Program Overview

School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

The Biology Program at UT Dallas emphasizes the unifying molecular and cellular nature of organisms. At the center of the Biology undergraduate curriculum are the biochemical, genetic, and cell biology concepts and tools used to study the genes of prokaryotes and eukaryotes, to study the proteins and ribonucleic acids (RNA) encoded by these genes, and to study how the expression of these genes is regulated during the development and lifetimes of organisms. Molecular Biology represents a fusion of the four disciplines of biochemistry, biophysics, genetics, and cell biology. Modern biology requires a background in other disciplines such as chemistry, mathematics, physics, and computer sciences. Principles from these disciplines have to be merged to understand and apply new biotechnology and genetic engineering techniques. It is desirable for entering students to have a broad interest and background in the sciences.

Biology (BA, BS)

Both BS and BA degrees are offered in Biology at UT Dallas. The BS degrees are intended as preparation for scientific careers in biology or careers in the health professions. The BA degree is intended as liberal arts biology major with less emphasis on calculus and more free semester credit hours for coursework in other disciplines. Biology offers a streamlined double major with Business Administration or Criminology. Fast Track BS / MS Biology and Molecular Biology degree programs are available.

Faculty

• Professors:
  • Lee A. Bulla
  • Rockford K. Draper
  • Juan E. Gonz嫮ez
  • Lawrence J. Reitzer
  • Stephen Spiro
  • Li Zhang
  • Michael Qiwei Zhang
• Professors Emeritus:
  • Hans Bremer
  • Donald M. Gray
  • Claud S. Rupert
• Associate Professors:
  • Gail A. M. Breen
  • John G. Burr
  • Jeff L. DeJong
  • Ernest M. Hannig
  • Tae Hoon Kim
  • Dennis L. Miller
• Assistant Professors:
  • Nikki Delk
  • Heng Du
  • Jung-whan (Jay) Kim
  • Kelli Palmer
  • Anh T. Tran
  • Duane D. Winkler
  • Zhenyu Xuan
  • Hyuntae Yoo
• Research Assistant Professor:
  • Lan Guo
• Senior Lecturers:
  • Irina Borovkov
  • Mehmet Candas
  • Vincent P. Cirillo
  • Monique Duncan
  • Brenna Hill
  • Wen-Ju Lin
  • Li Liu
  • Robert C. Marsh
  • David Murchison
  • Jing Pan
  • Elizabeth Pickett
  • Ruben D. Ramirez
  • Scott A. Rippel
  • Elizabeth L. Rugg
  • Ilya Sapozhnikov
  • Uma Srikanth
  • Michelle Wilson
  • Wen-Ho Yu
• Lecturers:
  • Uyen Henson
  • John Kolar

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Biology

Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)

I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours

• Communication: 6 semester credit hours
  • COMM 1311 Survey of Oral and Technology-based Communication
  • RHET 1302 Rhetoric
• Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours
  • One of the following:
    • MATH 2413 Differential Calculus - BA or BS
    • MATH 2417 Calculus I
    • MATH 1325 Applied Calculus - BA only
• Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours
  • CHEM 1311 General Chemistry I
  • CHEM 1312 General Chemistry II
• Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours
  • Select any 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture core courses
• Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours
  • Select any 3 semester credit hours from Creative Arts core courses
• American History: 6 semester credit hours
  • Select any 6 semester credit hours from American History core courses
• Government / Political Science: 6 semester credit hours
  • GOVT 2305 American National Government
  • GOVT 2306 State and Local Government
• Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours
  • Select any 3 semester credit hours from Social and Behavioral Sciences core courses
• Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours
  • Two of the following:
    • BIOL 2311 Introduction to Modern Biology I
    • MATH 2413 Differential Calculus and MATH 2414 Integral Calculus - BS or BA
    • MATH 1325 Applied Calculus I and STAT 2332 Statistics for Life Sciences - BA only

II. Major Requirements: 53 - 61 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum

• Major Preparatory Courses: 18-21 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum
  • CHEM 1311 General Chemistry I
  • CHEM 1111 General Chemistry Laboratory I
  • CHEM 1312 General Chemistry II
  • CHEM 1112 General Chemistry Laboratory II
  • CHEM 2323 Introductory Organic Chemistry I
  • CHEM 2123 Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
  • CHEM 2325 Introductory Organic Chemistry II
  • CHEM 2125 Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
  • MATH 2413 Differential Calculus and MATH 2414 Integral Calculus (BA or BS)
  • PHYS 2325 Mechanics and PHYS 2125 Physics Laboratory I
  • PHYS 2326 Electromagnetism and Waves and PHYS 2126 Physics Laboratory II
  • NATS 1101 Natural Sciences and Mathematics Freshman Seminar
  • UNIV 1010 Freshman Seminar
• Major Core Courses: 26-29 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum
  • BIOL 2281 Introductory Biology Laboratory
  • BIOL 2111 Introduction to Modern Biology Workshop I
  • BIOL 2112 Introduction to Modern Biology Workshop II
  • BIOL 2311 Introduction to Modern Biology I
  • BIOL 2312 Introduction to Modern Biology II
  • BIOL 3101 Classical and Molecular Genetics Workshop
  • BIOL 3102 Eukaryotic Molecular and Cell Biology Workshop
  • BIOL 3161 Biochemistry Workshop I
  • BIOL 3162 Biochemistry Workshop II
  • BIOL 3301 Classical and Molecular Genetics
  • BIOL 3302 Eukaryotic Molecular and Cell Biology
  • BIOL 3361 Biochemistry I
  • BIOL 3362 Biochemistry II
  • BIOL 3380 Biochemistry Laboratory
• Major Related Courses: 9-12 semester credit hours
  • 9 semester credit hours upper-division BIOL electives (BA only)
  • 12 semester credit hours upper-division BIOL electives (BS only)

III. Elective Requirements: 17-24 semester credit hours

• Free Electives: 17-24 semester credit hours
  • The plan must include sufficient upper-division courses to total 51 upper-division credit hours.

Bachelor of Arts in Biology with UTeach Option

Degree Requirements (121 semester credit hours)

I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours

• Same as Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Biology

II. Major Requirements: 53 semester credit hours

• Major Preparatory Courses: 15-18 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum
  • Same as Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Biology
• Major Core Courses: 29 semester credit hours
  • Same as Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Biology
• Major Related Courses: 9 semester credit hours
  • 9 semester credit hours upper-division BIOL electives

III. Elective Requirements: 25 semester credit hours

• UTeach Requirements: 21 semester credit hours beyond Major Related Courses
  • NATS 1141 UTeach STEP 1
  • NATS 1143 UTeach STEP 2
  • NATS 3341 Knowing and Learning in Mathematics and Science
  • NATS 3343 Classroom Interactions
  • HIST 3328 History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine
  • NATS 4390 Research Methods
  • NATS 4341 Project-Based Instruction
  • NATS 4694 UTeach Apprentice Teaching, 8-12 Science and Mathematics
  • NATS 4141 UTeach Apprentice Teaching Seminar
• Upper-Division Free Electives: 4 semester hours
  • The plan must include sufficient upper-division courses to total 51 upper-division credit hours.

Fast Track Baccalaureate/Master's Degrees

UT Dallas undergraduate students with strong academic records, including at least 15 semester credit hours of upper-division Biology core courses, who intend to pursue graduate work in Biology at UT Dallas, may apply for the Fast Track which involves taking selected graduate courses as an upper-division student. After admission to the graduate program, 15 semester credit hours of graduate courses with an earned grade of B or better can be used toward completion of the BS and to satisfy requirements for those courses at the graduate level. Graduate courses must be approved by the graduate advisor. This program provides an opportunity to obtain the BS degree in Biology after 120 semester credit hours of work and an MS degree in Molecular and Cell Biology after an additional 21 semester credit hours of graduate course and research work. Interested students should contact the Biology undergraduate advisor well in advance of the senior year to prepare a degree plan taking maximal advantage of this Fast Track program.

Degree Planning

Upper-division biology courses taken at other institutions may be included as part of the degree plan subject to the provisions of the section on Transfer Admissions. Major-related courses may not include more than 9 semester credit hours (BS) or 6 hours (BA) of upper-division transfer credit and not more than 3 hours (Biology major) or 6 semester credit hours (Molecular Biology major) of individual instruction. Students planning a career in a particular allied health profession should consult the school they expect to attend to apprise themselves of the course requirements for admission. Admission standards for medical and dental schools are set by the individual professional school, whose specific requirements should be reviewed with the help of the UT Dallas Health Professions Advising Center (HPAC). Most professional schools prefer that admission applications be channeled through the HPAC.