Biology B.A. - Biological Education
Individuals interested in teaching in K-12 schools must complete a degree in the content area they want to teach plus the Teacher Education Program through the Department of Teaching and Learning. Individuals must complete the teaching track within that degree program, which may contain different course requirements than the non-teaching track since the sequence of courses is designed to meet state standards. Upon completion of the degree program with the teaching track and the secondary licensure program, one will be eligible for a standard Montana teaching license in this content area.
Bachelor of Arts - Biology; Biological Education Concentration
College of Humanities & Sciences
Degree Specific Credits: 71
Required Cumulative GPA: 2.75
Catalog Year: 2018-2019
Note: This concentration provides students with coursework in Biology and related sciences and mathematics needed to be certified by the State of Montana to teach secondary Biology (in middle and high school). This concentration is appropriate for students interested in teaching Biology in a larger, more urban school. In order to be licensed to teach secondary Biology, students must be admitted to the Teacher Education Program through the Phyllis J. Washington College of Education and Human Sciences.
General Education Requirements
Information regarding these requirements can be found in the General Education Section of the catalog.
Summary
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Biology/Microbiology Lower-Division Core | 17 | |
| Upper-Division Core Courses Required by the Biological Education Concentration | 14 | |
| Animal-Based Organismal Course Requirement | 3 | |
| Required Courses Outside of the Major | 37 | |
Mathematics - Calculus | ||
Mathematics - Statistics | ||
Chemistry | ||
Physics | ||
Environmental Geosciences | ||
Education | ||
| Advanced College Writing Requirement | ||
| Secondary Teaching Licensure | ||
| Total Hours | 71 | |
Biology/Microbiology Lower-Division Core
Note: The lower-division core should be completed before attempting most upper division major courses. AP Biology credit with a score of 3 may be substituted for either BIOB 160N/BIOB 161N or BIOB 170N/BIOB 171N.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete all of the following courses: | ||
| BIOB 160N | Principles of Living Systems | 3 |
| BIOB 161N | Prncpls of Living Systems Lab | 1 |
| BIOB 170N | Princpls Biological Diversity | 3 |
| BIOB 171N | Princpls Biological Dvrsty Lab | 2 |
| BIOB 260 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BIOB 272 | Genetics and Evolution | 4 |
| Total Hours | 17 | |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Upper-Division Core Courses Required by the Biological Education Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete all of the following courses: | ||
| BIOE 370 | General Ecology | 3 |
| BIOE 371 | Gen Ecology Lab (equiv to 271) | 2 |
| BIOM 360 | General Microbiology | 3 |
| BIOM 361 | General Microbiology Lab | 2 |
| BIOO 433 | Plant Physiology | 3 |
| BIOO 434 | Plant Physiology Lab | 1 |
| Total Hours | 14 | |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Animal-Based Organismal Course Requirement
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following courses: | ||
| BIOB 301 | Developmental Biology | 3 |
| or BIOL 435 | Comparative Animal Physiology | |
| Total Hours | 3 | |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Required Courses Outside of the Major
Mathematics - Calculus
Note: Students should choose M 171 if they plan to take additional calculus courses or if they plan a double major or minor in a field that requires more calculus (e.g. math, physics, biochemistry, computer science).
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following courses: | 4 | |
| Applied Calculus | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Total Hours | 4 | |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Mathematics - Statistics
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete the following course: | ||
| STAT 216 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| Total Hours | 4 | |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Chemistry
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete all of the following courses: | ||
| Introduction to General Chemistry | ||
| Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry | ||
| Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry Lab | ||
| Laboratory Safety | ||
| Total Hours | 0 | |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Physics
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following Physics sequences: | 10 | |
Algebra- and Trigonometry-based Physics: | ||
| College Physics I and College Physics I Laboratory | ||
Calculus-based Physics: | ||
| Fund of Physics w/Calc I and Physics Laboratory I w/Calc (requires M 171) | ||
| Total Hours | 10 | |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Environmental Geosciences
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following courses: | ||
| GEO 105N | Oceanography | 3 |
| or GEO 103N | Introduction to Environmental Geology | |
| Total Hours | 3 | |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Education
Note: The course number EDU 497 covers many different teaching method courses. The section of EDU 497 entitled "Methods: 5 - 12 Science" for 3 credits is required for the Biological Education option.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete the following course: | ||
| EDU 497 | Teaching and Assessing | 4 |
| Total Hours | 4 | |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Advanced College Writing Requirement
Rule: To meet the Advanced College Writing Requirement, Biology in the Biological Education concentration must complete 2 or 3 partial writing courses (either three 1/3 advanced writing courses or one 1/3 advanced writing course and one 2/3 advanced writing course) or one complete advanced writing course, chosen from the following:
Option 1 - 1/3 Advanced Writing Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete three of the following courses: | ||
| BCH 482 | Advanced Biochemistry II | 3 |
| BIOB 410 | Immunology | 3 |
| BIOB 425 | Adv Cell & Molecular Biology | 3 |
| BIOB 483 | Phylogenics and Evolution | 3 |
| BIOE 403 | Vert Design & Evolution | 5 |
| BIOE 409 | Behavior & Evolution Discussion | 1 |
| BIOE 428 | Freshwater Ecology | 5 |
| BIOL 484 | Plant Evolution | 3 |
| BIOM 402 | Medical Bacteriology& Mycology | 3 |
| BIOO 320 | General Botany | 5 |
| BIOO 434 | Plant Physiology Lab | 1 |
| BIOO 470 | Ornithology | 4 |
| BIOO 475 | Mammalogy | 4 |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Option 2 - 2/3 Advanced Writing Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete the following course in addition to one 1/3 advanced writing course: | ||
| BCH 486 | Biochemistry Research Lab | 3 |
| BCH 499 | Senior Thesis/Capstone | 3-6 |
| BIOB 411 | Immunology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOB 499 | Undergraduate Thesis | 3-6 |
| BIOE 342 | Field Ecology | 5 |
| BIOE 371 | Gen Ecology Lab (equiv to 271) | 2 |
| BIOM 411 | Exprmntl Microbial Genetcs Lab | 1 |
| BIOM 499 | Undergraduate Thesis | 3-6 |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Option 3 - Complete Advanced Writing Course
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete the following course: | ||
| BIOH 462 | Principles Medical Physiology | 3 |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Secondary Teaching Licensure
Note: For endorsement to teach Biology, a student also must gain admission to the Teacher Education Program and meet all the requirements for secondary teaching licensure. For more information, see the Teaching and Learning Department.