OVERVIEW OF DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Minimum number of credits required to graduate: 120
Minimum Cumulative GPA required to graduate: 2.00
Other GPA requirements to graduate: 2.00 in program requirements
Required Course(s) for fulfilling Capstone Experience and Writing Intensive in Major: Choose one of the following:
Required Course(s) for fulfilling Service Learning in Major: ENV 102S or BIO 245
Residency requirement: Must complete at least 30 credits through UMM, at least 12 of which must be in their major and 9 of these 12 must be upper level (300 level or above).
Biology is one of the traditional liberal arts; it informs us about ourselves, the dynamics of the natural world, and how we interact with our environment. In so doing, biology complements the other liberal arts programs as a context for human endeavors.
Biology provides the basis of knowledge in the areas of medicine, agriculture, biotechnology, and ecology. Studies of nature have long been the inspiration for works of art, literature, and music. At the same time, rapid advancements in biotechnology affect nearly every facet of our lives from the foods we eat and the drugs we take, to the fibers that are used to make our clothes. With our increasing ability to manipulate the genetic structure of organisms, as well as the structure and composition of entire ecosystems, comes an increased responsibility for all citizens to act in an informed manner.
Within that context, the major objectives of the B.A. in Integrative Biology at UMM are to:
1. provide a broad and substantive training in scientific inquiry appropriate for students seeking careers in the biological sciences or in secondary education immediately following graduation;
2. support an integrative, applied understanding of biological systems and their connections to the broader world;
3. provide rigorous training for students planning to further their education in professional studies or graduate school; and
4. allow sufficient flexibility to encourage students to pursue a concentration, a minor, or a second major.
Students will study biological systems at the level of the cell, the organism, and the ecosystem with an emphasis on integrating their skills and knowledge to solve novel problems. Courses in mathematics, physics, and chemistry will enhance students’ understanding of the physical laws that govern the activities of living organisms, providing further integrative context. All coursework is enhanced by extensive study in the laboratory and in the field with emphasis on hypothesis formulation and testing, and experimental design.
All students in the Integrative Biology major are required to complete 58 or 59 credits of program requirements. A highlight of these requirements is the opportunity to participate in a Senior Thesis that allows students to do an in-depth study of an area of particular interest. Alternatively, students may enroll in a Senior Seminar that explores advanced topics in biology based on a student’s previous training. Students may elect additional coursework to complete a Fisheries Biology, Pre-Professional or Wildlife Biology concentration. Biology courses required in either concentration will fulfill biology electives in the program requirements.
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