Biology - Pre-Biomedical Professions Emphasis Requirements (BA/BS)

Major Requirements 1
BIOLOGY 141INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I 5
BIOLOGY 142INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II 5
BIOLOGY 190BIOLOGY FORUM1
BIOLOGY 251INTRODUCTION TO GENETICS4
BIOLOGY 253INTRODUCTION TO CELL BIOLOGY3
BIOLOGY 254BIOTECHNOLOGY LABORATORY METHODS I2
BIOLOGY 257INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY3
BIOLOGY 311MICROBIOLOGY3-4
or BIOLOGY 363 MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
CHEM 454BIOCHEMISTRY OF MACROMOLECULES3
or BIOLOGY 456 BIOCHEMISTRY OF METABOLISM AND SIGNALING
Select one of the following:8
BIOLOGY 340
& BIOLOGY 345
COMPARATIVE VERTEBRATE ANATOMY
and ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY
BIOLOGY 361
& BIOLOGY 362
HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I
and HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II
Select one of the following:10
PHYSCS 140
& PHYSCS 141
PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICS I
and PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICS II
PHYSCS 180
& PHYSCS 181
PHYSICS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS I
and PHYSICS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS II
Select 0-6 units combined from the following:0-6
BIOLOGY 493
INTERNSHIP IN BIOLOGY
BIOLOGY 498
INDEPENDENT STUDY
BIOLOGY 498R
INDEPENDENT STUDY - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
BIOLOGY 491
TRAVEL STUDY (department approval required)
Select additional units of Biology electives numbered 300 or above except for BIOLOGY 303, BIOLOGY 493, BIOLOGY 498, or BIOLOGY 498R, to total 54 units
Total Units54
Unique and Writing Requirements
BIOLOGY 303BIOSTATISTICS3-4
or PSYCH 215 BASIC STATISTICAL METHODS
CHEM 102GENERAL CHEMISTRY I 5
CHEM 104GENERAL CHEMISTRY II5
CHEM 251ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - I3
Select one of the following:4-7
MATH 142
& MATH 151
COLLEGE ALGEBRA
and TRIGONOMETRY
MATH 152
PRECALCULUS
MATH 243
CALCULUS FOR BUSINESS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
MATH 250
APPLIED CALCULUS SURVEY FOR BUSINESS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
MATH 253
CALCULUS AND ANALYTIC GEOMETRY I
Select one of the following:3
BIOLOGY 200
WRITING IN BIOLOGY
or PWP 371
 WRITING IN THE SCIENCES
Select one of the following:2-5
CHEM 252
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - II
CHEM 261
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY
CHEM 352
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
CHEM 458
ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY
Total Units:25-32
1

No minor required.

Four-Year Plans: This four-year plan outlines a suggested curricular path for new student aiming to earn a degree within in four years. Please note that this plan represents just one of many paths to degree completion.  

First Year
FallUnitsSpringUnits
ENGLISH 10113ENGLISH 1023
MATH 1424BIOLOGY 1425
CORE 1303CHEM 10235
BIOLOGY 14125PEGNRL 1921
INTRAUNV 1041 
 16 14
Second Year
FallUnitsSpringUnits
CORE 140 or 1203CORE 1103
CHEM 1045Biology 300+ Elective3
MATH 1513BIOLOGY 2542
BIOLOGY 1901CHEM 2513
BIOLOGY 2514BIOLOGY 2573
 16 14
Third Year
FallUnitsSpringUnits
BIOLOGY 340 or 3614BIOLOGY 345 or 3624
PHYSCS 1405BIOLOGY 303 or PSYCH 2153-4
CHEM 252, 261, 352, or 4582-5PHYSCS 1415
BIOLOGY 2533BIOLOGY 200 or PWP 3713
 14-17 15-16
Fourth Year
FallUnitsSpringUnits
CHEM 454 or BIOLOGY 4563Biology 300+ Elective or Experential Learning1-2
Biology 300+ Elective or Experential Learning3BIOLOGY 311 or 3633-4
Biology 300+ Elective 3Elective (SBS-E or SBS-S)3
Elective (HA-A, HA-G, or HA-H)3CORE 3903
COMM 1103U.S. Racial/Ethnic Diversity (DV) Course3
 Electives to total 120 credits (if needed)3
 15 16-18
Total Units: 120-126
1

The math and English courses you will take during your first year will depend on UW System placement exam scores or ACT/SAT subscores. This four-year plan reflects the math and English courses most common for students in this major. All students are encouraged to complete placement testing prior to attending Warhawks SOAR.  https://www.uww.edu/testing/placement-testing 

2

This emphasis aligns well with the admission requirements for various health-related professional schools such as Dental, Medicine, Optometry, and Veterinary. The Pre-Biomedical Professions emphasis along with a pre-professional certificate in the corresponding area of interest will provide a more intentional path of study to prepare students for application to graduate professional programs. Declaring a certificate along with the major will assist students in tracking prerequisite requirements and connect them with the Pre-Health Professions advisor and additional resources and opportunities.

3

By completing the requirements of the Biology major, students complete the Bachelor of Science (BS) degree requirements. Students who place out of precalculus will need to earn credit in an additional math or computer science course to satisfy the BS degree requirements. This program may also be completed as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in the College of Letters and Sciences, but will require additional coursework. The BA degree emphasizes preparation in the arts, world languages, humanities and social sciences.

4

This program does not require a minor.

First Year: Joining a university-sponsored club and actively participating is strongly encouraged. Some clubs that may be of particular interest to students with a Biology Major include: Active Minds, Pre-Health Club, Rare Afflictions Club, Students Allied for a Green Earth (SAGE), and Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society.

Second Year: The Undergraduate Research Program (URP) is a high-impact practice that gives students the opportunity to apply their knowledge outside of the classroom and dive deeper into their field of interest.   

Career Information in Letters and Sciences (LSINDP 399) is a 1-credit course that focuses on transition to career and graduate school opportunities; identifying skills, strengths, and work values; creating effective job search materials; and, developing a networking strategy.

Third Year: An internship provides students with hands-on experience in a potential career field, supervision and coaching from prospective employers, and the ability to learn professional norms and behaviors. In addition, completing an internship allows students to differentiate themselves in a competitive job market. 

Fourth Year: All students must earn at least 120 credits and complete undergraduate degree requirements to graduate. 

Graduation: Students should apply for graduation one full semester prior to their intended graduation date.