Biology Major | Biology Minor | Environmental Sciences | Pre-Medicine
Ecology, biomedical research, genetics, biotechnology, medicine, veterinary medicine, and dentistry are only a few of the careers you can pursue with a biology degree from Berry College. The program is designed for students interested in professional careers in research, teaching, and an array of other medical and scientific vocations. For those interested in medicine, Berry provides students with a premedical committee and advisor to help prepare students to take the necessary courses, obtain the right extracurricular experiences, prepare for the MCAT, and apply to medical school.
The Biology Major
See the Berry College Undergraduate Catalog for more information, including teacher certification.
The program in biology requires a core of 21 semester hours of course work, as follows:
| BIO 111 |
|
3-2-4 |
| BIO 202 |
|
3-2-4 |
| BIO 204 |
|
3-3-4 |
| BIO 215 |
|
3-2-4 |
| BIO 305 |
|
3-3-4 |
| BIO 490 |
|
1-0-1 |
Biology majors must earn a C or better in all core courses.
At least five additional elective courses, at the 200 level or above (at least 19 semester hours), are also required. Fifteen hours numbered 300 and above must be taken in residence. Within this block of courses students may select those subdisciplines that best suit their needs.
A number of courses in marine biology (BIO 315, BIO 316, BIO 370, BIO 372, BIO 423, BIO 425, BIO 475, BIO 485) are offered through the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL), Ocean Springs, Mississippi, during the summer term.
Berry College is an affiliate of GCRL. With approval of the student's advisor and the GCRL coordinator, up to two courses taken at GCRL will count as electives toward a major in biology. The department of biology does not offer a major or minor in marine biology.
Additional Science and Mathematics Requirements
Concentration I is for students who plan to attend graduate or professional school in biology or the health sciences. In addition to the biology core and biology electives (above), students pursuing Concentration I must also complete:
Chemistry: 16 hours at the CHM 108 level or above. Chemistry minors are exempt from this requirement.
Mathematics: 7 hours minimum. MAT 111 required; MAT 201 strongly encouraged. Other specific courses may be decided in consultation with advisor, but all students planning to enter graduate or professional schools should have at least one semester of calculus.
Physics: PHY 111 or PHY 211 required; PHY 112 or PHY 212 strongly encouraged.
Concentration II is for student who have other interests in biology or the health sciences (for example, secondary education, sicnece journalism, double majors, business minors). In addition to the biology core and biology electives (listed for the major), students pursuing Concentration II must also complete:
Chemistry: 4 hours at the CHM 108 level or above. Chemistry minors are exempt from this requirement.
Math and Science Electives: 5 courses taken from ANS, AST, BIO, CHM, EVS, GEO, MAT, or PHY. Only one of these may be chosen from the following: ANS 105, BIO 103, BIO 105, BIO 106, BIO 108, or PHY 101. In addition, at least 2 courses must be non-BIO courses. Students having a minor in secondary education may substitute EDU 499 for one of the science electives.
The Biology Minor
A minor in biology requires 19-20 hours, as follows:
| BIO 111 |
|
3-2-4 |
| BIO 202 |
| 3-2-4 |
| BIO 215 |
| 3-2-4 |
One of the following courses:
| BIO 204 |
|
3-3-4 |
| BIO 305 |
|
3-3-4 |
Plus, one additional biology course at the 200 level or above.
The Environmental Sciences Major - Biology Concentration
Listed below are the requirements for the student planning a major in the environmental sciences with a concentration in biology. The EVS Program Web site provides more details about the program and course requirements for the other areas of concentration.
Each student must complete all the core requirements listed below, plus the designated courses for the area of concentration in biology.
| EVS 104 |
|
3-2-4 |
| EVS 405 |
|
2-4-4 |
| EVS 490 |
|
1-0-1 |
| BIO 202 |
|
3-2-4 |
| BIO 215 |
|
3-2-4 |
| CHM 108 |
|
3-3-4 |
| ECO 110 |
|
3-0-3 |
| GEO 101 |
|
3-2-4 |
| GOV 211 |
|
3-0-3 |
| MAT 111 |
|
3-0-3 |
| PHI 359WI |
|
3-0-3 |
Plus, 8 hours of electives, chosen from a list of approved courses, offered by a school other than that of the student's area of concentration. Therefore, a student whose area of concentration is in the natural sciences (such as biology) must choose non-science electives.
Area of Concentration in Biology Requirements:
| BIO 111 |
|
3-2-4 |
| BIO 305 |
|
3-3-4 |
| BIO 405 |
|
3-3-4 |
Plus, a minimum of 15 hours of BIO courses at the 200 level or above.
The electives may include up to 2 courses from the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory or the Highlands Biological Station.