NC State's Advising Central - minors descriptions

Biological Sciences Minor
Department of Biology
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

Description

The Department of Biology offers an undergraduate minor in Biological Sciences that is intended to enhance the programs of students whose major fields are outside the biological sciences and who are interested in obtaining either a broad-based perspective in biology or a more focused experience in a particular area within biology. The required courses (8 hours) provide an overview of the field of biology and students then select additional courses (at least 7 hours) within the biological sciences that best match their interests. It is possible to complete this minor entirely through Distance Education course offerings.

The minor in Biological Sciences requires completion of a minimum of fifteen credit hours -- eight hours of required courses and at least seven hours of electives. At least 4 of the 15 credit hours must be completed through NCSU. Courses will count toward the minor only if they are completed with a grade of C- or better. The minor in Biological Sciences is open to all baccalaureate students except those majoring in Animal Science (SAS), Biochemistry (BCH), Biological Sciences (BLS, MCD, IPN, HB, or EEC), Microbiology (SMB), Plant Biology (PB), or Zoology (SZO).

Required Courses (8 semester hours)

BIO 181 Introductory Biology I (4 cr)
BIO 183 Introductory Biology II (4 cr)

Elective Courses (7 semester hours)

A minimum of 7 credit hours must be taken from the list below and/or from BIO courses at the 200 level and above, excluding courses numbered 492, 493, 495, or 592. At least 3 of the 7 elective hours must be at the 300 level or higher. (NOTE: We are in the process of converting ZO courses to BIO courses (100-400 level). Until that transition occurs, ZO courses at the 200 level and above, excluding courses numbered 492, 493, 495, or 592, will also count toward the minor).

BCH 451	Principles of Biochemistry	4 hrs
BCH 452	Introductory Biochemistry Laboratory	2 hrs
BIO 140	Animal Diversity	3 hrs

ENT 425	General Entomology	4 hrs
GN 311/411	Principles of Genetics	4 hrs
GN 412	Elementary Genetics Laboratory	1 hr

MB 351	General Microbiology	3 hrs
MB 352	Microbiology Laboratory	1 hr

PB 200	Plant Life	4 hrs
PB 250	Plant Biology	4 hrs
PB 321	Introduction to Whole Plant Physiology	3 hrs
PB 360	Introduction to Ecology	3 hrs
PB 365	Ecology Laboratory	3 hrs
PB 400	Plant Diversity	4 hrs
PB 403	Systematic Botany	4 hrs
PB 413	Introductory Plant Anatomy	4 hrs
PB 421	Plant Physiology	3 hrs
PB 480	Introduction to Plant Biotechnology	3 hrs

PP 315	Principles of Plant Pathology	4 hrs
BIO or ZO 2**
BIO or ZO 3**
BIO or ZO 4**	excluding 492, 493, 495
BIO or ZO 5**	excluding 592

Credit for BIO 105/106 or BIO 115/116 can be used toward the minor only if they were taken before taking BIO 181 and BIO 183.

Admissions and Certification of Minor

Admissions
Students who plan to minor in Biological Sciences should contact the person listed below for consultation and approval. This person will assign the student a minor adviser who will help the student design a program of study to meet the academic needs of the student and monitor the student's progress.

Certification
The contact person below will certify the completion of the student's minor program. The minor must be completed no later than the semester in which the student expects to graduate from his or her degree program. Paperwork for certification can be found below and should be completed no later than during the registration period for the student's final semester at NC State.

Contact People

William C. Grant, Ph.D.

2712 Bostian Hall

919.515.3341

bill_grant@ncsu.edu

Kathy Muldowney

2717 Bostian Hall

919.515.3109

kathy_muldowny@ncsu.edu

application form
last updated May 19, 2009