CATALOG • 2010-2011
Biology – Major/Minor
For information, contact Dr. Richard Kliman.
The biology major is offered within a challenging,
comprehensive liberal arts education, with state-of-the art laboratories
and facilities and a very active program of undergraduate research. The
same is true for all other majors within the department of biological
sciences: biodiversity and conservation biology, genetic engineering,
neuroscience, nuclear medicine technology and biology/secondary education,
as well as the department’s minor in biology. The department
also provides pre-professional education for medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and other
allied health fields. All coursework and laboratories emphasize the
development of skills in reading, questioning, analyzing, and evaluating
assumptions along with development in technical writing and oral
presentations. In terms of research, all first-year students actively
participate in a professor’s ongoing research program, as do all
interested seniors. Highly motivated students commonly participate in
research during their sophomore and junior years at Cedar Crest College.
Graduates with biology majors go on to advanced study, to professional
programs, and to research positions in universities and pharmaceutical
firms. Biologists work in agriculture and medical professions, in schools,
hospitals, clinics, the government and zoos, and as naturalists, science
writers, medical illustrators, and forensic scientists.
Program Requirements for the Biology Major (B.S./B.A) and Minor
For the most recent and complete and departmental
policies, refer to the Biological Sciences website. A minimum cumulative
grade-point average of 2.000 and a minimum average in the major of 2.000 is
required for the major and minor in Biology. A grade of C- or better is
needed for all courses that fulfill the departmental requirements. Courses
transferred in for all majors must be taken less than ten years ago.
Students may not declare multiple majors in any combination of: Biology,
Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Genetic Engineering, or
Neuroscience. Students majoring in the Biological Sciences may not minor in
Biology. Students must earn a grade of C- or better in prerequisite courses
before proceeding to subsequent courses.
Course Requirements for the Biology Major (B.S. / B.A.*)
BIO 121 Principles of Biology I 4 credits
BIO 122 Principles of Biology II 4 credits
(Students with Advanced Placement credit for BIO 121
and/or 122
are required to take the BIO 121 and 122 Labs.)
BIO 235 Ecology, Evolution and Genetics 4 credits
BIO 236 Cell and Molecular Biology 4 credits
Students who have previously taken BIO 222, 231, or
234 should consult their advisors or the department website to determine the courses
needed to complete the major.
BIO 350 Junior Colloquium 2 credits
BIO 355 Science, Ethics, and Society 2 credits
CHE 111 Chemical Principles 4 credits
CHE 112 Chemical Equilibrium and Analysis 4 credits
CHE 205 Organic Chemistry I 4 credits
CHE 206 Organic Chemistry II 4 credits
PHY 101 Introductory College Physics I 4 credits
PHY 102 Introductory College Physics II 4 credits
One year of mathematics at the appropriate level 6
credits
Plus choose one organismal course from the following:
BIO 207 Botany 4 credits
BIO 227 Microbiology 4 credits
BIO 251, 252, 253, 256 or 259
Hawk Mountain Courses (totaling at least 4 credits) 4
credits
BIO 328 Marine Ecology & Conservation (must take
with lab) 4 credits
Plus four 200- or 300- level BIO or BIO cross-listed
elective courses:
Two electives must be 4-credit lab courses (a 3-credit
course plus a mini-lab, or 4 credits of Hawk Mountain Courses, or a
3-credit course plus a 1 or 2 credit Hawk Mountain Course, may count as a
4-credit elective). The other two electives may be 3-credit non-lab
courses. CHE 307, CHE 308 and CHE 348 are allowable electives.
*The B.A. Biology major requires only two electives,
both of which must be 4-credit lab courses, as described above. PHY 101 and 102 are not required for the
B.A. in Biology.
Transfer students must complete at least the following
at Cedar Crest College:
BIO 350 Junior Colloquium 2 credits
BIO 355 Science, Ethics and Society 2 credits
Two four-credit upper level biology electives 8
credits
Additional course requirements for the Thesis Option:
All students, particularly those who are interested in
attending graduate school or obtaining a research-based job following
graduation, are highly encouraged to participate in independent research,
which may culminate in a thesis. The thesis option begins during the
student’s junior year as part of Junior Colloquium (BIO 350). As part
of their capstone project, all students who select a major from the
Department of Biological Sciences are required to develop a research
proposal to investigate an original research question. This experience
allows the students to go beyond the basic course information, select a
problem that interests them, and apply what they have learned in their
coursework to a novel situation. As part of the thesis option,
students will spend a minimum of two semesters working with a faculty
member to conduct the research outlined in their proposal. They will then
develop a written thesis detailing their project and present their final
project to the department in the form of a seminar talk or poster. The
title of a student’s thesis will appear on her transcript if she
completes two semesters (4 credits) of Independent Research (BIO 353) and
one semester (1 credit) of Senior Thesis and Presentation (BIO 354) with
grades of C- or better.
Additional or specified requirements for the Biology/Secondary Education Co-major:
Any student who meets the College admission
requirements for biology and education will be accepted into the program. In
order to be admitted to the professional term, the student must have a
cumulative grade-point average of 3.000. A cumulative GPA of 3.000 is
required for certification. In addition, the student must fulfill all
requirements of the education and biology programs.
1) BIO 307 (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology)
must be taken as one of the four electives required for the Biology major.
2) GSC 103 [Earth Science III: Astronomy] or GSC 104
[Earth Science IV: Historical Geology] is required for the co-major.
Course Requirements for the Biology Minor
BIO 121 Principles of Biology I 4 credits
BIO 122 Principles of Biology II 4 credits
(Students with Advanced Placement credit for BIO 121
and/or 122 are required to take the BIO 121 and 122 Labs.)
BIO 235 Ecology, Evolution and Genetics 4 credits
BIO 236 Cell and Molecular Biology 4 credits
Students who have previously taken BIO 231 or 234
should consult their advisors or the department web page to determine the courses
needed to complete the minor.
BIO Elective upper level BIO courses 4 credits
(CHE 307, 308 and 348 are allowable electives)
For transfer students planning to minor in Biology, 12
of these credits must be from Cedar Crest College.
Liberal Arts Curriculum Requirements fulfilled within the Major
Students fulfill the the Technology, Oral Presentation, and Information
Literacy requirement through successful completion of the following
required courses: BIO122, BIO235, BIO236, BIO350, and BIO355. Students also fulfill the Natural Science requirement by completing BIO 121 and BIO 122, and the Mathematics and Logic requirement by completing the year of mathematics at the appropriate level.
Course Requirements for the Biology Minor
BIO 121 Principles of Biology I 4 credits
BIO 122 Principles of Biology II 4 credits
(Students with Advanced Placement credit for BIO 121
and/or 122 are required to take the BIO 121 and 122 Labs.)
BIO 235 Ecology, Evolution and Genetics 4 credits
BIO 236 Cell and Molecular Biology 4 credits
Students who have previously taken BIO 231 or 234
should consult their advisors or the department web page to determine the courses
needed to complete the minor.
BIO Elective upper level BIO courses 4 credits
(CHE 307, 308 and 348 are allowable electives)
For transfer students planning to minor in Biology, 12
of these credits must be from Cedar Crest College.
Last Updated: 5/29/10
