Biological Sciences (Environmental Biology), B.S.

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Degree Plan (BSCEBBS)

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 and Mathematics (11 minimum hours)

Science Requirement (8 hours)

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. *
CHE 107 - General Chemistry II 3 hrs. *AND
CHE 107L - General Chemistry II Laboratory 1 hr. *
GHY 104 - Weather and Climate 3 hrs. AND
GHY 104L - Weather and Climate Laboratory 1 hr.
GHY 105 - Landforms, Hydrology and Biogeography 3 hrs. AND
GHY 105L - Landforms, Hydrology and Biogeography Laboratory 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 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.
COH 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. Computer Competency Requirement (3 hours)

Select 1 course:

CSS 211 - Statistical Methods I 3 hrs.
CSS 240 - FORTRAN Programming 3 hrs.
CSS 330 - Introduction to Programming 3 hrs.
CSS 333 - Problem-Solving Using C, I 3 hrs.
PSY 360 - Introduction to Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences 3 hrs.

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 - Oral Communication 3 hrs. (SI)
CMS 305 - Interpersonal Communication 3 hrs. (SI)
CMS 320 - Business and Professional Speaking 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 06 - 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 (39-52 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 305 - Evolution 3 hrs.
BSC 340 - Introductory Ecology 3 hrs.
BSC 370 - Genetics 4 hrs.
BSC 380 - General Microbiology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 380L - General Microbiology Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 497 - Senior Practicum 1 hr. (Capstone)

Select 3-4 hours:

BSC 360 - Cell Biology 3 hrs.
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 487 - Microbial Physiology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 487L - Microbial Physiology Laboratory 1 hr.

Select 3-4 hours:

BSC 382 - Microbial Ecology 3 hrs.
BSC 435 - Plant Ecology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 435L - Plant Ecology Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 440 - Ecology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 440L - Ecology Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 442 - Behavioral Ecology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 442L - Behavioral Ecology Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 472 - Population Genetics 3 hrs.
BSC 483 - Viral Ecology 3 hrs.
BSC 489 - Environmental Microbiology 3 hrs.

Select 6-8 hours:

BSC 407 - Biology of Vertebrates 3 hrs. AND
BSC 407L - Biology of Vertebrates Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 408 - Invertebrate Zoology I 3 hrs. AND
BSC 408L - Invertebrate Zoology I Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 409 - Invertebrate Zoology II 3 hrs. AND
BSC 409L - Invertebrate Zoology II Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 411 - Entomology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 411L - Entomology Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 413 - Arachnida Biology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 413L - Arachnida Biology Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 414 - Ichthyology 2 hrs. AND
BSC 414L - Ichthyology Laboratory 2 hrs.
BSC 415 - Biology of Fishes 2 hrs. AND
BSC 415L - Biology of Fishes Laboratory 2 hrs.
BSC 417 - Herpetology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 417L - Herpetology Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 418 - Avian Biology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 418L - Avian Biology Laboratory 1 hrs.
BSC 419 - Mammalogy 2 hrs. AND
BSC 419L - Mammalogy Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 421 - Marine Invertebrate Zoology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 421L - Marine Invertebrate Zoology Laboratory 3 hrs.
BSC 427 - Introductory Phycology 2 hrs. AND
BSC 427L - Introductory Phycology Laboratory 2 hrs.
BSC 429 - Comparative Morphology of Plants 3 hrs. AND
BSC 429L - Comparative Morphology of Plants Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 430 - Aquatic and Marsh Plants 2 hrs. AND
BSC 430L - Aquatic and Marsh Plants Laboratory 2 hrs.
BSC 433 - Plant Systematics 2 hrs. AND
BSC 433L - Plant Systematics Laboratory 2 hrs.
BSC 434 - Dendrology 2 hrs. AND
BSC 434L - Dendrology Laboratory 2 hrs.
BSC 455 - Animal Behavior 3 hrs. AND
BSC 455L - Animal Behavior Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 458 - Marine Ichthyology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 458L - Marine Ichthyology Lab 3 hrs.
BSC 459 - Marine Mammals 3 hrs. AND
BSC 459L - Marine Mammals Laboratory 2 hrs.

Select 3-4 hours:

BSC 406 - Biogeography 3 hrs.
BSC 436 - Conservation Biology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 436L - Conservation Biology Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 441 - Population and Community Ecology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 441L - Population and Community Ecology Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 443 - Freshwater Biology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 443L - Freshwater Biology Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 444 - Limnology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 444L - Limnology Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 445 - Marine Biology 3 hrs. AND
BSC 445L - Marine Biology Laboratory 1 hr.

DEG 02. Additional Requirements (24-27 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.
CHE 256 - Organic Chemistry II 3 hrs. AND
CHE 256L - Organic Chemistry II 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. Students may enter MAT 167 directly if Math ACT sub score is 26 or higher. If Math ACT sub score is 24-25, MAT 103 must be completed. If Math ACT sub score is less than 24, MAT 101 and MAT 103 must be completed.

Hours to Degree

124 hours are needed to graduate with a BS in Biological Sciences with an emphasis in Environmental Biology. 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 last 25 percent of course work must be earned from Southern Miss. The student must earn at least 12 hours in the major area of study from Southern Miss.