No one really knows what the world will be like 50 years from now, but it is certain that biologists will be at the forefront of science attempting to find solutions to many of the world’s problems and to find answers to intriguing questions about animals, plants and microbes at the molecular, cellular, organismal and ecosystem levels. Biologists will be concerned with pollution of the environment, cause and cure of disease, population control, recurring food shortages, preservation of species and many other aspects resulting from the impact of technological changes on life forms. Those who are astounded by the array of living things on the earth and who seek challenging, creative work should consider a career in biology or in a biology-related field. The Department of Biology offers six distinct four-year curricula which lead to the baccalaureate degree. These are the Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Bachelor of Science in Biology, Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cell Biology, Bachelor of Science in Microbiology, Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience (Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Track), and Bachelor of Science in Zoology. The curricula are designed to maximize postbaccalaureate opportunities in:

1. professional schools of medicine, veterinary medicine and dentistry;
2. allied health schools of physical and occupational therapy, physician assistant programs, optometry, pharmacy, and nursing;
3. graduate education leading to teaching and research careers in universities, in industry or in state or national agencies;
4. teaching at junior high or high school levels and
5. jobs in biotechnology, research laboratories, pharmaceutical companies and field biology.

The Department of Biology degree plans will enable students to complete all entrance requirements for graduate and professional schools as well as medical technology, pharmacy, optometry, nursing, physical therapy, and other paramedical and health support fields.

Advising

Because some careers in biology require advanced and/or specialized training, it is essential to take advantage of advising opportunities. In the Department of Biology, there are professional advisors in the Biology Undergraduate Programs Office. The advisor may be consulted prior to each registration period and as the student needs. Questions regarding registration, degree checks, transfer of courses, advanced placements and other academic matters are handled in the Office of Undergraduate Programs. Students with special interests in graduate study should consult the graduate advisor. Information concerning entrance to professional schools of medicine, dentistry and other health related fields is available from the Office of Professional School Advising.

Students will be audited by the department to monitor progress of the CBK. Students failing to complete the CBK within the first four full semesters (two full semesters for Transfer Students) at Texas A&M University may be blocked and forced to change majors or be required to meet with an academic advisor to see if they can be successful in the major. Students registering for upper-level Biology classes without completing the CBK, or without approval of the Undergraduate Advising Office, will be dropped from the roster.

Transfer Students

1. Transfer from within Texas A&M University: The Biology Department will accept changes of major from other departments at Texas A&M upon completion of AT LEAST one semester of an applicable BIOL course taken at Texas A&M and AT LEAST one semester of an applicable CHEM course taken at Texas A&M, with a minimum 2.5 grade point average overall for courses taken at Texas A&M, a 2.5 or better grade point average in BIOL courses taken at Texas A&M, and a 2.5 or better grade point average in CHEM courses taken at Texas A&M. Students still must complete the CBK before being admitted to upper level BIOL courses.
2. Transfer students from other institutions to Biology must have completed the following:
   1. A minimum of 24 accredited college hours including prescribed coursework
   2. Prescribed coursework:
      1. Eight hours of General Biology (TAMU BIOL 111 and BIOL 112 or Texas Common Course Numbers BIOL 1406 and 1407) with B’s or better in each course, and
      2. Eight hours of General Chemistry (TAMU CHEM 119 and CHEM 120 or Texas Common Course Numbers CHEM 1411 and CHEM 1412) with B’s or better in each course, and
      3. Four hours of Calculus (TAMU MATH 147 or MATH 151 or MATH 171  and four hours of Calculus II (TAMU MATH 148 or MATH 152 or MATH 172 or three hours of Statistics  STAT 201 or Texas Common Courses Numbers MATH 2413 and MATH 2414 or MATH1342) with C’s or better
   3. A minimum cumulative grade point average of a 3.0
   4. A minimum Biology and Chemistry grade point average of a 3.0 in each
   5. Please refer to admissions.tamu.edu

Biology Honors Program

The Biology Department Honors Program is open to highly talented and motivated students pursuing a major in any of our degree plans. Honors students will be part of a vibrant community within the department with enriched learning experiences in both the classroom and biology research laboratories.

Honors Requirements: Students wishing to graduate with honors distinctions in either Biology (BIOL), Microbiology (MBIO), Zoology (ZOOL), or Molecular and Cellular Biology (BMCB) must earn 21 credits in Honors courses and meet the following minimum honors requirements in addition to those listed in the degree plan:

• 4 credits BIOL 111H or BIOL 112H*
• 3 credits BIOL 213H or BIOL 214H
• 3 credits at 300/400 BIOL honors or honors contract; any 600 BIOL; not to include BIOL 485H, BIOL 491H, or BIOL 495H
• 6 credits BIOL 491H
• 2 credits BIOL 495H
• 3 credits any honors course outside the College of Arts and Sciences
  
  * This requirement may be waived with a score of 5 on the Biology AP exam, a score of 6 on the IB exam, or by taking an additional honors biology course at the 300 or 400 level.

Grade requirements at time of graduation:

• cumulative Texas A&M University GPA of 3.5 or higher
• cumulative honors GPA of 3.25 or higher
• no grade lower than a B in courses counting toward honors. If a student earns less than a B in an honors course, they will still receive University credit. However, they will need to take a different course to fulfill the honors requirement.
• no F*, given in cases of academic dishonesty, on the transcript

Honors recognition: All honors courses will be denoted as honors on students' official transcripts. Furthermore, students completing the honors program will have the departmental Biology honors distinction as well as any earned university or college distinction noted on the official transcript.

Admission to the Honors Program in Biology

Incoming Freshmen: Incoming freshmen applicants should indicate their interest in the departmental honors program though the ApplyTexas site and by choosing the "Apply to any Honors Program" after August 1. Qualified applicants will be contacted by the department with further information on joining Biology Honors.  Current qualifications for freshman admission are detailed on the Biology Honors website.

Students who have already completed their application and now wish to apply to the Biology Honors program can use the "Apply to any Honors Program" link at the Texas A&M Honors program site or contact biohonors@bio.tamu.edu.

Current or transfer students: Current or transfer students with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better can apply for admission to the Biology Honors Program by writing a short (less than 300 word) email to the department's Honors Director. When applying students should keep in mind that they will need to fulfill all honors requirements. Please send email to: biohonors@bio.tamu.edu.

Remaining in the program

In order to remain in the Biology Honors program, students must maintain a cumulative GPA at Texas A&M of 3.5 and honors GPA of 3.25. Students falling below these standards will be placed on probation for the next semester. Students unable to meet these standards for a second semester may be dismissed from the Biology Honors Program.

Please direct any questions to biohonors@bio.tamu.edu or the Biology Undergraduate Advising office.

Course Recommendations

The following suggestions are to assist the student in course selections to support their career choice.

Human Biology

These are recommended courses for students interested in pursuing professional schools including medical, dental and allied health programs (e.g., nursing, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy and physician assistant). The focus of the science courses on human biology will better prepare these students for their chosen fields. Suggested courses include:

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Credit Hours
Social and Behavioral Science
PBSI 107	Introduction to Psychology	3
or SOCI 205	or Introduction to Sociology
Biology Electives
BIOL 319	Integrated Human Anatomy and Physiology I	4
BIOL 320	Integrated Human Anatomy and Physiology II	4
BIOL 351	Fundamentals of Microbiology	4
BIOL 388	Principles of Animal Physiology	4
BIOL 445	Biology of Viruses	3
BIOL 454	Immunology	3
BIOL 456	Medical Microbiology	3
Free Electives
HLTH 335	Human Diseases	3
HLTH 354/PHLT 354	Medical Terminology for the Health Professions	3
PBSI 107	Introduction to Psychology	3
or SOCI 205	or Introduction to Sociology
URPN 370	Health Systems Planning	3
International and Cultural Diversity
HLTH 236	Introduction to Health Disparities and Diversity	3
HLTH 334	Women's Health	3
Total Semester Credit Hours		46

Students should consult their academic advisor about the courses that best fit their career interests.

Education

This is for students wishing to acquire state certification to teach at the secondary level upon graduation. Students should seek advice from the advisors within their department and from the School of Education and Human Development, as well as from the advisor in charge of their teaching option. The intention is to make the best possible use of social science, humanity, free and directed electives in the Bachelor of Arts in Biology, thereby condensing as many of the certification requirements as possible into the degree plan and allowing the student to obtain a minor in Secondary Education (SEED).  Courses should include:

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Credit Hours
Social and Behavioral Science
INST 210	Understanding Special Populations	3
INST 222	Foundations of Education in a Multicultural Society	3
Biology Electives
Upper-level BIOL courses, including two writing intensive courses		14
Free Electives
RDNG 372	Reading and Writing across the Middle Grades Curriculum	3
or RDNG 465	or Reading in the Middle and Secondary Grades
TEFB 322	Teaching and Schooling in Modern Society	3
TEFB 324	Teaching Skills II	3
TEFB 406	Science in the Middle and Secondary School	3
Student teaching
Total Semester Credit Hours		32

Marine Biology

These are recommended courses for students desiring a more rigorous and in-depth foundation in biological courses that apply to marine environments and ecosystems. This suggested plan is ideal for students who intend to pursue graduate studies in marine biology or serve as field biologists at national seashores or sanctuaries. Suggested courses include:

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Credit Hours
Biology Electives
BIOL 335	Invertebrate Zoology	4
BIOL 440	Marine Biology	4
Related ZOOL research or field experience		3
Free Electives
ECCB 311	Ichthyology	3
OCNG 251	The Blue Planet - Our Oceans	3
WFSC 425	Marine Fisheries	3
Total Semester Credit Hours		20

Students should consult their academic advisor about the courses that best fit their career interests.

Ecology/Environmental Biology

This is for students who are interested in environmental consulting, environmental protection and ecosystem evaluation. This suggested plan can be adapted to focus on particular areas or populations within an ecosystem.  Suggested courses include:

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Credit Hours
Communication
ENGL 210	Technical and Professional Writing	3
Biology Electives
Select one of the following:		3-4
BIOL 335	Invertebrate Zoology
BIOL 357	Ecology
BIOL 440	Marine Biology
BIOL 467	Integrative Animal Behavior
ECCB 462	Amazon River Tropical Biology
Free Electives
CHEM 315 & CHEM 318	Fundamentals of Quantitative Analysis and Quantitative Analysis Laboratory	4
ENTO 201	General Entomology	3
Select one of the following:		3-4
ECCB 311	Ichthyology
ECCB 401	General Mammalogy
ECCB 402	General Ornithology
PLPA 301 & PLPA 303	Plant Pathology and Plant Pathology Laboratory
Total Semester Credit Hours		17-18

Students should consult their academic advisor about the courses that best fit their career interests.

Liberal Education Requirements of the University, College or State

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Credit Hours
American history		6
Communication		6
Language, philosophy and culture		3
Government/Political science		6
Social and behavioral sciences		3
Creative arts		3
International and cultural diversity		0-3
Cultural Discourse		0-3
Total Semester Credit Hours		27-33

• Bachelor of Arts in Biology
• Bachelor of Science in Biology
• Bachelor of Science in Microbiology
• Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cell Biology
• Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience, Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience
• Bachelor of Science in Zoology

• Bioinformatics Minor
• Biology Minor
• Neuroscience Minor
• Pre-Medicine Minor

• Biology (BIOL)
• Botany (BOTN)
• Microbiology (MICR)
• Zoology (ZOOL)

Biology (BIOL)

Botany(BOTN)

Microbiology (MICR)

Zoology (ZOOL)