Biology Teaching Minor

Program Learning Outcomes

  • The candidate for an endorsement in biology demonstrates the following core competencies:
    conceptual understanding of the life processes in living systems including organization of matter and energy
  • conceptual understanding of the similarities and differences among animals, plants, fungi, microorganisms, and viruses
  • conceptual understanding of living organisms, ethical laboratory and field studies promoting scientific inquiry, applications of biology in social and historical perspectives
  • conceptual understanding of the principles and practices of biological classification and the theory and principles of biological evolution
  • understanding of the ecological systems including the interrelationships and dependencies of organisms with each other and their environments
  • conceptual understanding of population dynamics and the impact of population on its environment
  • understanding of general concepts of genetics and heredity
  • conceptual understanding of organizations and functions of cells and multi-cellular systems
  • understanding of the regulation of biological systems including homeostatic mechanisms
  • conceptual understanding of the fundamental processes of modeling and investigating in the biological sciences
  • understanding of the applications of biology in environmental quality and in personal and community health
  • conceptual understanding of bioenergetics including major biochemical pathways
  • understanding of biochemical interactions of organisms and their environments
  • conceptual understanding of molecular genetics and heredity and mechanisms of genetic modification
  • understanding of molecular basis for evolutionary theory and classification
  • conceptual understanding of the causes, characteristics, and avoidance of viral, bacterial, and parasitic diseases
  • understanding of the issues related to living systems such as genetic modification, uses of biotechnology, cloning, and pollution from farming
  • conceptual understanding of applications of biology and biotechnology in society, business, industry, and health fields.

A student must receive a grade of C or better in all the courses required for this minor and have a GPA of 3.00 or higher.

BIOB 160Principles of Living Systems4
BIOB 170INPrinciples of Biological Diversity4
BIOE 370General Ecology 3
BIOB 420Evolution3
BIOB 375General Genetics3
Choose one of the following:2
Rocky Mountain Vegetation
Alpine Ecology
Choose one of the following:3-5
Unseen Universe: Microbes
General Microbiology
Choose one of the following:3
Plant Physiology
Animal Physiology
Biology Electives (except BIOB 100IN)3
EDM 403Methods: 5-12 Science3
Total Credits31-33