirement (6-7 credits)
  • Mathematics requirement (3-4 credits)
    • MAT 121: Introduction to Statistics I
    • or MAT 125: Introduction to Statistics and Probability
  • Interdisciplinary requirement (3 credits)
  • Diverse Communities requirement (3 credits)
  • Ethics requirement (3 credits)
• Distributed Disciplinary Foundations
  • Science requirement (6-8 credits)
    • CHE 103: General Chemistry I
    • PHY 130: General Physics I
  • Behavioral & Social Science requirement (6 credits)
  • Humanities requirement (6 credits)
  • Arts requirement (3 credits)

Additional Baccalaureate Requirements

• University Requirements
  • Writing Emphasis requirement (9 credits)
  • Speaking Emphasis requirement (9 credits)
• Degree Requirements
  • Capstone requirement (1-15 credits)

Major Requirements

• Core Courses
  • BIO 110: General Biology I (4 credits)
  • BIO 111: General Biology II (4 credits)
  • BIO 210: Genetics (3 credits)
  • BIO 210L: Genetics Lab (1 credit)
  • BIO 211: Cell Biology (4 credits)
  • CHE 103: General Chemistry I (3 credits)
  • CRL 103: General Chemistry I Lab (1 credit)
  • CHE 104: General Chemistry II (3 credits)
  • CRL 104: General Chemistry II Lab (1 credit)
  • CHE 231: Organic Chemistry I (4 credits)
  • CRL 231: Organic Chemistry I Lab (2 credits)
  • CHE 232: Organic Chemistry II (3 credits)
  • PHY 130: General Physics I (4 credits)
  • or PHY 170: Physics I
  • PHY 140: General Physics II (4 credits)
  • or PHY 180: Physics II
  • MAT 121: Introduction to Statistics I (3 credits)
  • or MAT 125: Introduction to Statistics and Probability
  • Select one semester of calculus (3-4 credits)
• Other Required Courses
  • BIO 270: Ecology (3 credits)
  • BIO 312: Marine Botany (3 credits)
  • BIO 313: Marine Biology (3 credits)
  • BIO 310: Biostatistical Applications (3 credits)
  • ESS 330: Introduction to Oceanography (3 credits)
• Marine Science Electives
  • Selected under advisement from the list below, (6 credits must be chosen at the 300- or 400-level) from the Department of Biology approved list (9 credits)
    • WCU Courses:
      • BIO 387: Invertebrate Zoology
      • BIO 453: Marine Mammals
      • GEO 324: Intro to Geographic Information Systems
      • ESS 332: Advanced Oceanography
    • Cheyney University Courses: SLF 330, 332
    • Wallops Island/Marine field station courses: Courses are to be chosen from two or more topics including, but not limited to, marine or wetlands ecology, ichthyology, invertebrate zoology, marine mammals, ornithology, marine molecular biology, and biotechnology.
• Capstone Requirement
  • Select one of the following: (3 credits)
    • BIO 490: Capstone: Seminar in Biology
    • BIO 491: Capstone: Independent Research in Biology
    • BIO 492: Capstone: Professional Development in Biology

Sample Course Plan

Year One

• Semester One
  • BIO 110: General Biology I (4 credits)
  • CHE 103 & CRL 103: General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Lab (4 credits)
  • WRT 120: Effective Writing I (3 credits)
  • FYE 100X: First Year Experience (4 credits)
  • Total Credits: 15
• Semester Two
  • BIO 111: General Biology II (4 credits)
  • CHE 104 & CRL 104: General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Lab (4 credits)
  • MAT 121 or MAT 125: Introduction to Statistics I or Introduction to Statistics and Probability (3 credits)
  • WRT 2XX: 200-Level WRT Course (3 credits)
  • Behavioral & Social Science Gen Ed (3 credits)
  • Total Credits: 17

Year Two

• Semester Three
  • BIO 210 & 210L: Genetics and Genetics Lab (4 credits)
  • CHE 231 & CRL 231: Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Lab (6 credits)
  • Humanities & Ethics Gen Ed (3 credits)
  • Arts Gen Ed (3 credits)
  • Total Credits: 16
• Semester Four
  • BIO 211: Cell Biology (4 credits)
  • BIO 313: Marine Biology (3 credits)
  • CHE 232: Organic Chemistry II (3 credits)
  • MAT 145 or MAT 143 or MAT 161: Calculus for the Life Sciences or Brief Calculus or Calculus I (3-4 credits)
  • Behavioral & Social Science Gen Ed (3 credits)
  • Total Credits: 16-17

Year Three

• Semester Five
  • BIO 270: Ecology (3 credits)
  • PHY 130: General Physics I (4 credits)
  • ESS 330: Introduction to Oceanography (3 credits)
  • Diverse Communities Gen Ed (3 credits)
  • Directed Elective (3 credits)
  • Total Credits: 16
• Semester Six
  • BIO 310: Biostatistical Applications (3 credits)
  • BIO 312: Marine Botany (3 credits)
  • PHY 140: General Physics II (4 credits)
  • Interdisciplinary Gen Ed (3 credits)
  • Speaking Emphasis Gen Ed (3 credits)
  • Total Credits: 16

Year Four

• Semester Seven
  • Marine Science Elective (3 credits)
  • Marine Science Elective (3 credits)
  • Humanities Gen Ed (3 credits)
  • Upper-Level Directed Elective (3 credits)
  • Total Credits: 12
• Semester Eight
  • BIO 490 or BIO 491 or BIO 492: Capstone: Seminar in Biology or Capstone: Independent Research in Biology or Capstone: Professional Development in Biology (3 credits)
  • Marine Science Elective (3 credits)
  • Directed Elective (3 credits)
  • Directed Elective (3 credits)
  • Total Credits: 12
  • Total Credits: 120-121