Bachelor of Science in Biology, BS

The Biology B.S. degree allows the student to choose coursework to be awarded the general Biology B.S. degree or to select a track in one of five areas, which are: Ecology, Evolutionary and Conservation Biology - Marine and Aquatic Biology - Plant Sciences - Pre-Health Professional Biology - Zoology and Pre-Veterinarian Science. These tracks are designed to align students with specific courses that will prepare them for the job market or more advanced study.

Degree Requirements

• Students who change degree programs and select this major must adopt the most current catalog.
• Co-op or internship credit cannot be used in this major
• Departmental Residency Requirement consists of at least 22 semester hours of regularly scheduled 3000-4000 level courses taken from the UCF Department of Biology.
• Students seeking a double major must satisfy the requirements for both majors and must take no fewer than 40 semester hours of upper division restricted elective course work appropriate to the combined areas of specialization in the two majors.
• Courses designated in Common Program Prerequisites and Core Requirements are usually completed in the first 60 hours.
• A "C" (2.0) or better is required in all BSC or PCB prefix courses meeting Core Requirements.
• Students must achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all UCF courses taken in the Common Program Prerequisites, the Biology Core and the Upper Division Restricted Electives.
• All prerequisites of courses taught within the College of Sciences will be enforced.
• No more than 4 hours of Independent Study, Directed Research, or the following similar types of credit, may be applied toward major requirements:
  • BSC 4422L - Biology Laboratory Techniques
  • BSC 4937 - Instructional Experiences in Undergraduate Biology
• Upon reaching junior standing (60 hours), Biology majors are expected to have completed the following courses and associated chemistry laboratories. These classes are prerequisites for advanced science classes and students entering the major without these classes will be unable to register for most of the advanced courses.
  • BSC 2010C - Biology I
  • BSC 2011C - Biology II
  • CHM 2045C - Chemistry Fundamentals I
  • CHM 2046 - Chemistry Fundamentals II
  • CHM 2046L - Chemistry Fundamentals Laboratory
  • CHM 2210 - Organic Chemistry I
  • CHM 2211 - Organic Chemistry II
  • CHM 2211L - Organic Laboratory Techniques I
  • PHY 2053C - College Physics I (or PHY 2053 and PHY 2053L)
  • PHY 2054C - College Physics II (or PHY 2054 and PHY 2054L)

Degree Requirements

Core Requirements: Basic Level

• Complete all of the following
  • Completion of the required GEP and CPP fulfills the Chemistry Sequence (CHM2045C, CHM2046, & CHM2046L), the Physics Sequence (PHY2053C/PHY2054C or PHY2048C/PHY2049C - or lecture lab combinations), the Mathematics course requirement (MAC2311C, MAC2233 or MAC2253), and the Statistics course requirement (STA2023).
  Basic Core: Cognate Sciences Organic or Analytic Sequence:
  • Complete 1 of the following
    • Organic sequence - Preferred
    • Complete the following:
      • CHM2210 - Organic Chemistry I (3)
      • CHM2211 - Organic Chemistry II (3)
      • CHM2211L - Organic Laboratory Techniques I (2)
    • Complete the following:
      • CHM2205 - Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry (5)
      • CHM3120 - Analytical Chemistry (3)
      • CHM3120L - Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (1)

Core Requirements: Advanced Level

• Complete all of the following
  Biology Advanced Core
  • Complete all of the following
    • Note: A minimum grade of "C" (2.0) is required in these Biology courses to satisfy the requirement, and to allow their use as a course prerequisite.
    • Complete the following:
      • PCB3023 - Molecular Cell Biology (3)
      • PCB3044 - Principles of Ecology (3)
      • PCB3063 - Genetics (3)
      • PCB4683 - Evolutionary Biology (4)
  Biology Laboratories:
  • Complete all of the following
    • Students are required to take two upper-level labs from those listed below
    • One of these labs must come from section A. The second lab must come from section B, which may include a lab from section A that was not originally selected.
    • Biology Laboratories will also count towards the additional biology elective section within your chosen track.
    A. Laboratories
    • Must Complete 1 of the following:  PCB3044L - Principles of Ecology Laboratory (1)  PCB3063L - Genetics Laboratory (1)  PCB4683L - Evolutionary Biology Lab (1)
    B. Laboratories
    • Complete all of the following
      • Each track must complete one of the following laboratories that differ from the A Laboratory completed above.
      •  BOT3018C - Culinary Botany Across the Cultures (4)  BOT4223C - Plant Anatomy (4)  BOT4303C - Plant Kingdom (4)  BOT4503C - Plant Physiology (4)  BOT4530C - Plant Genomics and Biochemistry (4)  BOT4713C - Plant Taxonomy (5)  BOT4430C - Biology of Fungi (4)  BSC4312C - Advanced Marine Biology (4)  BSC4445C - Genomics Laboratory (4)  ENY3571 - Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping (3)  ENY4004C - General Entomology (4)  MCB3020C - General Microbiology (5)  PCB3044L - Principles of Ecology Laboratory (1)  PCB3063L - Genetics Laboratory (1)  PCB4301C - Wetland Ecology & Biogeochemistry (4)  PCB4315C - Marine Ecology of Florida (4)  PCB4353L - Florida Ecology Lab (1)  PCB4683L - Evolutionary Biology Lab (1)  ZOO3713L - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Lab (1)  ZOO4205C - Invertebrate Biodiversity (4)  ZOO4310C - Vertebrate Evolution & Ecology (4)  ZOO4405C - Sea Turtle Ecology and Conservation Internship (3)  ZOO4462C - Herpetology (4)  ZOO4480L - Mammalogy Lab (1)  ZOO4603C - Embryology/Development (5)  ZOO4756C - Comparative Vertebrate Histology (4)  ZOO4910L - Research Experience in Animal Behavior in a Zoo Environment (3)

Biology Tracks - Notes

• Complete all of the following
  • Students must complete at least one course dealing exclusively with Animals and one course dealing exclusively with Plants.
  • Transferred courses must be at a 3000 level or higher, and be evaluated by the undergraduate program coordinator, to count toward the Biology Track.
  • Courses at the 5000 level are only open to seniors and beginning graduate students. Faculty teaching course must approve override.

Zoology and Pre-Veterinarian Science Track

• Earn at least 22 credits from the following types of courses: o Required Electives: A "C" (2.0) or better is required in each course taken in the below requirement. Complete at least 2 of the following: PCB4723 - Animal Physiology (4) ZOO3001 - Integrated Principles of Zoology (3) ZOO3713 - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (4) ZOO4513 - Animal Behavior (3) o Restricted Electives: Additional courses may be added to the below list of Restricted Electives and will appear on the myKnight audit. Complete at least 3 of the following: ANT3550C - Primatology (3) BSC4821 - Biogeography (4) BSC4927 - Scientific and Public Engagement for Biology Majors (3) ENY4004C - General Entomology (4) PAZ4234 - Zoo and Aquarium Management (3) PCB4402 - Disease Ecology & Ecoimmunology (3) PCB4575 - Wildlife Genomics (3) PCB4723 - Animal Physiology (4) ZOO3001 - Integrated Principles of Zoology (3) ZOO3454 - Ichthyology (3) ZOO3713 - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (4) ZOO4205C - Invertebrate Biodiversity (4) ZOO4272 - Ornithology (3) ZOO4310C - Vertebrate Evolution & Ecology (4) ZOO4405C - Sea Turtle Ecology and Conservation Internship (3) ZOO4462C - Herpetology (4) ZOO4480 - Mammalogy (4) ZOO4513 - Animal Behavior (3) ZOO4603C - Embryology/Development (5) ZOO4756C - Comparative Vertebrate Histology (4) ZOO4910L - Research Experience in Animal Behavior in a Zoo Environment (3) o Complete additional courses from the following to earn a total of at least 22 hours in this track: Remaining biology electives, including the Plant class and the Animal class; the A Lab and the B Lab will count towards the Additional Biology Electives. Additional Biology elective courses must be selected from the General Biology Track's Restricted Elective List.

Grand Total Credits: 43 - 44

Total Undergraduate Credit Hours Required: 120

Electives

• To fulfil the 120 hours required in this degree, select primarily from upper level courses after consulting with your departmental advisor. May be outside of the department.

Foreign Language Requirements

Graduation

• None

Departmental Exit Requirements

• A "C" (2.0) or better is required in all Core Courses with a BSC or PCB prefix.
• Students must achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all UCF courses taken in the Common Program
  Prerequisites, the Biology Core and the Upper Division Restricted Electives.
• All attempts of UCF courses that could meet requirements are included in the major GPA calculation. All attempts of
  UCF courses listed for the major taken beyond the minimum required are included in the GPA calculation (e.g,
  additional restricted electives taken beyond the required 22 hours).
• Departmental Residency Requirement consists of at least 22 semester hours of regularly scheduled 3000-4000 level
  courses taken from the UCF Department of Biology.
• Students are required to pass the comprehensive exit exam in Biology. We recommend that this exam be taken as soon
  as you have completed all of the Biology core courses. A passing grade is determined as a scaled score greater than the
  bottom 10% of nation-wide test takers.
• Students seeking a double major must satisfy the requirements for both majors and must take no fewer than 40 semester
  hours of upper division restricted elective course work appropriate to the combined areas of specialization in the two
  majors.
• Biology majors are discouraged from taking courses as a transient student at a Florida College System institution,
  except in situations where the first semester of a two semester sequence has already been taken at a Florida College
  System institution.

University Minimum Exit Requirements

• A 2.0 UCF GPA
• 42 semester hours of upper division credit completed
• 60 semester hours earned after CLEP awarded
• 30 of the last 39 hours of course work must be completed in residency at UCF.
• A maximum of 45 hours of extension, correspondence, CLEP, Credit by Exam, and Armed Forces credits permitted.
• Complete the General Education Program, the Gordon Rule, and nine hours of Summer credit.

Honors In Major

• Application and admissions through The Burnett Honors College and department. More information about Honors in
  the Major can be found at https://honors.ucf.edu/research/.

Related Programs

• Environmental Engineering (B.S.Env.E)
• Biomedical Sciences (B.S.)
• Secondary Education, Science Education Biology Track (B.S.)
• Environmental Studies (B.S.)

• Biology Minor
• Environmental Studies Minor
• Biomedical Sciences Minor

Advising Notes

• Students are urged to contact their departmental advisor before registering for courses.
• It is the student's responsibility to ensure they have satisfied course prerequisites before registering for a class.
• Students are encouraged to contact their department advisor regarding substitutions for requirements. These will be
  accepted on a case by case basis.
• Contact your college advisor in the College of Sciences Advising Services (COSAS) office (CSB 250) for more
  information about overall progress toward your degree, GEP and other university requirements, academic probation,
  special problems as well as general academic advising.

Transfer Notes

• Lower division courses do not substitute for upper division courses.
• Courses transferred from private and out-of-state schools must be evaluated for equivalency credit by the
  undergraduate program coordinator. The student must provide all supporting information.
• Submit your requests for course evaluations at https://sciences.ucf.edu/cosas/ and click on "COS Course Evaluation".
• Honors versions of courses will substitute for regular versions.
• The following substitutions are acceptable for common program prerequisites if taken as part of the AA course work.
  Although the CPP may be satisfied, prerequisites for subsequent Biology courses may still have to be met:
  • BSC 2010C: BSCX040/X040L
  • BSC 2011C: BSCX041/X041L; ZOOX010/X010L; BOTX010/X010L; BOTX013/X013L
  • CHM 2046/CHM 2046L: CHMX046C
  • Math/Statistics and Physics: Although a number of courses will satisfy the CPP, please refer to the catalog
    copy for the specific courses that are required in the program.

Program Academic Learning Compacts

• Program Academic Learning Compacts (student learning outcomes) for undergraduate programs are located at:
  http://www.oeas.ucf.edu/alc/academic_learning_compacts.htm

Equipment Fees

• Part-Time Student: $24.85 per term
• Full-Time Student: $49.70 per term