B.S. in Biology: Option in Biology Education, 2024-2025 Catalog
Four Year Degree Worksheet for: B.S. in Biology: Option in Biology Education - CSULB Catalog (2024-2025).
This degree worksheet is intended to help you develop a balanced course schedule while completing your degree within 4 years. The same sequence of courses (with fewer courses each semester) is also recommended for students completing their degree in 5 or 6 years.
This worksheet is not intended to replace academic advising with your assigned advisor. Students should consult with their assigned advisor to determine the appropriate sequence of required courses and electives based on their academic goals.
CSULB Enrollment Services prepares the Academic Requirements Report, which is the official graduation verification.
Major-Specific Degree Requirements
Major-Specific Degree Requirements are listed as an "MSDR" in the notes column. These courses must be completed in order to declare your major. All students must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher in the STEM MSDR suite. For more information, please see: Major-Specific Degree Requirements for CSULB Students.
Pre-Biology first-time freshmen must complete CHEM 111A and MATH 119A or higher within one year of matriculation. Some students may need to take courses during Summer Session to meet these requirements. Students who have not met the requirements by the required semester must either declare another major or meet with an Academic Advisor to determine if the student's performance in the courses merits an additional semester to complete.
Additional Notes
Students should take the Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement Placement Examination (GPE) after Year 1.
The "elective (1)" entries below are placeholders for the extra units needed for graduation if only the listed courses are taken. All students should make sure they take at least 120 units to meet graduation requirements.
Year 1 - Semester 1
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MATH 119A (area B4) | Survey of Calculus I (3) | Appropriate placement, MATH 112B or 113 | MSDR |
| CHEM 111A | General Chemistry (5) | Appropriate Placement, Pre/Corequisite: MATH 112A or 112B or higher, CHEM 95 if needed | MSDR |
| GE (area A2) | Written Communication (3) | MSDR | |
| GE (area C,D,E,F) | Other Exploration (3) | ||
| NSCI 190A | Experience Success Program 1 (1) | Fall |
Year 1 - Semester 2
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 211 | Introduction to Evolution and Diversity (4) | Pre/Corequisite: CHEM 111A | MSDR |
| CHEM 111B | General Chemistry (5) | CHEM 111A, MATH 112B or higher | MSDR |
| GE (area A1) | Oral Communication (3) | MSDR | |
| GE (area A3) | Critical Thinking (3) | MSDR |
Year 2 - Semester 3
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 212 | Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology (4) | BIOL 211, CHEM 111A, Pre/Corequisite: CHEM 111B | |
| BIOL 260 | Biostatistics (3) | BIOL 211, MATH 111, 113, 119A, or 122 | |
| CHEM 227; OR CHEM 220A | Fundamentals of Organic; OR Organic Chemistry I (3) | CHEM 111A; OR CHEM 111B, Corequisite: CHEM 223A | CHEM 227 usually recommended |
| CHEM 223A (if 220A taken) | Organic Chemistry Laboratory I (1) | CHEM 111B, Pre/Corequisite: CHEM 220A | |
| GE (Area C,D,E,F) | Other Exploration (3) |
Year 2 - Semester 4
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 213 | Introduction to Ecology and Physiology (4) | BIOL 211, 212, CHEM 111B | |
| CHEM 220B (if 220A taken) | Organic Chemistry II (3) | CHEM 220A, Corequisite: CHEM 223B | |
| CHEM 223B (if 220B taken) | Organic Chemistry Laboratory II (1) | CHEM 220A and 223A, Pre/Corequisite: CHEM 220B | |
| ASTR 100 | Astronomy (3) | MATH 119A or 122 | |
| BIOL 340 | Molecular Cell Biology (3) | BIOL 211, 212 | |
| GE (Area C,D,E,F) | Other Exploration (3) |
Year 3 - Semester 5
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 311 | General Microbiology (4) | BIOL 211 and 212, CHEM 111B or 112B | |
| BIOL 312 | Evolutionary Biology (3) | BIOL 211, 212, 213, and 260 | |
| GEOL 102 & GEOL 104; OR GEOL 106 | General Geology (3) & Geology Lab (1); OR Earth Science for Teachers (4) | Corequisite: GEOL 104 & Corequisite: GEOL 102; OR GE Written Communication (A2) | |
| GE (area C,D,E,F) | Other Exploration (3) | GE (area C, D, and E) | |
| GE (area C,D,E,F) | Other Exploration (3) | GE (area C, D, and E) |
Year 3 - Semester 6
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 350 | General Ecology (3) | BIOL 211, 212, 213, 260, MATH 119A or 122 | |
| BIOL 370 | General Genetics (4) | BIOL 211, 212, and 260 | |
| PHYS 100A; OR PHYS 151 | General Physics (4); OR Mechanics and Heat (4) | MATH 109, 111,112A, 113, 119A, or 122; OR Pre/Corequisite: MATH 122, 123, or 224 | |
| GE Upper Division (area C-UD, D-UD) | Upper Division (3) | GE Foundation |
Year 4 - Semester 7
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 342; OR BIOL 345; OR BIOL 447 | Human/Mammalian Physiology (3); OR Comparative Animal Physiology (3); OR Molecular Plant Physiology (3) | BIOL 211, 212, and 213; OR BIOL 211, 212, and 213; OR BIOL 340 and 370 | Spring Only (BIOL 447) |
| BIOL 427; OR BIOL 439 | Vascular Plant Systematics (4); OR Plant Morphology (4) | BIOL 312 or 370; OR BIOL 312 or 350 or 370 | |
| PHYS 100B; OR PHYS 152 | General Physics (4); OR Electricity and Magnetism (4) | PHYS 100A or 151, MATH 109, 111, 112A, 113, 119A, or 122; OR PHYS 151; Pre/Corequisite: MATH 123 | |
| GE (area C,D,E,F) | Other Exploration (3) | GE (area C, D, and E) |
Year 4 - Semester 8
| Course # | Course Title (Units) | Prerequisites | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 313; OR BIOL 316; OR BIOL 324 | Invertebrate Zoology (4); OR General Entomology (4); OR Vertebrate Zoology (4) | BIOL 211, 212, and 213 | animal diversity electives |
| BIOL 480 | Seminars (1) | Must take in last semester, department consent required | |
| SCED 404 | The Nature of Science and Scientific Reasoning for Teachers (3) | minimum of 9 units of science or consent of instructor | |
| Elective | Biology Education Approved Upper Division Elective (3) | ||
| GE (area C,D,E,F) | Other Exploration (3) | GE (area C, D, and E) | |
| GE Upper Division (Area C-UD, D-UD) | Upper Division (3) | GE Foundation |
