Biology - Ecology and Organismal Biology

This is an archived copy of the 2017-2018 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.umt.edu/.

Bachelor of Science - Biology; Ecology and Organismal Biology Concentration

College Humanities & Sciences

Degree Specific Credits: 69

Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0

Catalog Year: 2017-2018

Note: The Ecology and Organismal Biology concentration is for students interested in the biology of organisms (plants or animals) or the biology of populations or communities. Course offerings include those from organismal biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, and conservation biology. This concentration is a graduate prep program, and it is designed for students interested in academia or employment with government agencies (e.g. National Biological Survey, U.S. FWS, etc.), or environmental consulting agencies. This concentration is also an excellent choice for pre-veterinary students.

General Education Requirements

Information regarding these requirements can be found in the General Education Section of the catalog. 

Summary

Biology/Microbiology Lower Division Core17
Upper Division Core Courses Required by Ecology & Organismal Biology Concentration5
Additional Upper Division Major Courses Required for the Ecology & Organismal Biology Concentration21
Organismal Course Requirement
-Ology Course Requirement
Specialized Ecology Course Requirement
Evolution Course Requirement
Required Courses Outside of the Major26-42
Mathematics - Calculus
Mathematics - Statistics
Chemistry
Physics
Upper Division Writing Expectation for the Major3-8
Total Hours72-93

Biology/Microbiology Lower Division Core

Rule: All of the following courses are required.

Note: The lower division core should be completed before attempting most upper division major courses.

AP Biology credit may be substituted for either BIOB 160N/BIOB 161N or BIOB 170N/BIOB 171N

BIOB 160NPrinciples of Living Systems3
BIOB 161NPrncpls of Living Systems Lab1
BIOB 170NPrincpls Biological Diversity3
BIOB 171NPrincpls Biological Dvrsty Lab2
BIOB 260Cellular and Molecular Biology4
BIOB 272Genetics and Evolution4
Total Hours17

Minimum Required Grade: C-


Upper Division Core Courses Required by Ecology & Organismal Biology Concentration

Select one of the following:5
BIOE 370
& BIOE 371
General Ecology
and Gen Ecology Lab (equiv to 271)
BIOE 342
Field Ecology (taken at the Flathead Lake Biological Station)
Total Hours5

Minimum Required Grade: C-


Additional Upper Division Major Courses Required for the Ecology & Organismal Biology Concentration

Rule: Complete a minimum of 21 credits of UD BIOB, BIOE, BIOH, BIOL, BIOM, BIOO, or BCH, with at least one course from each subcategory

Note: Other recommended courses include BCH 380 or BCH 480-BCH 482

Minimum Required Grade: C-

21 Total Credits Required

Organismal Course Requirement

Rule: Complete at least one organismal course (lab must also be taken, if available) from the following list

Select at least one of the following:3-5
BIOB 301
Developmental Biology
BIOB 375
General Genetics
BIOB 468
Endocrinology
BIOE 403
Vert Design & Evolution
BIOL 435
Comparative Animal Physiology
BIOO 433
& BIOO 434
Plant Physiology
and Plant Physiology Lab
Total Hours3-5

Minimum Required Grade: C-

-Ology Course Requirement

Rule: Complete at least one course with a focus on a group of organisms (lab must also be taken, if available) from the following list

Select at least one of the following:3-5
BIOM 360
& BIOM 361
General Microbiology
and General Microbiology Lab
BIOM 427
& BIOM 428
General Parasitology
and General Parasitology Lab
BIOO 320
General Botany
BIOO 335
Rocky Mountain Flora
BIOO 340
Biology and Mgmnt of Fishes
BIOO 462
Entomology
BIOO 470
Ornithology
BIOO 475
Mammalogy
Total Hours3-5

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Specialized Ecology Course Requirement

Select at least one of the following:3-5
BIOE 428
Freshwater Ecology
BIOE 448
Terrestrial Plant Ecology
BIOE 449
Plant Biogeography
BIOM 415
Microbial Dvrsty Eclgy & Evltn
WILD 346
Wildlife Physiological Ecology
WILD 470
Conserv of Wildlife Populatns
Flathead Lake Biological Station courses:
BIOE 416
Alpine Ecology
BIOE 439
Stream Ecology
BIOE 440
Conservation Ecology
BIOE 451
Landscape Ecology
BIOE 453
Ecology of Small & Large Lakes
BIOE 458
Forest and Grassland Ecol
Total Hours3-5

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Evolution Course Requirement

Select at least one of the following:3
BIOB 480
Conservation Genetics
BIOB 483
Phylogenics and Evolution
BIOB 486
Genomics
BIOE 406
Behavior & Evolution
BIOL 484
Plant Evolution
Total Hours3

Minimum Required Grade: C-


Required Courses Outside of the Major

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Mathematics - Calculus

Rule: Complete one of the following calculus courses

Note: Choose M 171, if you plan to take additional calculus courses, or if you plan a double major or minor in a field that requires more calculus (e.g. math, physics, biochemistry, computer science).

M 162Applied Calculus4
or M 171 Calculus I
Total Hours4

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Mathematics - Statistics

Note: Choose the full year of statistics for graduate preparation in ecology.

Select either one semester or a full year of statistics from the following:4-8
One Semester:
STAT 216
Introduction to Statistics
Full Year:
STAT 451
& STAT 452
Statistical Methods I
and Statistical Methods II
STAT 457
& STAT 458
Computer Data Analysis I
and Computer Data Analysis II
Total Hours4-8

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Chemistry

Note: Choose the advanced sequence for graduate preparation in organismal biology, or if you are pre-veterinary.

Select either one or two years of chemistry from the following:8-20
One Year:
CHMY 121N
Introduction to General Chemistry
CHMY 123
& CHMY 124
Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry
and Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry Lab
Two Years:
CHMY 141N
College Chemistry I
CHMY 142N
College Chemistry I Lab
CHMY 143N
College Chemistry II
CHMY 144N
College Chemistry II Lab
CHMY 221
& CHMY 222
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry I Lab
CHMY 223
& CHMY 224
Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry II Lab
Total Hours8-20

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Physics

Select one of the following physics sequences:10
Algebra- and Trigonometry-based:
PHSX 205N
& PHSX 206N
College Physics I
and College Physics I Laboratory
PHSX 207N
& PHSX 208N
College Physics II
and College Physics II Laboratory
Calculus-based:
PHSX 215N
& PHSX 216N
Fund of Physics w/Calc I
and Physics Laboratory I w/Calc
PHSX 217N
& PHSX 218N
Fund of Physics w/Calc II
and Physics Laboratory II w/Calc (require M 171 and M 172)
Total Hours10

Minimum Required Grade: C-


Advanced College Writing Requirement

Rule: Complete the equivalent of a full writing course (either three 1/3 writing courses or one 2/3 writing course + one 1/3 writing course or one complete writing course)

Note: To meet the Advanced College Writing Requirement, Biology students take 2 or 3 partial writing courses (either three 1/3 writing courses or one 1/3 writing course and one 2/3 writing course) or one complete writing course. The Ecology & Organismal Biology concentration requires one 2/3 writing course (BIOE 371). The Advanced College Writing Requirement is completed with one more course, chosen from any of the following.

Minimum Required Grade: C-

1/3 Advanced Writing Courses

BCH 482Advanced Biochemistry II3
BIOB 410Immunology3
BIOB 425Adv Cell & Molecular Biology3
BIOB 483Phylogenics and Evolution3
BIOE 403Vert Design & Evolution5
BIOE 409Behavior & Evolution Discussion1
BIOE 428Freshwater Ecology5
BIOL 484Plant Evolution3
BIOM 402Medical Bacteriology& Mycology3
BIOO 320General Botany5
BIOO 434Plant Physiology Lab1
BIOO 470Ornithology4
BIOO 475Mammalogy4

Minimum Required Grade: C-

2/3 Advanced Writing Courses

BCH 486Biochemistry Research Lab3
BCH 499Senior Thesis/Capstone3-6
BIOB 411Immunology Laboratory2
BIOB 499Undergraduate Thesis3-6
BIOE 342Field Ecology5
BIOE 371Gen Ecology Lab (equiv to 271)2
BIOM 411Exprmntl Microbial Genetcs Lab1
BIOM 499Undergraduate Thesis3-6

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Complete Advanced Writing Course

BIOH 462Principles Medical Physiology3

Exception to the Modern/Classical Languages Requirement

Rule: Choose one of the following Math courses

Note: The Division of Biological Sciences has been granted an exception to the Modern/Classical Language Requirement. Either of these Calculus courses (required by the major) will satisfy this requirement.

M 162Applied Calculus4
or M 171 Calculus I
Total Hours4

Minimum Required Grade: C-