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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: 68-70

Required Cumulative GPA: 2.75

Catalog Year: 2020-21

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.

General Education Requirements

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

Summary

Biology/Microbiology Lower-Division Core

17

Upper-Division Core Courses Required by the Biological Education Concentration

10

Plant-Based Organismal Course Requirement

4-5

Animal-Based Organismal Course Requirement

3-4

Required Courses Outside of the Major

31

Mathematics - Calculus

Mathematics - Statistics

Chemistry

Physics

Environmental Geosciences

Education

Advanced College Writing Requirement

3

Secondary Teaching Licensure

Total Hours

68-70


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

Total Hours

10

Minimum Required Grade: C-


Plant-Based Organismal Course Requirement

Code

Title

Hours

Complete one of the following courses:

BIOO 320

General Botany

or

BIOO 433

Plant Physiology

and BIOO 434

Plant Physiology Lab

Total Hours

4-5

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Animal-Based Organismal Course Requirement

Code

Title

Hours

Complete one of the following courses:

3-4

BIOB 301

Developmental Biology

BIOE 403

Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy

BIOL 435

Comparative Animal Physiology

Total Hours

3-4

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. astronomy, math, physics, biochemistry, computer science).

Code

Title

Hours

Complete one of the following courses:

4

M 162

Applied Calculus

M 171

Calculus I

Total Hours

4

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Mathematics - Statistics

Course List

Code

Title

Hours

Complete the following course:

STAT 216

Introduction to Statistics

4

Total Hours

4

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Chemistry

Course List

Code

Title

Hours

Complete all of the following courses:

CHMY 121N

Introduction to General Chemistry

4

CHMY 123

Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry

4

CHMY 124

Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry Lab

2

CHMY 485

Laboratory Safety

1

Total Hours

11

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Physics

Course List

Code

Title

Hours

Complete one of the following Physics courses:

5

Algebra- and Trigonometry-based Physics:

PHSX 205N
& PHSX 206N

College Physics I
and College Physics I Laboratory

Calculus-based Physics:

PHSX 215N
& PHSX 216N

Fund of Physics w/Calc I
and Physics Laboratory I w/Calc (requires M 171)

Total Hours

5

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Environmental Geosciences

Course List

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.

Course List

Code

Title

Hours

Complete the following course:

EDU 497

Teaching and Assessing

4

Total Hours

4

Minimum Required Grade: C-


Advanced College Writing Requirement

Course List

Code

Title

Hours

Complete all of the following courses:

BIOE 371

Gen Ecology Lab (equiv to 271)

and

BIOO 434

Plant Physiology Lab

or BIOO 320

General Botany

Total Hours

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.