Biology Major: Aquatic Science Concentration - Bachelor of Science (BS)

(All colleges, excluding teacher certification programs)

39 credits (67 total credits including CHM and MTH requirements)

Each student must have a minimum of three 400 level BIO credits (excluding BIO 450, 479, 489, 491, 495, and 499) to fulfill requirements of the major.

Core
BIO 105General Biology4
BIO 203Organismal Biology4
BIO 306Genetics4
BIO 307Ecology3
BIO 315Cell Biology4
BIO 341Limnology3
BIO 491Capstone Seminar in Biology1
MIC 230Fundamentals of Microbiology4
Electives12
Select eight credits of electives from List I. Remaining four credits may come from List I or List II (up to two credits of BIO 499 may count).
List I electives:
Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants
Freshwater Invertebrate Zoology
Ichthyology
Standard Methods/Quality Assurance Water Analyses
Stream and Watershed Ecology
Marine Biology
Aquatic Microbial Ecology
List II electives:
Parasitology
Quantitative Methods in Ecology
Comparative Vertebrate Endocrinology
Environmental Toxicology
Entomology
Animal Behavior
Comparative Animal Physiology
Ecosystem Ecology
Independent Research (up to two credits)
Chemistry requirement
Select a minimum of 20 chemistry credits, including: 20
General Chemistry I
General Chemistry II
Analytical Chemistry
And one of the following organic chemistry options:
Option A (5 credits) 1
Fundamental Organic Chemistry
and Fundamental Organic Chemistry Laboratory
Option B (7 credits)
Organic Chemistry Theory I
and Organic Chemistry Theory II
and Fundamental Organic Chemistry Laboratory
Option C (8 credits)
Organic Chemistry Theory I
and Organic Chemistry Theory II
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory
Math requirement
Select a minimum of eight credits of mathematics including the following:8
Elementary Statistics
Mathematical Models in Biology
Applied Calculus
Calculus I
Total Credits67
1

This is the recommended option for most biology majors, but students should consult with their biology advisor before enrolling.

All students must complete the general education, college core, major/minor, and university degree requirements in order to qualify for a degree. The easiest way to track all of these requirements is to refer to the Advisement Report (AR) found in the Student Information System (WINGS) Student Center. All enrolled students have access to the AR. 

College of Science and Health (CSH) Bachelor of Science core requirements

B.S. and B.A. students graduating from the College of Science and Health are required to take two natural laboratory science courses selected from the general education laboratory science category (GE 05) and/or from BIO 203, BIO 304, BIO 210, CHM 104, GEO 221, GEO 222, PHY 104 or PHY 204, and they either must take two mathematics courses or one math course and one computer science course from the math/logical systems category of the general education requirements (GE 02). One of the two science courses must be from a department outside of the student’s major department.

Note: Math courses can be pairs, i.e. 150 and 151; MTH/CS majors can use two science courses from same department.

For the Bachelor of Science degree, in addition to all other College of Science and Health core requirements, students from non-exempted programs1 must complete one of the following options. It is recommended that courses are selected in consultation with students’ academic advisor.

  1. Complete a second major; or

  2. Complete a minor outside the major; or

  3. Complete an individualized option, consisting of 18 credits

    1. At least 12 credits must be earned at the 300/400 level outside the major department.

    2. The remaining six credits should come from

      1. 100 level or higher courses outside the major (General education courses may apply provided they are not being used to fulfill minimum general education requirements.); or

      2. 300/400 level courses inside major not being used to fulfill major requirements.

    3. Internship credits may not count toward the individualized option.

1

The list of exempted CSH programs is below.

Baccalaureate degree requirements

Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degrees must accomplish the following:

  1. Fulfill the general education requirements.
  2. Complete at least one ethnic studies (diversity) course.
  3. Complete the courses prescribed by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee for the degree desired in the respective school or college.
  4. Earn a minimum of 120 semester credits with at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA.1, 2
  5. At least 40 credits must be earned in 300/400 level courses. Transfer courses earned or transferred at the 300/400 level apply to this requirement.
  6. Complete major and minor requirements with at least a 2.00 GPA1, 2 in each major and minor (and concentration or emphasis, if selected).
  7. A minimum of 30 semester credits in residence at UWL is required for graduation. (See undergraduate resident requirement.)
  8. Submit an application for graduation via the "Apply for Graduation" link in the WINGS Student Center as soon as the student has registered for his or her final semester or summer term in residence. December and winter intersession graduates should apply by May 1. May and summer graduates should apply by December 1.
1

Grade point average requirements for some programs will be considerably higher than 2.00. Re-entering students may be required to earn credits in excess of the 120 needed for graduation in any curriculum in order to replace credits earned in courses in which the content has changed substantially in recent years. Each case will be judged on its own merit.

2

The grade point average recorded at the time the degree is awarded will not be affected by future enrollment.

No degree will be awarded unless all requirements are fulfilled and recorded within 30 days after the official ending date of each term.

Below is a sample degree plan that can be used as a guide to identify courses required to fulfill the major and other requirements needed for degree completion. A student's actual degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). Also, this sample plan assumes readiness for each course and/or major plan, and some courses may not be offered every term. Review the course descriptions or the class timetable for course offering information.

The sample degree plans represented in this catalog are intended for first-year students entering UWL in the fall term. Students should use the Advisement Report (AR) in WINGS and work closely with their faculty advisor(s) and college dean’s office to ensure declaration and completion of all requirements in a timely manner.

General Education Program
The general education curriculum (Gen Ed) is the common educational experience for all undergraduates at UWL. Sample degree plans include Gen Ed placeholders to ensure completion of the general education requirements. Courses may be rearranged to fit the needs or recommendations of the student’s program of study. Gen Ed courses may be taken during winter term (January between the semesters) and summer to reduce the course load during regular terms (fall and spring). Students should consult with their advisor and/or the college academic services director in their college/school for assistance with course and schedule planning. Refer to the general education requirements for more specific details.

At least 40 credits of the 120 credits required must be earned at the 300/400-level. 

Note: New students and transfer students with 15 or fewer credits earned are required to take FYS 100 First-Year Seminar (3 cr.) during one of their first two semesters at UWL.

This sample degree plan does not establish a contractual agreement. It identifies the minimum requirements a student must successfully complete, to qualify for a degree, in a format intended to assist the student in planning their academic career. Actual degree plans may differ.

Year 1
FallCreditsSpringCredits
BIO 105 (Gen Ed Natural Lab Science)4ENG 110 or 112 (Gen Ed Literacy-Written)3
CST 110 (Gen Ed Literacy-Oral)3BIO 2034
MTH 207 or 175 (Gen Ed Math)4-5Gen Ed Self & Society3
FYS 100 (Gen Ed First-Year Seminar)3CHM 103 (Gen Ed Natural Lab Science)5
 14 15
Year 2
FallCreditsSpringCredits
BIO 3073CHM 3004
CHM 1045CHM 3021
STAT 145 or MTH 265 (Gen Ed Lang/Logical Systems)4MIC 2304
Gen Ed Global Studies3Gen Ed Minority Cultures3
 Gen Ed Arts2-3
 15 14
Year 3
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Gen Ed Humanistic Studies3Gen Ed World History3
BIO 3413CSH Core (300/400 not BIO) or Minor3
CHM 3015University Elective 3
BIO 3064Gen Ed Health & Well-Being3
 BIO 3154
 15 16
Year 4
FallCreditsSpringCredits
University Elective3University Elective3
BIO Elective (List I)3BIO 4911
BIO Elective (List I)3BIO Elective (List I)3
University Elective3BIO Elective (List I or II)4
CSH Core or Minor13CSH Core or Minor13
Gen Ed Arts2-3 
 17 14
Total Credits: 120
1

See CSH BS Core Requirements for information on completing the individualized option. 300/400 requirements for graduation may be impacted.