Undergraduate
Evening & Online
Gain a broad background in biology. The time you spend in the classroom is supplemented by multiple opportunities for hands-on lab work. You’ll be equipped to take on work in multiple scientific fields.
To earn this degree, you will complete General Education courses plus 26 hours specific to the Bachelor of Science in General Biology degree.
This course will provide students with an overview of biology from cellular structure to classification of organisms. This course will also introduce basic ecological principles.
Prerequisite: BIOL 102.
This course examines the structure and function of nucleic acids and proteins. The molecular mechanisms of replication, transcription, mRNA processing and translation will be emphasized. In addition, regulation of these processes will be explored. Intended for students majoring in biology or related disciplines.
Prerequisite: BIOL 172. Co-requisite: BIOL 181-L.
This course will apply the knowledge acquired in BIOL 172 to the inheritance patterns of genetic traits between individuals and within populations.
Co-requisite: BIOL 181.
This lab must accompany BIOL 181 and will provide laboratory experiences to enhance understanding of genetic inheritance.
Prerequisite: CCPS-BIOL 172. DAY-BIOL181.
An introduction to the principles of evolutionary biology, including the history, processes and patterns of evolution as well as systematic biology.
Prerequisite: BIOL 172. DAY Prerequisite or Co-Requisite: BIOL182.
An introduction to ecological principles, emphasizing processes and patterns within the six sub-disciplines of ecology. The laboratory will integrate common field methods with experimental design and data analysis. Lecture and laboratory.
Co-requisite: BIOL 200.
This lab will accompany the Ecology class and will provide laboratory experiences to enhance understanding of the ecological concepts..
Prerequisite: BIOL 172. DAY-BIOL 200.
An introduction to the trends and patterns of biological diversity and our understanding of the biosphere. The class will focus on the evolution of genomes and systems using several model organisms. The generation and loss of biodiversity will be examined. Lecture and laboratory.
Prerequisite: Senior Standing. This course will provide senior students guidance in selection and completion of a capstone experience in biology.
It is strongly recommended that students have completed one year of high school algebra in order to be successful in this course. A course to acquaint the student with the basic ideas and language of statistics including such topics such as descriptive statistics, correlation and regression, basic experimental design, elementary probability, binomial and normal distributions, estimation and test of hypotheses, and analysis of variance.
Track 1 (16 hrs.)*
*Available at the St. Robert Campus
An introduction to basic anatomy and physiology of the human body from a single cell to the coordinated whole. Special emphasis is placed on conditions that may upset the delicate balance of each system and produce disease. Medical terminology will be integrated into the course to expand the student’s medical vocabulary. Lecture and laboratory.
Prerequisite: BIOL 201. DAY-BIOL 200.
Introduction to the photosynthetic way of life in algae and plants. This course will consider plant structural and functional adaptations related to water retention and distribution, gas exchange, light absorption and energy conversion, anti-gravitational support, reproduction and dispersal; followed by a comparative study of the main plant groups from algae to flowering plants, emphasizing structural diversity and evolutionary trends. The laboratory exercises will present an introduction to plant (and algae) cells, tissues, and organs through comparative anatomy and morphology analyses.
Prerequisite: BIOL 201. DAY-BIOL 200.
A study of major animal phyla including protozoans, with an emphasis on comparative structure and function, taxonomy, fundamental life processes, and ecological interactions. Lecture and laboratory.
Track 2 (14 hrs.)**
**Available at the Springfield Campus
An introduction to the gross and microscopic anatomy of the human body. Mammalian examples of major systems are studied in the laboratory. Lecture and laboratory. Offered fall semester.
Prerequisites: Day-BIOL 181 and CHEM 238. CCPS-BIOL 181 and CHEM 107.
This course will examine the unique physiology of the Archaea and Procaryotae and their roles in ecology and human disease. Techniques for identification of these organisms also will be studied. Lecture and laboratory.
Prerequisite: BIOL 181. A study of epidemiological theory and practice. The distribution of health related problems in a population and the application of this theory to control health problems will be examined. Areas included in this study will be measures of disease occurrences, causal effects and statistical analysis of these events.
Jobs in the biological science field are projected to grow 5.5% by the year 2028 nationally. The median annual wage is $77,550. The median wage biological scientists in Missouri specifically is $67,290.
A Bachelor of Science in General Biology will prepare you for a broad range of careers, including: