Biological Sciences Major

Biological Sciences (BSCI) Program
1322 Symons Hall
Phone: 301-405-6892
estaylor@umd.edu
http://bsci.umd.edu

The Biological Sciences major exposes students to the modern experimental disciplines within biology and prepares them for diverse careers in health care, research, policy, teaching, and academia. Upper level courses are organized into specialization areas, aligned with the major research areas in modern biology ranging from molecular and cellular studies to ecosystem studies. 

Students in the Biological Sciences major will have the following academic components to their curriculum.

• Basic program and supporting Courses:  47 - 48 credits
• Advanced Program in one of the following specialization area: 27 credits
  • Cell Biology and Genetics
  • General Biology
  • Microbiology
  • Ecology and Evolution
  • Physiology and Neurobiology
  • Individualized Studies requires permission of Assistant Dean
• General Education requirements:  27 credits
• Electives:  18 - 19 credits

Total credits required to graduate: 120

The Biological Sciences major is jointly offered by the Departments of Biology, Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, and Entomology in the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. The central Biological Sciences Program office in 1322 Symons Hall is staffed by:

• Director: Dr. Reid Compton, compton@umd.edu
• Office Coordinator: Ms. Elaine Shaw-Taylor, estaylor@umd.edu

Departmental contacts for Biological Sciences are:

• Biology Undergraduate Director: Dr. Sara Lombardi, saral@umd.edu
  • BSCI Specializations: PHNB, ECEV
• Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics Undergraduate Director: Dr. David Straney, straney@umd.edu
  • BSCI Specializations: CEBG, GENB (N–Z), MICB
• Entomology Undergraduate Director: Dr. David Hawthorne, djh@umd.edu
  • BSCI Specialization: GENB (A–M)
  • Entomology Minor

Biological Sciences Program Specializations

All Biological Sciences majors complete a common sequence of introductory and supporting courses called the basic program. In addition, students must complete an advanced program within one of the following specialization areas:      

• Cell Biology & Genetics (CEBG)
• Ecology & Evolution (ECEV)
• General Biology (GENB)
• Microbiology (MICB)
• Physiology & Neurobiology (PHNB)
• Individualized Studies (BIVS)

A complete list of specialization area requirements can be found on our website, http://bsci.umd.edu. Note that the Individualized Studies specialization (BIVS) requires the permission of the Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Academic Programs and involves an approved proposal to do coursework in the college and in other disciplines. Further questions about Biological Sciences can be directed to the Undergraduate Academic Program Office at 301-405-6892.

Biological Sciences at the University of Maryland at Shady Grove

The Biological Sciences Program at the University of Maryland offers a degree program at Universities at Shady Grove. The Biological Sciences Program at Shady Grove offers the Advanced Program courses normally taken in the junior and senior years. More information is available at: http://shadygrove.umd.edu/academics/degree-programs/bs-biological-sciences/.

Admission to the Major

The Biological Sciences major is a Limited Enrollment Program. Please see the admission requirements and procedures at: http://lep.umd.edu.

Placement in Courses

Enrollment in BSCI160 & BSCI161 and BSCI170 & BSCI171 requires the eligibility to take MATH120 or MATH140, through direct placement by the Math Placement Exam or completion of MATH113 or MATH115. Note that students who are ready to take MATH135 will have eligibility for MATH140 and thus are eligible to enroll in BSCI160 & BSCI161 and BSCI170 & BSCI171.

Students who earn Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate Placement credit which grants equivalency for BSCI160 & BSCI161 and/or BSCI170 & BSCI171 are encouraged not to repeat these courses at UMD but can continue to courses for which BSCI160 & BSCI161 and/or BSCI170 & BSCI171 satisfy prerequisite requirements.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Students should have mastered the critical knowledge at each level in the curriculum that is necessary to move on to the next level in the curriculum.
2. Students should demonstrate an ability to use and apply quantitative methods, especially: interpretation of graphical or tabular data; expression of physical, chemical, or biological process in mathematical form; solving equations to determine the value of physical, chemical, or biological variables.
3. Students at the lower level should demonstrate an ability to carry out key experimental techniques used in the chemical and life sciences disciplines.
4. Students at the lower level should have a basic understanding of how to express questions as a hypothesis, how to design a test of a hypothesis, and how to gather and analyze simple data.
5. Students at the upper level should be able to integrate and apply a relevant body of basic knowledge to the evaluation of existing scientific studies and to design studies to test specific hypotheses that includes design elements typically found in a specific field of the chemical and life sciences.
6. Students should effectively communicate in writing the processes of science and the results of scientific inquiry.

Information on BSCI advising can be found at: http://bsci.umd.edu/advising/.

All freshmen and new transfer students will be assigned a professional staff BSCI advisor or a faculty member in one of the BSCI departments. Students will be assigned to a departmental faculty advisor once a basic sequence of courses has been successfully completed. The following persons for the indicated specialization areas coordinate the departmental faculty advisors. These coordinating advising offices can be contacted to make appointments with an advisor or for any other information regarding that specialization area.

Specializations: CEBG, GENB (N–Z), and MICB

Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics
Undergraduate Office
1109 Microbiology
Phone: 301-405-2766

Undergraduate Director: Dr. David Straney
3122 Microbiology
Phone: 301-405-1622
straney@umd.edu

Specialization: GENB (A–M)

Department of Entomology
Main Office
4112 Plant Sciences Building
Phone: 301-405-3911

Undergraduate Director: Dr. David Hawthorne
4132 Plant Sciences Building
Phone: 301-405-2401
djh@umd.edu

Specializations: ECEV and PHNB

Department of Biology
Undergraduate Office
1204A Biology-Psychology Building
Phone: 301-405-6904
bioundergrad@umd.edu

Undergraduate Director: Dr. Sara Lombardi
1204F Biology-Psychology Building
Phone: 301-405-2391
saral@umd.edu

Specialization: BIVS, Secondary Education, and Science in the Evening

College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
Undergraduate Academic Programs Office
1322 Symons Hall
Phone: 301-405-6892

Assistant Dean: Dr. Joelle Presson
1322 Symons Hall
Phone: 301-405-6892
jpresson@umd.edu

Laboratory research, fieldwork, and internships are valuable co-curricular experiences that add value to a student’s academic experience in BSCI disciplines. We encourage students to pursue one or more of these experiences during their undergraduate studies. Please see the College website for more information about experiential learning for CMNS undergraduates.

¹

Al students who matriculate at  UMD as Freshman Biological Sciences majors must take UNIV100 or another approved Freshman Seminar course.  See your advisor for details.

²

 MATH140 and MATH141 taken together will fulfill the Mathematics Supporting Courses requirement; however, MATH135 and MATH136 were designed specifically for Biological Sciences majors.  Students who enter the Biological Sciences major after satisfactorily completing MATH140 should take MATH135 instead of MATH141.

Advanced Program Requirements

All Biological Sciences majors must complete an Advanced Program within one of the specialization areas described below.  Students must complete a minimum of 27 credits of Advanced Program study.

For all specialization areas:

• At least two courses designated as lab at the 300 or 400 level must be taken as part of the Advanced Program.
  • Stand alone lab courses require a C- or better in the pre / co-requisite lecture to count as the upper level Lab requirement
• Independent study or research credits, including H and L versions, are acceptable up to a maximum of 3 credits overall in the Advanced Program.
• Multiple semesters in research courses can possibly count for one of the two required lab courses. See your advisor for more details.
• One credit of Departmental Honors Seminar can count toward the Advanced Program major credits.  Additional Departmental Honors Seminar credits can count as electives toward the 120 credits required for graduation.
• Special topics courses are approved for specific specialization areas.  See testudo.umd.edu to determine if  a particular special topics course is approved for your specialization area.
• All specialization areas except General Biology have an Enrichment category. Enrichment allows students to include a maximum of  3 credits from any 300-level or 400-level BSCI, CHEM, or BCHM course in their Advanced Program.  Courses from other departments can be used with permission of advisor. Courses listed in the Advanced Program  can be used if they are not used to satisfy any specific Advance program category. Courses counted as Enrichment do not satisfy the requirement  to take two 300- or 400-level laboratory courses.

Cell Biology & Genetics 0404A

¹

BSCI223/283 is a pre-requisite for these upper level courses.

²

Credit will be given for either BSCI223 OR BSCI283. Credit cannot be granted for both courses. BSCI223/283 may count in the CEBG Area credits but NOT as an upper level lab.

³

Formerly BSCI474, cross-listed as HLSC374. Credit will be given for either BSCI374, HLSC374 or BSCI474.

⁴

Only one of these statistics courses will count for the CEBG Area courses.

Ecology & Evolution  0404B

¹

Formerly BSCI474, cross-listed as HLSC374. Credit will be given for either BSCI374, HLSC374 or BSCI474.

²

BSCI460 and BSCI461 count as one required 400-level course. They do not satisfy the two 400-level courses requirement alone. 

General Biology  0404C

¹

Formerly BSCI474, cross-listed as HLSC374. Credit will be given for either BSCI374, HLSC374 or BSCI474. 

²

Credit will be given for either BSCI223 OR BSCI283. BSCI223/283 is a pre-requisite for some upper level BSCI courses. BSCI223/283 may count in the GENB Area credits but NOT as an upper-level lab

Microbiology  0404D

¹

or BSCI223 with permission of Undergraduate Program Director. Students cannot get credit for both BSCI223 and BSCI283.

Physiology & Neurobiology 0404E

¹

Starting Fall 2012, only BSCI353 satisfies the Neurobiology course requirement that was previously fulfilled by BSCI446 or BSCI453.

²

Formerly BSCI474, cross-listed as HLSC374. Credit will be given for either BSCI374, HLSC374 or BSCI474.

Individualized Studies  0404

The Individualized Studies specialization (BIVS) requires permission of the Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Academic Programs, and involves an approved proposal to do coursework in the College and in other disciplines. 

Required Courses

• Six credits in biochemistry and/or quantitative coursework, approved by advisor

Individualized Studies Area Courses

• 21 credits approved by advisor
• Maximum of 4 credits at the 200-level
• At least 3 credits, but a maximum of 6 credits, from courses outside of CMNS, cannot double count as Advanced Program
• Courses taken to satisfy Advanced Program must support BIVS topic
• At least two upper-level labs
• Lab courses offered as separate credit must be successfully completed with lecture as co- or pre-requisite
• Must include two credits for independent research paper related to BIVS topic, written under the direction of advisor

Other Requirements for the Biological Sciences Major

Students receiving a degree in the Biological Sciences from the University of Maryland must earn at least 120 credits with a cumulative minimum GPA of 2.000 in all courses being counted toward the degree as well as in all courses associated with the major. Additionally, all Biological Sciences major courses must have a grade of "C-" or better.

Click here for roadmaps for four-year plans in the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences.

Additional information on developing a four-year academic plan can be found on the following pages:

• http://4yearplans.umd.edu
• the Student Academic Success-Degree Completion Policy section of this catalog

Internships

See http://cmns.umd.edu/undergraduate/research-internships/.

Honors Program

Outstanding students are encouraged to apply to departmental Honors Programs. Through the Honors Programs, students will become actively involved in the ongoing scientific research at the university. Information about these honors programs may be obtained from the Undergraduate Academic Programs Office, 1322 Symons Hall, 301-405-6892.

Student Societies and Professional Organizations

Information on student organizations of interest to Biological Sciences and other CMNS majors can be found at https://terplink.umd.edu/organizations/.

Academic Programs and Departmental Facilities

In addition to offering high-quality undergraduate specializations in the Biological Sciences, the BSCI program participates in the collaborative program in secondary teaching: Terrapin Teachers. This program allows students to develop their expertise in communicating science to diverse audiences and provides a path toward certification to teach secondary school science or math.