Undergraduate Catalog 2020-2021

Biology, B.S.

The program of study for the major in biology is designed for students interested in biology as a pure and applied science. Successful completion of the program prepares students for a number of endeavors and job possibilities, including furthering their professional development through post-graduate training.

The program is suitable for pre-professional students in the areas of pre-dentistry, pre-medicine, pre-veterinary medicine, and related fields. However, pre-professional studies involve variable curricula requirements depending on the particular professional school of the student’s interest. Students in pre-professional programs should, in conjunction with their advisor, contact the school(s) of their choice to obtain specific requirements in order to develop a proper program of study while at Piedmont College.

The program also prepares students for careers in pure sciences such as genetics, ecology, or evolutionary biology-or such applied fields as biotechnology, wildlife conservation or marine biology. The program allows students enough freedom to focus on their specific interests within biology, while receiving exposure to the full breath of biology as a discipline.

Science, including biology, is centered on application, not merely the learning of a body of facts. Therefore, an important focus of a major in the sciences at Piedmont College is developing a working knowledge of the scientific method and the process of scientific inquiry. This prepares students to succeed in graduate school while ensuring that they receive an education that is comparable to the finest institutions in the country.


Biology Curriculum Outline

Bachelor of Science Degree

Biology Major

Biology Foundations

BIOL 1101General Biology I

3

BLAB 1101General Biology Lab I

1

BIOL 1102General Biology II

3

BLAB 1102General Biology Lab II

1

BIOL 2240Genetics

4

NASC 3990Philosophy and Methodology of Science

3

BIOL 4500Organic Evolution

4

BIOL 4700Ecology

4

CHEM 1101General Chemistry I

3

CLAB 1101General Chemistry Lab I

1

CHEM 1102General Chemistry II

3

CLAB 1102General Chemistry Lab II

1

CHEM 2351Organic Chemistry I

4

CHEM 2352Organic Chemistry II

4

MATH 2450Calculus I

4

PHYS 2110General Physics I

4

NASC 4950Science Seminar

1

Students must choose one of the following courses:
NASC 4980Senior Research

3

NASC 4981Senior Library Research

2

Total Credit Hours:42-43

Students in the Honors Program will take the following courses:

(These courses replace NASC 4959, 4980 and 4981)

NASC 4959   Honors Seminar

NASC 4989   Honors Research

NASC 4999   Honors Thesis

At least ONE Functional Biology course from:
BIOL 3300Cell Biology

3

BIOL 3650Comparative Physiology

3

At least ONE Organismal Biology course from:
BIOL 3200General Microbiology

4

BIOL 3500Vertebrate Natural History

4

BIOL 4200Invertebrate Zoology

4

The remaining credit hours can be taken from the courses list below or from courses not taken in the Functional and Organismal biology section.
BIOL 3700Animal Behavior

3

BIOL 4210Biochemistry

3

BIOL 4240Medical Genetics

3

PHYS 2120General Physics II

4

ENVS 2200Introduction to Geographical Information Systems

2

ENVS 3300Geographical Information Systems Applications

2

General Education

Total Credit Hours:46

Piedmont College Requirement

PDMT 1101Intro to College Life and Liberal Arts Tradition

1

Total Credit Hours:1

Students who have not completed a minimum of 24 semester credit hours of college-level coursework upon admission to Piedmont College must meet this college requirement.

Total Credit Hours: 120

BIOL 1101, BLAB 1101, BIOL 1102, MATH 2450: These courses also satisfy general education requirements and appear in the number of hours for both general education and the major; in reality, biology majors may have up to 14 additional hours to use for electives. Students may use elective hours to earn a minor or another major, as well as to develop additional marketable skills. The number of elective hours students may take will depend on which concentration they select and on the courses taken to satisfy general education requirements.