BS with a Major in Biological Sciences—Molecular, Cellular, and Organismal Biology Concentration
Degree Requirements
To earn a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete university, college, and departmental degree requirements. The Department of Biological Sciences degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Summary of Requirements | ||
| Required Prerequisite and Collateral Courses | 28 | |
| Major Requirements | 40 | |
| General Education and Electives to reach minimum Total Hours | 52 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
General Education
See General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on meeting these requirements. Students should consult the course lists below and their advisors to determine which courses are counted toward the General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline requirements.
Required Prerequisite and Collateral Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Select one of the following math courses: | 4 | |
| Calculus for the Life Sciences a,b | ||
| Calculus I a,b,c | ||
| Introduction to Statistics for the Life Sciences a | ||
| Select one of the following sequences in physics: | 8 | |
| Introductory Physics for Life Sciences I b | ||
| Introductory Physics for Life Sciences II b | ||
OR | ||
| General Physics I (Mechanics) b,c | ||
| General Physics II (Electricity and Magnetism) b,c | ||
| Select one of the following sequences in general chemistry: | 10 | |
| Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry I b | ||
| Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry II b | ||
OR | ||
| Matter and Energy d | ||
| Foundations of Chemical Inquiry I c,d | ||
| Chemical Dynamics d | ||
| Foundations of Chemical Inquiry II c,d | ||
| CHEM 230 | Organic Chemistry of Biological Systems | 3-4 |
| or CHEM 232 | Structure and Function | |
| CHEM 233 | Synthesis Techniques Laboratory | 2 |
| Total Hours | 27-28 | |
- a
MATH 170, MATH 180, and STAT 130 fulfill the LAS Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
- b
This course is approved for the Analyzing the Natural World General Education category.
- c
MATH 180 and MATH 181 are recommended for students planning advance work in population biology and required for enrollment in PHYS 141 and PHYS 142.
- d
General Education credit is given for successful completion of both CHEM 122 and CHEM 123 or CHEM 124 and CHEM 125.
Major Requirements
Of the 40 semester hours for the major, no more than 11 hours may be at the 100 level. At least 9 hours must be from courses designated as Experimental Techniques and Data Analyses. A minimum of 9 hours should be at the 300 and/or 400 level. No more than 5 hours of BIOS independent study and research may be counted toward the major.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| BIOS 110 | Biology of Cells and Organisms a | 4 |
| BIOS 120 | Biology of Populations and Communities a | 4 |
| BIOS 220 | Genetics | 3 |
| BIOS 222 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIOS 230 | Evolution and Ecology | 3 |
| In addition to required courses, students must complete one concentration chosen from General Biology; Molecular, Cellular, and Organismal Biology; or Evolution, Ecology, and Environmental Biology. | ||
| Concentration in Molecular, Cellular, and Organismal Biology | ||
| Required core courses: | ||
| BIOS 310 | Genetics Laboratory b | 2 |
| BIOS 312 | Cell Biology Laboratory b | 2 |
| BIOS 343 | Animal Physiological Systems b | 3 |
| Select at least 5 hours in Experimental Techniques and Data Analyses: | 5-7 | |
| Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | ||
| Developmental Biology Laboratory b | ||
| Molecular Biology Laboratory b | ||
| Embryology Laboratory | ||
| Microbiology Laboratory b | ||
| Independent Research b,d | ||
| Genomics b | ||
| Animal Physiological Systems Laboratory b,c | ||
| Select three courses from the following: | 9-11 | |
| Developmental Biology | ||
| Human Embryology | ||
| General Microbiology | ||
| Animal Physiological Systems Laboratory b,c | ||
| Advanced Microbiology | ||
| Biotechnology and Drug Discovery | ||
| Biochemistry I and Biochemistry II e | ||
or BIOS 352 | Introductory Biochemistry | |
| Topics Biological Sciences f | ||
| Additional hours of BIOS elective courses to bring the total to 40 semester hours. | 0-2 | |
| Total Hours | 40 | |
- a
This course is approved for the Analyzing the Natural World General Education category.
- b
BIOS 310, BIOS 312, BIOS 321, BIOS 323, BIOS 336, BIOS 351, BIOS 399, BIOS 420, BIOS 443, and BIOS 480 fulfill the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement.
- c
-
BIOS 443 can be used as a selective to either meet the Experimental Techniques and Data Analyses requirement OR the MCOB requirement for this concentration but not both.
- d
BIOS 399 can only be counted once to fulfill Experimental Techniques and Data Analyses credit requirements.
- e
BIOS 452 and BIOS 454 will count as two courses toward the three course requirement. However, if only BIOS 452 is taken, it will not count as an MCOB selective course.
- f
BIOS 490 can only be used once with the consent of the advisor.
Recommended Plan of Study
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| ENGL 160 | Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts | 3 |
| MATH 180 |
Calculus I a or Calculus for the Life Sciences or Introduction to Statistics for the Life Sciences |
4 |
| Select one of the following: | 5 | |
| Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry I | ||
| Matter and Energy and Foundations of Chemical Inquiry I b |
||
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ENGL 161 | Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 5 | |
| Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry II | ||
| Chemical Dynamics and Foundations of Chemical Inquiry II b |
||
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| BIOS 110 or BIOS 120 |
Biology of Cells and Organisms b or Biology of Populations and Communities |
4 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CHEM 230 or CHEM 232 |
Organic Chemistry of Biological Systems or Structure and Function |
3-4 |
| BIOS 110 or BIOS 120 |
Biology of Cells and Organisms b or Biology of Populations and Communities |
4 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| General Education Requirement course or Elective | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| BIOS 222 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIOS 230 | Evolution and Ecology | 3 |
| CHEM 233 | Synthesis Techniques Laboratory | 2 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| BIOS 220 | Genetics | 3 |
| PHYS 131 or PHYS 141 |
Introductory Physics for Life Sciences I b or General Physics I (Mechanics) |
4 |
| BIOS 310 or BIOS 312 |
Genetics Laboratory or Cell Biology Laboratory |
2 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| BIOS 310 or BIOS 312 |
Genetics Laboratory or Cell Biology Laboratory |
2 |
| BIOS 343 | Animal Physiological Systems | 3 |
| PHYS 132 or PHYS 142 |
Introductory Physics for Life Sciences II or General Physics II (Electricity and Magnetism) |
4 |
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| Select 5-9 hours from the following: c | 5-9 | |
BIOS experimental techniques and data analyses selectives c |
||
BIOS Selectives c |
||
BIOS Electives c |
||
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| Electives | 7 | |
| Hours | 15-19 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Select 5-9 hours from the following: c | 5-9 | |
BIOS experimental techniques and data analyses selectives c |
||
BIOS Selectives c |
||
BIOS Electives c |
||
| Electives | 8-9 | |
| Hours | 13-18 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
- a
MATH 170, MATH 180, or STAT 130, individually, will satisfy the Quantitative Reasoning requirement with a grade of C or better.
- b
The Analyzing the Natural World and the two additional General Education course requirements can be satisfied with four courses chosen from PHYS 131, PHYS 132, PHYS 141, PHYS 142, BIOS 110, BIOS 120 and/or CHEM 122/CHEM 123 and CHEM 124/CHEM 125.
- c
To complete the degree, students must take 23 additional hours, including 9 hours in experimental techniques and data analyses and the biological sciences selectives/electives to meet concentration requirements (21-25 hours for MCOB). At least 9 of these 23 hours must be taken at the 300 to 400 level (excluding BIOS 391).