May 19, 2024  
Undergraduate Catalog 2023-2024 
    
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Undergraduate Catalog 2023-2024

Biological Sciences, B.S.

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University General Education Requirements  

Department Chairperson: Joyce Ache Gana

The Department of Biological Sciences offers a Bachelor of Science degree, a minor, and a Masters of Science degree (see graduate catalogue). Students may take courses in biological science, botany, physiology, and zoology. Students that graduate with a B.S. in Biology are prepared for a variety of positions in industry, government, health sciences and education, and are prepared for graduate school in any area of life sciences or professional school in medicine, veterinary science, pharmacy, and dentistry.

Assessment: The Department of Biological Sciences is committed to maximizing academic success of our students and uses student learning data and surveys to measure this. Direct and indirect measures of learning are collected each semester in core courses and non-majors courses. Student self-efficacy surveys help determine how students perceive their learning experiences. Together, the data are evaluated and shared within the department and drive ongoing pedagogical and curricular changes. Current program assessment plans and reports can be accessed from the department website (www.csu.edu/bioprehealth/) and viewed in the department main office (SCI 310).

Admission to the Biology UG program is open to all incoming freshmen and transfer students. The department does not accept D transfer credits in biology courses. A Biology Major requires a minimum of 120 semester hours. Biology majors must earn a grade of C or better in required biology courses and may earn a maximum of one D in required supportive courses. Biology majors can retake a required course twice, but require permission from the instructor and chair of the department to enroll a third time. Students who fail the third attempt will not be permitted to complete the Biology Major. Once enrolled at Chicago State University, biology majors may not take a major or supportive course at a two-year college.

There are three options for the Bachelor of Science in Biology degree: BIOL (General Biology); BIOP (Biology-Pre Health (Pre-med/Pre-dent/pre-vet)), and BIOT (Biology-Secondary Teaching). BIOP and BIOT are pre-professional/professional biology majors.
Students may apply for admission to a concentration when they meet the following requirements:

  • Successful completion of 60 hours
  • Successful completion of BIOL 1701   and BIOL 1702  (This line was updated as a Catalog Addendum on 10/20/2023) 
  • Successful completion of two semesters of General Chemistry
  • Successful completion of MATH 1210  or MATH 1250  
  • Minimum GPA: 3.0 (Pre-Health Professions and Secondary Teaching)

Biological Sciences Option

General Requirements (120 credit hr)

General Education (36 credit hr)

Core requirements

  • English composition (6 hr)
  • Oral communication (3 hr)
  • Mathematics (3 hr)

General requirements

  • Humanities/Fine Arts (9 hr); at least 3 hr Humanities and 3 hr Fine Arts
  • Social Sciences (9 hr); in at least two different disciplines
  • Natural Sciences (6 hr); 3 hr Physical Science and 3 hr Life Sciences, one of which must be a lab course

General Education requirements for Mathematics (3 hr) and Natural Sciences (6 hr) are embedded in the Biology Major (see below*).

College of Arts and Sciences Requirement (3 credit hr)

  • One course in a Foreign Language (3 hr)
  • One general education or major course carrying the diversity designation (embedded)

Biology Courses (43-47 credit hr):

  • 25 hr in Biology Core (see below)
  • 14-16 hr Biology electives at 3000 level or higher (see below)
  • 4-6 hr Biology capstone course (satisfies the senior thesis/capstone requirement)

Supportive Courses (36-37 credit hr)

  • Courses in Math, Chemistry and Physics (see below)

Elective Courses (6-11 credit hr)

  • Elective courses at 2000-level or higher to bring total to 120 hr

Specific Requirements

Core Courses in the Biological Sciences (25 credit hr)

Supportive Courses (36-37 credit hr)

Biology Electives (14-16 credit hr)

Four courses in Biology or Biochemistry at the 3000-level or higher, with at least two lab courses and at least two at the 4000 level.

Biology Capstone (4-6 credit hr):

These courses fulfill the senior thesis/capstone requirement for all Biology majors.

Electives to complete 120 Hours (6-11 hr)

Choose any other courses at the 2000-level or higher.

Secondary Teaching Option in Biological Sciences

The Secondary Teaching option prepares students to apply for a Professional Educator License (PEL) from the State of Illinois to teach science to grades 9-12 and upper-level Biology subjects. Students interested in pursuing this option should consult an advisor early as requirements change.

Students in the Secondary Teaching Option must complete 39 credit hours of University General Education and College of Arts and Sciences requirements; mathematics and sciences requirements are embedded in the Biology major (30 hr).

General Education (36 credit hr)

Core requirements

  • English composition (6 hr)
  • Oral communication (3 hr)
  • Mathematics (3 hr)

General requirements

  • Humanities/Fine Arts (9 hr); at least 3 hr Humanities and 3 hr Fine Arts Social Sciences (9 hr); in at least two different disciplines
  • Natural Sciences (6 hr); 3 hr Physical Science and 3 hr Life Sciences, one of which must be a lab course

General Education requirements for Mathematics (3 hr) and Natural Sciences (6 hr) are embedded in the Biology Major (see below*).

College of Arts and Sciences Requirement (3 credit hr)

  • One course in a Foreign Language (3 hr)
  • One general education or major course carrying the diversity designation (embedded)

Specific Requirements

The Biology Core (25 hr)
required courses in General Education:
All Supportive Courses for a Biology Major, with the Exception of
Plus One Course in Earth or Space Science (31-32 hr)
Professional Education Electives: (23-25 hr).
Biology specific education courses
Student Teaching:

Total hr = 123-126

*Admission to the College of Education is required for courses marked with an asterisk. Disposition for teaching adolescents is assessed as part of the program.

State-mandated 100 clinical hr in the field are included in the program.

Student teaching is a full-time 12-16 week experience required at the end of the program.

Biology majors wishing to add a PEL after graduation may apply to the non-degree post baccalaureate program or MAT program. See the College of Education or Secondary Biology advisor for more information.

Pre-Health Professions (Pre-Med, Pre-Dental, Pre-Vet, etc)

Students may choose a concentration in Pre-Health Professions. Students must attain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to be accepted in the concentration.

To remain in good standing, students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. The concentration recommends the following electives:

Integrated BS Biology and Pharm D Program

The Integrated Biology BS and Pharm D program allows students to complete the 4th year of a Biology BS degree during their 1st year in the Pharm D program. Admission to the program is contingent upon acceptance by the department. A grade of C or above is required for all transfer credits. Once enrolled in this program, all Biology courses must be taken at CSU. Note: the fourth year coursework requires dual acceptance into the pharmacy doctorate program.

Requirements of this program are the same as for the Major in Biological Sciences: completion of 120 semester hours, including 36 hours in general education; 3 hr in a foreign language; 31 hr in supportive courses; 23 hr in the Biology Core; the Biology capstone, and four upper level electives (satisfied by the first year coursework in the Pharm D program).

Specific Requirements

Required Courses in General Education:

One General Elective:

Pharmacy recommends Business or Computer Science (3 hr)

All the Supportive Math, Chemistry and Physics Courses Required of the Biology Major (31 Hr; See Biology Major)

  • pre-calculus Math courses do not count toward a major in this program 6 hr of General Education requirements in Math and Physical Science are embedded in these courses
  • 6 hr of General Education requirements in Math and Physical Science are embedded in these courses

The Biology Core

(23 hr; BIOL 1600  is not required; see Biology Major) + Biology Capstone (4 hr)

  • 3 hr of General Education requirement in Life Sciences is embedded in the Biology Core

2000-level Biology electives:

3000- or 4000-level Biology elective (3-4 hr)

1st year pharmacy courses to complete the Major (18 hr)

Honors Program in Biology

Admission Requirements

Students who desire to graduate with honors in

  • biology must have a GPA of 3.25 in biology and overall GPA of 3.0;
  • be juniors (sophomores may apply during their second semester); complete course requirements over the course of three to four semesters; take 6-9 hours in honors courses;
  • take 3-6 hours of research independent study; write an honors thesis.

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