Curriculum in Genetics is administered by the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.

Genetics is one of the most exciting, rapidly expanding areas in the life sciences. More than an independent discipline, it has become the basis for understanding many aspects of medical and agricultural systems, animal and plant diseases, and even animal behavior. Developments in molecular genetics have provided biotechnologies that will dramatically affect our lives from the improved diagnosis of human disease, to the production of viral-resistant crops, to environmental cleanup.

The undergraduate curriculum in genetics allows the study of several different aspects of genetics, including population genetics, human genetics and genetic engineering. The genetics major is designed to develop the knowledge and skills necessary for advanced studies in all disciplines related to life sciences from medicine/veterinary medicine to genetic engineering. This basic science curriculum also has enough flexibility to allow a student to prepare for such diverse careers as forensics, medicine, business or law.

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Must make a grade of C or better.

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To be selected from the University Core Curriculum. Of the 21 hours shown as University Core Curriculum electives, 3 hours must be from language, philosophy and culture, 3 hours from creative arts, 3 hours from social and behavioral sciences, 6 hours from American history, 6 hours from POLS 206 and POLS 207. The graduation requirements include a requirement for 3 hours of International and Cultural Diversity courses and 3 hours of Cultural Discourse courses which may be met by courses satisfying the language, philosophy and culture, creative arts, social and behavioral sciences, government/political science and American history requirements if they are also on the approved list of international and cultural diversity courses.

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The fourth registered hour of research must be taken as Writing Intensive.

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Hours to be selected from any 400-level course in Genetics with approval of student's academic advisor. Excludes BICH 409, BICH 410, BICH 411, BICH 414, BICH 431/GENE 431, BICH 432/GENE 432, BICH 440, BICH 491, GENE 412, GENE 419/BICH 419, GENE 491.

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Often used for a minor.  Students intending to pursue an advance degree in Genetics are strongly urged to use some general electives for additional upper division courses in GENE, BICH, BIOL, CHEM, MATH or STAT.  General electives may be any course numbered 100-499 that is not used elsewhere (except BICH 303, BICH 410, BICH 411, BICH 412, BICH 440, BICH 441; MATH 100-104, MATH 130-148).