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Biology - B.A.

CIP Code

26.0101

Saumya Ramanathan, PhD., Discipline Coordinator


Fisk's Biology faculty offers both graduate and undergraduate programs and has active research programs in developmental biology, molecular biology, microbiology, neuroscience and neuropharmacology.

Undergraduate students have opportunities to work with on faculty mentored research projects, and Masters students engage in thesis research as part of their degree program. Many students present papers at regional and national scientific meetings. At the undergraduate level, students may elect to study biology as a basic science interest or because the life sciences offer a basis for careers in biomedical research, teaching, medicine, dentistry and even in such fields as science writing and public affairs. Students planning to major in biology are encouraged to consult with a member of the biology faculty during their first year at Fisk.

The goals of the undergraduate program in biology are to prepare students for:

  • Entry into health professional schools--medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, etc.
  • Entry into graduate schools in the biological sciences and related areas the work force as laboratory personnel
  • Other professions which require a background in biology - including teaching - that through their activities contribute to the welfare and development of society.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of required and elective biology undergraduate major courses, the student will:

  • Explain the scope of life sciences including various aspects of basic and biomedical research;
  • Demonstrate knowledge of key principles and theories of biology;
  • Demonstrate laboratory skills development exemplary of required biological science training and interactive learning experiences; and
  • Apply principles and theories of biology to real life problems.

Program Requirements

Requirements for the undergraduate biology major, in addition to the University degree requirements outlined within this Bulletin, are:

Required Courses

BIOL 101GENERAL BIOLOGY I

3
And
BIOL 101LGENERAL BIOLOGY I LABORATORY

1

BIOL 102GENERAL BIOLOGY II

3
And
BIOL 102LGENERAL BIOLOGY II LABORATORY

1

BIOL 221HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I

3
And
BIOL 221LHUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY LABORATORY I

1

BIOL 222HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II

3
And
BIOL 222LHUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY LABORATORY II

1

BIOL 350GENETIC PRINCIPLES

3
And
BIOL 350LGENETIC PRINCIPLES

1

BIOL 360MOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY

3
And
BIOL 360LMOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY LAB

1

BIOL 497SENIOR SEMINAR

1
BIOL 498SENIOR SEMINAR

1
Total Credit Hours:26

Major Electives

Four to eight additional elective credits in biology are required. These courses should be chosen in consultation with a biology faculty academic advisor from the advanced undergraduate courses listed below.

BIOL 242ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY

3
And
BIOL 242LENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY LAB

1

BIOL 420INTRODUCTION TO NEUROBIOLOGY

3
And
BIOL 420LINTRODUCTION TO NEUROBIOLOGY LAB

1

BIOL 270MICROBIOLOGY

3
And
BIOL 270LMICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY

1

BIOL 390SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN BIOLOGY

4
BIOL 390HSPECIAL PROBLEMS IN BIOLOGY

4

BIOL 410MOLECULAR METHODS

3
And
BIOL 410LMOLECULAR METHODS LAB

1

NSCI 290UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

1-4

NSCI 361BIOCHEMISTRY I

3
And
NSCI 361LBIOCHEMISTRY I LABORATORY

1

CHEM 582DPharmacology: Chemistry and Mechanism of Drug Action

3
Total Credit Hours:4-8
  • BIOL 390:- Honors [Alternating Years] Pharmacology: Chemistry and Mechanisms of Drug Action
  • BIOL 390H: Honors [Alternating Years]
  • Note: A student who chooses BIOL 313 and BIOL 313L from the list of required courses may choose BIOL 221 and BIOL 222 with lab as major electives (or vice versa).

Required Cognates

CHEM 113GENERAL CHEMISTRY I

3
And
CHEM 103EXPERIMENTS IN GENERAL CHEMISRY I

1

CHEM 114GENERAL CHEMISTRY II

3
And
CHEM 104EXPERIMENTS IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY II

1

CHEM 233ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I

3
And
CHEM 203EXPERIMENTS IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I

1

CHEM 234ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II

3
And
CHEM 204EXPERIMENTAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II

1

PHYS 130UNIVERSITY PHYSICS I

3
And
PHYS 130LEXPERIMENTS IN GENERAL PHYSICS I

1

PHYS 140UNIVERSITY PHYSICS II

3
And
PHYS 140LEXPERIMENTS IN GENERAL PHYSICS II

1

PSY 180GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY

4

MATH 120CALCULUS I

4
Or
MATH 121BIOCALCULUS I

4
Total Credit Hours:32

Mathematics Requirement

In lieu of the CORE mathematics course (CORE 131), biology majors take MATH 120 (or higher level), and prerequisites as indicated by placement test results. Most graduate and professional schools require a minimum of two semesters of college level mathematics and/or statistics.

Total Credit Hours:4

Suggested Program Plan for Biology Majors – B.A. Degree

First Year, Fall Semester

CORE 150COMPOSITION I

3
CORE 100NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION SEMINAR

1

BIOL 101GENERAL BIOLOGY I

3
And
BIOL 101LGENERAL BIOLOGY I LABORATORY

1

MATH 101COLLEGE ALGEBRA

3

SPAN 101ELEMENTARY SPANISH I

3
Or
FREN 101ELEMENTARY FRENCH I

4
Total Credit Hours:16

First Year, Spring Semester

CORE 160COMPOSITION II

3
CORE 120CRITICAL THINKING

2

BIOL 101GENERAL BIOLOGY I

3
And
BIOL 101LGENERAL BIOLOGY I LABORATORY

1

MATH 110PRECALCULUS

3

SPAN 102ELEMENTARY SPANISH II

3
Or
FREN 102ELEMENTARY FRENCH II

4
Total Credit Hours:17

Second Year, Fall Semester

MATH 120CALCULUS I

4
Or
MATH 121BIOCALCULUS I

4

BIOL 221HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I

3
And
BIOL 221LHUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY LABORATORY I

1

CHEM 113GENERAL CHEMISTRY I

3
And
CHEM 103EXPERIMENTS IN GENERAL CHEMISRY I

1

CHEM
General Chemistry I-Supplemental Instruction

1

SPAN 200INTENSIVE INTERMEDIATE SPANISH

3
Or
FREN 200INTENSIVE INTERMEDIATE FRENCH

4
Total Credit Hours:17

Second Year, Spring Semester

CORE 201INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

3
General Elective

4

BIOL 221HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I

3
And
BIOL 221LHUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY LABORATORY I

1

CHEM 114GENERAL CHEMISTRY II

3
And
CHEM 104EXPERIMENTS IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY II

1

CHEM
General Chemistry II-Supplemental Instruction

1
Sophomore Seminar in Biology

1
Total Credit Hours:17

Third Year, Fall Semester

CHEM 233ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I

3
And
CHEM 203EXPERIMENTS IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I

1

PHYS 130UNIVERSITY PHYSICS I

3
And
PHYS 130LEXPERIMENTS IN GENERAL PHYSICS I

1

CORE 260HUMANITIES: THOUGHT AND EXPERIENCE

3
Total Credit Hours:11

CORE A: Cultural Exposure, select one of

ART 291AFRICAN AMERICAN ART

4
Or
ART 292AFRICAN ART

4
Or
ENG 275AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE TO 1919

4
Or
HIS 180AFRICAN HISTORY

4
Or
HIS 270AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY

4
Or
MUS 200WORLD MUSIC

3
Or
MUS 206CROSSCURRENTS IN AFRICAN AND AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC

2
Total Credit Hours:2-4

Third Year, Spring Semester

CHEM 234ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II

3
And
CHEM 204EXPERIMENTAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II

1

PHYS 140UNIVERSITY PHYSICS II

3
And
PHYS 140LEXPERIMENTS IN GENERAL PHYSICS II

1

General Elective

1-4
Total Credit Hours:9-12

CORE C: Arts, select one of

CORE 220THE CREATIVE ARTS

3
Or
MUS 207TWENTIETH CENTURY MUSIC

2
Or
MUS 208HISTORY OF JAZZ

2
Or
MUS 205MUSIC IN AMERICA

2
Or
ART 207ARTS AND IDEAS I

4
Or
ART 208ARTS AND IDEAS II

4
Total Credit Hours:2-4

Fourth Year, Fall Semester

BIOL 360MOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY

3
And
BIOL 360LMOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY LAB

1

Biology Elective Lecture

3
And
Biology Elective Lab

1

BIOL 497SENIOR SEMINAR

1
Or
BIOL 498SENIOR SEMINAR

1
Total Credit Hours:9

CORE E: Social Science

PSY 180GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY

4
Total Credit Hours:4

Fourth Year, Spring Semester

BIOL 350GENETIC PRINCIPLES

3
And
BIOL 350LGENETIC PRINCIPLES

1

Biology Elective Lecture

3
And
Biology Elective Lab

1

CORE 360THE WORLD AND ITS PEOPLES

3
Total Credit Hours:11

The cafeteria style CORE curriculum will be chosen from one of the courses in each of the following groups, A-E.

General Education Guidelines

  • Group B- Analytical Skills: Math 120/Math 121
  • Group D- Science: BIOL 101/101L and CHEM 113/103L
  • Foreign language: (0-12 credits) – dependent upon the foreign language placement scores. Note that students who plan to enter graduate school in biology or professional school in the biomedical sciences. Demonstrating proficiency beyond the beginner level (101) are required to take a general university elective in order to meet the 120 hours required for graduation.
  • CORE Math requirement – fulfilled typically through Math 101 or Math 110. Note that students demonstrating proficiency beyond the beginner level (MA101) are required to take a general university elective in order to meet the 120 hours required for graduation.
  • The Biology Proficiency, Exit, and Computer Proficiency Examinations are university requirements.
  • If the student begins with MATH 120 or MATH 121, then 14 credits of general electives will be required. However, one should consult literature for graduate and professional schools of choice to determine their requirements in mathematics.

Joint Major

Completion of the required biology courses (excluding BIOL 498) [28 credits], required cognates and mathematics requirement with a “C” or better will serve as a joint major in biology.

Total Credit Hours: 120