Undergraduate programs

The biology program is designed to prepare students for careers in biological research, development, teaching, and in health sciences, nursing, biotechnology, conservation biology and wildlife management, forestry, and other applied fields. It also provides the necessary background for advanced study leading to graduate degrees in the more specialized fields of the biological sciences.

A student planning to enter medicine, dentistry, or other professional fields should consult the catalog of the professional school to which the student intends to apply following pre-professional work in biology and other sciences at Portland State. Biology is also a teaching endorsement area in the program of secondary education.

Degree Maps and Learning Outcomes

Admission requirements

Biology B.A./B.S.

Biology Minor

Secondary Education

Biology B.A./B.S.

Requirements

In addition to satisfying general University requirements, a student majoring in biology must meet general department requirements as well as fulfill the biology major requirements.

General requirements are completion of two terms of statistics or two terms of calculus; three terms of science majors’ introductory chemistry with laboratory; one term of organic chemistry; Ph 201, Ph 214; and 12 elective credits from geology, physics, computer science, environmental science, or chemistry at the 200 level or higher. All biology majors must complete at least 60 credits in biology including three terms of science majors’ introductory biology with laboratory. Of the 60 credits in biology at least 44 credits must be upper-division coursework for the major.

Biology courses taken pass/no pass are not acceptable toward fulfilling departmental major requirements, with the exception of courses numbered Bi 401, Bi 404, Bi 405, Bi 406, and Bi 407 which are only offered pass/no pass. Of the 60 credits required in biology, at least 46 credits must be in courses other than Bi 401, Bi 404, Bi 405, Bi 406, and Bi 407. The remaining 14 credits may include no more than a total of 6 credits in Bi 401, Bi 404, Bi 405, and Bi 406.

Biology majors interested in the Biology Honors Research Program may obtain information in the Biology Dept. Office.

General Departmental Requirements

All Biology majors must complete the coursework listed below in addition to the Biology major requirements.
Ch 221General Chemistry I

4

Ch 222General Chemistry II

4

Ch 223General Chemistry III

4

Ch 227General Chemistry Laboratory

1

Ch 228General Chemistry Laboratory

1

Ch 229General Chemistry Laboratory

1

 

Ch 331Elements of Organic Chemistry I

4

or

Ch 334Organic Chemistry I

4

  

Ph 201General Physics

4

Ph 214Lab for Ph 201 or Ph 211 or Ph 221

1

 

Mth 251Calculus I

4

&

Mth 252Calculus II

4

or

Stat 243Introduction to Probability and Statistics I

4

&

Stat 244Introduction to Probability and Statistics II

4

 

Science Electives: Any combination of courses at the 200+ level (not including requirements listed above) from the following departments: Ch, ESM, G, Ph, or CS

12

Biology Major Requirements

Lower Division Biology Core

Enrollment requires concurrent enrollment in Ch 221 & Ch 227 or prior completion of Ch 221 & Ch 227

Bi 211Principles of Biology: Molecular Cell Biology & Genetics

4

Bi 212Principles of Biology: Development, Evolution & Ecology

4

Bi 213Principles of Biology: Organisms, Biodiversity & Conservation

4

Bi 214Principles of Biology Lab I

1

Bi 215Principles of Biology Lab II

1

Bi 216Principles of Biology Lab III

1

Upper Division Biology Core

Complete a minimum of 44 upper division Biology credits and satisfy Requirements 1, 2, and 3 below

Requirement 1

Complete at least one course from each of Areas A, B, and C
Area A: Cellular/Molecular
Bi 334Molecular Biology

4

Bi 336Cell Biology

5

Bi 341Introduction to Genetics

4

Area B: Systems/Organisms
Bi 320Introduction to Organismal Physiology

4

Bi 330Introduction to Plant Biology

4

Bi 380Microbiology

4

Bi 386Invertebrate Zoology

6

Bi 387Vertebrate Zoology

6

Area C: Ecology/Evolution
Bi 357General Ecology

4

Bi 358Evolution

4

Requirement 2

Choose at least two courses at the 300 or 400 level with a major laboratory or field component. Bi 386 and Bi 387 will satisfy Requirement 2 only if the course is not used to satisfy Requirement 1
Approved Lab--Field Courses Choose at least two
Bi 301Human Anatomy and Physiology

4

Bi 302Human Anatomy and Physiology

4

Bi 303Human Anatomy and Physiology

4

Bi 326Comparative Vertebrate Embryology

5

Bi 328Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy

5

Bi 337Cell Biology Laboratory

1

Bi 361Introduction to Marine Biology Laboratory

1

Bi 386Invertebrate Zoology

6

Bi 387Vertebrate Zoology

6

Bi 388Microbiology Techniques

2

Bi 413Herpetology

6

Bi 414Ornithology

6

Bi 415Mammalogy

6

Bi 416Marine Mammals

6

Bi 431Advanced Molecular and Cell Biology Research Laboratory

2

Bi 432Plant Diversity and Evolution

5

Bi 441Plant Physiology

5

Bi 450Phylogenetic Biology

4

Bi 455Histology

6

Bi 471Plant Ecology

4

Bi 473Field Sampling

4

Bi 476Population Ecology

5

Requirement 3

Choose at least 12 credits from courses with a Bi prefix numbered between 412-499 (can include courses listed in Requirement 2, but cannot be counted twice)
Additional Courses That Meet the 44 Credit Upper Division Requirements
1. Research Teaching and Workshops with credit limitations
A maximum of 6 credits total from Bi 401 Research, Bi 404 Cooperative Education, Bi 405 Reading and Conference, Bi 406 Laboratory Project may be applied to the 44 credit upper-division Biology credit requirement
2. Courses approved for use from other departments from the list below

A maximum of 8 credits taken at the 300-400 level and passed with a C- or better from  the following departments may be applied toward major requirements with prior Biology department approval. These credits cannot be substituted for those in Areas A, B, and C, or for the Bi 412 - Bi 499 credit requirements.

 Anthropology (Anth)   Business (BA)
  Chemistry (Ch) 
 Computer Science (CS)    Economics (Ec)    Environmental Science and Management (ESM)
 Geography (Geog)    Geology (G)    Philosophy (Phl)
 Physics (Ph)    Psychology (Psy)    Public Health Education (PHE)
 Statistics (Stat)        

Total Credit Hours: 27-30