A degree in Biology provides a strong foundation in science while allowing you to tailor a focus to match your interests. It is ideal for students seeking a career as a professional biologist or researcher or planning to apply to graduate school, medical, dental or veterinary medicine school.
Concentrations
General Biology students study life and living organisms, including their physical and chemical structure, function, development and evolution. A degree in Biology opens opportunities in hundreds of areas. Biology students go on to be teachers, researchers, doctors, dentists, conservationists, ecologists, environmentalists, paleontologists and so much more. Being a biology majors leads to numerous opportunities for lab and field research, teaching assistant positions, and presenting and publishing original research.
The Department of Biology is committed to providing a collaborative learning environment where students can study all forms of life at the molecular, organismal and population levels. The Biology Major with Concentration in Zoology encompasses courses that focus on the structure, development, evolution, classification, behaviors, and ecology of animals, both living and extinct. Biology graduates with a concentration in Zoology may go on to careers in areas such as the life science industries, research institutes, zoos and aquaria, conservation management agencies and education, as well as graduate and professional schools.
The Department of Biology is committed to providing a collaborative learning environment where students can study all forms of life at the molecular, organismal, and population levels. Undergraduates interested in studying plant biology can choose our Biology Major with Concentration in Botany, encompassing course-work, hands-on applied laboratories and field explorations designed to focus on areas of plant biology such as plant anatomy morphology, physiology and eco-physiology, evolution, taxonomy, diversity and species conservation at regional and global levels. A degree in Biology with Concentration in Botany is an excellent credential for a wide variety of field and laboratory-based careers, graduate degrees or professional opportunities, including: plant science and biotechnology, pharmacology, energy, agriculture, forestry, horticulture, agri-business, environmental journalism, science policy, and education.
The Biology Major with a Concentration in Health Science is designed to prepare students for entry into graduate and professional schools in many medical fields, including medicine, veterinary, dental and more. We also have program agreements for early entry or pre-admission into select chiropractic, osteopathic and allopathic medical schools.
MEDICAL SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS
We have partnerships with five medical programs for qualified Missouri Western biology majors.
- A.T. Still University’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine: Still Scholars Early Acceptance Program
- Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences: Early Matriculation Partners Program
- University of Missouri-Columbia, School of Medicine: Bryant Scholars Program
- University of Missouri – Kansas City, School of Medicine: Medical Scholars Program
- NEW: Palmer School of Chiropractic Dual Degree Program
Biology (Bachelor of Science, B.S.)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies | ||
| 42-47 | ||
| Core Requirements | ||
| BIO 105 | Principles of Organismal Biology | 4 |
| BIO 106 | Principles of Cell Biology | 4 |
| BIO 205 | Genetics | 4 |
| BIO 225 | Ecology | 4 |
| CHE 111 | General Chemistry I | 5 |
| CHE 120 | General Chemistry II with Qualitative Analysis | 5 |
| CHE 310 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHE 311 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | 2 |
| CHE 370 | Biochemistry I | 4 |
| PHY 110 | College Physics I | 4 |
| MAT 111 | Introductory Statistics | 3-4 |
| or MAT 111E | Introductory Statistics | |
| Option Requirements | ||
| Select one of the following options: | 24-25 | |
Major in Biology | ||
Zoology Concentration | ||
Botany Concentration | ||
Health Science Concentration | ||
Major in Biology Option
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select 24 additional credit hours from biology courses numbered 300 or higher from the following: | 24 | |
| Plant Morphology | ||
| History and Philosophy of the Natural Sciences | ||
| Animal Physiology | ||
| Ornithology | ||
| Introduction to Paleontology | ||
| Plant Systematics | ||
| Local Flora | ||
| Development of Federal Wildlife Law | ||
| Pathophysiology | ||
| Herpetology | ||
| Microbiology | ||
| Molecular Cell Biology | ||
| Developmental Biology | ||
| Invertebrate Biology | ||
| Vertebrate Biology | ||
| Medical Parasitology | ||
| Mammalogy | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Biology Teaching Practicum 1 | ||
| Immunology | ||
| Biology Internship 1 | ||
| Molecular Basis of Disease | ||
| Virology | ||
| Plant Physiology | ||
| Independent Research/Project 1 | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 24 | |
| 1 | No more than four credit hours combined of BIO 420, BIO 425, and BIO 450. |
Concentrations:
Botany
Zoology
Health Science
Botany Concentration Option
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select twenty-four credits from biology courses numbered 300 or higher from the following areas: | 24 | |
| Biology Concentration Courses: | 16 | |
| Plant Morphology | ||
| Plant Systematics | ||
| Local Flora | ||
| Plant Physiology | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Biology Electives: | 8 | |
| Select an additional eight credit hours of upper-division Biology courses, not used to fulfill the Botany Concentration course area above 1 | ||
| 1 | No more than four credit hours combined of BIO 420, BIO 425, and BIO 450. |
Zoology Concentration Option
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select a minimum of twenty-four credit hours from the following: | 24 | |
| Animal Physiology | ||
| Ornithology | ||
| Introduction to Paleontology | ||
| Herpetology | ||
| Microbiology | ||
| Developmental Biology | ||
| Invertebrate Biology | ||
| Vertebrate Biology | ||
| Medical Parasitology | ||
| Mammalogy | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Biology Teaching Practicum 1 | ||
| Biology Internship 1 | ||
| Independent Research/Project 1 | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 24 | |
| 1 | No more than four credit hours combined of BIO 420, BIO 425, and BIO 450. |
Health Science Concentration Option
The courses required for this concentration should prepare the student interested in a health and preprofessional program to apply and, if admitted, to succeed in the health professional program of their choice. Students selecting the Health Science concentration must be aware that additional courses may be needed to complete the admission requirements for the health professional program that they are interested in.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select a minimum of twenty-four credit hours from the following areas: | 24-25 | |
| Health Science Electives: | 20-21 | |
| Anatomy and Physiology | ||
| Animal Physiology | ||
| Microbiology | ||
| Molecular Cell Biology | ||
| Developmental Biology | ||
| Vertebrate Biology | ||
| Medical Parasitology | ||
| Immunology | ||
| Molecular Basis of Disease | ||
| Virology | ||
| Science Electives: | ||
| Select three to four credit hours of biology or chemistry courses numbered 300 or higher 1 | 3-4 | |
| 1 | No more than four credit hours combined of BIO 420, BIO 425, and BIO 450. |
Graduation Requirements
- Earn a minimum of 120 credit hours, including 60 from a senior college (100 level and higher, maximum of 6 CED credit hours applicable).
- Earn a minimum of 30 credit hours in upper-division courses. Lower-division transfer courses accepted as meeting upper-division departmental course requirements cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.
- Earn 30 of the last 45 credit hours at MWSU in institutional coursework (exclusive of credit by examination).
- Participate in required departmental and campus wide assessments.
- Earn an overall GPA of at least 2.0 and a major GPA of at least 2.0.
- Fulfill the Missouri Constitution requirement.
- Successfully pass the Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement exam.
- Major: B.S. Biology
- Major: B.S. Biology/Botany Concentration
- Major: B.S. Biology/Health Science Concentration
- Major: B.S. Biology/Zoology Concentration
- Major: B.S. Biology
- Major: B.S. Biology/Botany Concentration
- Major: B.S. Biology/Health Science Concentration
- Major: B.S. Biology/Zoology Concentration