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Department of Biology College of Sciences

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Undergraduate Program - Related Links

  • Welcome
  • Catalogs
  • Course Descriptions
  • Degree Plans & Forms
  • Minors for Biology
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  • Who to Contact?

Contact Us

Dr. Robert Dearth
Chair
Department of Biology
ESCNE 2.360
Email: robert.dearth@utrgv.edu
Phone: (956) 665-5223
Fax: (956) 665-3657

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Outline

Degree Requirements

MAJOR IN BIOLOGY

General Education Requirements 48 hours

Core Courses 12 hours

BIOL 1401 General Biology 
BIOL 1402 General Biology 
BIOL 4100 Biology Seminar
BIOL 3302 Biological Writing 

Designated Electives 21 hours
Select at least 3 hours from each of the following areas: 

Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology or Microbiology

BIOL 3401 General Microbiology
BIOL 3403 Medical Microbiology and Immunology
BIOL 3412 Cell Biology 
BIOL 3415 Introduction to Molecular Biology 

BIOL4404 General Virology
BIOL 4420 Biotechnology

Genetics or Biological Evolution

BIOL 3301 Biological Evolution
BIOL 3413 Genetics
BIOL 4417 Bacterial Genetics
BIOL 4418 Electron Microscopy 

Developmental or Morphological Biology

BIOL 2401 Vertebrate Zoology 
BIOL 2402 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy 
BIOL 3405 Histology 
BIOL 3407 Comparative Embryology 
BIOL 3408 Plant Morphology 

Organismal or Environmental Biology

BIOL 2305 Environmental Biology   
BIOL 3409 Ecology 
BIOL 3410 A Survey of th Plant Kingdom
BIOL 3414 Invertebrate Zoology 
BIOL 4303 Mammalogy 
BIOL 4304 Ichthyology 
BIOL 4309 Herpetology 
BIOL 4314 Plant Taxonomy 
BIOL 4402 Marine Zoology
BIOL 4406 Mycology 
BIOL 4407 Animal Parasitology 
BIOL 4408 Plant Pathology 
BIOL 4410 Marine Botany 
BIOL 4412 Ornithology
BIOL 4415 Entomology 
BIOL 4416 Environmental Toxicology
BIOL 4419 Aquatic Entomology 

Physiology

BIOL 2403 Anatomy and Physiology 
BIOL 2404 Anatomy and Physiology 
BIOL 3411 Mammalian Physiology
BIOL 3310 Neurobiology
BIOL 4305 Plant Physiology 
BIOL 4311 Ecological Physiology 

Select additional biology courses to complete 33 hours in biology, of which 18 must be advanced. 

Other Requirements

Where appropriate, the following requirements may also be used to satisfy General Education requirements. 

Mathematics

Complete 6 hours from the following: 
MATH 1340 College Algebra 
MATH 1356 Trigonometry
MATH 1357 Precalculus Math 
MATH 1401 Calculus I 
MATH 1402 Calculus II 
MATH 2330 Survey of Elementary Statistics 

Chemistry

Complete all of the following: 
CHEM 1301, 1101 General Chemistry I, General Chemistry Lab I
CHEM 1302, 1102 General Chemistry II, General Chemistry Lab II
CHEM 2302, 2102 Organic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry Lab I

Statistics

Complete 3 hours 
MATH 2330 Survey of Elementary Statistics or
STAT 2330 Survey of Elementary Statistics 

Other Science

PHYS 1401 and PHYS 1402 or GEOL 1401 and GEOL 1402 are recommended, but not required. 

Minimum GPA Requirements

Major and Minor GPA. A minimum GPA of 2.5 in the required hours for both the major and minor fields is required.

Pre-dental/Pre-medical/Pre-optometry

Biology majors who are pre-dental or pre-medical students should include BIOL 2402 in their major, should minor in Chemistry and should include in their programs: Chem 2102, CHEM 2302, CHEM 2103, CHEM 2303,PHYS 1401, PHYS 1402, and MATH 1401, which is required for The University of Texas System's medical schools. (MATH 1401 is not required for admission to Baylor College of Medicine or to dental schools.) Additional courses suggested include CHEM 3103, CHEM 3303, PSY 1313 or 1323, and an introductory statistics course. Pre-medical, pre-dental and pre-optometry students who have completed a minimum of 90 hours and the general education requirements at UT Pan American may apply for the BS degree after completion of two years in an accredited college of medicine, dentistry or optometry, with grades acceptable for transfer to UT Pan American. The hours accepted will be credited toward the major and minor in Biology or Chemistry. 

MINOR IN BIOLOGY

18 hours in Biology, of which 6 hours must be advanced 

Major in Biology with Teacher Certification

Core Courses        12 hours 

BIOL 1401 General Biology or BIOL 1487 Honors Biology
BIOL 1402 General Biology or BIOL 1488 Honors Biology
BIOL 4100 Biology Seminar
BIOL 3302 Biological Writing 

Designated Electives       27 hours 

Select at least 3 hours from each of the following areas: 

Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology or Microbiology

BIOL 3401 General Microbiology
BIOL 3403 Medical Microbiology and Immunology
BIOL 3412 Cell Biology 
BIOL 3415 Introduction to Molecular Biology
BIOL 4404 General Virology
BIOL 4418 Electron Microscopy

Genetics or Biological Evolution

BIOL 3301 Biological Evolution 
BIOL 3413 Genetics
BIOL 4417 Bacterial Genetics

Vertebrate Morphology or Physiology

BIOL 2401 Vertebrate Zoology 
BIOL 2402 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy 
BIOL 2403 Anatomy and Physiology 
BIOL 2404 Anatomy and Physiology
BIOL 3310 Neurobiology 
BIOL 3411 Mammalian Physiology
BIOL 4311 Ecological Physiology

Environmental Biology

BIOL 2305 Environmental Biology 
BIOL 3409 Ecology 
BIOL 4402 Marine Zoology
BIOL 4403 Introd. to Remote Sensing Technology 
BIOL 4410 Marine Botany 
BIOL 4416 Environmental Toxicology

Advanced Zoology

BIOL 3405 Histology
BIOL 3407 Comparative Embryology 
BIOL 3414 Invertebrate Zoology 
BIOL 4303 Mammalogy 
BIOL 4304 Ichthyology 
BIOL 4407 Animal Parasitology 
BIOL 4309 Herpetology 
BIOL 4412 Ornithology 
BIOL 4415 Entomology
BIOL 4419 Aquatic Entomology

Advanced Botany

BIOL 3408 Plant Morphology
BIOL 4305 Plant Physiology
BIOL 3410 A Survey of the Plant Kingdom
BIOL 4314 Plant Taxonomy 
BIOL 4408 Plant Pathology 

Select additional biology courses to complete 39 hours in Biology, of which 24 must be advanced. 

Minimum GPA Requirements 

Major and Minor GPA. Graduates who seek certification as elementary or secondary teachers must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in both the major and minor fields. 

Teacher Certification with Biology Minor

Elementary Plan II

Required Courses

BIOL 1401 General Biology 
BIOL 1402 General Biology 
BIOL 3409 Ecology 

Designated Electives 

Select one course from the following:

BIOL 2401 Vertebrate Zoology 
BIOL 2402 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy 
BIOL 2305 Environmental Biology 
BIOL 3301 Biological Evolution 

Select one course from the following:

BIOL 3408 Plant Morphology 
BIOL 3414 Invertebrate Zoology 
BIOL 4314 Plant Taxonomy 

Select additional advanced hours to complete 9 hours at the advanced level.
Total 20 hours 

Secondary Plan II 

Required Courses

BIOL 1401 General Biology 
BIOL 1402 General Biology 
BIOL 3409 Ecology 

Designated Electives

Select one course from the following:

BIOL 2401 Vertebrate Zoology 
BIOL 2402 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy 
BIOL 2403 Anatomy and Physiology 
BIOL 2305 Environmental Biology 
BIOL 3301 Biological Evolution 

Select one course from the following:

BIOL 3408 Plant Morphology 
BIOL 3414 Invertebrate Zoology 
BIOL 4314 Plant Taxonomy 

Select additional advanced hours to complete 12 hours at the advanced level.
Total 24 hours

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