Skip Navigation
*To search for student contact information, login to FlashLine and choose the "Directory" icon in the FlashLine masthead (blue bar).

Biology - B.S. Program Requirements PDFDownload to print

Type Legend: DD Diversity–Domestic; DG Diversity–Global; ELR Experiential Learning; KAD Kent Core Additional; KBS Kent Core Basic Sciences; KCM Kent Core Composition; KFA Kent Core Fine Arts: KHU Kent Core Humanities; KMC Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning; KSS Kent Core Social Sciences; WIC Writing Intensive

Please read the sections in the University Catalog on Kent Core, diversity, writing-intensive and the experiential learning requirements.

I. DESTINATION KENT STATE: FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE (1 credit)
Type Course Title Credits
  US 10097 Destination Kent State: First Year Experience 1 1
II. MAJOR PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS (36 credits) Courses count in major GPA
Type Course Title Credits
KBS BSCI 10110 Biological Diversity 4
KAD   10120 Biological Foundations 4
    30156 Elements of Genetics 3
    40163 Evolution 3
WIC   40600 Writing in the Biological Sciences 2 1
KBS CHEM 10060 General Chemistry I 4
KAD   10061 General Chemistry II 4
KBS   10062 General Chemistry I Laboratory 1
KBS   10063 General Chemistry II Laboratory 1
    20481
30481
Basic Organic Chemistry I (4) or
Organic Chemistry I (3)
3-4
KMC MATH 12002 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I 5
    12003
30011
Analytic Geometry and Calculus II (5) or
Basic Probability and Statistics (3)
3-5
III. ADDITIONAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS (33-45 credits)
Type Course Title Credits
  Foreign Language 3 8-10
  Kent Core Composition 6
  Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each) 9
  Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines) 0-6
  General Electives (number of credits required depends on meeting minimum 120 credit hours
and 42 upper-division hours)
10-16
IV. CONCENTRATION REQUIREMENTS (38-50 credits)
  Molecular and Cellular Biology (39)
  Organismal Biology (38)
  Pre-Medicine/Pre-Osteopathy/Pre-Dentistry (50)
MINIMUM TOTAL  120

 

Molecular and Cellular Biology Concentration

For semester-by-semester sequencing for this program, view the 2014-2015 Roadmap.

CONCENTRATION REQUIREMENTS (39 credits)  Courses count in major GPA
Type Course Title Credits
  BSCI 30140 Cell Biology 4
    40158 Molecular Biology 3
  Organic Chemistry Option, choose from the following: 1-3
  CHEM 20482 Basic Organic Chemistry II (2) 4  
    30475 Organic Chemistry Laboratory I (1)  
    30482 Organic Chemistry II (3) 4  
  Biology, Chemistry, Physics Electives, choose from the following: 31
  BSCI Biology courses 5 (in consultation with advisor) (16-31)  
  CHEM 20482
30482
Basic Organic Chemistry II (2) 4 or
Organic Chemistry II (3) 4
 
    30475 Organic Chemistry Laboratory I (1)  
    30476 Organic Chemistry Laboratory II (1)  
KBS
KBS
KBS
PHY 13001
13021
23101
General College Physics I (4) and
General College Physics Laboratory I (1) or
General University Physics I (5)
 
KBS
KBS
KBS
  13002
13022
23102
General College Physics II (4) and
General College Physics Laboratory II (1) or
General University Physics II (5)
 
MINIMUM SUBTOTAL  39

 

Organismal Biology Concentration

For semester-by-semester sequencing for this program, view the 2014-2015 Roadmap.

CONCENTRATION REQUIREMENTS (38 credits)  Courses count in major GPA
Type Course Title Credits
  Organismal Core, choose from the following: 7-8
  BSCI 30171 General Microbiology (4)  
    30270 General Plant Biology (3)  
    30275 Local Flora (4)  
    30360 General Ecology (4)  
    30560 Invertebrate Zoology (4)  
    30580 Entomology (4)  
    40272 Plant Anatomy (4)  
    40277 Morphology of Lower Plants (4)  
    40430 Animal Physiology (3)  
    40556 Vertebrate Zoology (4)  
  Organic Chemistry, choose from the following: 1-3
  CHEM 20482 Basic Organic Chemistry II (2) 4  
    30475 Organic Chemistry Laboratory I (1)  
    30482 Organic Chemistry II (3) 4  
  Biology, Chemistry, Physics Electives, choose from the following: 30
  BSCI Biology courses 5 (in consultation with advisor) (16-31)  
  CHEM 20482
30482
Basic Organic Chemistry II (2) 4 or
Organic Chemistry II (3) 4
 
    30475 Organic Chemistry Laboratory I (1)  
    30476 Organic Chemistry Laboratory II (1)  
KBS
KBS
KBS
PHY 13001
13021
23101
General College Physics I (4) and
General College Physics Laboratory I (1) or
General University Physics I (5)
 
KBS
KBS
KBS
  13002
13022
23102
General College Physics II (4) and
General College Physics Laboratory II (1) or
General University Physics II (5)
 
MINIMUM SUBTOTAL  38

 

Pre-Medicine/Pre-Osteopathy/Pre-Dentistry Concentration

For semester-by-semester sequencing for this program, view the 2014-2015 Roadmap.

CONCENTRATION REQUIREMENTS (50 credits)  Courses count in major GPA
Type Course Title Credits
  BSCI 30005 Career Pathways in Biology 1
    30140 Cell Biology 4
    30171 General Microbiology 4
    30030
40430
Human Physiology (4) or
Animal Physiology (3)
3-4
  CHEM 20482
30482
Basic Organic Chemistry II (2) 6 or
Organic Chemistry II (3) 6
2-3
    30284
40245
Introductory Biological Chemistry (4) or
Biochemical Foundations of Medicine (4)
4
    30475 Organic Chemistry Laboratory I 1
    30476 Organic Chemistry Laboratory II 1
KSS
DD
PSYC 11762 General Psychology 3
KSS
DD
SOC 12050 Introduction to Sociology 3
  Biology Electives 7 (in consultation with advisor) 14
  Physics Series, choose either 130xx or 231xx series: 10
KBS
KBS
KBS
KBS
KBS
KBS
PHY 13001
13002
13021
13022
23101
23102
General College Physics I (4)
General College Physics II (4)
General College Physics Laboratory I (1)
General College Physics Laboratory II (1)
General University Physics I (5)
General University Physics II (5)
 
MINIMUM SUBTOTAL  50

PROGRAM NOTES:

  1. US 10097 is not required of transfer students with 25 credits or students age 21+ at time of admission.
  2. A minimum C (2.000) grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.
  3. Fulfills College General Requirement.
  4. CHEM 20482 or CHEM 30482 may be substituted with CHEM 30284 Introductory Biological Chemistry with faculty advisor approval.
  5. Biology, Chemistry, Physics Electives (31 credits). Students MUST choose one or more courses (maximum 6 credit hours of any combination) from the following as part of the 31-credit electives (enrollment in these course must be determined with a faculty advisor). No more than 4 credit hours may be S/U graded.
    BSCI 30005 Career Pathways in Biology (1)
    BSCI 40099 Senior Honors Thesis (1-3) fulfills experimental learning requirement
    BSCI 40191 Senior Seminar (1)
    BSCI 40192 Internship in Biological Sciences (3-4) fulfills experimental learning requirement
    BSCI 40196 Individual Investigation (1-3) fulfills experimental learning requirement
  6. Students must stay within stay within a single organic chemistry series. CHEM 20482 is required if CHEM 20481 is selected in the major core; CHEM 30482 is required if CHEM 30481 is selected in the major core.
  7. Biology Electives (14 credits). Highly recommended courses: BSCI 30518 Vertebrate Anatomy, BSCI 40174 Immunology, BSCI 40517 Medical Histology, BSCI 40433 Mammalian Physiology I and BSCI 40434 Mammalian Physiology II. Students may take the following (maximum 6 credits total, maximum 4 credits S/U graded) for biology electives, but not required to do so.
    BSCI 40099 Senior Honors Thesis (1-3) fulfills experimental learning requirement
    BSCI 40191 Senior Seminar (1)
    BSCI 40192 Internship in Biological Sciences (3-6) fulfills experimental learning requirement
    BSCI 40196 Individual Investigation (1-3) fulfills experimental learning requirement

DEPARTMENT NOTES:

  1. All courses taken from the list of major program requirements are used in the calculation of the major GPA.
  2. The following courses may NOT be used in the elective category for majors or minors in the Department of Biological Sciences:
    BSCI 10001 Human Biology
    BSCI 10002 Life on Planet Earth
    BSCI 10003 Laboratory Experience in Biology
    BSCI 10100 Anatomy for Veterinary Technicians
    BSCI 11001 Anatomy for Physical and Occupational Therapy
    BSCI 11010 Anatomy and Physiology I for Allied Health
    BSCI 11020 Anatomy and Physiology II for Allied Health
    BSCI 16001 Horticultural Botany
    BSCI 20020 Biological Structure and Function
    BSCI 20021 Basic Microbiology
    BSCI 20022 Basic Microbiology Laboratory
    BSCI 26002 Ecological Principles of Pest Management
    BSCI 26003 Plant Identification and Selection I
    BSCI 26004 Plant Identification and Selection II
    BSCI 30050 Human Genetics
    BSCI 40020 Biology of Aging