UAS Academic CatalogBiology, B.S.
Juneau
The Bachelor of Science degree in Biology provides students with the opportunity to learn biological principles and skills in lecture, laboratory and field courses. Student research is also emphasized throughout the program. Program faculty are actively involved in a wide range of disciplines, including marine ecology, evolution, marine mammalogy, invertebrate physiology, cryobiology, biological oceanography, aquatic contaminant studies, and marine fisheries. Students have the option to choose a Fisheries Science Emphasis or to pursue General Electives. The location of the University provides students with a “natural laboratory” that includes extensive marine habitat, rainforest, wetlands, and ice fields all within walking distance of the classrooms. A small student-to-professor ratio ensures a more personal approach to learning than is possible at larger universities. The Bachelor of Science program in biology compromises a core curriculum generally found nationwide in bachelor of science biology programs. Additional information about the biology program can be found at https://uas.alaska.edu/arts_sciences/naturalsciences/biology/index.html. Program assessment plans are posted on the Program Assessment website.
Admission Requirements
Applicants will be considered for full admission to the B.S. in Biology, and be assigned a faculty advisor, after completion of the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL S115 & BIOL S116 | *Fundamentals of Biology I and *Fundamentals of Biology II | 8 |
| MATH S151 | *College Algebra for Calculus 1 | 4 |
| WRTG S111 | *Writing Across Contexts | 3 |
| High school chemistry or CHEM S103 with a C (2.00) or higher. | ||
- 1
May be met by placement examination.
Candidates must complete the General Education Requirements (GERs), the Alaska Native Knowledge Graduation Requirement, as well as the specific program requirements listed below for a minimum of 120 credit hours. Courses in a degree program may be counted only once. Courses used to fulfill the major requirements cannot be used to fulfill the GERs. Specific recommendations for the GERs in Biology are listed below. Degree must include 44 credit hours of upper-division (300 or above) courses, 24 of which must be completed at UAS.
| Minimum Credit Hours | 120 |
| General Education Requirements | 36 |
| Alaska Native Knowledge Graduation Requirement | 3 |
| Major Requirements | 43 |
| Biology Electives | 20 |
| General Electives | 21 |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | ||
| Complete all General Education Requirements which must include the following: | 36 | |
| *Fundamentals of Biology I | ||
| *Fundamentals of Biology II | ||
| *Calculus I 1 | ||
| Major Requirements | ||
| BIOL S271 | Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL S310 | Animal Physiology | 4 |
| BIOL S362 | Genetics | 4 |
| BIOL S482 | Evolution | 4 |
| CHEM S105 | *General Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM S105L | General Chemistry I Laboratory | 1 |
| CHEM S106 | *General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM S106L | General Chemistry II Laboratory | 1 |
| CHEM S321 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM S342 | Biochemistry | 4 |
| STAT S200 | *Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| Select one of the following Physics sequences: | 8 | |
| *College Physics I and *College Physics II | ||
| *General Physics I and *General Physics II | ||
| Biology Electives | ||
| Select from the following for a minimum of 20 credits: | 20 | |
| Introduction to Marine Biology | ||
| Introduction to Plant Biology | ||
| Communicating Science | ||
| Biological Oceanography | ||
| Experimental Design and Data Analysis | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Current Topics in Biology: 2 | ||
| Marine Ornithology and Herpetology | ||
| Marine Mammalogy | ||
| Field Studies in Behavior and Ecology 3 | ||
| Individual Research 3 | ||
| Invertebrate Zoology | ||
| Marine Animal Physiology | ||
| Introduction to Ichthyology | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Field Studies in Biology: 2 | ||
| Aquatic Pollution | ||
| Marine Ecology | ||
| Biology Seminar 2 | ||
| Biogeochemistry | ||
| Biogeography and Landscape Ecology | ||
| All Biology students have the option of pursuing a Fisheries Emphasis, which will satisfy up to 21 of the 21 General Elective requirements. | ||
| Fisheries Science Emphasis Requirements | 19-21 | |
| Must include (13 credits): | 13 | |
| Introduction to Marine Fisheries Science 4 | ||
| Introduction to Ichthyology | ||
FISH F288 | (Fish and Fisheries of Alaska) 4 | |
FISH F487 | (Fisheries Management) 4 | |
| Select two additional electives in BIOL (UAS) or FISH (UAF) with advisor permission (6-8 credits). | ||
| General Electives | ||
| Include upper-division courses as needed to meet 44 upper division credits required for degree. | up to 21 | |
- 1
- 2
Only 4 credits from BIOL S375, 4 credits from BIOL S475, and 2 credits from BIOL S492 may be applied toward the biology electives. Additional credits may be applied toward electives.
- 3
Up to 6 credits total from BIOL S396, BIOL S398, BIOL S498 may be applied.
- 4
May be applied toward the Biology Electives and General Electives for students not pursuing the emphasis.
FISH courses available from UAF distance or face-to-face at the Lena Point CFOS facility.