Biological Sciences BS Degree Requirements (124 hours)

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Degree Plan (BSCBS)

General Education Curriculum

GEC 01. Written Communication (6 hours)

ENG 101 - Composition One 3 hrs.
ENG 102 - Composition Two 3 hrs.

GEC 02. Natural Science (8-10 hours minimum)

Select 2 courses with labs:

AST 111 - General Astronomy I 3 hrs. AND
AST 111L - General Astronomy I Laboratory 1 hr.
AST 112 - General Astronomy II 3 hrs. AND
AST 112L - General Astronomy II Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 103 - Biology and Society 3 hrs. ◊AND
BSC 103L - Biology and Society Laboratory 1 hr ◊
BSC 110 - Principles of Biological Science I 3 hrs. ◊* AND
BSC 110L - Principles of Biological Science I Laboratory 1 hr. ◊*
BSC 111 - Principles of Biological Science II 3 hrs. ◊* AND
BSC 111L - Principles of Biological Science II Laboratory 1 hr. ◊*
BSC 250 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I 3 hrs. AND
BSC 250L - Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 251 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II 3 hrs. AND
BSC 251L - Human Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory 1 hr.
CHE 104 - Chemistry and Our Environment 3 hrs. AND
CHE 104L - Chemistry and Our Environment Laboratory 1 hr.
CHE 106 - General Chemistry I 3 hrs. *AND
CHE 106L - General Chemistry I Laboratory 1 hr. *
GHY 104 - Weather and Climate 3 hrs. AND
GHY 104L - Weather and Climate Laboratory 1 hr.
GHY 105 - Land and Water 3 hrs. AND
GHY 105L - Land and Water Lab 1 hr.
GLY 101 - Physical Geology 3 hrs. AND
GLY 101L - Physical Geology Laboratory 1 hr.
GLY 103 - Historical Geology 3 hrs. AND
GLY 103L - Historical Geology Laboratory 1 hr.
MAR 151 - Introduction to Ocean Science 3 hrs. AND
MAR 151L - Introduction to Ocean Science Laboratory 1 hr.
PHY 103 - Introductory Physics 3 hrs. AND
PHY 103L - Introductory Physics Laboratory 1 hr.
PHY 111 - General Physics I 3 hrs. *AND
PHY 111L - General Physics I Laboratory 1 hr. *
PHY 112 - General Physics II 3 hrs. *AND
PHY 112L - General Physics II Laboratory 1 hr. *
PHY 201 - General Physics I with Calculus 4 hrs. AND
PHY 201L - General Physics I with Calculus Laboratory 1 hr.
PHY 202 - General Physics II with Calculus 4 hrs. AND
PHY 202L - General Physics II with Calculus Laboratory 1 hr.
PSC 190 - Living in a Material World 3 hrs. AND
PSC 190L - Lab for Living in a Material World 1 hr.

GEC 03. Humanities (9 hours)

ENG 203 - World Literature 3 hrs.

Select 2 courses, 1 History required:

HIS 101 - World Civilizations: Beginnings to 1500 C.E. 3 hrs.
HIS 102 - World Civilizations: 1500 to the present 3 hrs.
PHI 151 - Introduction to Philosophy 3 hrs.
PHI 171 - Ethics and Good Living 3 hrs.
REL 131 - Comparative Religion 3 hrs.

GEC 04. Aesthetic Values (3 hours)

Select 1 course:

GEC 05. Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)

Select 2 courses:

ANT 101 - The Human Experience: A Global Perspective on Human Diversity 3 hrs.
HHS 100 - Concepts of Wellness 3 hrs.
ECO 101 - Basic Economics 3 hrs.
GHY 101 - World Geography: Dynamics of a Changing Earth 3 hrs.
PS 101 - American Government 3 hrs.
PSY 110 - General Psychology 3 hrs.
SOC 101 - Understanding Society: Principles of Sociology 3 hrs.

GEC 06. Mathematics (3 hours)

Select 1 course:

MAT 100 - Quantitative Reasoning 3 hrs.
MAT 101 - College Algebra 3 hrs.
Higher-level MAT course*

GEC 07. Writing-Intensive Requirement (3 hours)

ENG 333 - Technical Writing 3 hrs. (WI) or any upper-level approved WI class
ENG 101 & ENG 102 prerequisites

GEC 08. Speaking Intensive Requirement (3 hours)

Select 1 course:

CMS 111 - Public Speaking 3 hrs. (SI)
CMS 305 - Interpersonal Communication 3 hrs. (SI)
CMS 320 - Professional Communication 3 hrs. (SI)
CMS 330 - Small-Group Communication 3 hrs. (SI)

GEC 09. Capstone Requirement (Major Area)

BSC 497 - Senior Practicum 1 hr. (Capstone)
Must be taken Senior Year; ENG 101 & ENG 102 prerequisites

Note:

*This course satisfies both the GEC requirement and a program requirement for this major.

**This particular GEC course is recommended by this major.

***This course does not satisfy prerequisites for any other math course.

◊ GEC restrictions apply; see here .

GEC 07 - GEC 09 courses are specific to this major.

For full description of the GEC, see here .

Program Curriculum

DEG 01. Major Area of Study Requirements (32-36 hours)

BSC 110 - Principles of Biological Science I 3 hrs. *AND
BSC 110L - Principles of Biological Science I Laboratory 1 hr. *
BSC 111 - Principles of Biological Science II 3 hrs. *AND
BSC 111L - Principles of Biological Science II Laboratory 1 hr. *
BSC 197 - First Year Foundations 1 hr.
BSC 201 - General Zoology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 201L - General Zoology Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 226 - General Botany 3 hrs. AND
BSC 226L - General Botany Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 340 - Introductory Ecology 3 hrs.
BSC 360 - Cell Biology 3 hrs.
BSC 370 - Genetics 3 hrs.
BSC 282 - General Microbiology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 282L - General Microbiology Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 497 - Senior Practicum 1 hr. (Capstone)

Select 3-5 hours:

BSC 431 - Plant Physiology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 431L - Plant Physiology Laboratory 1 hr
BSC 450 - Comparative Animal Physiology 3 hrs.
BSC 451 - Human Physiology 3 hrs.
BSC 452 - Environmental Physiology 3 hrs.
BSC 453 - Invertebrate Physiology 3 hrs.
BSC 454L - Physiology Laboratory 2 hrs.
BSC 487 - Microbial Physiology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 487L - Microbial Physiology Laboratory 1 hr.

Select 6-8 hours course level 300 or 400 from Department of Biological Sciences.

Must complete a minimum of 3 laboratory-based courses at the 300-400 level in Department of Biological Sciences. BSC 492 - Special Problems I, II, III may be substituted with departmental permission. Cannot use non-majors courses (BSC 392 or BSC 399 ).

DEG 02. Additional Requirements (27-30 hours)

CHE 106 - General Chemistry I 3 hrs. *AND
CHE 106L - General Chemistry I Laboratory 1 hr. *
CHE 107 - General Chemistry II 3 hrs. *AND
CHE 107L - General Chemistry II Laboratory 1 hr. *
CHE 255 - Organic Chemistry I 3 hrs. AND
CHE 255L - Organic Chemistry I Laboratory 1 hr.
PHY 111 - General Physics I 3 hrs. *AND
PHY 111L - General Physics I Laboratory 1 hr. *
PHY 112 - General Physics II 3 hrs. *AND
PHY 112L - General Physics II Laboratory 1 hr. *

Select 1 course:

Select 1 course series:

CHE 256 - Organic Chemistry II 3 hrs. AND
CHE 256L - Organic Chemistry II Laboratory 1 hr.
OR
CHE 420 - Principles of Biochemistry 3 hrs. AND
CHE 420L - Principles of Biochemistry Laboratory 1 hr.
PHY 111 - General Physics I 3 hrs. *AND
PHY 111L - General Physics I Laboratory 1 hr. *
PHY 112 - General Physics II 3 hrs. *AND
PHY 112L - General Physics II Laboratory 1 hr. *

Select 1 course ♦:

MAT 114 - Calculus for the Arts and Sciences 3 hrs. *or
MAT 167 - Calculus I with Analytic Geometry 3 hrs. *

DEG 03. Electives

Choose electives as needed. (See Hours to Degree below.)

Note:

♦ Calculus is required for this major. MAT 114 is recommended for biology majors. See General Education Curriculum .

Hours to Degree

124 hours are needed to graduate with a BS in Biological Sciences. At least 50 percent of the hours applied to a degree at The University of Southern Mississippi must be earned from a senior college, and 45 of these hours must be in courses numbered 300 or above. The student must earn at least 21 of the last 30 hours of course work and at least 12 hours in the major area of study from Southern Miss. See Residence Hour Requirements for more information.