Undergraduate Programs

The School offers seven undergraduate degree programs leading to either the Bachelor of Arts (BA) or the Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees.

The curricula for all of these programs are tailored within broad guidelines to meet particular career goals. Each student is assigned a member of the faculty as academic advisor, someone who works with the student to develop a curriculum that best meets the student's goals and helps him or her to explore any of the areas of specialization and opportunities in biological sciences offered by the School.

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science. Students may choose between the BA or the BS degrees as well as among the major disciplines of Biology, Botany, and Zoology. Both the BA and the BS degrees provide a strong background in the biological sciences, but they are distinguished by different emphasis on other sciences affiliated with biology and on liberal-arts options. The BA option requires more coursework in international perspectives while the BS option requires more coursework in math and other sciences. Both options require coursework in general and organic chemistry and in physics and math, but the BS requires a second math course and more math-based physics. The BS is better suited to students planning careers in health professions or those who plan further graduate study. The BA programs allow more flexibility, and are particularly well suited for those pursuing a double major.

The requirement in the BA option for developing an international perspective may be met by (1) establishing proficiency in a foreign language at the intermediate level, (2) completing at least one semester in a foreign exchange program approved by the University of Maine, or (3) completing nine credits in General Education courses in Cultural Diversity and International Perspective. The College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture has a BA requirement of 27 credits in General Education courses in Human Values and Social Context and at least 12 must be at the 200 level or above.

Students pursuing a BS in Biology or Zoology can also declare a concentration in Pre-medical Studies, and students pursuing a BA or BS in Biology can declare a concentration in Ecology. Students may also choose to minor in Neuroscience or many disciplines across the University.

Course requirements

All majors in the School must take the introductory Basic Biological Sciences courses, take certain Affiliated Sciences and Math courses, and meet distribution requirements in the Biological Sciences Areas and in areas of General Education established by the University.

In the category of Biological Sciences Areas, students choose at least one course from each of five topic areas: (I) cell and molecular biology, (II) genetics, (III) physiology, (IV) biodiversity and evolution, and (V) ecology and behavior. In the last three areas, some courses have a focus on animals (designated A in the following listing), others on plants (designated P). Students in the Zoology or Botany degree programs would logically choose animal or plant-centered courses for their electives; students in the Biology degree programs must choose at least one course that focuses on animals (designated by "A"), and at least one that focuses on plants (designated by "P").

Students majoring in the biological sciences must earn a minimum of "C" in BIO 100 and BIO 200 and achieve an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher in all biology, affiliated sciences, and mathematics courses in order to graduate. Transfer students must complete a minimum of 12 credits in Biology courses in residence in Biological Sciences Areas I-V.

Basic Biological Sciences for the BA and the BS in Biology or Botany or Zoology:

BIO 100 Basic Biology (4 cr)
BIO 200 Biology of Organisms (4 cr)

Note: BIO 208- Anatomy and Physiology- will not count toward degree credit for students majoring in Biology, Botany, or Zoology.

Biological Sciences Areas for the BA and the BS in Biology or Botany or Zoology

A minimum of 24 credits is required, including at least 3 credits from each of the following 5 areas and at least 4 courses with laboratories (designated L). A course may be used to satisfy only one area requirement (some courses are listed in more than one area).

I. Cell and Molecular Biology If only one course is taken from this area, it must be BMB 280.

BIO 336 Developmental Biology (4 cr) L

BIO 438 Morphogenesis and Differentiation (3 cr)

BIO 441 Electron Microscopes -- Theory and Use (2 cr)

BIO 450 Histology (4 cr) L

BIO 474 Neurobiology (3 cr)

BIO 480 Cell Biology (3 cr)

BIO 483 Cell Biology Laboratory (1 cr) L

BMB 280 Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology (3 cr)

BMB 300 General Microbiology (3 cr)

BMB 300 + 305 General Microbiology + Lab (5 cr) L

II. Genetics

BIO 445 Plant Genetics (3 cr)

BIO 462 Principles of Genetics (3 cr)

BMB 400 Molecular Genetics (3 cr)

BMB 490 Microbial Genetics (5 cr) L

III. Physiology

BIO 307 Introduction to Neuroscience (3 cr) A

BIO 377 Medical Physiology (3 cr) A

BIO 378 Medical Physiology Lab (2 cr) L

BIO 452 Plant Physiology (3 cr) P

BIO 453 Plant Physiology Lab (1 cr) L

BIO 479 Endocrinology (3 cr) A

BIO 480 Cell Biology (3 cr)

BIO 483 Cell Biology Lab (1 cr) L

BMB 430 Bacterial Physiology (3 cr)

BMB 431 Bacterial Physiology Lab (1 cr) L

BMB 440 Introductory Immunology (3 cr) A

BMB 441 Introductory Immunology Lab (1 cr) L

PSE 479 Crop Ecology and Physiology (3 cr) P

SMS 485 Comparative Animal Physiology (3 cr) A

IV. Biodiversity and Evolution

BIO 310 Plant Biology (4 cr) L P

BIO 326 Introductory Entomology (4 cr) L A

BIO 329 Vertebrate Biology (3 cr) A

BIO 331 Vertebrate Biology Lab (1 cr) L

BIO 335 Comparative Anatomy (4 cr) L A

BIO 342 Plants in Our World (3 cr) P

BIO 353 Invertebrate Zoology (4 cr) L A

BIO 430 Ecology and Systematics of Aquatic Insects (4 cr) L A

BIO 432 Biology of the Fungi (4 cr) L P BIO 433 Mammalogy (4 cr) L A

BIO 454 Invertebrate Functional Morphology (4 cr) L A

BIO 461 Insect Biology, Taxonomy and Systematics (4 cr) L A

BIO 464 Taxonomy of Vascular Plants (4 cr) L P

BIO 465 Evolution (3 cr)

BMB 410 Diversity of Microorganisms (3 cr)

SMS 473 Algae in the Ecosystem (4 cr) L P

V. Ecology and Behavior. If only one course is taken from this area, it must be BIO 319, SMS 300, or WLE 200, only one of which may count for degree credit.

BIO 205 Field Natural History of Maine (4 cr) L

BIO 319 General Ecology (3 cr)

BIO 327 Introductory Applied Entomology (4 cr) L A

BIO 354 Biology of Behavior (3 cr) A

BIO 430 Ecology and Systematics of Aquatic Insects (4 cr) L A

BIO 434 Avian Biology and Ecology (4 cr) L A

BIO 447 Experimental Aquatic Ecology (4 cr) L

BIO 448 Insect Pest Ecology and Management (3 cr) A

BIO 455 Biological Invasions (3 cr)

BIO 463 River Ecology (4 cr) L

BIO 468 Limnology (4 cr)

BIO 469 Field Limnology (1 cr) L

BIO 476 Paleoecology (4 cr) L

BIO 487 Problems in Zoology I - Field Ornithology/Field Studies (1-2 cr) L A

INT 475 Field Studies in Ecology (3 cr) L

INT 482 Pesticides in the Environment (3 cr) L

PSE 140 Soil Science (3 cr)

PSE 141 Soil Science Lab (1 cr) L

PSE 320 Soil Organic Matter Management (3 cr)

PSE 457 Plant Pathology (4 cr) L P

SMS 300 Marine Ecology (3 cr)

WLE 200 Wildlife Ecology (3 cr)

WLE 201 Wildlife Ecology Lab (2 cr) L

WLE 423 Wetland Ecology and Conservation (4 cr) L

WLE 260 Field Ornithology (3 cr) L A

WLE 280 Winter Ecology (1 cr) L A

Affiliated Sciences and Math for the BA in Biology or Botany or Zoology:

CHY 121/123 Introduction to Chemistry / Introduction to Chemistry Lab (4 cr)
CHY 122/124 Molecular Basis of Chemical Change / Molecular Basis of Chemical Change Lab (4 cr)

either    BMB 221/221L Organic Chemistry / Organic Chemistry Lab (4 cr),                                 or          CHY 251/253 Organic Chemistry I / Organic Chemistry Lab I and CHY 252/254 Organic Chemistry II / Organic Chemistry Lab II (10 cr)

either    MAT 126 Calculus (4 cr),
or          MAT 232 Principles of Statistical Inference (3 cr)
Note: there is a 6-credit gen. ed. math requirement

either    PHY 105 Descriptive Physics
or          PHY 111/112 General Physics I (4-8 cr)

Affiliated Sciences and Math for the BS in Biology or Botany or Zoology:

CHY 121/123 Introduction to Chemistry / Introduction to Chemistry Lab (4 cr)
CHY 122/124 Molecular Basis of Chemical Change / Molecular Basis of Chemical Change Lab (4 cr)

MAT 126 Calculus (4 cr)
MAT 232 Principles of Statistical Inference (3 cr)

either     CHY 251/253 Organic Chemistry I / Organic Chemistry Lab I and CHY 252/254 Organic        Chemistry II / Organic Chemistry Lab II (10 cr)
or     BMB 221/222 Organic Chemistry / Organic Chemistry Lab (4 cr) and BMB 322/323                      Biochemistry/ Biochemistry Lab (4 cr),

either     PHY 111/112 General Physics I/II (8 cr)
or           PHY 121/122 Physics for Engineers and Physical Scientists I/II (8 cr)

Concentrations within the Biology BS and Zoology BS programs

We offer an optional Concentration in Pre-Medical Studies which guides students in choosing courses that are most helpful in preparing for a career in medicine, dentistry, optometry, or one of the other health professions. This concentration is available to students pursuting a BS degree in Biology or Zoology and will be recorded on their transcript to provide formal recognition of their preparation for the health professions.

We also offer a Concentration in Ecology that prepares students for graduate study and entry level careers in various aspects of ecology. This concentration is available to students pursuing the BS or BA degree in Biology and will be recorded on their transcript to provide formal recognition of their preparation for the field of ecology.

General Education Requirements

Students in all programs must fulfill the General Education Requirements. Included in these requirements is a writing-intensive course in the student's major. Most students in our programs will meet this requirement by taking either BIO 400 (Biological Sciences Writing Intensive) in conjunction with selected upper-level BIO courses, or with any of the capstone experiences described below (except BIO 438).

Also included in the General Education Requirements is the Capstone Experience, normally taken during the student's senior year. Students may satisfy the capstone experience with a range of options. Option 1 below is for students in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, and options 2-5 are for students in Biology, Botany, and Zoology BA or BS degrees. All capstone experiences are a minimum of three credits.

1. Senior year practicum in Medical Technology or Cytotechnology.

2. BIO 387 and 388: Undergraduate Research in Biology I and II--laboratory or field biological research with a faculty member in the School of Biology and Ecology.

3. BIO 391 and 392: Independent Study in Biology I and II--literature-based biological inquiry with guidance of a faculty member in the School of Biology and Ecology.

4. BIO 402: Capstone Experience in Biological Sciences. This course is offered in both fall and spring semesters.

5. Any one of these courses: BIO 438: Morphogenesis and Differentiation; BIO 447: Experimental Aquatic Ecology; BIO 450: Histology; BIO 454: Invertebrate Functional Morphology; or HON 499: Honors Thesis.

Minors offered by the School of Biology and Ecology

We offer a Minor in Neuroscience that is available to students in our programs and thoughout the university.

For students majoring in fields outside Biology, Botany and Zoology we also offer Minors in Biology, Botany and Zoology. These minors are not available to students in our programs because of extensive overlap in courses.