Biology Department

BIOL 0123 Mathematical Methods in Natural Sciences* (3)
BIOL 0128 Intro to Organismal, Ecological, and Evolutionary Biology (4)
BIOL 0129 Intro to Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (4)
*Note: Satisfies the Applied Mathematics requirement of College Core. Does not count toward biology major credit.

BIOL 0128 and 0129 do not have to be taken in sequence.

BIOL 0180, BIOL 0181, BIOL 0280-0289 Seminars (2-4 credits total) Yearly, 1-credit, departmental seminars. Frershmen and students entering the major with 8 credits or fewer in biology must take BIOL 0180. Sophomores and students entering the major having completed bertween 9 and 16 credits of biology courses must take BIOL 0181. All transfer students must take 0180, 0181 or equivalent. The first and second year seminars will serve as an introduction to the field of biology, research methods, and career opportunities, to assist students in integrating the knowledge gained in individual biology and cognate courses, and document the student's progress in meeting the departmental learning goals. The seminars taken in the junior and senior years (BIOL 0280-0289) will focus on specific content topics, which may vary from year to year, as well as document students' progress.

In addition, students are required to take a minimum of 30 additional credits within the Department, including at least 2 courses at the 300 level. Three or more credits of BIOL 0399, Independent Study, may be substituted for one 0300-level course. Course selections must satisfy one of the following three distribution sequences and include at least one course with a laboratory in each group:

Concentration in Ecology and Environmental Biology

4 courses Group A

1 course Group B

2 courses Group C

Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology*

1 course Group A

3 courses Group B

3 courses Group C

Comprehensive Major (without an concentration)

2 courses Group A

2 courses Group B

3 courses Group C

* Recommended for students interested in pre-med or medical technology.

The Biology major is also required to take courses in related departments, as follows:

PHYS 0109 General Chemistry I (4)

PHYS 0111 General Chemistry II (4)

PHYS 0201 Organic Chemistry I (4)

PHYS 0203 Organic Chemistry II (4)

It is recommended that students considering graduate or professional schools also take Calculus and a year of Physics.

Note that the math and two semesters of chemistry may be used to satisfy the College's math and science core requirements, thereby reducing the total number of credits needed to complete the biology major.

Licensure for Teacher of Biology (8-12)

The Biology Department, in collaboration with the Education Department, offers a program of study leading to licensure by the Massachusetts Department of Education as a Teacher of Secondary School Biology. The biology teacher education program at Westfield State College is Accredited by the National Council for Accreditation in Teacher Education (NCATE) and has been recognized by the National Science Teachers Association.

Students wishing to be certified to teach Biology at High School level must complete the following:

• All courses for the Comprehensive Major in Biology using the course distribution pattern below
• The professional sequence for the secondary (9-12) education specialist (described in the Education Department section of the college bulletin).
• BIOL 0290 Teaching Secondary School Biology

Student progress toward meeting Advanced Standing in Teacher Education is monitored at the end of the sophomore year (57 credits). Please see section on Licensure for Teacher Education in the college bulletin.

In order to be eligible for student teaching a student must have completed all required course and field work, have an overall GPA of 2.8 (including transfer work), and have a passing grade in the appropriate Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (i.e., Communcation and Literacy and subject matter tests).

COURSE DISTRIBUTION COMPREHENSIVE MAJOR FOR TEACHER LICENSURE

Group A - Environmental

BIOL 0201 General Ecology - 4 credits

Group B - Cellular/Molecular

BIOL 0203 Genetics I - 4 credits

And one of the following:

BIOL 0205 Cell Biology - 4 credits

BIOL 0223 Microbiology - 4 credits

Group C - Organismal

BIOL 0211 Plant Biology - 4 credits

BIOL 0237 Human Anatomy and Physiology I - 4 credits

BIOL 0230 Evolution - 3 credits

Seminar

BIOL 0289 History and Nature of Scientific Knowledge - 1 credit

Additional courses to satisfy the 40-42 credits of major requirements should be selected in consultation with the Program Director.

Interdisciplinary Major in Environmental Science

The departments of Biology and Geography/Regional Planning cosponsor an interdisciplinary major in Environmental Science. For more information about this program, see the listing in the Environmental Science section of the college bulletin.

Group A - Environmental

BIOL 0200 Natural History in America (3)

BIOL 0201 General Ecology (3)

BIOL 0202 Conservation (3)

BIOL 0208 Marine Biology (4)

BIOL 0219 Aquatic Biology (4)

BIOL 0233 Environmental Legislation (3)

BIOL 0304 Applied Microbiology (4)

BIOL 0305 Plant Communities (4)

BIOL 0389 Topics in Environmental Studies (1-3)

Group B - Cellular/Molecular*

BIOL 0203 Genetics I (4)

BIOL 0205 Cell Biology (4)

BIOL 0210 Histology (4)

PHYS 0213 Biochemistry (3)

BIOL 0223 Microbiology (4)

BIOL 0303 Medical Microbiology (4)

BIOL 0313 Immunology (4)

BIOL 0318 Electron Microscopy (4)

Group C - Organismal

BIOL 0207 Developmental Biology (4)

BIOL 0211 Plant Biology (4)

BIOL 0217 Invertebrate Zoology (4)

BIOL 0221 Vertebrate Physiology (4)

BIOL 0227 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (4)

BIOL 0230 Evolution (3)

BIOL 0235 Ornithology (4)

BIOL 0237 Human Anatomy & Physiology I (4)

BIOL 0239 Human Anatomy & Physiology II (4)

BIOL 0311 The Summer Flora (4)

BIOL 0312 Mammalogy (4)

BIOL 0334 Animal Behavior(4)