Biology, B.S. (Secondary Teaching Certification)

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This degree requires 124 semester hours, including 44 hours of University Core coursework.

Degree Requirements

All candidates for the Bachelor of Science must meet the following:

Fulfill all university requirements for a bachelor’s degree, as outlined in the Bachelor’s Degree Requirements section of this catalog.
Complete Core Curriculum Requirements (for students entering college in Fall 1999 or later).
- Note: Students transferring from a Texas public community college or university with core complete certification will have satisfied A&M-Victoria’s core requirements.
Meet Bachelor of Science degree requirements, which include:
- Lower Division:
  - 3 semester hours of speech.
  - Computer Literacy/Proficiency (see note below).
- Natural Sciences:
  - 11 semester hours in natural sciences, including at least 2 semester hours of laboratory courses.
  - To fulfill the natural science course requirement, students must complete at least 6 semester hours in natural science coursework.
  - Acceptable disciplines: Biology, Biophysical Sciences, Chemistry, Geology, and Physics.
Complete all required courses for the degree plan (outlined below).

Note: The computer literacy/proficiency requirement may be satisfied within the core curriculum. However, students-regardless of core completion status-must still complete 3 semester hours each in speech and computer literacy/proficiency.

University Core Curriculum - 44 Semester Hours

Core 010 - Communication (6 hours)
Core 020 - Mathematics (3 hours) (MATH 2312 recommended)
Core 030 - Life and Physical Science (8 hours) (BIOL 1306/1106 and BIOL 1307/1107 recommended)
Core 040 - Language, Philosophy and Culture (3 hours)
Core 050 - Creative Arts (3 hours)
Core 060 - American History (6 hours)
Core 070 - Government/Political Science (6 hours)
Core 080 - Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 hours)
Core 090 - Component Area Option: Speech (3 hours)
Core 090 - Component Area Option: Computer Literacy (3 hours)

Major Program Requirements

Must earn “C” or higher in all major program requirements.

Bachelor of Science Program Requirements - 4 Semester Hours

ENGL 3430
Speech^
Computer Literacy^
Additional Natural Science with Lab 4 s.h. (can be satisified with lower division requirements)

Lower Division Requirements - 37 Semester Hours

BIOL 1306 Biology I for Science Majors /1106 ^ (must include lab)
BIOL 1307 Biology II for Science Majors /1107 ^ (must include lab)
CHEM 1311 General Inorganic Chemistry I /1111 (must include lab)
CHEM 1312 General Inorganic Chemistry II /1112 (must include lab)
BIOL 2320 Elementary Microbiology /2120 (must include lab)
PHYS 1301 College Physics I - Mechanics /1101 (must include lab)
PHYS 1302 College Physics II - Electricity and Magnetism /1102
3 semester hours of Earth Science (LD Geology or SCIE 3310 )
3 semester hours of Earth Science (LD Geology)
MATH 2312 Pre-Calculus
CHEM 2323 Organic Chemistry I /2123 (must include lab)
CHEM 2325 Organic Chemistry II /2125 *Only required if SCIE 3320 is taken in place of PHYS 1302

Upper Division Requirements - 26 Semester Hours

MATH 3391 Probability and Statistics I
BIOL 4310 Biochemistry
BIOL 4313 Genetics
BIOL 3332 Research Methods in Biology Offered in Fall only and must be taken prior to BIOL 4203
BIOL 4302 Independent Research in Biology Offered in Spring only (Prequisite: BIOL 3332 )
Select four courses from the Human concentration OR four courses from the Environment concentration

*It is recommended that students select one-track; however, students may take a combination of the courses listed below.

Human Concentration - select four courses from: BIOL 3330 , BIOL 3322 , BIOL 3343 , BIOL 4303 , BIOL 4337

Environment Concentration - select four courses from: BIOL 4335 , BIOL 3326 , BIOL 4337 , BIOL 3340 , BIOL 4340

BIOL Upper Division Lab Requirement - 4 Semester Hours

Students must complete a minimum of four hours of UD BIOL 31XX or 41XX Labs. Concurrent enrollment in the lecture is required. Deviation requires advisement.

Professional Development/Education Requirements - 27 Semester Hours

Total Semester Hours

Total must be minimum of 120 semester hours, including at least 36 upper-division semester hours.

Students seeking secondary teacher certification may be required to complete additional hours.

^ May be satisfied within core curriculum. However, 3 semester hours of both speech and computer literacy/proficiency are still required even if the student is certified as core complete by way of transfer from a Texas public community college or public university.

Natural Science Lab requirements will be met within core curriculum or lower division major requirements. *Labs are required to correspond with lectures.

Optional ESL or SPED Certification Requirements

Additional ESL Certification - 12 Semester Hours

Students pursuing an additional ESL Certification will complete the following courses in place of free electives.

Additional Special Education Certification - 12 Semester Hours

Students pursuing an additional Special Education Certification will complete the following courses in place of free electives.